Wind turbine is a kind of rotating machinery. Although the horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) is the most popular wind turbine, the vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) with the main advantages of smart design, novel structure, and wind direction independence receives more and more attention in small-scale wind power market. The straight-bladed VAWT (SB-VAWT) is one of the most researched and studied VAWTs. In this chapter, the historical development of the SB-VAWT will be briefly reviewed firstly. Then the aerodynamic models for the turbine design and performance analysis will be introduced. Finally, the types of traditional and new SB-VAWT and their characteristics and main utilizations will be introduced.
Part of the book: Rotating Machinery