Flow structure interaction around an axial-flow hydrokinetic turbine: Experiments and CFD simulations

We carry out large-eddy simulation of turbulent flow past a complete hydrokinetic turbine mounted on the bed of a straight rectangular open channel. The complex turbine geometry, including the rotor and all stationary components, is handled by employing the curvilinear immersed boundary (CURVIB) method [1], and velocity boundary conditions near all solid surfaces are reconstructed using a wall model based on solving the simplified boundary layer equations [2]. In this study we attempt to directly resolve flow-blade interactions without introducing turbine parameterization methods. The computed wake profiles of velocities and turbulent stresses agree well with the experimentally measured values.