A Wind-Tunnel Investigation of Wind-Turbine Wakes: Boundary-Layer Turbulence Effects

Wind-tunnel experiments were performed to study turbulence in the wake of a model wind turbine placed in a boundary layer developed over rough and smooth surfaces. Hot-wire anemometry was used to characterize the cross-sectional distribution of mean velocity, turbulence intensity and kinematic shear stress at different locations downwind of the turbine for both surface roughness cases. Special emphasis was placed on the spatial distribution of the velocity deficit and the turbulence intensity, which are important factors affecting turbine power generation and fatigue loads in wind energy parks. Non-axisymmetric behaviour of the wake is observed over both roughness types in response to the non-uniform incoming boundary-layer flow and the effect of the surface. Nonetheless, the velocity deficit with respect to the incoming velocity profile is nearly axisymmetric, except near the ground in the far wake where the wake interacts with the surface. It is found that the wind turbine induces a large enhancement of turbulence levels (positive added turbulence intensity) in the upper part of the wake. This is due to the effect of relatively large velocity fluctuations associated with helicoidal tip vortices near the wake edge, where the mean shear is strong. In the lower part of the wake, the mean shear and turbulence intensity are reduced with respect to the incoming flow. The non-axisymmetry of the turbulence intensity distribution of the wake is found to be stronger over the rough surface, where the incoming flow is less uniform at the turbine level. In the far wake the added turbulent intensity, its positive and negative contributions and its local maximum decay as a power law of downwind distance (with an exponent ranging from −0.3 to −0.5 for the rough surface, and with a wider variation for the smooth surface). Nevertheless, the effect of the turbine on the velocity defect and added turbulence intensity is not negligible even in the very far wake, at a distance of fifteen times the rotor diameter.     

Wind-Turbine Wakes in a Convective Boundary Layer: A Wind-Tunnel Study

Thermal stability changes the properties of the turbulent atmospheric boundary layer, and in turn affects the behaviour of wind-turbine wakes. To better understand the effects of thermal stability on the wind-turbine wake structure, wind-tunnel experiments were carried out with a simulated convective boundary layer (CBL) and a neutral boundary layer. The CBL was generated by cooling the airflow to 12–15 °C and heating up the test section floor to 73–75 °C. The freestream wind speed was set at about 2.5 m s^?1, resulting in a bulk Richardson number of ?0.13. The wake of a horizontal-axis 3-blade wind-turbine model, whose height was within the lowest one third of the boundary layer, was studied using stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (S-PIV) and triple-wire (x-wire/cold-wire) anemometry. Data acquired with the S-PIV were analyzed to characterize the highly three-dimensional turbulent flow in the near wake (0.2–3.2 rotor diameters) as well as to visualize the shedding of tip vortices. Profiles of the mean flow, turbulence intensity, and turbulent momentum and heat fluxes were measured with the triple-wire anemometer at downwind locations from 2–20 rotor diameters in the centre plane of the wake. In comparison with the wake of the same wind turbine in a neutral boundary layer, a smaller velocity deficit (about 15 % at the wake centre) is observed in the CBL, where an enhanced radial momentum transport leads to a more rapid momentum recovery, particularly in the lower part of the wake. The velocity deficit at the wake centre decays following a power law regardless of the thermal stability. While the peak turbulence intensity (and the maximum added turbulence) occurs at the top-tip height at a downwind distance of about three rotor diameters in both cases, the magnitude is about 20 % higher in the CBL than in the neutral boundary layer. Correspondingly, the turbulent heat flux is also enhanced by approximately 25 % in the lower part of the wake, compared to that in the undisturbed CBL inflow. This study represents the first controlled wind-tunnel experiment to study the effects of the CBL on wind-turbine wakes. The results on decreased velocity deficit and increased turbulence in wind-turbine wakes associated with atmospheric thermal stability are important to be taken into account in the design of wind farms, in order to reduce the impact of wakes on power output and fatigue loads on downwind wind turbines.     

