scholarly journals Determining an Appropriate Parameter of Analytical Wake Models for Energy Capture and Layout Optimization on Wind Farms

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 739 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyoungboo Yang

The wake of a wind turbine is a crucial factor that decreases the output of downstream wind turbines and causes unsteady loading. Various wake models have been developed to understand it, ranging from simple ones to elaborate models that require long calculation times. However, selecting an appropriate wake model is difficult because each model has its advantages and disadvantages as well as distinct characteristics. Furthermore, determining the parameters of a given wake model is crucial because this affects the calculation results. In this study, a method was introduced of using the turbulence intensity, which can be measured onsite, to objectively define parameters that were previously set according to the subjective judgement of a wind farm designer or general recommended values. To reflect the environmental effects around a site, the turbulence intensity in each direction of the wind farm was considered for four types of analytical wake models: the Jensen, Frandsen, Larsen, and Jensen–Gaussian models. The prediction performances of the wake models for the power deficit and energy production of the wind turbines were compared to data collected from a wind farm. The results showed that the Jensen and Jensen–Gaussian models agreed more with the power deficit distribution of the downstream wind turbines than when the same general recommended parameters were applied in all directions. When applied to energy production, the maximum difference among the wake models was approximately 3%. Every wake model clearly showed the relative wake loss tendency of each wind turbine.

2018 ◽  
Vol 64 ◽  
pp. 06010
Author(s):  
Bachhal Amrender Singh ◽  
Vogstad Klaus ◽  
Lal Kolhe Mohan ◽  
Chougule Abhijit ◽  
Beyer Hans George

There is a big wind energy potential in supplying the power in an island and most of the islands are off-grid. Due to the limited area in island(s), there is need to find appropriate layout / location for wind turbines suited to the local wind conditions. In this paper, we have considered the wind resources data of an island in Trøndelag region of the Northern Norway, situated on the coastal line. The wind resources data of this island have been analysed for wake losses and turbulence on wind turbines for determining appropriate locations of wind turbines in this island. These analyses are very important for understanding the fatigue and mechanical stress on the wind turbines. In this work, semi empirical wake model has been used for wake losses analysis with wind speed and turbine spacings. The Jensen wake model used for the wake loss analysis due to its high degree of accuracy and the Frandsen model for characterizing the turbulent loading. The variations of the losses in the wind energy production of the down-wind turbine relative to the up-wind turbine and, the down-stream turbulence have been analysed for various turbine distances. The special emphasis has been taken for the case of wind turbine spacing, leading to the turbulence conditions for satisfying the IEC 61400-1 conditions to find the wind turbine layout in this island. The energy production of down-wind turbines has been decreased from 2 to 20% due to the lower wind speeds as they are located behind up-wind turbine, resulting in decreasing the overall energy production of the wind farm. Also, the higher wake losses have contributed to the effective turbulence, which has reduced the overall energy production from the wind farm. In this case study, the required distance for wind turbines have been changed to 6 rotor diameters for increasing the energy gain. From the results, it has been estimated that the marginal change in wake losses by moving the down-stream wind turbine by one rotor diameter distance has been in the range of 0.5 to 1% only and it is insignificant. In the full-length paper, the wake effects with wind speed variations and the wind turbine locations will be reported for reducing the wake losses on the down-stream wind turbine. The Frandsen model has been used for analysing turbulence loading on the down-stream wind turbine as per IEC 61400-1 criteria. In larger wind farms, the high turbulence from the up-stream wind turbines increases the fatigues on the turbines of the wind farm. In this work, we have used the effective turbulence criteria at a certain distance between up-stream and down-stream turbines for minimizing the fatigue load level. The sensitivity analysis on wake and turbulence analysis will be reported in the full-length paper. Results from this work will be useful for finding wind farm layouts in an island for utilizing effectively the wind energy resources and electrification using wind power plants.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Simley ◽  
Paul Fleming ◽  
Jennifer King

