About the Extension of Wind Turbine Power Curve in the High Wind Region

2018 ◽  
Vol 141 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Astolfi ◽  
Francesco Castellani ◽  
Andrea Lombardi ◽  
Ludovico Terzi

The financial sustainability and the profitability of wind farms strongly depend on the efficiency of the conversion of wind kinetic energy. This motivates further research about the improvement of wind turbine power curve. If the site is characterized by a considerable occurrence of very high wind speeds, it can become particularly profitable to update the power curve management. This is commonly done by raising the cut-out velocity and the high wind speed cut-in regulating the hysteresis logic. Doing this, on one side, the wind turbine possibly undergoes strong vibration and loads. On the other side, the energy improvement is almost certain and the point is quantifying precisely its magnitude. In this work, the test case of an onshore wind farm in Italy is studied, featuring 17 2.3 MW wind turbines. Through the analysis of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) data, the energy improvement from the extension of the power curve in the high wind speed region is simulated and measured. This could be useful for wind farm owners evaluating the realistic profitability of the installation of the power curve upgrade on their wind turbines. Furthermore, the present work is useful for the analysis of wind turbine behavior under extremely stressing load conditions.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evgeny Atlaskin ◽  
Irene Suomi ◽  
Anders Lindfors

<p>Power curves for a substantial number of wind turbine generators (WTG) became available in a number of public sources during the recent years. They can be used to estimate the power production of a wind farm fleet with uncertainty determined by the accuracy and consistency of the power curve data. However, in order to estimate power losses inside a wind farm due to wind speed reduction caused by the wake effect, information on the thrust force, or widely used thrust coefficient (Ct), is required. Unlike power curves, Ct curves for the whole range of operating wind speeds of a WTG are still scarcely available in open sources. Typically, power and Ct curves are requested from a WTG manufacturer or wind farm owner under a non-disclosure agreement. However, in a research study or in calculations over a multitude of wind farms with a variety of wind turbine models, collecting this information from owners may be hardly possible. This study represents a simple method to define Ct curve statistically using power curve and general specifications of WTGs available in open sources. Preliminary results demonstrate reasonable correspondence between simulated and given data. The estimations are done in the context of aggregated wind power calculations based on reanalysis or forecast data, so that the uncertainty of wake wind speed caused by the uncertainty of predicted Ct is comparable, or do not exceed, the uncertainty of given wind speed. Although the method may not provide accurate fits at low wind speeds, it represents an essential alternative to using physical Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models that are both more demanding to computer resources and require detailed information on the geometry of the rotor blades and physical properties of the rotor, which are even more unavailable in open sources than power curves.</p>


Author(s):  
Davide Astolfi ◽  
Francesco Castellani ◽  
Ludovico Terzi

Full-scale wind turbine technology has been widely developing in the recent years and condition monitoring techniques assist at the scope of making 100\% technical availability a realistic perspective. In this context, several retrofitting techniques are being used for further improving the efficiency of wind kinetic energy conversion. This kind of interventions is costly and, furthermore, the estimation of the energy enhancement is commonly provided under the hypothesis of ideal conditions, as for example absence of wakes between nearby turbines. A precise quantification of the energy gained by retrofitting is therefore precious in real conditions, that can be very different from ideal ones. In this work, three kinds of retrofitting are studied through the operational data of test case wind farms: improved start-up through pitch angle adjustment near the cut-in, aerodynamic blade retrofitting by means of vortex generators and passive flow control devices, extension of the power curve by raising cut-out and high wind speed cut-in. SCADA data are employed and reliable methods are formulated for estimating the energy improvement from each of the above retrofitting. Further, an insight is provided about wind turbine functioning under very stressing regimes, as for example high wind speeds.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 1427-1453
Author(s):  
Eric Simley ◽  
Paul Fleming ◽  
Nicolas Girard ◽  
Lucas Alloin ◽  
Emma Godefroy ◽  
...  

