Abstract
This study conducted simulation and experimental analysis on a dual
rotor horizontal axis wind turbine to determine the effect of rotor
separation on its performance. An air study was conducted to optimize
the turbine blades to a local climate of Trinidad, it was determined
that a NACA 64-315 air foil would be the most optimum for the
conditions. QBlade software was used for the simulation, the power flow
performance for multiple iterations of wind speed was found for the
design. The effect of rotor separation on the performance of the dual
rotor wind turbine was studied with rotor separation 0.25 m to 3.0 m at
an interval of 0.25 m and it was discovered that the smallest rotor
separation 0.25 m shows the largest tip speed ratio, while the largest
rotor separation distance 3m has the smallest tip speed ratio at a fan
speed of 1m/s. Also, as the rotor separation decreases the power
coefficient (C P ) and the total power increase, which resulted to high
energy output of the DRHAWT. This result is valid for the QBlade
simulations and the experimental results.