Study of Wind Energy Utilization in the Built Environment

Wind energy sources have the potential to significantly reduce fuel costs, greenhouse gas emissions, and natural habitat disturbances associated with conventional energy generation. While rapid development of huge on- and off-shore wind farms continues, examples of integration in the urban environment, closer to prime consumers of energy such as buildings, remain scarce. Full integration of wind turbines into buildings can produce energy where it is consumed and can avoid transport costs. Because of the interference of buildings, mean velocities are low and turbulent levels are high in urban, aerodynamic concentrators are formed. At present there are three basic aerodynamic concentrators: diffusers, flat plate concentrators, and the bluff body. This paper attempts to analyze performances of the concentrators using CFD simulation software, to discuss the optimal wind energy field. Aiming at different shapes of buildings, this paper describes the velocity, pressure and energy distributing quantificationally, using effective turbulence models. To place the turbines on top of or alongside a building, i.e. the bluff body type, is the most attractive option. In this case no modification of the building are needed and the aerodynamic efficiency is high. The aerodynamic efficiency of the plat plate concentrator is very high, so this type of concentrator is promising. Towers of diffusers type with "Kidney" foot prints produce good wind enhancement. But the drastic adaptations of the buildings to reshape them into an aerodynamic body are large.