Observing and Simulating Wind-Turbine Wakes During the Evening Transition

Wind-turbine-wake evolution during the evening transition introduces variability to wind-farm power production at a time of day typically characterized by high electricity demand. During the evening transition, the atmosphere evolves from an unstable to a stable regime, and vertical stratification of the wind profile develops as the residual planetary boundary layer decouples from the surface layer. The evolution of wind-turbine wakes during the evening transition is examined from two perspectives: wake observations from single turbines, and simulations of multiple turbine wakes using the mesoscale Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Throughout the evening transition, the wake’s wind-speed deficit and turbulence enhancement are confined within the rotor layer when the atmospheric stability changes from unstable to stable. The height variations of maximum upwind-downwind differences of wind speed and turbulence intensity gradually decrease during the evening transition. After verifying the WRF-model-simulated upwind wind speed, wind direction and turbulent kinetic energy profiles with observations, the wind-farm-scale wake evolution during the evening transition is investigated using the WRF-model wind-farm parametrization scheme. As the evening progresses, due to the presence of the wind farm, the modelled hub-height wind-speed deficit monotonically increases, the relative turbulence enhancement at hub height grows by 50%, and the downwind surface sensible heat flux increases, reducing surface cooling. Overall, the intensifying wakes from upwind turbines respond to the evolving atmospheric boundary layer during the evening transition, and undermine the power production of downwind turbines in the evening.     

Impact of Neutral Boundary-Layer Turbulence on Wind-Turbine Wakes: A Numerical Modelling Study

The wake characteristics of a wind turbine in a turbulent boundary layer under neutral stratification are investigated systematically by means of large-eddy simulations. A methodology to maintain the turbulence of the background flow for simulations with open horizontal boundaries, without the necessity of the permanent import of turbulence data from a precursor simulation, was implemented in the geophysical flow solver EULAG. These requirements are fulfilled by applying the spectral energy distribution of a neutral boundary layer in the wind-turbine simulations. A detailed analysis of the wake response towards different turbulence levels of the background flow results in a more rapid recovery of the wake for a higher level of turbulence. A modified version of the Rankine–Froude actuator disc model and the blade element momentum method are tested as wind-turbine parametrizations resulting in a strong dependence of the near-wake wind field on the parametrization, whereas the far-wake flow is fairly insensitive to it. The wake characteristics are influenced by the two considered airfoils in the blade element momentum method up to a streamwise distance of 14D (D = rotor diameter). In addition, the swirl induced by the rotation has an impact on the velocity field of the wind turbine even in the far wake. Further, a wake response study reveals a considerable effect of different subgrid-scale closure models on the streamwise turbulent intensity.     

A Numerical Study of Wind-Turbine Wakes for Three Atmospheric Stability Conditions

The effects of atmospheric stability on wind-turbine wakes are studied via large-eddy simulations. Three stability conditions are considered: stable, neutral, and unstable, with the same geostrophic wind speed aloft and the same Coriolis frequency. Both a single 5-MW turbine and a wind farm of five turbines are studied. The single-turbine wake is strongly correlated with stability, in terms of velocity deficit, turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) and temperature distribution. Because of the Coriolis effect, the wake shape deviates from a Gaussian distribution. For the wind-farm simulations, the separation of the core region and outer region is clear for the stable and neutral cases, but less distinct for the unstable case. The unstable case exhibits strong horizontal variations in wind speed. Local accelerations such as related to aisle jets are also observed, whose features depend on stability. The added TKE in the wind farm increases with stability. The highest power extraction and lowest power deficit are observed for the unstable case.     

Effects of Thermal Stability and Incoming Boundary-Layer Flow Characteristics on Wind-Turbine Wakes: A Wind-Tunnel Study

