Design of low-power vertical-axis wind turbine based on parametric method

The parametric design of a low-power (<1 kW) H-type vertical-axis wind turbine tailored to the wind conditions of the Yucatán Peninsula is presented. Nine airfoils were evaluated using the Double Multiple Streamtube method and Qblade Lifting-Line Theory numerical simulations, considering variations in solidity (σ = 0.20–0.30), aspect ratio (Ar = H/R = 2.6–3.0), number of blades (2–5), and a swept-area constraint of 4 m2. The parametric study shows that fewer blades increase Cp, although a three-blade rotor improves start-up torque, vibration mitigation, and load smoothing. The recommended configuration—three blades, Ar = 2.6, σ = 0.30 and S1046 (or NACA 0018) operated near λ ≈ 3.75—balances efficiency and start-up performance. For the representative mean wind velocity of 5 m/s, typical of the Yucatán Peninsula, the VAWT achieves a maximum output of 136 W at 220 rpm. Under higher-wind conditions observed in specific sites within the region, the predicted maximum output increases to 932 W at 380 rpm.