Modeling and simulation of optimal wind turbine configurations in wind farms

Abstract

Wake effect is a key factor leading to the efficiency decrease of the whole wind farm. For different configurations of wind turbines, the accurate prediction of wake effect between wind turbines is vital to the calculation of wind farm cost and benefit. To describe the wake effect better in the wind turbine optimization, a new non-linear wake expansion of the wake model was introduced into the calculation of flat or slightly undulating topography and offshore wind farms. Combining the cost-benefit model of wind farm projects and considering multiple factors and the benefit evaluation model of increasing the number of wind turbines in a wind farm, and then a more complete and effective mathematical model was developed to decide the optimal configuration of wind turbines. Finally, a program using a genetic algorithm was made based on the above models. According to the economical efficiency analysis and comparison of the different wind turbine placement schemes for some wind farm projects to the earlier studies, the optimal number of the wind turbines and the corresponding placement scheme were determined and shows some differences from the earlier study.