The Solar Updraft Power Plant technology is a combined sun-wind energy solution for renewable energy harvesting. It is based on the natural updraft of warm air in a chimney and conversion into electric power by wind turbines at the chimney foot. The tower structure is basically a circular cylinder, which may turn into a hyperboloid at lower levels in order apply benefits of shape strengthening. The height of the tower is up to 1.5 km and it is usually designed as a thin reinforced concrete shell. A preliminary investigation of the shell response under an equivalent static wind load revealed the key role played by stiffening rings along the height. They allow a better distribution of internal forces under wind loading, reducing risk of buckling and peaks of tension at the windward side. An extensive wind tunnel investigation has been recently performed atWiSt laboratory at Ruhr- University Bochum (Germany) and at Criaciv laboratory at University of Florence (Italy). The tests highlighted a new phenomenon regarding cross-wind loads, induced by a bi-stable and asymmetric flow distribution. This is created by compartments between stiffening rings along the tower.A further insight into the flow structures is achieved by CFD simulations. Results of both experimental and numerical studies are addressed in the paper.

Wind loading on solar chimneys: From wind tunnel experiments to CFD simulation / Lupi, F.; Borri, C.; Niemann, H.-J.. - STAMPA. - (2013), pp. 947-952. (Intervento presentato al convegno 5th International Conference on Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Computation, SEMC 2013 tenutosi a Cape Town, zaf nel 2013).

Wind loading on solar chimneys: From wind tunnel experiments to CFD simulation

LUPI, FRANCESCA;BORRI, CLAUDIO;
2013

Abstract

The Solar Updraft Power Plant technology is a combined sun-wind energy solution for renewable energy harvesting. It is based on the natural updraft of warm air in a chimney and conversion into electric power by wind turbines at the chimney foot. The tower structure is basically a circular cylinder, which may turn into a hyperboloid at lower levels in order apply benefits of shape strengthening. The height of the tower is up to 1.5 km and it is usually designed as a thin reinforced concrete shell. A preliminary investigation of the shell response under an equivalent static wind load revealed the key role played by stiffening rings along the height. They allow a better distribution of internal forces under wind loading, reducing risk of buckling and peaks of tension at the windward side. An extensive wind tunnel investigation has been recently performed atWiSt laboratory at Ruhr- University Bochum (Germany) and at Criaciv laboratory at University of Florence (Italy). The tests highlighted a new phenomenon regarding cross-wind loads, induced by a bi-stable and asymmetric flow distribution. This is created by compartments between stiffening rings along the tower.A further insight into the flow structures is achieved by CFD simulations. Results of both experimental and numerical studies are addressed in the paper.
2013
Research and Applications in Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Computation - Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Computation, SEMC 2013
5th International Conference on Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Computation, SEMC 2013
Cape Town, zaf
2013
Lupi, F.; Borri, C.; Niemann, H.-J.
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Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/1050394
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