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Modification of wind turbine wakes by large-scale, convective atmospheric boundary layer structures

Journal Article · · Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0211722· OSTI ID:2480653
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [3]
  1. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)
  2. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
  3. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
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In this study, we consider the impact of large-scale, convective structures in an unstable atmospheric boundary layer on wind turbine wakes. Simulation data from a high-fidelity large-eddy simulation (LES) of the AWAKEN wind farm site matching unstable atmospheric conditions were analyzed, and both turbine performance and wake behavior were affected based on their location relative to the convective structures. Turbines located in updraft regions of the flow experienced lower inflow velocity and generated less power, but their wakes were observed to recover faster and saw greater turbulent kinetic energy mixing higher in the boundary layer. The opposite effect was found for turbines in the downdraft regions of the convective structures. A simplified model of this wake behavior was also developed based on a two-dimensional k– ε Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes formulation. This simplified model included the effects of vertical transport, but could be efficiently solved as a parabolic system, and was found to capture similar wake modifications observed in the high-fidelity LES computations.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Wind Energy Technologies Office; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities (SUF)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308; NA0003525; AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
2480653
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5000-89466; MainId:90245; UUID:617e09b7-db44-4589-b815-1a3e2faf165b; MainAdminId:72849
Journal Information:
Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, Vol. 16, Issue 6; ISSN 1941-7012
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER
17 WIND ENERGY
AWAKEN
dual-Doppler radar
large-eddy simulation
updrafts