Abstract. Wind farm control strategies are being developed to mitigate wake losses in wind farms, increasing energy production. Wake steering is a type of wind farm control in which a wind turbine's yaw position is misaligned from the wind direction, causing its wake to deflect away from downstream turbines. Current modeling tools used to optimize and estimate energy gains from wake steering are designed to represent wakes for fixed wind directions. However, wake steering controllers must operate in dynamic wind conditions and a turbine's yaw position cannot perfectly track changing wind directions. Research has been conducted on robust wake steering control optimized for variable wind directions. In this paper, the design and analysis of a wake steering controller with wind direction variability is presented for a two-turbine array using the FLOw Redirection and Induction in Steady State (FLORIS) control-oriented wake model. First, the authors propose a method for modeling the turbulent and low-frequency components of the wind direction, where the slowly varying wind direction serves as the relevant input to the wake model. Next, we explain a procedure for finding optimal yaw offsets for dynamic wind conditions considering both wind direction and yaw position uncertainty. We then performed simulations with the optimal yaw offsets applied using a realistic yaw offset controller in conjunction with a baseline yaw controller, showing good agreement with the predicted energy gain using the probabilistic model. Using the Gaussian wake model in FLORIS as an example, we compared the performance of yaw offset controllers optimized for static and dynamic wind conditions for different turbine spacings and turbulence intensity values. For a spacing of 5 rotor diameters and a turbulence intensity of 10 %, robust yaw offsets optimized for variable wind directions yielded an energy gain improvement of 128 %. In general, accounting for wind direction variability in the yaw offset optimization process was found to improve energy production more as the separation distance increased, whereas the relative improvement remained roughly the same for the range of turbulence intensity values considered.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 451-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Simley ◽  
Paul Fleming ◽  
Jennifer King

Abstract. Wind farm control strategies are being developed to mitigate wake losses in wind farms, increasing energy production. Wake steering is a type of wind farm control in which a wind turbine's yaw position is misaligned from the wind direction, causing its wake to deflect away from downstream turbines. Current modeling tools used to optimize and estimate energy gains from wake steering are designed to represent wakes for fixed wind directions. However, wake steering controllers must operate in dynamic wind conditions and a turbine's yaw position cannot perfectly track changing wind directions. Research has been conducted on robust wake steering control optimized for variable wind directions. In this paper, the design and analysis of a wake steering controller with wind direction variability is presented for a two-turbine array using the FLOw Redirection and Induction in Steady State (FLORIS) control-oriented wake model. First, the authors propose a method for modeling the turbulent and low-frequency components of the wind direction, where the slowly varying wind direction serves as the relevant input to the wake model. Next, we explain a procedure for finding optimal yaw offsets for dynamic wind conditions considering both wind direction and yaw position uncertainty. We then performed simulations with the optimal yaw offsets applied using a realistic yaw offset controller in conjunction with a baseline yaw controller, showing good agreement with the predicted energy gain using the probabilistic model. Using the Gaussian wake model in FLORIS as an example, we compared the performance of yaw offset controllers optimized for static and dynamic wind conditions for different turbine spacings and turbulence intensity values, assuming uniformly distributed wind directions. For a spacing of five rotor diameters and a turbulence intensity of 10 %, robust yaw offsets optimized for variable wind directions yielded an energy gain equivalent to 3.24 % of wake losses recovered, compared to 1.42 % of wake losses recovered with yaw offsets optimized for static wind directions. In general, accounting for wind direction variability in the yaw offset optimization process was found to improve energy production more as the separation distance increased, whereas the relative improvement remained roughly the same for the range of turbulence intensity values considered.


Author(s):  
Anand P. Deshmukh ◽  
James T. Allison

Wind energy is a rapidly expanding source of renewable energy, but is highly intermittent. The performance of a wind farm, composed of a collection of wind turbines, depends not only on the placement of wind turbines in a farm, but also control actions taken by individual turbines. The wind turbine placement (layout) design problem involves adjusting turbine locations within a given area to improve a performance objective (such as maximizing annualized energy production). This layout problem has been addressed previously considering the effect of constraints such land configuration, installed capacity, and wake model choice on the performance of wind farms. All the studies, however, ignore the effects of the control system, which can have significant impact on performance. A well designed wind farm — without an optimal controller — will not achieve the full system level optimal performance, and vice-versa. In this article, we propose a novel layout co-design approach that includes optimal control considerations to exploit this synergy between farm layout and control. Layout case studies involving 8 and 12 turbines are presented. An annual energy production improvement of up to 17% is observed when accounting for coupling between control and layout design, when compared to layout-only optimization.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiannis A. Katsigiannis ◽  
George S. Stavrakakis ◽  
Christodoulos Pharconides

