The devices operate at higher altitudes than conventional wind turbines where the wind is generally stronger and steadier.( 1, 2) Consequently, the availability of power and the capacity factor are expected to increase significantly compared with the conventional wind turbines. The results also indicate that the aerodynamics of the kite airfoil could be improved by delaying the boundary layer transition during the traction phase and tripping the transition in the retraction phase.Īirborne wind energy (AWE) is a novel renewable energy technology that uses tethered flying devices to harness wind energy at minimal cost of materials. But, on the other hand, the laminar boundary layer thickens slower than the turbulent counterpart, which, in combination with transition, delays the separation. On the one hand, the aerodynamics suffer from the laminar separation. For the leading edge inflatable kite airfoil, the transition modeling has both favorable and unfavorable effects on the aerodynamics. For the sailwing airfoil, the results computed with transition model agree well with the existing low Reynolds number experiment over the whole range of angles of attack. We show a validation of the method for a sailwing (ie, a wing with a membrane) airfoil and an application to a leading edge inflatable kite airfoil. The implementation of both models in OpenFOAM is described. Transition model, which can handle the laminar boundary layer and its transition to turbulence. The analysis is based on the combination of the shear stress transport turbulence model with the Because of the operation in pumping cycles, the airfoil is generally subject to a wide range of Reynolds numbers. We present a computational fluid dynamic analysis of boundary layer transition on leading edge inflatable kite airfoils used for airborne wind energy generation.

Boundary layer airfoil