Yaw Effects Research Articles

Experimental and numerical investigation of the aerodynamic characteristics of high-performance vehicle configurations under yaw conditions

This study investigates the impact of yaw conditions on the aerodynamic performance and flow field of three high-performance vehicle model configurations by means of wind tunnel testing and unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes-based computational fluid dynamics simulations. While yaw effects on automotive vehicles have been explored, the effects on far more complex flow fields of high-performance vehicles remain insufficiently researched. This paper reveals that yaw conditions have a significant negative influence both downforce and drag performance. Spoiler and rear wing devices enhance downforce but increase the vehicle's sensitivity to yaw. Furthermore, yaw conditions significantly alter vortex structures and local flow velocities, affecting downstream flow behavior. Surface pressure measurements on the slant confirm these findings and highlight notable yaw effects and upstream effects from spoiler and rear wing devices. Wake analyses through total pressure measurements show that yaw induces a substantial deviation from straight-line wake characteristics, which become dominated by an inboard rotating vehicle body vortex. Overall, this research enhances the understanding of the effects of yaw conditions on high-performance vehicle aerodynamics and provides valuable data for future vehicle aerodynamics research in real-world operating conditions.

Applicability of Dynamic Inflow Models of HAWT in Yawed Flow Conditions

Horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs) experience yaw misalignments due to the physical limitations of yaw controllers and various novel active yaw controls. Moreover, the motion of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) accelerates yaw misalignment. The blade element momentum (BEM) method is widely used due to its computational efficiency for the design of HAWTs. Momentum theory, the basis of BEM, assumes steady flow and uniform induction field at the disc. Those assumptions are relaxed by engineering models to capture yaw and unsteady effects. Current yaw engineering models, however, are inaccurate since they do not capture the asymmetric wake expansion effect. Dynamic inflow models have been developed for non-yawed flow. Furthermore, the AVATAR project shows that BEM using fully coupled engineering models, the current yaw, dynamic inflow and various engineering models, suffers from significant deficiencies. This purpose of this paper, therefore, is to investigate dynamic effects for yawed flow, and determine if current dynamic inflow models are applicable in yawed conditions. The Glauert’s modified momentum theory is applied to dynamic inflow models to couple the two models. Among all coupled models, Øye, Yu PWVM and Yu FWVM DIM can capture asymmetric trends. However, the results show the significant deficiencies in phase delay on the actuator disc.

Flow Modelling for Wind Farm Control: 2D vs. 3D

Control-oriented models provide a basis for wind farm control to improve power production and reduce structural loading. Wake steering is considered to be one of the most promising techniques to achieve this. Wind turbine wakes under yaw misalignment are deflected downstream and have been shown to produce a curled or kidney-shaped structure. A Navier-Stokes based code called FRED was developed to model wind farm flow in 2D to perform yaw control. To tackle the differences between 2D and 3D flow, this work introduces a generalised continuity correction and wind turbine force scaling terms to the FRED framework. The effectiveness of approximating 3D results is tested by comparison with 3D simulations in the same framework. The continuity correction is now applicable to general wind directions and effective in reducing wake width and speed-up effects. The magnitude of wake deflection can be tuned using a force scaling term. However, we show that there remains a qualitative difference in the deflection profile downstream, as well as a difference in the propagation of yaw effects over time. From this study we can conclude that there is a fundamental difference between 2D and 3D flow physics in spatial and temporal dynamics which makes the 2D modelling approach challenging for control without further empirical adjustments. The necessary corrections are likely to be complex and non-physical, leading to a departure from the first principles foundation that FRED is developed from.

