Optimization of power generation from small wind energy in buildings through modular wind collector for cornice© for capturing and amplification of the vertical wind component

The generation of small wind electric energy in urban spaces in general and buildings in particular has an indisputable potential for practical applications. Notwithstanding, up until now, advances in this field have been less than expected. In order to take advantage of small wind energy, research in buildings requires the construction of a scale model for wind tunnel simulation. The difficulties regarding the construction of scale models and the availability of wind tunnels have slowed down a great deal this kind of research. New CDF (COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS) software techniques have made it possible to do research in buildings for small wind energy exploitation. A virtual scale model of the building under study is developed utilizing CAD. Subsequently, the model created with CAD is inserted into the CFD software and a simulation is conducted as if in a virtual wind tunnel. Considering the results obtained from research conducted with CFD software as well as from experimental validations in a wind tunnel, the research groups in La Rioja University known as “Modeling simulation and optimization of electrical industrial and automated fabrication systems” and “Integral Design Group” have designed an optimization system for collection of small wind energy in buildings, for electric energy production through renewable sources. This paper describes in detail the steps to follow for the whole simulation process in CFD by using Autocad, Gambit, and Fluent software applications. An important effort has been devoted in order to create this methodological guide, which may be useful for researchers. Basic guidelines for the preparation of a technical paper for ICCEP 2009 are presented. This document is itself an example of the desired layout (inclusive of this abstract) and can be used as a template if you are using Microsoft Word 97 or later. The abstract is limited to 150 words and cannot contain equations, figures, tables, or references. It should concisely state what was done, how it was done, principal results, and their significance.