Influence of turbulent coherent structures on the performance and wake of a wind turbine

Abstract

Wind energy in the atmospheric boundary layer serves as the primary source for energy absorption and structural load on wind turbines. However, the impact of turbulent coherent structures on the aerodynamic performance and wake characteristics of wind turbines has not been comprehensively evaluated. In this study, the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) method is employed to assess the influence of turbulent coherent structures of varying scales on the aerodynamic performance and wake characteristics of wind turbines in the neutral atmospheric boundary layer. The results show that turbulent coherent structures are the main factor that determines the wind velocity fluctuation, aerodynamic performance and wake characteristics of wind turbine in the atmospheric boundary layer. When considering the 13th or lower order POD mode, the wind velocity fluctuation increases with the increase of energy content (more POD modes) of the turbulent coherent structures. When considering the first 19 POD modes, the dynamic loads and power of wind turbine fluctuate with high frequencies, the thrust fluctuates in an amplitude range between 2.4 % and 13.9 % around the mean value, and the power fluctuates from 4.5 % to 28.6 % of the mean value. When considering the first 40 POD modes, the average power generation of the wind turbine increases by 26 % compared to the case with no turbulent structures considered. The study of turbine wake shows that turbulent coherent structures can expand the wind turbine wake approximately to a width of 2.5D and a height of 3D (D is the diameter of the wind turbine), offset the wake approximately to 2D, and move forward the position of the wake vortex beginning to dissipation approximately to 7D behind the wind turbine. In addition, turbulent coherent structures can accelerate the wake velocity recovery by increasing the momentum exchange between the atmospheric boundary layer and wind turbine wake.