Integration of wind turbines in tall buildings for wind power generation

Using CFD simulations, a small conventional horizontal axis wind turbine, Ampair 300 was installed in a confined flow area: a corridor embedded at a high level of a tall building, and its power generation and coefficient of performance investigated and compared with its performance in free stream condition. Power generation augmentation approaches were applied to the confined operating condition. The results show that power generation and performance of the turbine can be significantly increased. For an approach wind of 10m.s-1 Ampair 300 power generation was increased from 210W to 300W without any flow enhancement and further increased to 500W with a compact diffuser attached to the confined corridor. Coefficient of performance of the diffuser augmented wind turbine approached the Betz limit. Applying two other configurations provided further flow enhancements that increased power generation beyond 500W but with a lower coefficient of performance.