Abstract. Wake steering is a wind farm control strategy in which upstream wind turbines are misaligned with the wind to redirect their wakes away from downstream turbines, thereby increasing the net wind plant power production and reducing fatigue loads generated by wake turbulence. In this paper, we present results from a wake-steering experiment at a commercial wind plant involving two wind turbines spaced 3.7 rotor diameters apart. During the 3-month experiment period, we estimate that wake steering reduced wake losses by 5.6 % for the wind direction sector investigated. After applying a long-term correction based on the site wind rose, the reduction in wake losses increases to 9.3 %. As a function of wind speed, we find large energy improvements near cut-in wind speed, where wake steering can prevent the downstream wind turbine from shutting down. Yet for wind speeds between 6–8 m/s, we observe little change in performance with wake steering. However, wake steering was found to improve energy production significantly for below-rated wind speeds from 8–12 m/s. By measuring the relationship between yaw misalignment and power production using a nacelle lidar, we attribute much of the improvement in wake-steering performance at higher wind speeds to a significant reduction in the power loss of the upstream turbine as wind speed increases. Additionally, we find higher wind direction variability at lower wind speeds, which contributes to poor performance in the 6–8 m/s wind speed bin because of slow yaw controller dynamics. Further, we compare the measured performance of wake steering to predictions using the FLORIS (FLOw Redirection and Induction in Steady State) wind farm control tool coupled with a wind direction variability model. Although the achieved yaw offsets at the upstream wind turbine fall short of the intended yaw offsets, we find that they are predicted well by the wind direction variability model. When incorporating the expected yaw offsets, estimates of the energy improvement from wake steering using FLORIS closely match the experimental results.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Simley ◽  
Paul Fleming ◽  
Nicolas Girard ◽  
Lucas Alloin ◽  
Emma Godefroy ◽  
...  

Abstract. Wake steering is a wind farm control strategy in which upstream wind turbines are misaligned with the wind to redirect their wakes away from downstream turbines, thereby increasing the net wind plant power production and reducing fatigue loads generated by wake turbulence. In this paper, we present results from a wake steering experiment at a commercial wind plant involving two wind turbines spaced 3.7 rotor diameters apart. During the three-month experiment period, we estimate that wake steering reduced wake losses by 5.7 % for the wind direction sector investigated. After applying a long-term correction based on the site wind rose, the reduction in wake losses increases to 9.8 %. As a function of wind speed, we find large energy improvements near cut-in wind speed, where wake steering can prevent the downstream wind turbine from shutting down. Yet for wind speeds between 6–8 m/s, we observe little change in performance with wake steering. However, wake steering was found to improve energy production significantly for below-rated wind speeds from 8–12 m/s. By measuring the relationship between yaw misalignment and power production using a nacelle lidar, we attribute much of the improvement in wake steering performance at higher wind speeds to a significant reduction in the power loss of the upstream turbine as wind speed increases. Additionally, we find higher wind direction variability at lower wind speeds, which contributes to poor performance in the 6–8 m/s wind speed bin because of slow yaw controller dynamics. Further, we compare the measured performance of wake steering to predictions using the FLORIS (FLOw Redirection and Induction in Steady State) wind farm control tool coupled with a wind direction variability model. Although the achieved yaw offsets at the upstream wind turbine fall short of the intended yaw offsets, we find that they are predicted well by the wind direction variability model. When incorporating the predicted achieved yaw offsets, estimates of the energy improvement from wake steering using FLORIS closely match the experimental results.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 1089-1106
Author(s):  
Tanvi Gupta ◽  
Somnath Baidya Roy

Abstract. Wind turbines in a wind farm extract energy from the atmospheric flow and convert it into electricity, resulting in a localized momentum deficit in the wake that reduces energy availability for downwind turbines. Atmospheric momentum convergence from above, below, and the sides into the wakes replenishes the lost momentum, at least partially, so that turbines deep inside a wind farm can continue to function. In this study, we explore recovery processes in a hypothetical offshore wind farm with particular emphasis on comparing the spatial patterns and magnitudes of horizontal- and vertical-recovery processes and understanding the role of mesoscale processes in momentum recovery in wind farms. For this purpose, we use the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, a state-of-the-art mesoscale model equipped with a wind turbine parameterization, to simulate a hypothetical large offshore wind farm with different wind turbine spacings under realistic initial and boundary conditions. Different inter-turbine spacings range from a densely packed wind farm (case I: low inter-turbine distance of 0.5 km ∼ 5 rotor diameter) to a sparsely packed wind farm (case III: high inter-turbine distance of 2 km ∼ 20 rotor diameter). In this study, apart from the inter-turbine spacings, we also explored the role of different ranges of background wind speeds over which the wind turbines operate, ranging from a low wind speed range of 3–11.75 m s−1 (case A) to a high wind speed range of 11–18 m s−1 (case C). Results show that vertical turbulent transport of momentum from aloft is the main contributor to recovery in wind farms except in cases with high-wind-speed range and sparsely packed wind farms, where horizontal advective momentum transport can also contribute equally. Vertical recovery shows a systematic dependence on wind speed and wind farm density that is quantified using low-order empirical equations. Wind farms significantly alter the mesoscale flow patterns, especially for densely packed wind farms under high-wind-speed conditions. In these cases, the mesoscale circulations created by the wind farms can transport high-momentum air from aloft into the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) and thus aid in recovery in wind farms. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first studies to look at wind farm replenishment processes under realistic meteorological conditions including the role of mesoscale processes. Overall, this study advances our understanding of recovery processes in wind farms and wind farm–ABL interactions.