This paper examines the effect of different wind turbine classes on the electricity production of wind farms in two areas of Cyprus Island, which present low and medium wind potentials: Xylofagou and Limassol. Wind turbine classes determine the suitability of installing a wind turbine in a particulate site. Wind turbine data from five different manufacturers have been used. For each manufacturer, two wind turbines with identical rated power (in the range of 1.5 MW–3 MW) and different wind turbine classes (IEC II and IEC III) are compared. The results show the superiority of wind turbines that are designed for lower wind speeds (IEC III class) in both locations, in terms of energy production. This improvement is higher for the location with the lower wind potential and starts from 7%, while it can reach more than 50%.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara C. Pryor ◽  
Tristan J. Shepherd ◽  
Rebecca J. Barthelmie

Abstract. Inter-annual variability (IAV) of expected annual energy production (AEP) from proposed wind farms plays a key role in dictating project financing. IAV in pre-construction projected AEP and the difference in 50th and 90th percentile (P50 and P90) AEP derives in part from variability in wind climates. However, the magnitude of IAV in wind speeds at/close to wind turbine hub-heights is poorly constrained and maybe overestimated by the 6 % standard deviation of annual mean wind speeds that is widely applied within the wind energy industry. Thus there is a need for improved understanding of the long-term wind resource and the inter-annual variability therein in order to generate more robust predictions of the financial value of a wind energy project. Long-term simulations of wind speeds near typical wind turbine hub-heights over the eastern USA indicate median gross capacity factors (computed using 10-minute wind speeds close to wind turbine hub-heights and the power curve of the most common wind turbine deployed in the region) that are in good agreement with values derived from operational wind farms. The IAV of annual mean wind speeds at/near to typical wind turbine hub-heights in these simulations is lower than is implied by assuming a standard deviation of 6 %. Indeed, rather than in 9 in 10 years exhibiting AEP within 0.9 and 1.1 times the long-term mean AEP, results presented herein indicate that over 90 % of the area in the eastern USA that currently has operating wind turbines simulated AEP lies within 0.94 and 1.06 of the long-term average. Further, IAV of estimated AEP is not substantially larger than IAV in mean wind speeds. These results indicate it may be appropriate to reduce the IAV applied to pre-construction AEP estimates to account for variability in wind climates, which would decrease the cost of capital for wind farm developments.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongyan Ding ◽  
Zuntao Feng ◽  
Puyang Zhang ◽  
Conghuan Le ◽  
Yaohua Guo

The composite bucket foundation (CBF) for offshore wind turbines is the basis for a one-step integrated transportation and installation technique, which can be adapted to the construction and development needs of offshore wind farms due to its special structural form. To transport and install bucket foundations together with the upper portion of offshore wind turbines, a non-self-propelled integrated transportation and installation vessel was designed. In this paper, as the first stage of applying the proposed one-step integrated construction technique, the floating behavior during the transportation of CBF with a wind turbine tower for the Xiangshui wind farm in the Jiangsu province was monitored. The influences of speed, wave height, and wind on the floating behavior of the structure were studied. The results show that the roll and pitch angles remain close to level during the process of lifting and towing the wind turbine structure. In addition, the safety of the aircushion structure of the CBF was verified by analyzing the measurement results for the interaction force and the depth of the liquid within the bucket. The results of the three-DOF (degree of freedom) acceleration monitoring on the top of the test tower indicate that the wind turbine could meet the specified acceleration value limits during towing.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (22) ◽  
pp. 7995
Author(s):  
Erik Möllerström ◽  
Daniel Lindholm

