3 Dimensional Modelling of the Wind Flow Trajectories and Its Characteristic Effects on Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine Performance at Different Wind Regimes

Year 2020, Volume: 15 Issue: 2, 68 - 80, 30.06.2019

Aniekan Ikpe , Ekom Etuk

Abstract

In this study, an overview of the effect of turbulence on wind turbine performance is presented. Models with full description were generated to clearly illustrate Winfield plots, 3 Dimensional Spatial Wind Flow Directions, Wake Distribution Patterns behind the Rotors, and 3 Dimensional Spatial Turbulent Wind Distribution Patterns. The power and the coefficient of power were examined from the wake vortex simulation while the flow velocity cut plots at different wind speeds (2, 4, 6 and 8 m/s) and time step (2, 4 and 6 s) were obtained using QBlade software. The results revealed that, while the power coefficient was observed to decrease and increase with increasing wind speed, the power output increased variably from 0.0416903 to 2.51354 kw as the wind speed also increased from 2 to 8 m/s at peak time step of 6s. It was also found that, while the wind influx towards a wind turbine can be displaced by extreme turbulence which subsequently displaces the wind direction, reduces turbine trust, power coefficient and the power output, the wake effect downstream can affect the wind speed and performance of other turbines downwind. The characteristics and complexity of a given terrain as well as the aforementioned factors should be considered while siting and operating a wind turbine or wind farm.