2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-209
Author(s):  
Gino Iannace ◽  
Amelia Trematerra ◽  
Umberto Berardi

In Italy, wind turbines with a nominal power below 1 MW can be installed following simplified authorization procedures and are therefore becoming the preferred choice for promoters. The assessment of the noise of wind farms is not easy, due to economic reasons, with it being difficult to stop and assess the relative contribution of each wind turbine. Several acoustic measurements were taken inside homes located near a wind farm consisting of three wind turbines, each with a nominal power of 1 MW. The acoustic measurements were taken by placing sound level meters inside the houses at different wind speed values and wind directions. The acoustic measurements were taken using the acoustically analogous place technique. For economic reasons, the plant cannot be switched off. In this case, the sound field generated by the operation of the wind turbines was measured by placing two sound level meters in a house.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 651-665 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara C. Pryor ◽  
Tristan J. Shepherd ◽  
Rebecca J. Barthelmie

Abstract. The interannual variability (IAV) of expected annual energy production (AEP) from proposed wind farms plays a key role in dictating project financing. IAV in preconstruction projected AEP and the difference in 50th and 90th percentile (P50 and P90) AEP derive in part from variability in wind climates. However, the magnitude of IAV in wind speeds at or close to wind turbine hub heights is poorly defined and may be overestimated by assuming annual mean wind speeds are Gaussian distributed with a standard deviation (σ) of 6 %, as is widely applied within the wind energy industry. There is a need for improved understanding of the long-term wind resource and the IAV 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 min 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 or near typical wind turbine hub heights in these simulations and AEP computed using the power curve of the most commonly deployed wind turbine is lower than is implied by assuming σ=6 %. Indeed, rather than 9 out of 10 years exhibiting AEP within 0.9 and 1.1 times the long-term mean AEP as implied by assuming a Gaussian distribution with σ of 6 %, the results presented herein indicate that in 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, the 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 preconstruction AEP estimates to account for variability in wind climates, which would decrease the cost of capital for wind farm developments.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (22) ◽  
pp. 7740
Author(s):  
Waldemar Kuczyński ◽  
Katarzyna Wolniewicz ◽  
Henryk Charun

The aim of the current paper is to present an approach to a wind turbine selection based on an annual wind measurements. The proposed approach led to a choice of an optimal device for the given wind conditions. The research was conducted for two potential wind farm locations, situated on the north of Poland. The wind measurements pointed out a suitability of the considered localizations for a wind farm development. Six types of wind turbines were investigated in each localization. The power of the wind turbines were in the range of 2.0 to 2.5 MW and with a medium size of the rotor being in the range of 82 to 100 m. The purpose of the research was to indicate a wind turbine with the lowest sensitivity to the variation of wind speed and simultaneously being most effective energetically. The Weibull density distribution was used in the analyses for three values of a shape coefficients k. The energy efficiency of the considered turbines were also assessed. In terms of the hourly distribution of the particular wind speeds, the most effective wind turbines were those with a nominal power of 2 MW, whereas the least effective were those with the nominal power of 2.3–2.5 MW. The novelty of the proposed approach is to analyze the productivity for many types of wind turbines in order to select the one which is the most effective energy producer. The analyses conducted in the paper allowed to indicate a wind turbine which generates the highest amount of energy independently on the wind speed variation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (02) ◽  
pp. 15-20
Author(s):  
Luthfi - Hakim ◽  
Achmad Rijano ◽  
Mochamad Muzaki

 The Darrieus-Savonius (DS) wind turbine has been widely developed with the aim of improving turbine performance that has been designed. DS wind turbine is a combination of two type of wind turbines, that is Darrieus and Savonius turbine, both turbines are intentionally developed In order to get self-starting on turbine Savonius with low wind speed and able to extract the speed of engine into energy well at high wind speed through Cherrie Darrieus. This study was conducted to analyze the performance of the DS turbine in the wind speed to be energized through the turbine rotation and power to be generated. The DS wind turbine is designed to start rotating at a speed of 8 m/s in velocity of wind, meanwhile the maximum power generated by turbine is 48,23 Watts. 


2020 ◽  
Vol 184 ◽  
pp. 01094
Author(s):  
C Lavanya ◽  
Nandyala Darga Kumar

Wind energy is the renewable sources of energy and it is used to generate electricity. The wind farms can be constructed on land and offshore where higher wind speeds are prevailing. Most offshore wind farms employ fixed-foundation wind turbines in relatively shallow water. In deep waters floating wind turbines have gained popularity and are recent development. This paper discusses the various types of foundations which are in practice for use in wind turbine towers installed on land and offshore. The applicability of foundations based on depth of seabed and distance of wind farm from the shore are discussed. Also, discussed the improvement methods of weak or soft soils for the foundations of wind turbine towers.


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