The Influence of the Number of Blades and the Number of Levels on Behavior of the "S" - Rotor Experimental Models

Abstract

The paper is based on wind tunnel (WT) experiments on experimental models (EMs), vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT), Savonius (SWT, "S" Turbine). The experimental models had the maximum dimensions: height of 0.395 m, and diameter of 0.150 m.
A study was conducted concerning the behavior of the EM experimental models for the level (1L) and three levels with a pair of blades (1PB) and a level with two pairs of blades (1L - 2PB). Wind speeds ranging from 0 to 2 m/s were used. Test section of the wind tunnel was 0,5 m x 0,5 m (0,25 m²) and a shutter coefficient of 0.23. Experiments performed confirm the SWT's good behavior at low wind speeds and the possibility of being used to generate low-power electric power with DC generators.