Abstract

The CWRU Turbine is a research turbine located in a urban campus in Cleveland, Ohio. This location may create turbulence, resulting in a possible loss in energy generation. This research attempts to answers the question of whether the wind flow is affected by the buildings or not. The surrounding buildings, which vary in height from 20 to 40 meters, may affect the wind patterns at the hub height. In order to investigate this issue, a CFD model of the immediate area was generated. The analysis using a CFD model includes prevailing wind directions and analyzes the outcomes of the wind flow pattern around the turbine. Reasonable agreement was found when the model was tested and compared against real wind measurements.