Validation of a CFD model with a synchronized triple‐lidar system in the wind turbine induction zone

Abstract

A novel validation methodology allows verifying a CFD model over the entire wind turbine induction zone using measurements from three synchronized lidars. The validation procedure relies on spatially discretizing the probability density function of the measured free-stream wind speed. The resulting distributions are reproduced numerically by weighting steady-state Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes simulations accordingly. The only input varying between these computations is the velocity at the inlet boundary. The rotor is modelled using an actuator disc. So as to compare lidar and simulations, the spatial and temporal uncertainty of the measurements is quantified and propagated through the data processing. For all velocity components the maximal difference between measurements and model are below 4.5% relative to the average wind speed for most of the validation space. This applies to both mean and standard deviation. One rotor radius upstream the difference reaches maximally 1.3% for the axial component.

How does turbulence change approaching a rotor?

“…(1) to the measurements. That gives the value of a as a function of U ∞ , which we assume is equal to the velocity particularly dominant for the Siemens 2.3MW because it has a high local loading below rated wind speed, see Troldborg and Meyer Forsting (2017). Fig.…”

Power curve and wake analyses of the Vestas multi-rotor demonstrator

“…EllipSys3D is an incompressible finite volume flow solver, initially developed by Sørensen (1994) and Michelsen (1992), which incorporates both RANS and LES models, and has different methods of representing a wind turbine. In this section, the RANS-AD method is discussed.…”

Incoming flow measurements of a utility-scale wind turbine using super-large-scale particle image velocimetry

“…They showed that thrust is the major parameter governing the induction strength [32], and other turbine parameters, such as yaw, tilt, and rotor design, etc. [32][33][34]. and environmental characteristics including wind shear, atmospheric turbulence, and topography, etc.…”