Numerical wind field model validation for a complex terrain area in the vicinity of Lawrence Livermore Laboratory

Technical Report · Thu Sep 20 04:00:00 EDT 1979

OSTI ID:5546331

Porch, W M; Walker, H; Veith, C R; Dickerson, M H

MATHEW, a mass-consistent wind field model including topography, was tested using statistically selected data stations in the region of Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL). Predicted versus measured winds were compared for data taken across a windy pass (Patterson Pass) in the hills 3 km east of LLL. The topographic scale and the number of selected stations were varied to assess their relative impact on the agreement between the winds predicted by the model and those measured at Patterson Pass. The test results for a one-hour data set show that the model underestimates the measured winds by 25% and the wind energy by a factor of 2.4, with little dependence on topographic scale and some dependence on which data stations were included in the model; however, high winds were predicted in high wind areas. MATHEW's potential as a prognostic model for accurately estimating high wind speeds in complex terrain can be enhanced, if there are improvements in sub-grid placement of data stations, if objective wind field analysis is applied to horizontal interpolation where a time history of the data stations used in the model exists, and if there is further improvement of calculational procedures.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Livermore (USA). Lawrence Livermore Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5546331
• Report Number(s): UCRL-52837
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

17 WIND ENERGY
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
EVALUATION
FORECASTING
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
TOPOGRAPHY
VELOCITY
WIND