Modeling and Analysis of Diffuser Augmented Wind Turbine

Renewable energy resources are becoming an increasingly important part of our total energy demands due to the depletion of fossil fuels and the emergence of global warming. Wind turbines are one type of renewable resource that is very usual in the S outh Texas region. It is a fact that wind power is the best dilute and unpredictable source of energy that works with efficiency of great importance in the conversion of this energy to electricity. Our research was to add shrouds by means of computer simulations to encase the "bare turbine" thereby increasing efficiency. Our goal was to find a particular shroud that maximized air mass flow through the turbine beyond the best bare turbine operational conditions.