Wind tunnel studies of wind turbine yaw and speed control effects on the wake trajectory and thrust stabilization

Yaw-based wake steering is pursued as a means to avoid upstream turbine wake influence on downstream turbines. However, the method's effectiveness is likely restricted by rapid wind direction changes that cause wake trajectory oscillations. To address this issue, a thrust-based wake trajectory stabilization method is proposed here. The changes to the cross-stream thrust, resulting from unintentional yaw misalignments, caused due changes in inflow wind direction could be counteracted by changing rotor speed and blade pitch, thus stabilizing wake trajectory oscillations. This paper presents a wind tunnel case study to explore the effect of combining yaw-based wake steering and fast-changing rotor speed control on the cross-stream thrust component and hence on the wake trajectory. Although a feedback controller was not implemented, it is demonstrated that wake trajectory oscillation could be contained using faster actuating mechanisms, such as rotor speed or pitch. Here the wake oscillations due to wind direction changes emulated by sinusoidally yawing the turbine, were restricted by varying turbine rotation speed. Direct thrust measurements as well as detailed Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and hotwire wake data show how this combination can successfully suppress the dynamic cross-stream thrust component perturbations and subsequently the wake trajectory oscillation around a desired position.

How to Design a 2D Active Grid for Dynamic Inflow Modulation

In free-field operation, many aerodynamic systems are confronted with changing turbulent inflow conditions. Wind turbines are a prominent example. Here, the rotation of the rotor blades causes incoming wind gusts to result in a local change in the angle of incidence for the blade segments, which changes the effective angle of attack and can lead to dynamic non-linear effects like dynamic stall. Dynamic stall is known to produce a significant overshoot in the acting forces and thus an increase in loads acting on the wind turbine, leading to long-term fatigue. To gain a better understanding, it is necessary to perform wind tunnel experiments under realistic and reproducible inflow with defined conditions. In this study, a so-called 2D active grid is presented, which allows the generation of defined two-dimensional inflow conditions for wind tunnel experiments. The focus is on generating sinusoidal transversal and longitudinal gusts with high amplitudes and frequencies. Different grid configurations and sizes are tested to investigate differences in the generated flow fields. Transversal gusts imposed in this way can be used to study dynamic phenomena without having to move the object under investigation itself. Inertial effects during force measurements and a changing shadow casting due to moving airfoils in particle image velocimetry measurements are thus avoided. The additional possibility to generate defined longitudinal gusts allows to generate a broad range of reproducible inflow situations like yaw or tower shadow effects during experimental investigations.

Effects of embankment layouts on train aerodynamics in a wind tunnel configuration

Crosswind stability of rolling stocks running on an embankment has been a key focus for decades, stemmed from the high overturning risks under crosswind. The correct reproduction of the embankment layout in a wind tunnel is therefore of great significance for estimating the train's aerodynamics and running safety. In this study, four different 6-m-high embankment layouts are proposed to replicate realistic wind tunnel configurations with the improved detached eddy simulation (IDDES) method. These helped to estimate the aerodynamics of a leading vehicle when subjected to a block wind profile of 45 m/s at the typical yaw angle of 30°. Furthermore, a static wind tunnel test with a 1:20 scaled train/embankment model enabled the validation of the numerical algorithm. The overall results indicate that all the aerodynamic coefficients of the leading vehicle mounted on the leeward track of the embankment top, decrease rapidly with the extending length of the upstream embankment. Similar aerodynamic performance appears on scenarios such as wall-to-wall (W2W) and partially wall-to-wall (P–W2W), which highlight equivalences between W2W and P–W2W under yaw effects. However, those particular scenarios considerably underestimate the aerodynamic coefficients compared with a more realistic scenario based on open domain (OD) and motion boundaries. Therefore, the conservative assessment of the vehicle aerodynamic characteristics based on the finite-length-embankment in a wind tunnel test could be taken into consideration for determining the running safety.