Wind-tunnel experiments were carried out to study turbulence statistics in the wake of a model wind turbine placed in a boundary-layer flow under both neutral and stably stratified conditions. High-resolution velocity and temperature measurements, obtained using a customized triple wire (cross-wire and cold wire) anemometer, were used to characterize the mean velocity, turbulence intensity, turbulent fluxes, and spectra at different locations in the wake. The effect of the wake on the turbulence statistics is found to extend as far as 20 rotor diameters downwind of the turbine. The velocity deficit has a nearly axisymmetric shape, which can be approximated by a Gaussian distribution and a power-law decay with distance. This decay in the near-wake region is found to be faster in the stable case. Turbulence intensity distribution is clearly non-axisymmetric due to the non-uniform distribution of the incoming velocity in the boundary layer. In the neutral case, the maximum turbulence intensity is located above the hub height, around the rotor tip location and at a distance of about 4–5.5 rotor diameters, which are common separations between wind turbines in wind farms. The enhancement of turbulence intensity is associated with strong shear and turbulent kinetic energy production in that region. In the stable case, the stronger shear in the incoming flow leads to a slightly stronger and larger region of enhanced turbulence intensity, which extends between 3 and 6 rotor diameters downwind of the turbine location. Power spectra of the streamwise and vertical velocities show a strong signature of the turbine blade tip vortices at the top tip height up to a distance of about 1–2 rotor diameters. This spectral signature is stronger in the vertical velocity component. At longer downwind distances, tip vortices are not evident and the von Kármán formulation agrees well with the measured velocity spectra.     

Impact of the Diurnal Cycle of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer on Wind-Turbine Wakes: A Numerical Modelling Study

The wake characteristics of a wind turbine for different regimes occurring throughout the diurnal cycle are investigated systematically by means of large-eddy simulation. Idealized diurnal cycle simulations of the atmospheric boundary layer are performed with the geophysical flow solver EULAG over both homogeneous and heterogeneous terrain. Under homogeneous conditions, the diurnal cycle significantly affects the low-level wind shear and atmospheric turbulence. A strong vertical wind shear and veering with height occur in the nocturnal stable boundary layer and in the morning boundary layer, whereas atmospheric turbulence is much larger in the convective boundary layer and in the evening boundary layer. The increased shear under heterogeneous conditions changes these wind characteristics, counteracting the formation of the night-time Ekman spiral. The convective, stable, evening, and morning regimes of the atmospheric boundary layer over a homogeneous surface as well as the convective and stable regimes over a heterogeneous surface are used to study the flow in a wind-turbine wake. Synchronized turbulent inflow data from the idealized atmospheric boundary-layer simulations with periodic horizontal boundary conditions are applied to the wind-turbine simulations with open streamwise boundary conditions. The resulting wake is strongly influenced by the stability of the atmosphere. In both cases, the flow in the wake recovers more rapidly under convective conditions during the day than under stable conditions at night. The simulated wakes produced for the night-time situation completely differ between heterogeneous and homogeneous surface conditions. The wake characteristics of the transitional periods are influenced by the flow regime prior to the transition. Furthermore, there are different wake deflections over the height of the rotor, which reflect the incoming wind direction.     

Large-Eddy Simulation of Windbreak Flow

A large-eddy simulation has been performed of turbulent flow around multiple windbreaks set within a wheat canopy under neutral stability conditions. The simulation is validated against a wind tunnel data set taken under similar conditions. Velocity profiles and second-order statistics are presented and compared to those found in the wind tunnel. From the numerical simulation, we discuss spatial distributions of instantaneous velocity fields and pressure statistics, which are important and telling features of the flow that are difficult to measure experimentally. We present a discussion of the momentum balance at various locations with respect to the windbreak, and similarly, we introduce the budget of a passive scalar. These discussions show the importance of the terms in each budget equation as they vary upstream and downstream of the windbreak.     

Large-Eddy Simulation of Katabatic Flows

A large-eddy simulation model with rotated coordinates and an open boundary is used to simulate the characteristics of katabatic flows over simple terrain. Experiments examine the effects of cross winds on the development of the slope-flow boundary layer for a steep (20°) slope and the role of drainage winds in preventing turbulence collapse on a gentle slope (1°). For the steep flow cases, comparisons between model average boundary-layer velocity, temperature deficit, and turbulence kinetic energy budget terms and tower observations show reasonable agreement. Results for different cross slope winds show that as the cross slope winds increase, the slope flow deepens faster and behaves more like a weakly stratified, sheared boundary layer. Analysis of the momentum budget shows that near the surface the flow is maintained by a balance between downslope buoyancy forcing and vertical turbulence flux from surface drag. Above the downslope jet, the turbulence vertical momentum flux reverses sign and acceleration of the flow by buoyancy is controlled by horizontal advection of slower moving ambient air. The turbulence budget is dominated by a balance between shear production and eddy dissipation, however, buoyancy and pressure transport both are significant in reducing the strength of turbulence above the jet. Results from the gentle slope case show that even a slight terrain variation can lead to significant drainage winds. Comparison of the gentle slope case with a flat terrain simulation indicates that drainage winds can effectively prevent the formation of very stable boundary layers, at least near the top of sloping terrain.     

