Abstract
A novel, low cost, highly accurate, millimeter-wave RCS characterization method is developed and presented in this paper. In order to develop and verify the validity of the proposed method, full scale models and scale models of the horizontal-axis wind turbine (HAWT) and Crossflow turbines have been simulated and compared for a case study. The RCS of a scaled Crossflow turbine model was then experimentally verified using the novel method presented at frequencies of 76-81GHz. The proposed method utilizes the AWR1843BOOST evaluation board and DCA1000EVM real-time high-speed data capture card from Texas Instruments. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first RCS analysis of a scaled model performed at the mm-wave frequencies of 76-81GHz. This novel method is quick, simple, and fully automated, while maintaining high accuracy. Additionally, this has been achieved at a low cost using commercially available off the shelf parts. Good agreement was observed between the simulated and experimental results. Comparing the RCS data of the two turbines, it appears that the Crossflow turbine geometry offers a lower RCS and Doppler spectrum contamination as compared with a traditional horizontal axis wind turbine structure. These results are necessary and useful in allaying the increasing concerns regarding wind turbine radar interference, which have appeared as a result of the widespread adoption of wind power generation in recent years.
Highlights
W IND turbines are a strategically important renewable energy resource
From the presented simulation results, it can be seen that the Crossflow turbine exhibits lower average monostatic Radar Cross Section (RCS) values when compared with a traditional horizontal-axis wind turbine (HAWT) geometry, while the peak RCS for both turbines occurs at the same aspect angles (φ = 90◦ and φ = 270◦)
EXPERIMENTAL VALIDATION VIA SCALE MODEL MEASUREMENT The newly proposed Radar Cross Section (RCS) characterization method was used to measure the RCS of a scale model of the Crossflow wind turbine kindly supplied by Crossflow Energy
Summary
W IND turbines are a strategically important renewable energy resource. Recently, there has been an increase in the adoption of renewable energy sources including wind power [1] [2] as part of a push by many governments towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the use of fossil fuels. An experimental validation of results is presented using the proposed novel millimeter-wave scale model RCS measurement technique, which was realized at a much lower cost than traditional methods [13] [15] [16], while maintaining a high level of accuracy and validity. This was achieved using commercially available off-the-shelf hardware, removing the need for a bespoke scatterometer system.
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