The Operation of a Three-Bladed Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine under Hailstorm Conditions—A Computational Study Focused on Aerodynamic Performance

The aim of this study is the aerodynamic degradation a three-bladed Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) under influence hailstorm. importance and originality are that it explores performance an optimum wind turbine blade during hailstorm, when hailstones raindrops present. commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code ANSYS Fluent 16.0 was utilized for simulation. first step calculation geometry characteristics rotor, i.e., twist chord length along blade, by user-friendly application. Afterwards, three-dimensional flow field domain were designed meshed appropriately. rotary motion blades accomplished application Moving Reference Frame Model simulation hailstorm conditions Discrete Phase Model. SST k–? turbulence model also added. produced power turbine, operating in various environmental conditions, estimated discussed. Contours pressure, hailstone raindrop concentration erosion rate, on both sides presented. Moreover, contours velocity at cross sections parallel to rotor demonstrated, understand effect hailstorms wake behavior. results suggest HAWT degrades due impact breakup particles blade.