Low speed vertical axis current turbine (LS-VACT): Experimental results

Abstract

Depleting of fossil fuels and climate change problem as well as the pollutions arise make the renewable energy one of the best options for long-term usage. In hydropower energy extraction, vertical axis marine current turbine applications; Savonius turbine, which has the ability to operate in low speed current is suitable with the Malaysia's sea conditions. However, due to the drawbacks which are low efficiency and low tip speed ratio, modifications need to be done to harness more power. Low Speed Vertical Axis Current Turbine is appeared to extract energy based on the Savonius rotor. In conjunction to this matter, laboratory work has been done in a way to study the relationship between Power Coefficient (Cp) and Tip Speed Ratio (λ), and also the relationship between Torque Coefficient (Ct) and Tip Speed Ratio (λ) at different current speed which are 0.32 m/s and 0.64 m/s.