High-rise Building and Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine CFD Models Validation Using Two RANS Turbulence Models

Rodriguez C.V.; Ríos A.; Luyo J.E. · International Journal of Renewable Energy Research (2026) · DOI: 10.20508/ijrer.v16i2.15288.g9212

Resumen

Various Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) studies on high-rise buildings and horizontal axis wind turbines models have been conducted independently over the past decades. However, neither study has addressed the validation of results from both models within the same work. The primary objective of this study was to validate CFD simulations of a high-rise building and a horizontal axis wind turbine by employing the Realizable k-ε and SST k-ω turbulence models, aiming to determine the model that exhibits the highest accuracy when compared with experimental data available in the literature. Initially, models for the building and turbine were developed. Subsequently, grid independence studies were performed for both models. Finally, numerical results from both models were compared using validation metrics, including Hit Rate (HR), Normalized Mean Square Error (NMSE), and Mean Square Error (MSE). Overall, the Realizable k-ε model achieved superior results (NMSE = 0.022) compared to the SST k-ω model (NMSE = 0.039) in predicting the flow pattern on the building rooftop. Conversely, in simulations of the turbine, the SST k-ω (MSE = 0.370) outperformed the Realizable k-ε model (MSE = 0.445). These findings suggest that for CFD simulations of both models, particularly in urban wind energy applications, the SST k-ω model can be effectively employed. © (2026), (Gazi Universitesi). All right reserved.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería