Hysteretic characteristics of Wells turbine for wave power conversion (effects of solidity and setting angle)

A Wells turbine for wave power conversion has hysteretic characteristics in a reciprocating flow. The hysteretic loop is opposite to the well-known dynamic stall of an airfoil. In this paper, the mechanism of the hysteretic behavior was elucidated by an unsteady three-dimensional Navier–Stokes numerical simulation. It was found that the hysteretic behavior was associated with a streamwise vortical flow appearing near the blade suction surface. Also the effects of solidity and setting angle on the hysteretic characteristics of the Wells turbine have been discussed in this paper.