Based on data from 1162 wind turbines, with a rated power of at least 1.8 MW, installed in Sweden after 2005, the accuracy of the annual energy production (AEP) predictions from the project planning phases has been compared to the wind-index-corrected production. Both the production and the predicted AEP data come from the database Vindstat, which collects information directly from wind turbine owners. The mean error was 7.1%, which means that, overall, the predicted AEP has been overestimated. The overestimation was higher for wind turbines situated in open terrain than in forest areas and was higher overall than that previously established for the British Isles and South Africa. Dividing the result over the installation year, the improvement which had been expected due to the continuous refinement of the methods and better data availability, was not observed over time. The major uncertainty comes from the predicted AEP as reported by wind turbine owners to the Vindstat database, which, for some cases, might not come from the wind energy calculation from the planning phase (i.e., the P50-value).


Author(s):  
Paul Sclavounos ◽  
Christopher Tracy ◽  
Sungho Lee

Wind is the fastest growing renewable energy source, increasing at an annual rate of 25% with a worldwide installed capacity of 74 GW in 2007. The vast majority of wind power is generated from onshore wind farms. Their growth is however limited by the lack of inexpensive land near major population centers and the visual pollution caused by large wind turbines. Wind energy generated from offshore wind farms is the next frontier. Large sea areas with stronger and steadier winds are available for wind farm development and 5MW wind turbine towers located 20 miles from the coastline are invisible. Current offshore wind turbines are supported by monopoles driven into the seafloor at coastal sites a few miles from shore and in water depths of 10–15m. The primary impediment to their growth is visual pollution and the prohibitive cost of seafloor mounted monopoles in larger water depths. This paper presents a fully coupled dynamic analysis of floating wind turbines that enables a parametric design study of floating wind turbine concepts and mooring systems. Pareto optimal designs are presented that possess a favorable combination of nacelle acceleration, mooring system tension and displacement of the floating structure supporting a five megawatt wind turbine. All concepts are selected so that they float stably while in tow to the offshore wind farm site and prior to their connection to the mooring system. A fully coupled dynamic analysis is carried out of the wind turbine, floater and mooring system in wind and a sea state based on standard computer programs used by the offshore and wind industries. The results of the parametric study are designs that show Pareto fronts for mean square acceleration of the turbine versus key cost drivers for the offshore structure that include the weight of the floating structure and the static plus dynamic mooring line tension. Pareto optimal structures are generally either a narrow deep drafted spar, or a shallow drafted barge ballasted with concrete. The mooring systems include both tension leg and catenary mooring systems. In some of the designs, the RMS acceleration of the wind turbine nacelle can be as low as 0.03 g in a sea state with a significant wave height of ten meters and water depths of up to 200 meters. These structures meet design requirements while possessing a favorable combination of nacelle accleration, total mooring system tension and weight of the floating structure. Their economic assessment is also discussed drawing upon a recent financial analysis of a proposed offshore wind farm.


Author(s):  
Hideyuki Suzuki ◽  
Yu Kitahara ◽  
Yukinari Fukumoto

A wide range of platform concepts have been investigated for a floating wind turbine. So far analysis and design of motion characteristics of the platform is main research concern. One key research area less focused is floating platform related risk. If the wind energy would be one of the major sources of electric power supply, wind farms which are comprised of large number of floating wind turbines must be deployed in the ocean. Wind turbines are relatively closely arranged in a wind farm. In such an arrangement, a wind turbine accidentally started drifting will have some possibility to collide with floater and moorings of neighboring moored floating wind turbines, and might initiate another drift which might cause progressive drifting of wind turbines. In the previous report, a scenario of progressive drifting of wind turbines was investigated and associated risk was formulated. Quantitative risk of several arrangements of wind farm was estimated. Effects of arrangement of wind turbines in a wind farm and safety factor used in the design of moorings is discussed. Probability of initial drift was evaluated analyzing past records of accidents and design of mooring. In this research, strength of mooring system was modeled more precisely and probabilistic model was developed considering aged deterioration. Risk of progressive drifting was evaluated and safety factor required to realize a acceptable risk of a wind farm was discussed.


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