Why wind-farm developers should care about measuring atmospheric turbulence? [Chaos in the Air: Unraveling the Complex Relationship Between Wind Power and Atmospheric turbulence]

Wharton, Sonia; Newman, Jennifer F.

Title: Why wind-farm developers should care about measuring atmospheric turbulence? [Chaos in the Air: Unraveling the Complex Relationship Between Wind Power and Atmospheric turbulence]

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Abstract

The role of atmospheric turbulence in influencing wind-turbine power production remains an unsolved mystery despite a growing number of researchers who have attempted to make sense of this issue. Turbulence, a term for short-term deviations around the average wind speed, can cause fluctuations in turbine power production and structural loads. While research strongly suggests that ignoring atmospheric turbulence can result in significant errors in power-curve measurements and annual energy production, it appears that there may be no universal relationship between turbulence and power production. Typically when we think of a wind farm operating in a turbulent atmosphere, we picture a waked turbine, battered by vortex eddies (circular wind flow) shed from turbine blades upwind. However, turbulence is present nearly everywhere, and is constantly produced and diminished over a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. This article aims to unravel some of the complex factors that remain unsolved regarding turbulence and wind power

Authors:

Wharton, Sonia ^[1]; Newman, Jennifer F. ^[2]

Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States). National Wind Technology Center

Publication Date:: Mon Sep 11 00:00:00 EDT 2017

Research Org.:: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 1393325

Report Number(s):: LLNL-JRNL-736318
Journal ID: ISSN 2163-0593

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Windpower Engineering & Development

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 2017; Journal ID: ISSN 2163-0593

Publisher:: WTWH Media

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 17 WIND ENERGY

Citation Formats


                    Wharton, Sonia, and Newman, Jennifer F. Why wind-farm developers should care about measuring atmospheric turbulence? [Chaos in the Air: Unraveling the Complex Relationship Between Wind Power and Atmospheric turbulence].  United States: N. p., 2017. 
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                    Wharton, Sonia, & Newman, Jennifer F. Why wind-farm developers should care about measuring atmospheric turbulence? [Chaos in the Air: Unraveling the Complex Relationship Between Wind Power and Atmospheric turbulence].  United States.

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                    Wharton, Sonia, and Newman, Jennifer F. Mon .  
"Why wind-farm developers should care about measuring atmospheric turbulence? [Chaos in the Air: Unraveling the Complex Relationship Between Wind Power and Atmospheric turbulence]".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1393325.

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@article{osti_1393325,

  title        = {Why wind-farm developers should care about measuring atmospheric turbulence? [Chaos in the Air: Unraveling the Complex Relationship Between Wind Power and Atmospheric turbulence]},

  author       = {Wharton, Sonia and Newman, Jennifer F.},

  abstractNote = {The role of atmospheric turbulence in influencing wind-turbine power production remains an unsolved mystery despite a growing number of researchers who have attempted to make sense of this issue. Turbulence, a term for short-term deviations around the average wind speed, can cause fluctuations in turbine power production and structural loads. While research strongly suggests that ignoring atmospheric turbulence can result in significant errors in power-curve measurements and annual energy production, it appears that there may be no universal relationship between turbulence and power production. Typically when we think of a wind farm operating in a turbulent atmosphere, we picture a waked turbine, battered by vortex eddies (circular wind flow) shed from turbine blades upwind. However, turbulence is present nearly everywhere, and is constantly produced and diminished over a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. This article aims to unravel some of the complex factors that remain unsolved regarding turbulence and wind power},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {Windpower Engineering & Development},

  number       = ,

  volume       = 2017,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Mon Sep 11 00:00:00 EDT 2017},

  month        = {Mon Sep 11 00:00:00 EDT 2017}

}

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