An Experimental Investigation of the Dynamic Response of Bladeless Vortex-Induced Vibration Turbines Using Novel Materials in a Wind Tunnel

This study presents an experimental investigation into the vibration characteristics of four different Vortex Bladeless Wind Turbine (VBWT) prototypes made with different mast materials - Glass Fiber (GF), Polyurethane (PU), and Polyethylene (PE) - and rod lengths. They were tested in a wind tunnel with different Reynolds number flow regimes using two rod lengths (60 mm and 90 mm) to evaluate their performance under controlled conditions. An acquisition system based on Arduino was constructed to measure the linear acceleration of the vibration of each prototype. The experimental results revealed that the rod length had a significant impact on both the amplitude and frequency of vibration, with longer rods producing greater deflection and lower natural frequencies. The mast diameter was also found to influence the frequency, with larger diameters yielding reduced vibration frequencies. Furthermore, the material of the mast played a crucial role in the dynamic behavior. The PU mast exhibited the highest vibration amplitudes and frequencies due to its lower mass and greater flexibility, compared to the GF and PE configurations. These findings contributed to the advancement of this emerging renewable energy technology of VBWTs.