Realistic inflow generation for wind turbines
Themes: Energy, Water & Maritime
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Summary of the project
Wind and turbulence vary from location to location, per season and even by the timing of the day. For wind turbines to become more resilient so they are less damaged by strong wind gusts or storms and they are less prone to failure it is important to characterize such flows and turbulence. As we simply cannot measure the inflow for each turbine at all locations on various scales the researcher works with numerical modelling of atmospheric turbulence. Besides, such measurement (especially, in the far offshore regions) would be too costly. This realistic inflow generation from the micro (a few meters) to the mesoscale (several kilometres) is what makes this research unique.
Through the modelling of the inflow on turbines the researcher is able to generate valuable information that can be used to enhance the design of the turbines so they can become cheaper and more reliable. From another angle, the researcher is also modelling the effects of windfarms on the local environment in which they are placed.
What's next?
The next step is for the information and knowledge that is generated by the modelling of the realistic inflows to be accepted by the international committees (e.g., IEC) they can be incorporated in the international codes and guidelines for the design of next-generation wind turbines.
Dr. Sukanta Basu