Abstract
As a new technique for visualizing three-dimensional air flow fields, multi-layer coloring of smoke-wire technique is proposed. This method is composed of four processes. (1)The specific plane of the flow is illuminated by sheet light to detect z coordinate. (2)Sheet light is shifted in z direction to detect z coordinates of the other plane of the flow and this process is repeated for whole layer of z coordinates in the measurement area. (3)To express z coordinates, the recorded gray-scaled image is colored differently in each layer. (4)The colored images are integrated into one image. In this integrated colorful image, we can understand the three-dimensional structure of the flow by the position and the color of the smoke. By means of this technique, three-dimensional flow field around a twisted Savonius wind turbine was visualized. According to the visualized image, in the convex side of the blade, the separation of attached flow is suppressed and in the concave side of the blade, with the move of the flow to +z direction, the angle of outlet flow is increased. Thereby it was concluded that twisted Savonius wind turbine is inferior in the drag characteristics and superior in the lift characteristics. This result suggests that the twisted Savonius turbines have advantages in conditions of the higher tip speed ratio, where the lift force has priority.