Keywords

Modelling, Wind flow, Wind direction, Turbulence, Wind turbine, Wake vortices

References

• [1] Kim, D. and Kim, B. (2012) Development and validation of Computational Wind Field Model (Wind scape). Proceedings of 4th Asian Joint Workshop on Thermophysics and Fluid Science, October, 14-17, Busan, Korea.
• [2] Brand, A. J., Peinke, J. and Mann, J. (2011) Turbulence and Wind Turbines. 13th European Turbulence Conference, Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 318(072005).
• [3] Satoh, M. (2004) Atmospheric circulation dynamics and general circulation models. Springer. ISBN 3-540-42638-8.
• [4] Mikkelsen, K. (2013) Effect of free stream turbulence on wind turbine performance. Norwegian University of Science and Technology, EPT-M-2013-84.
• [5] Li, L., Liu, Y., Yuan, Z. and Gao, Y. (2018) Wind field effect on the power generation and aerodynamic performance of offshore floating wind turbines. Department of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering, University of Strathclyde, UK.
• [6] Ainslie, J. (1988) Calculating the flowfield in the wake of wind turbines. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 27(1), 213-224.
• [7] Jimenez, A., Crespo, A., Migoya, E. and Garcia, J. (2007) Advances in large-eddy simulation of a wind turbine wake. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 75, 012041, August, 28-31, Denmark.
• [8] Troldborg, N., Sørensen, J. N. and Mikkelsen, R. (2010) Numerical simulations of wake characteristics of a wind turbine in uniform inflow. Wind Energy 13(1), 86-99.
• [9] Troldborg, N., Larsen, G. C., Madsen, H. A., Hansen, K. S., Sørensen, J. N. and Mikkelsen, R. (2011) Numerical simulations of wake interaction between two wind turbines at various inflow conditions. Wind Energy 14(7), 859-876.
• [10] Sanderse, B. (2000) Aerodynamics of Wind Turbine Wakes. Technical Report ECN-E-09-016, Energy research centre of the Netherlands, Netherlands.
• [11] Wußow, S., Sitzki, L. and Hahm, T. (2007) 3D-simulation of the turbulent wake behind a wind turbine. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 75, 012033, August, 28-31, Denmark.
• [12] Zhang, W., Markfort, C. D. and Porte´-Agel, F. (2012) Near-wake flow structure downwind of a wind turbine in a turbulent boundary layer. Springer, Experiments in Fluids, 52, 1219-1235.
• [13] Ozbay, A., Tian, W. and Hu, H. (2016) Experimental Investigation on the Wake Characteristics and Aeromechanics of Dual-Rotor Wind Turbines. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 138(042602), 1-15.
• [14] Tian, W., Ozbay, A., and Hu, H., (2014) Effects of Incoming Surface Wind Conditions on the Wake Characteristics and Dynamic Wind Loads Acting on a Wind Turbine Model. Physics of Fluids, 26(12), 5108.
• [15] Hu, H., Yang, Z., and Sarkar, P., (2012) Dynamic Wind Loads and Wake Characteristics of a Wind Turbine Model in an Atmospheric Boundary Layer Wind. Experiments in Fluids, 52(5), 1277-1294.
• [16] Whale, J., Anderson, C. G., Bareiss, R., and Wagner, S., (2000) An Experimental and Numerical Study of the Vortex Structure in the Wake of a Wind Turbine. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 84(1), 1-21.
• [17] Sørensen J. N. (2011) Aerodynamic aspects of wind energy conversion. Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics, 43, 427-448.
• [18] Devinant, P. H., Laverne, T. and Hureau, J. (2002) Experimental study of wind turbine airfoil aerodynamics in high turbulence. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 90(6), 689-707.
• [19] Fukumoto, Y., and Okulov V. L. (2005) The velocity field induced by a helical vortex tube. Physics of Fluids, 17(10), 107101.
• [20] Zheng, Z. C. and Wu, H. (2018) Classification of Wind Farm Turbulence and Its Effects on General Aviation Aircraft and Airports. University of Kansas, Report No. K-TRAN: KU-16-3.
• [21] Mulinazzi, T. E., and Zheng, Z. C. (2014) Wind farm turbulence impacts on general aviation airports in Kansas (K-TRAN: KU-13-6). Topeka, KS: University of Kansas.
• [22] Odemark, Y. (2012) Wakes behind wind turbines-Studies on tip vortex evolution and stability. Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden.
• [23] Manwell, J. F., McGowan, J. G. and Rogers, A. L. (2009) Wind Energy explained, 2nd edition, Wiley.
• [24] Vermeer, L., Sorensen, J. and Crespo, A. (2003) Wind Turbine Wake Aerodynamics. Progress in Aerospace Sciences, 39, 467-510.
• [25] Mckay, P., Carriveau, R., Ting, D. and Newson, T. (2012) Turbine Wake Dynamics, Advances in Wind Power. IntechOpen Limited, London, EC3R 6AF, United Kingdom.
• [26] Marmidis, G., Lazarou, S. and Pyrgioti, E. (2008) Optimal placement of wind turbines in a wind park using Monte Carlo simulation, Renewable Energy, 33, 1455-1460.
• [27] McKay, P., Carriveau, R. and Ting, D. S. (2011) Farm Wide Dynamics: The Next Critical Wind Energy Frontier, Wind Engineering, 35(4), 397-418.
• [28] Burton, T., Sharpe, D., Jenkins, N. and Bossanyi, E. (2001) Wind Energy Handbook, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester.
• [29] Li, L., Wang, Y. and Liu, Y. (2017) Impact of wake effect on wind power prediction. State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, 102206, China.
• [30] Kaimal, J. C., Wyngaard, J. C., Izumi Y. and Coté O. R. (1972) Spectral characteristics of surface layer turbulence. Quarterly Journal of Royal Meteorological Society, 98(417), 563-589.
• [31] Veers P. S. (1984) Three-dimensional wind simulation. Technical report SAND88-0152, Sandia National Laboratories.
• [32] Mann J. (1998) Wind field simulation. Probabilistic Engineering Mechanics, 13(4), 269-282.
• [33] Mücke T., Kleinhans D. and Peinke J. (2010) Atmospheric turbulence and its influence on the alternating loads on wind turbines. Wind Energy, 14(2), 301-316.
• [34] Gottschall, J. and Peinke J. (2008) How to improve the estimation of power curves for wind turbines. Environmental Research Letters, 3(1), 015005, 1-7.