| dc.description.abstract | Most of the wind analysis studies have been conducted under steady wind conditions.
The study of real unsteady wind environment, however, is still an open-ended research
question. This is attributable to the existing aerodynamic complexities under such
conditions. In this paper, therefore, a numerical approach to investigate wind energy
potential under unsteady conditions was proposed. In carrying out the study, the wind
characteristics for two rural-urban towns in Kenya, namely Marsabit (2°19′N, 37°58′E)
and Garissa (0°28′S,39°38′E), were selected. A CFD analysis method was used to
evaluate both unsteady wind inflow performance and the flow physics that affects the
performance on a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT). Using the validated CFD model,
unsteady wind simulations were performed and the results obtained compared with
empirical methods. Compared to the prevailing methods, the proposed numerical
approach is not only computationally inexpensive, but also robust in both steady and
unsteady wind conditions. The numerical method demonstrates that Garissa station is
unsuitable for grid-connected power generation, while Marsabit station is suitable for
both grid-connected and stand-alone power generation activities. The study results will
hopefully be of importance to the wind industries that require designs for wind turbines
reflecting real unsteady wind environment. | en_US |