Yaw effects on train aerodynamics on a double-track viaduct: A wind tunnel study

The aerodynamic performance of a scaled high-speed train model mounted on a double-track viaduct was studied through a wind tunnel test. The pressure distribution of different loops and the centerline on the streamlined nose region, as well as the aerodynamic load coefficients of the leading car were explored under yaw effects ranging from Β=-30° to Β=30°. Results showed that Reynolds effects became independent when the wind speed surpassed 40 m/s, the corresponding Re of which equals 6.51 x 105. The pressures recorded along the centerline of train nose for the upstream scenario, was more sensitive to the yaw effects as the largest pressure difference gradually broadened against yaw angles. In addition, the pressure coefficients along the centerline and symmetrical taps of the loops, approximately fit a quadratic relationship with respect to yaw angles. The presence of the tracks and viaduct decks somehow mitigated the intensity of the airflow at downstream side. The experimental test also revealed that, the upstream configuration provided higher mean side force, yawing, and rolling moments up to Β=20° whereas over that angle the force and moments exhibited the opposite performance. 40 m/s, the corresponding Re of which equals 6.51

Hydrodynamics study of dolphin's self-yaw motion realized by spanwise flexibility of caudal fin

The hydrodynamic performance of the virtual underwater vehicle under self-yaw is investigated numerically in this paper, we aim to explore the fluid laws behind this plane motion achieved by the bionic flexibility, especially the spanwise flexibility of the caudal fin. The kinematics of the chordwise flexible body and the spanwise flexible caudal fin are explored through dynamic mesh technology and user-defined functions (UDF). The 3-D Navier-Stokes equations are applied to simulate the viscid fluid surrounding the bionic dolphin. The study focuses on quantitative problems about the fluid dynamics behind the specific motion law, including speed of movement, energy loss and working efficiency. The current results show that the self-yaw can be composed of two motions, autonomous propulsion and active steering. In addition, the degree of the flexible caudal fin can produce different yaw effects. The chordwise phase difference Ф is dominant in the propulsion function, while the spanwise phase difference δ has a more noticeable effect on the steering function. The pressure distribution on the surface of the dolphin and the wake vortex generated in the flow field reasonably reveal the evolution of self-yaw. It properly turns out that the dolphin can combine the spanwise flexible caudal fin and the chordwise flexible body to achieve self-yaw motion.

New Results from the Evaluation of Drag Reduction Technologies for Light-Duty Vehicles

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Aerodynamic technologies for light-duty vehicles were evaluated through full-scale testing in a large low-blockage closed-circuit wind tunnel equipped with a rolling road, wheel rollers, boundary-layer suction and a system to generate road-representative turbulent flow. This work was part of a multi-year, multi-vehicle study commissioned by Transport Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, and carried out in cooperation with the US EPA, to support the evaluation of light-duty-vehicle greenhouse-gas-emission regulations. A 2016 paper reported drag-reduction measurements for technologies such as active grille shutters, production and custom underbody treatments, air dams, ride height control and combinations of these. This paper describes an extension to that work and addresses vehicle aerodynamics in three ways. First, whole vehicle body-shaping changes were evaluated by adding older or newer generation models, representing distinct body style redesigns, of select vehicles of different classes from the 2016 study. Second, newer vehicles were added to represent the market application of advanced aerodynamics in terms of body shaping and drag-reduction technologies. Third, drag reduction over a range of yaw angles is reported for new technologies such as side-mirror removal (for replacement with camera systems) and air curtains. This paper focuses specifically on drag measurements, complementing a 2019 paper which focused on relating mean surface, wake and underbody pressure measurements to aerodynamic drag for a selection of the test vehicles.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The most effective redesign of a vehicle was found to reduce the wind-averaged drag area by 9% compared to the previous model. The best commercial or idealized applications of the top performing technologies, namely ride height control, underbody panels and active grille shutters, provided wind-averaged drag area reductions in the 6% to 8% range. Idealized technologies performed better than their commercial counterparts. The best applications of other technologies like side mirror removal and OEM air dams were in the range of 3% to 5% reduction in wind-averaged drag area. All OEM air curtains performed better when combined with ride height reduction but still only reduced wind-averaged drag area by around 1% in the best case. The complete range of results, yaw effects and comparison with previously published results are presented and discussed in this paper.</div></div>

Study of the Measurement of Generation 2 Toyota Event Data Recorders in Low-Speed Side Impacts

