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Turbine Inflow Characterization at the National Wind Technology Center: Preprint

Conference ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2012-658· OSTI ID:1033446
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Utility-scale wind turbines operate in dynamic flows that can vary significantly over timescales from less than a second to several years. To better understand the inflow to utility-scale turbines, two inflow towers were installed and commissioned at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) National Wind Technology Center near Boulder, Colorado, in 2011. These towers are 135 m tall andinstrumented with a combination of sonic anemometers, cup anemometers, wind vanes, and temperature measurements to characterize the inflow wind speed and direction, turbulence, stability and thermal stratification to two utility-scale turbines. Herein, we present variations in mean and turbulent wind parameters with height, atmospheric stability, and as a function of wind direction that could beimportant for turbine operation as well as persistence of turbine wakes. Wind speed, turbulence intensity, and dissipation are all factors that affect turbine performance. Our results shown that these all vary with height across the rotor disk, demonstrating the importance of measuring atmospheric conditions that influence wind turbine performance at multiple heights in the rotor disk, ratherthan relying on extrapolation from lower levels.
Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (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:
1033446
Report Number(s):
NREL/CP-5000-53525
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

17 WIND ENERGY
ANEMOMETERS
EXTRAPOLATION
NWTC
National Wind Technology Center
PERFORMANCE
ROTORS
STABILITY
STRATIFICATION
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
TURBINES
TURBULENCE
VANES
VELOCITY
WIND TURBINES
atmospheric science
atmospheric stability
measurement methods
power spectra
turbine inflow
turbulence
wind