On wind turbine power fluctuations induced by large-scale motions

Abstract

Our current understanding on the dynamic interaction between large-scale motions in the approaching turbulent flow and wind turbine power is very limited. To address this, numerical studies of a small-scale three-bladed horizontal axis wind turbine with cylinders placed in front of it to produce energetic coherent structures of varying scale relative to the turbine size have been carried out to examine the temporary variations of the turbine power. The predicted spectra reveal a strong interaction between large-scale turbulent motions generated by cylinders and the instantaneous turbine power. More specifically, it shows how the large dominant turbulent scales of incoming flow affect the spectral characteristics of turbine power, i.e, determining the level and trend of the turbine power spectrum. Comparisons reveal that there are two critical frequencies recognisable in the turbine power spectrum: the first one, close to the turbine rotational frequency, above which the coupling of upstream flow and turbine power disappears; the second one, identified for the first time and related to the dominant large-scale motions which dictate the level and trend of the turbine power spectrum. This study also shows that the strong scale-to-scale interaction between the upstream flow and turbine power reported previously does not appear at high Reynolds numbers.