Gusts and shear within hurricane eyewalls can exceed offshore wind turbine design standards
[1];
[2];
[3];
- Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder Colorado USA
- Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder Colorado USA, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden Colorado USA
- National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder Colorado USA
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden Colorado USA
Here, offshore wind energy development is underway in the U.S., with proposed sites located in hurricane-prone regions. Turbine design criteria outlined by the International Electrotechnical Commission do not encompass the extreme wind speeds and directional shifts of hurricanes stronger than category 2. We examine a hurricane's turbulent eyewall using large-eddy simulations with Cloud Model 1. Gusts and mean wind speeds near the eyewall of a category 5 hurricane exceed the current Class I turbine design threshold of 50 m s–1 mean wind and 70 m s–1 gusts. Largest gust factors occur at the eye-eyewall interface. Further, shifts in wind direction suggest that turbines must rotate or yaw faster than current practice. Although current design standards omit mention of wind direction change across the rotor layer, large values (15–50°) suggest that veer should be considered.
- 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)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- OSTI ID:
- 1366545
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 1366546; OSTI ID: 1372623
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/JA-5000-67513
- Journal Information:
- Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters; ISSN 0094-8276
- Publisher:
- American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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