The Effect of Wind-Turbine Wakes on Summertime US Midwest Atmospheric Wind Profiles as Observed with Ground-Based Doppler Lidar

We examine the influence of a modern multi-megawatt wind turbine on wind and turbulence profiles three rotor diameters ( $D$ D ) downwind of the turbine. Light detection and ranging (lidar) wind-profile observations were collected during summer 2011 in an operating wind farm in central Iowa at 20-m vertical intervals from 40 to 220 m above the surface. After a calibration period during which two lidars were operated next to each other, one lidar was located approximately $2D$ 2 D directly south of a wind turbine; the other lidar was moved approximately $3D$ 3 D north of the same wind turbine. Data from the two lidars during southerly flow conditions enabled the simultaneous capture of inflow and wake conditions. The inflow wind and turbulence profiles exhibit strong variability with atmospheric stability: daytime profiles are well-mixed with little shear and strong turbulence, while nighttime profiles exhibit minimal turbulence and considerable shear across the rotor disk region and above. Consistent with the observations available from other studies and with wind-tunnel and large-eddy simulation studies, measurable reductions in wake wind-speeds occur at heights spanning the wind turbine rotor (43–117 m), and turbulent quantities increase in the wake. In generalizing these results as a function of inflow wind speed, we find the wind-speed deficit in the wake is largest at hub height or just above, and the maximum deficit occurs when wind speeds are below the rated speed for the turbine. Similarly, the maximum enhancement of turbulence kinetic energy and turbulence intensity occurs at hub height, although observations at the top of the rotor disk do not allow assessment of turbulence in that region. The wind shear below turbine hub height (quantified here with the power-law coefficient) is found to be a useful parameter to identify whether a downwind lidar observes turbine wake or free-flow conditions. These field observations provide data for validating turbine-wake models and wind-tunnel observations, and for guiding assessments of the impacts of wakes on surface turbulent fluxes or surface temperatures downwind of turbines.     

基于大涡模拟对两类典型边界层参数化方案的评估分析

在WRF模式的三维动力框架和同一种外强迫下,基于大涡模拟结果对Yonsei University(YSU)和Mellor-Yamada-Janiic(MYJ)边界层参数化方案进行了评估。模式初始场由一个探空观测给定,模式的外强迫为观测得到随时间变化的地面感热、潜热通量及辐射传输模式得到的辐射冷却率。通过显式解析边界层的大涡模拟试验和采用边界层参数化方案的模拟试验结果表明,与大涡模拟结果相比,YSU方案模拟的混合偏强,MYJ方案偏弱;YSU方案模拟的边界层高度偏高,边界层内偏暖、偏干;MYJ方案模拟的边界层高度偏低,边界层内偏冷、偏湿。     

Large-Eddy Simulation Of Radiation Fog

In order to study the three-dimensional structure of radiation fogand to obtain a basic understanding of its generation mechanism,a numerical experiment is performed with a large-eddysimulation model and compared with the observation at Cabauw in the Netherlands. After confirming that the results are insatisfactory agreement with the observations, the structure of thefog and its generation mechanism are examined in more detail.Before the fog forms, the atmosphere is stable and an inversionlayer exists almost adjacent to the ground surface. As the fog grows, however, the stratification is destabilized and a mixed layerdevelops gradually. The longwave radiative cooling near thefog top contributes to the destabilization more than thecondensational heating does.The evolution of the fog can be classified into three stagesaccording to the behaviour of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE):formation, development, and dissipation stages.The fog layer has different flow structures at each stage.During the formation stage, longitudinal rolls similar tostreaks in channel flows appear near the ground surface.The development stage is characterized by an initiation oftransverse bands due to Kelvin–Helmholtz instability anda sudden increase of TKE. During the dissipation stage, longitudinalrolls and polygonal cells due to convective instability are organized.     

