  The simulation of the turbulent and potentially separating flow around a
rotating, twisted, and tapered airfoil is a challenging task for CFD
simulations. This paper describes CFD simulations of the NREL Phase VI turbine
that was experimentally characterized in the 24.4m x 36.6m NREL/NASA Ames wind
tunnel (Hand et al., 2001). All computations in this article are performed on
the experimental base configuration of 0o yaw angle, 3o tip pitch angle, and a
rotation rate of 72 rpm. The significance of specific mesh resolution regions
to the accuracy of the CFD prediction is discussed. The ability of CFD to
capture bulk quantities, such as the shaft torque, and the detailed flow
characteristics, such as the surface pressure distributions, are explored for
different inlet wind speeds. Finally, the significant three-dimensionality of
the boundary layer flow is demonstrated.
