NUMERICAL EVALUATION OF TORQUE FOR 3 TANK RATIOS IN A GRAVITATIONAL VORTEX TURBINE

The present study consists of numerically studying the torque generated by a gravitational vortex turbine (GVT) with 3 relationships between the diameter of the tank and the diameter of the outlet hole and with an H-Darrieus turbine as rotor. The relationship that presented the highest torque generated was 18% at an angular speed of 25rpm. The maximum torque generated was 0.18 Nm where it presented a great difference between the other ratios 0.12 Nm and 0.08 Nm for the ratio of 16% and 14% respectively. This is due to the vortex of air formed in the tank, where it completely floods the rotor blade. Thus, demonstrating that the H-Darrieus turbine as a GVT rotor does not take advantage of the maximum kinetic energy of the fluid. However, this turbine presents great differences between the three ratios, implying that a higher ratio can generate a higher torque.