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Automotive Event Data Recorders (EDRs) are often utilized to determine or validate the severity of vehicle collisions. Several studies have been conducted to determine the accuracy of the longitudinal change in velocity (ΔV) reported by vehicle EDRs. However, little has been published regarding the measurement of EDRs that are capable of reporting lateral ΔVs in low-speed collisions. In this study, two 2007 Toyota Camrys with 04EDR ECU Generation modules (GEN2) were each subjected to several vehicle-to-vehicle lateral impacts. The impact angles ranged from approximately 45 to 135 degrees and the stationary target vehicles were impacted at the frontal, central, and rear aspects of both the driver and passenger sides. The impact locations on the bullet vehicles were the front and rear bumpers and the impact speeds ranged from approximately 7.9 to 16.1 km/h. Instrumentation was mounted at the approximate center of gravity (CG) of the target vehicles, as well as on the front reinforcement bar, rear body panel, airbag ECU, B-pillars, and C-pillars to evaluate the varying lateral ΔV (ΔV<sub>y</sub>) readings from the 3 sensor locations (ECU, B-pillar, C-pillar) represented in the Toyota EDR and to account for rotational (yaw) effects on the data. The lateral ΔVs reported by the Toyota EDRs were then compared to the recorded ΔV<sub>y</sub>s from the reference instrumentation mounted within the test vehicles. A comparison of the data revealed a general under-reporting of impact severity from the Toyota EDRs at the ECU sensor when compared to reference instrumentation at the vehicle CG for impacts near the center of the target vehicle where the vehicle typically rotated about its frontal aspect. There was a general over-reporting of impact severity from the Toyota EDRs at the ECU sensor when compared to reference instrumentation at the vehicle CG for impacts near the front (heavy) axle of the target vehicle where the vehicle rotated about its rear aspect. Rotational data from the reference instrumentation and the distance between the ECU and reference instrumentation at the CG was also utilized to calculate the corresponding ΔV<sub>y</sub> at the ECU location for a direct comparison to the Toyota EDR measurement at the ECU (maximum of 12.0% difference). A comparison of the data recorded at the Toyota ECU sensors and the reference instrumentation mounted to the ECUs revealed accurate measurements by the Toyota ECU sensor (maximum of 7.6% difference). Differences in reported values between the 3 aforementioned Toyota sensor locations, as well as non-recordings and longitudinal ΔV recordings from the Toyota EDRs were also evaluated.</div></div>

Wind load and wind-induced effect of the large wind turbine tower-blade system considering blade yaw and interference

The yaw and interference effects of blades affect aerodynamic performance of large wind turbine system significantly, thus influencing wind-induced response and stability performance of the tower-blade system. In this study, the 5MW wind turbine which was developed by Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA) was chosen as the research object. Large eddy simulation on flow field and aerodynamics of its wind turbine system with different yaw angles (0, 5, 10,20, 30 and 45) under the most unfavorable blade position was carried out. Results were compared with codes and measurement results at home and abroad, which verified validity of large eddy simulation. On this basis, effects of yaw angle on average wind pressure, fluctuating wind pressure, lift coefficient, resistance coefficient, streaming and wake characteristics on different interference zone of tower of wind turbine were analyzed. Next, the blade-cabin-tower-foundation integrated coupling model of the large wind turbine was constructed based on finite element method. Dynamic characteristics, wind-induced response and stability performance of the wind turbine structural system under different yaw angle were analyzed systematically. Research results demonstrate that with the increase of yaw angle, the maximum negative pressure and extreme negative pressure of the significant interference zone of the tower present a V-shaped variation trend, whereas the layer resistance coefficient increases gradually. By contrast, the maximum negative pressure, extreme negative pressure and layer resistance coefficient of the non-interference zone remain basically same. Effects of streaming and wake weaken gradually. When the yaw angle increases to 45, aerodynamic force of the tower is close with that when there\' s no blade yaw and interference. As the height of significant interference zone increases, layer resistance coefficient decreases firstly and then increases under different yaw angles. Maximum means and mean square error (MSE) of radial displacement under different yaw angles all occur at circumferential 0 and 180 of the tower. The maximum bending moment at tower bottom is at circumferential 20. When the yaw angle is 0, the maximum downwind displacement responses of different blades are higher than 2.7 m. With the increase of yaw angle, MSEs of radial displacement at tower top, downwind displacement of blades, internal force at blade roots all decrease gradually, while the critical wind speed decreases firstly and then increases and finally decreases. The comprehensive analysis shows that the worst aerodynamic performance and wind-induced response of the wind turbine system are achieved when the yaw angle is 0, whereas the worst stability performance and ultimate bearing capacity are achieved when the yaw angle is 45.

