An Experimental Study of Microburst-Wind Induced Loads on a Wind Turbine Model

Abstract

An experimental study to quantify microburst-wind induced loads acting on a wind turbine model was performed in the present study. The microburst flow field was simulated by using a steady impinging jet generated by a laboratory microburst simulator. Velocity and turbulence intensity profiles were measured at different radial locations with and without the wind turbine model mounted. Measurement results suggest that both mean and dynamic wind loads acting to the wind turbine model are functions of radial locations, operating status, and orientation angles of the wind turbine model in related to the morcoburst-wind. The maximum mean radial-direction force and bending moment were found when the wind tubeine model was mounted at the transitional region (r/D=0.5) of the microburst–wind and with orientation angles of 0 and 180 degrees. It is also found that a stationary wind turbine experiences larger mean radial-direction force and bending moment than a rotating one, particularly at r/D=0.5, while a rotating wind turbine suffers larger dynamic wind loads than its counterpart. Moreover, FFT results suggest that dynamic wind loads of a stationary wind turbine model are dominated by the macro flow features of the microburst wind, while those of the rotating case are also determined by the rotating frequency of the wind turbine blades.