Development of Wind-Solar Tower Using a Diffuser Tower

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24246161
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Energy engineering
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: OHYA YUJI 九州大学, 応用力学研究所, 教授 (00150524)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 再生可能エネルギー / 太陽熱発電 / 風力 / コージェネレーション

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have developed and studied Wind-solar tower consisting of a chimney (tower) and a collector. A wind turbine is installed at the base of the tower. The wind-solar tower can generate electricity by updraft wind due to solar insolation just above the ground in the collector, and also by wind flow near the exit of the tower creating pressure difference. A set of scaled model experiment showed remarkable power enhancement with “diffuser shaped tower” (opening angle of 4 degrees) compared to the conventional simple cylindrical tower. The power enhancement is larger than 50%. For the up scaled field test, a 10m tower model was constructed for further investigation. Newly obtained data set shows power generation produced by both updraft wind and by the effect of wind flow near the tower exit as seen in the smaller models. This is an important step toward the future field test with more practical tower size.

Free Research Field

風工学、流体力学、気象学