Performance Analysis of Highway Wind Turbine Enhanced with Wind Guide Vanes Using the Taguchi Method

Jul 3, 2026

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Interaction between moving vehicles and wind turbines is investigated using a Savonius vertical-axis wind turbine designed for low-wind-speed operation. Vehicle motion generates scattered, non-uniform airflow that can induce negative torque, addressed by installing wind guide vane panels ahead of the blades. Guide vanes shaped as an NACA4412 aerofoil aim to reduce energy loss and raise local wind velocity. CFD simulations with the Taguchi method optimize guide vane distance (d), angle (α), and vehicle speed (VC) using an L9(3^3) orthogonal array.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

Abstract

Introduction

CFD Letters Journal [homepage: www.akademiabaru.com/cfdl.html](homepage: www.akademiabaru.com/cfdl.html)[ ](homepage: www.akademiabaru.com/cfdl.html)ISSN: 2180-1363 Performance Analysis of Highway Wind Turbine Enhanced with Wind Guide Vanes Using the Taguchi Method Mohamad Zahid Mazlan 1, Fazila Mohd Zawawi 1,*, Teeab Tahzib 1, Kamarulafizam Ismail 1, Syahrullail Samion 1 1 School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai Johor, Malaysia | ARTICLE INFO | ABSTRACT | | --- | --- | | Article history: Received 14 October 2020 Received in revised form 18 November 2020 Accepted 19 November 2020 Available online 16 March 2021 Keywords: VAWT; Savonius; Moving car; Highway; CFD; Dynamic Mesh; Transient; 1DOF; Taguchi Method | Considerable efforts have been made by researchers to study the interaction between moving vehicles and wind turbines. The Savonius vertical-axis wind turbine was chosen due to its effectiveness in low-wind speed conditions. Speeding vehicles produce a scattered and non-uniform wind flow with disturbances. Hence, to prevent a negative torque, a row of wind guide vane panels was arranged in front of the blades of a wind turbine. The wind guide vane had the shape of an NACA4412 aerofoil to reduce the loss of wind energy, and to further increase wind velocity. A number of CFD simulations were designed using the Taguchi method to determine the optimum conditions for the power coefficient of the wind turbine in terms of the effects of three factors, namely, the distance between the guide vanes (d), the angle of the guide vanes (α), and the speed of the moving car (VC) . An orthogonal array of L9(33 ) was designed. In addition, to observe the effects of the wind velocity induced by the moving vehicle, the wind turbine was incorporated with one degree of freedom (1DOF) . The results showed that the speed of the moving car played a major role in determining the power coefficient. The order of influence of each factor was ranked as VC > α > d. The performance of the wind turbine was sensitive to the speed of the car and the angle of the guide vanes, whereas it was insensitive to the distance between the guide vanes. Furthermore, the analysis of the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio suggested that the optimal combination offactors for a maximum power coefficient were d = 0.4m, α = 30°, and VC =30m/s. The optimum setting increased the Cp to 26% compared to the Cp that was produced without the installation of the guide vanes. | 1. Introduction Currently, the Malaysian Government is seeking to develop the most potential forms of renewable energy in the coming years, namely, solar and biomass energy. The percentage of electricity that is generated by wind and tidal-based renewable energy resources is too small and negligible due to the potential problems of these resources. For instance, wind turbine farms are not applicable in Malaysia because the average annual wind speed ranges between 2 and 3 m/s [1] . On the other hand, the average velocity of the aerodynamic wake of cruising vehicles is approximately 34 m/s near the car body and, depending on the position of the wind turbine, it can strike the wind * Corresponding author. [E-mail address: fazila@mail.fkm.utm.my](E-mail address: fazila@mail.fkm.utm.my) (Fazila Mohd Zawawi) [https://doi.org/10.37934/cfdl.13.3.2542](https://doi.org/10.37934/cfdl.13.3.2542) turbine blades at speeds of up to 6 m/s [2,3] . Therefore, with a highway network totalling 49,935 km in length, the turbulent wind induced by speeding passenger vehicles on highways does not appear to be negligible, and is a highly potential wind energy resource that is sustainable and renewable. Generally, wind speeds that are induced by moving vehicles can reach up to 5 to 6 m/s [4] . As such, a suitable wind turbine needs to be designed and developed that can operate under low wind conditions. Other challenges include the non-uniform

FAQs

What is the main goal of the study?

To analyze and optimize the performance of a highway wind turbine enhanced with wind guide vanes under low-speed and turbulent-flow conditions generated by moving vehicles.

Why are wind guide vanes installed in front of the turbine blades?

To prevent negative torque by restructuring the disturbed, non-uniform wind flow caused by speeding vehicles and concentrating it onto the blades.

Which factors and optimization method are used to determine the best configuration?

The Taguchi method is applied to study three factors—distance between guide vanes (d), guide vane angle (α), and moving car speed (VC)—using an L9(3^3) orthogonal array.

Jul 3, 2026

Upload by Logic