Came across an interesting paper today that discusses power generation and drag reduction.
http://www.openfoamworkshop.org/2009...gnon_paper.pdf
Quote:
USING OPENFOAM TO MODEL ENERGY TAKEN FROM THE SWIRL
BEHIND A CAR
Louis Gagnon
Marc J. Richard
Benoît Lévesque
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Laval University
Québec (Québec) Canada
Abstract. A two-dimensional numerical analysis of the Ahmed body was performed using the k-!-SST turbulence model
from the OpenFOAM software. The analysis was then modified to include a rotating paddle wheel that captures energy
from the swirl that forms behind the vehicle. The rotating wheel is modeled using a General Grid Interface (GGI) and the
energy captured is calculated with the help of the forces library of the OpenFOAM software. Power generation reached
16.1 watts at optimal conditions. Total drag reductions up to 8.2% were found. Most computations were run in parallel
on a dual core computer.
|
I don't know how well it will translate to real life but it is interesting.