Parameterization of Sheared Convective Entrainment in the First-Order Jump Model: Evaluation Through Large-Eddy Simulation

In this note, two different approaches are used to estimate the entrainment-flux to surface-flux ratio for a sheared convective boundary layer (CBL); both are derived under the framework of the first-order jump model (FOM). That suggested by Sun and Wang (SW approach) has the advantage that there is no empirical constant included, though the dynamics are described in an implicit manner. The second, which was proposed by Kim et al. and Pino et al. (KP approach), explicitly characterizes the dynamics of the sheared entrainment, but uncertainties are induced through the empirical constants. Their performances in parameterizing the CBL growth rate are compared and discussed, and a new value of the parameter A ₃ in the KP approach is suggested. Large-eddy simulation (LES) data are employed to test both approaches: simulations are conducted for the CBL growing under varying conditions of surface roughness, free-atmospheric stratification, and wind shear, and data used when the turbulence is in steady state. The predicted entrainment rates in each case are tested against the LES data. The results show that the SW approach describes the evolution of the sheared CBL quite well, and the KP approach also reproduces the growth of the CBL reasonably, so long as the value of A ₃ is modified to 0.6.     

An Evaluation of Boundary-Layer Depth,Inversion and Entrainment Parameters by Large-Eddy Simulation

Studies of entrainment across the top of the boundary layer rely to a great extent on identification of the boundary-layer top, inversion properties, entrainment-zone depth, and the temporal changes in all of these. A variety of definitions and techniques have been used to provide automated and objective estimates; however, direct comparisons between studies is made difficult by the lack of consistency in techniques. Here we compare boundary-layer depth, entrainment-zone thickness, and entrainment rate derived from several commonly used techniques applied to a common set of large-eddy simulations of the idealized, dry, convective boundary layer. We focus in particular on those techniques applicable to lidar backscatter measurements of boundary-layer structure. We find significant differences in all the quantities of interest, and further that the behaviour as functions of common scaling parameters, such as convective Richardson number, also differ, sometimes dramatically. The discretization of the possible values of some quantities imposed by the vertical grid is found to affect some of the results even when changes to model resolution does not affect the entrainment rate or scaling behaviour. This is a particular problem where entrainment parameters are derived from a single mean profile (e.g. the buoyancy-flux profile), but not where they are derived from the statistical properties of large numbers of individual profiles (e.g. the probability distribution of the local boundary-layer top at each model grid point).     

Flow over Hills: A Large-Eddy Simulation of the Bolund Case

Simulation of local atmospheric flows around complex topography is important for several applications in wind energy (short-term wind forecasting and turbine siting and control), local weather prediction in mountainous regions and avalanche risk assessment. However, atmospheric simulation around steep mountain topography remains challenging, and a number of different approaches are used to represent such topography in numerical models. The immersed boundary method (IBM) is particularly well-suited for efficient and numerically stable simulation of flow around steep terrain. It uses a homogenous grid and permits a fast meshing of the topography. Here, we use the IBM in conjunction with a large-eddy simulation (LES) and test it against two unique datasets. In the first comparison, the LES is used to reproduce experimental results from a wind-tunnel study of a smooth three-dimensional hill. In the second comparison, we simulate the wind field around the Bolund Hill, Denmark, and make direct comparisons with field measurements. Both cases show good agreement between the simulation results and the experimental data, with the largest disagreement observed near the surface. The source of error is investigated by performing additional simulations with a variety of spatial resolutions and surface roughness properties.     

