A Novel Approach to Mitigate Blade-to-Blade Interactions in Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines Suitable for Urban Areas

With the growth of urban zones and the increasing need for energy, the use of renewable energy solutions in the built environment becomes a must. Due to their small size and the ability to capture wind from any direction, vertical-axis wind turbines are an alternative to conventional wind energy generators. However, the use of these turbines in the built environment faces difficulties due to performance inefficiencies, particularly because of the intricate aerodynamic characteristics of the blades. This work investigates a method for increasing the efficiency of VAWTs by addressing blade-to-blade interactions using Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations. The research aims to improve turbine design for urban locations, which motivates the application context of the study. The present numerical model employs a uniform inflow to isolate blade–blade interaction mechanisms under controlled conditions. The paper presents a design that minimizes aerodynamic losses, decreases turbulence-induced drag, and increases overall energy capture efficiency by modeling different blade configurations and their interactions. The performance of four asymmetric configurations of blade chord and radius was numerically studied and compared to a symmetric configuration.