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Title: Wake Statistics of Different-Scale Wind Turbines under Turbulent Boundary Layer Inflow

Journal Article · · Energies (Basel)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/en13113004· OSTI ID:1667403

Subscale wind turbines can be installed in the field for the development of wind technologies, for which the blade aerodynamics can be designed in a way similar to that of a full-scale wind turbine. However, it is not clear whether the wake of a subscale turbine, which is located closer to the ground and faces different incoming turbulence, is also similar to that of a full-scale wind turbine. In this work we investigate the wakes from a full-scale wind turbine of rotor diameter 80 m and a subscale wind turbine of rotor diameter of 27 m using large-eddy simulation with the turbine blades and nacelle modeled using actuator surface models. The blade aerodynamics of the two turbines are the same. In the simulations, the two turbines also face the same turbulent boundary inflows. The computed results show differences between the two turbines for both velocity deficits and turbine-added turbulence kinetic energy. Such differences are further analyzed by examining the mean kinetic energy equation.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000; EE0002980; EE0005482
OSTI ID:
1667403
Report Number(s):
SAND-2020-8770J; 690123
Journal Information:
Energies (Basel), Vol. 13, Issue 11; ISSN 1996-1073
Publisher:
MDPI AGCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Figures / Tables (15)