Effect of low-level jet on turbine aerodynamic blade loading using large-eddy simulations

Abstract

Low-level jets (LLJs) are winds with high-shear and large wind energy potential. We perform large-eddy simulations (LES) with actuator line modeling of a turbine operating in a moderately stable boundary layer in the presence of LLJs. We find that the turbine tip and root vortices break down quickly when the LLJ is above the turbine rotor swept area. In contrast, the wake recovery is slow, and the vortices are stable when the LLJ is in the middle or even below the rotor swept area. The LLJ shear causes significant azimuthal variation in the external aerodynamic blade loading, increasing fatigue loading on the turbines. We observe that both tangential and axial forces on the blades are highest when the blade directly interacts with the LLJ. Azimuthal variation in the tangential forces on the blades is the highest when the LLJ is above the rotor swept area, i.e. when the turbine operates in the positive shear region of LLJ, with the blade tip interacting with the LLJ.