Wind turbine infrasound: Phenomenology and effect on people

Flemmer, Claire L.; Flemmer, R.L.C.

doi:10.1016/j.scs.2022.104308

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Although the noise from wind turbines can be obscured to some extent by other background noise such as forests and buildings, the indoor low-frequency sound pressure level of residents near wind farms can be higher than that of outdoor buildings due to the low noise reduction in low frequencies by the atmosphere and building exterior walls, as well as the resonance sound mode and structural vibration inside the buildings [11][12][13]. In addition, the noise generated by large wind turbines can cause vibrations in objects such as doors and windows, which are mainly related to the low-frequency noise of wind turbines [14]. To make this article clear and understandable, the frequency range of 20 Hz to 200 Hz is called low-frequency noise.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Studies on the Experimental Measurement of the Low-Frequency Aerodynamic Noise of Large Wind Turbines

Wang,

Yan,

Zhao

et al. 2024

Energies

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With the continuous warming of the global climate, expanding the use of renewable energy has become one of the main social responsibilities. However, as the number of installed wind turbines and their physical dimensions continue to increase, the issue of generated noise has become increasingly significant in influencing the acceptance and endorsement of wind power projects by neighboring communities. In this paper, we investigated the noise generated by two wind turbine units with rated powers of 1.5 MW and 4.5 MW and analyzed the variations in low-frequency noise during their operation and shutdown periods. This research shows that the power of a single unit has a significant impact on the low-frequency noise emitted into the environment. Compared with 1.5 MW wind turbines, 4.5 MW wind turbines generate more low-frequency noise when operating at the same wind speed. Further analysis of the narrowband frequency spectra and one-third octave spectra of the measured noise indicates that the low-frequency noise from the 4.5 MW wind turbine increases significantly in the range of approximately 80 Hz to 300 Hz, with more pronounced variations below 250 Hz corresponding to changes in wind speed. However, the overall variations in low-frequency noise with wind speed are not as notable as those observed for the 1.5 MW wind turbine. Due to the relatively weak attenuation of low-frequency noise in the atmosphere, the higher low-frequency content of large wind turbines may cause more distress to residents near wind farms. The result of this study emphasizes that in the planning and design of wind power projects, in addition to considering the efficiency of single-unit power generation and the contribution of renewable energy, it is also necessary to pay full attention to noise emission issues to ensure that the project is widely supported and accepted in the community.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Studies on the Experimental Measurement of the Low-Frequency Aerodynamic Noise of Large Wind Turbines

Wang,

Yan,

Zhao

et al. 2024

Energies

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“…While various measurement studies have shown that the level of tonal infrasound emitted from wind farms is below the threshold of human hearing, there is increasing evidence to indicate that infrasound from WTs can have long-term health effects [3] [4] [5]. The phenomenology of infrasound and its effect on people is summarized in [6]. Additionally, high frequency noise from WTs is modulated by the blade passing frequency (BPF), which falls in the infrasound region.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of a FW-H tool coupled with CFD for infrasound noise emissions from wind turbines

Shah,

Sucameli,

Bottasso

2024

J. Phys.: Conf. Ser.

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Noise remains an obstacle to the advancement of onshore wind energy. Despite the ongoing debate on the effects of infrasound on human health, especially from wind turbines, there is consensus that the blade passing frequency (BPF) in the infrasound range modulates the audible higher-frequency sound and creates a rhythmic “swishing” sound at farther distances. This paper presents a simulation framework for assessing infrasound noise (<20 Hz) from wind turbines, which was designed to capture the relevant physics without incurring in overwhelming computational costs. The flow is modelled using large eddy simulation (LES) and is coupled through an actuator line method (ALM) to the aeroelastic model of a wind turbine. The use of an ALM significantly reduces the computation effort compared to blade-resolved CFD approaches. Moreover, the Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (FW-H) acoustic analogy is applied on a permeable integration surface that surrounds the entire wind turbine, thereby capturing the coupled effects of rotor, tower, and the near-wake turbulence shed by the turbine. The present approach is shown to be capable of resolving rotor-tower interactions as tonal peaks at BPF and its harmonics, enabling the evaluation of design and control measures to mitigate infrasound noise emissions from wind turbines.

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