Vertical Axis Wind Turbine with Inverter

Abstract

Increased demand for renewable energy has led to efficient wind energy conversion systems. This project focuses on the design and implementation of vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) with inverters to efficiently produce and use clean energy. In contrast to traditional wind turbines on horizontal axis, VAWTS can grasp the wind from all directions and be ideal for urban and distributed applications. Changes in the current generated often vary in frequency and voltage. This requires the rectifier and inverter systems to be converted to stable, usable alternating current outputs. Inverters play a key role in synchronizing performance with the network or in direct delivery of electrical loads. The combination of VAWT and Inverter technology provides sustainable energy solutions suitable for daily life and small cultural applications.

Introduction

Due to the depletion of fossil fuels and environmental concerns, renewable energy sources like wind power have gained global importance. While Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWTs) dominate large-scale wind farms, they face limitations in urban and turbulent wind environments. Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs) emerge as a practical alternative, especially for decentralized and small-scale applications due to their ability to capture wind from any direction, compact size, and lower environmental impact.

VAWTs convert mechanical wind energy into electrical energy, which requires rectifiers and inverters to produce stable, grid-compatible alternating current. The use of Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) optimizes energy extraction, and battery storage systems help maintain power supply during low wind periods. These systems can reduce fossil fuel dependency and promote sustainable energy solutions, particularly suited for urban and residential settings.

Despite their advantages—such as omnidirectional operation, lower noise, and easier installation—VAWTs face challenges in aerodynamic complexity, dynamic stall, and structural stability, which affect efficiency and reliability. Research gaps, especially in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, have hindered innovation. Advanced aerodynamic studies and improved blade designs, such as helical blades and trailing edge flaps, are being explored to overcome these issues.

The project design involves a permanent magnet generator connected to a 12V battery through a charge controller and inverter, converting wind energy into usable 220V AC power. Experimental results show the system efficiently captures wind energy, maintains stable output, and supports continuous power through energy storage, with minimal noise and low maintenance.

Conclusion

Vertical axis wind turbine has economically feasible energy solution for isolated areas missing from combined grid systems. Design of wind turbine rotor blades plays an important role in performance evaluation and extraction of energy from turbine. Vertical axis wind turbine placed in a location where moderate wind is available and by optimizing blade parameters, design specifications higher power generation can be achieved. For remote areas, the designed vertical axis wind turbine will be serving as good feasible energy generation unit.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Md Yusuf Sharif, Khwaish Gupta, Mohit Jarwal , Palak , Pankaj Kumar Samota. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.