Edge Flow and Canopy Structure: A Large-Eddy Simulation Study

Sharp heterogeneities in forest structure, such as edges, are often responsible for wind damage. In order to better understand the behaviour of turbulent flow through canopy edges, large-eddy simulations (LES) have been performed at very fine scale (2 m) within and above heterogeneous vegetation canopies. A modified version of the Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS), previously validated in homogeneous conditions against field and wind-tunnel measurements, has been used for this purpose. Here it is validated in a simple forest-clearing-forest configuration. The model is shown to be able to reproduce accurately the main features observed in turbulent edge flow, especially the “enhanced gust zone” (EGZ) present around the canopy top at a few canopy heights downwind from the edge, and the turbulent region that develops further downstream. The EGZ is characterized by a peak in streamwise velocity skewness, which reflects the presence of intense intermittent wind gusts. A sensitivity study of the edge flow to the forest morphology shows that with increasing canopy density the flow adjusts faster and turbulent features such as the EGZ become more marked. When the canopy is characterized by a sparse trunk space the length of the adjustment region increases significantly due to the formation of a sub-canopy wind jet from the leading edge. It is shown that the position and magnitude of the EGZ are related to the mean upward motion formed around canopy top behind the leading edge, caused by the deceleration in the sub-canopy. Indeed, this mean upward motion advects low turbulence levels from the bottom of the canopy; this emphasises the passage of sudden strong wind gusts from the clearing, thereby increasing the skewness in streamwise velocity as compared with locations further downstream where ambient turbulence is stronger.     

Large-Eddy Simulation of the stably-stratified atmospheric boundary layer

Large-Eddy Simulation of stable boundary layers (SBLs) has been considered particularly difficult, indeed perhaps impossible with present computational resources. Here we present a new series of successful simulations of SBLs over uniform, flat terrain, using an approach previously successful for neutral and convective conditions, and showing that essentially the same model can handle all three main dry types of atmospheric boundary layer. We consider both technical requirements for successful and accurate SBL simulations and the observed characteristics of the simulated SBL. We discuss the evolution (in some cases to quasi-steady states) and compare with theory and experimental data. Effects of static-stability on the flow are analyzed using one-point and two-point statistics. Results show the development of a shear-driven SBL, with little sign of distinctively wavelike motions. The flow statistics are found to be consistent with local scaling, and that framework is used to compare with other data and theoretical models.     

Large-Eddy Simulation of Flows over Random Urban-like Obstacles

Further to our previous large-eddy simulation (LES) of flow over a staggered array of uniform cubes, a simulation of flow over random urban-like obstacles is presented. To gain a deeper insight into the effects of randomness in the obstacle topology, the current results, e.g. spatially-averaged mean velocity, Reynolds stresses, turbulence kinetic energy and dispersive stresses, are compared with our previous LES data and direct numerical simulation data of flow over uniform cubes. Significantly different features in the turbulence statistics are observed within and immediately above the canopy, although there are some similarities in the spatially-averaged statistics. It is also found that the relatively high pressures on the tallest buildings generate contributions to the total surface drag that are far in excess of their proportionate frontal area within the array. Details of the turbulence characteristics (like the stress anisotropy) are compared with those in regular roughness arrays and attempts to find some generality in the turbulence statistics within the canopy region are discussed.     

Including the Drag Effects of Canopies: Real Case Large-Eddy Simulation Studies

We use the mesoscale meteorological model Meso-NH, taking the drag force of trees into account under stable, unstable and neutral conditions in a real case study. Large-eddy simulations (LES) are carried out for real orography, using a regional forcing model and including the energy and water fluxes between the surface (mostly grass with some hedges of trees) and the atmosphere calculated using a state-of-the-art soil-vegetation-atmosphere-transfer model. The formulation of the drag approach consists of adding drag terms to the momentum equation and subgrid turbulent kinetic energy dissipation, as a function of the foliage density. Its implementation in Meso-NH is validated using Advanced Regional Prediction System simulation results and measurements from Shaw and Schumann (Boundary-Layer Meteorol, 61(1):47?C64, 1992). The simulation shows that the Meso-NH model successfully reproduces the flow within and above homogeneous covers. Then, real case studies are used in order to investigate the three different boundary layers in a LES configuration (resolution down to 2 m) over the ??Lannemezan 2005?? experimental campaign. Thus, we show that the model is able to reproduce realistic flows in these particular cases and confirm that the drag force approach is more efficient than the classical roughness approach in describing the flow in the presence of vegetation at these resolutions.