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Title: Atmospheric and Wake Turbulence Impacts on Wind Turbine Fatigue Loadings: Preprint

Conference ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2012-540· OSTI ID:1032666

Large-eddy simulations of atmospheric boundary layers under various stability and surface roughness conditions are performed to investigate the turbulence impact on wind turbines. In particular, the aeroelastic responses of the turbines are studied to characterize the fatigue loading of the turbulence present in the boundary layer and in the wake of the turbines. Two utility-scale 5 MW turbinesthat are separated by seven rotor diameters are placed in a 3 km by 3 km by 1 km domain. They are subjected to atmospheric turbulent boundary layer flow and data is collected on the structural response of the turbine components. The surface roughness was found to increase the fatigue loads while the atmospheric instability had a small influence. Furthermore, the downstream turbines yieldedhigher fatigue loads indicating that the turbulent wakes generated from the upstream turbines have significant impact.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Wind and Water Technologies Office (EE-4W)
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
1032666
Report Number(s):
NREL/CP-5000-53567; TRN: US201202%%271
Resource Relation:
Conference: Presented at the 50th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, 9-12 January 2012, Nashville, Tennessee
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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