Performance and wake characteristics of a tidal turbine under yaw

In tidal streams and rivers, the flow of water can be at yaw to the turbine rotor plane causing performance degradation and a skewed downstream wake. The current study aims to quantify the performance variation and associated wake behavior caused by a tidal turbine operating in a yawed inflow environment. A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics study was carried out using multiple reference frame approach using κ-ω SST turbulence model with curvature correction. The computations were validated by comparison with experimental results on a 1:20 scale prototype for a 0° yaw case performed in a laboratory flume. The simulations were performed using a three-bladed, constant chord, untwisted tidal turbine operating at uniform inflow. Yaw effects were observed for angles ranging from 5° to 15°. An increase in yaw over this range caused a power coefficient deficit of 26% and a thrust coefficient deficit of about 8% at a tip speed ratio of 5 that corresponds to the maximum power coefficient for the tested turbine. In addition, wake propagation was studied up to a downstream distance of ten rotor radius, and skewness in the wake, proportional to yaw angle was observed. At higher yaw angles, the flow around the turbine rotor was found to cushion the tip vortices, accelerating the interaction between the tip vortices and the skewed wake, thereby facilitating a faster wake recovery. The center of the wake was tracked using a center of mass technique. The center of wake analysis was used to better quantify the deviation of the wake with increasing yaw angle. It was observed that with an increase in yaw angle, the recovery distance moved closer to the rotor plane. The wake was noticed to meander around the turbine centerline with increasing downstream distance and slightly deviate towards the free surface above the turbine centerline, magnitude of which varied depending on yaw.

Comparative Study of the Aerodynamic Performance of the New MEXICO Rotor under Yaw Conditions

The influence of yaw misalignment on the aerodynamic performance of the New MEXICO rotor is investigated using blade-resolved Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approaches with three wind speeds considered at a fixed yaw angle of 30 degrees. The air-load predictions and near wake characteristics from the numerical results are compared and discussed against the most recent wind tunnel test data. The nacelle impact, dynamic stall phenomenon and wake characteristics are analyzed, demonstrating the yaw effects and numerical issues raised from Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) and Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) computations.

Wind‐induced fatigue of large HAWT coupled tower–blade structures considering aeroelastic and yaw effects

SummaryAn efficient approach for predicting wind‐induced fatigue in large horizontal axis wind turbine coupled tower–blade structures subject to aeroelastic and yaw effects is presented. First, aerodynamic loads under yaw conditions are simulated based on the harmonic superposition method and modified blade element momentum theory, in which wind shear, tower shadow, tower–blade interactions, aeroelastic, and rotational effects are taken into account. Then, a nonlinear time‐history of wind‐induced responses under simulated aerodynamic loads is obtained. Finally, based on these results, wind‐induced fatigue damage and lifespan are predicted according to linear cumulative damage theory. For completeness, the influences of mean wind speed, aeroelasticity, and yaw angle on horizontal axis wind turbine fatigue life are discussed. The results indicate that the aerodynamic loads and residual fatigue life can be estimated accurately by the proposed model, which can be used to simulate the 3D wind fields of wind turbines under given wind conditions. The wind energy of the wind turbine blade is mainly concentrated at its edge and is weaker at the hub. Estimation of wind turbine fatigue life is therefore suggested to be based on the component with the shortest life, being the blade root. Furthermore, yaw conditions significantly shorten fatigue life and should not be ignored. Fatigue life is also rather sensitive to mean wind speed.

BEM Based Prediction of Wind Turbine Operation and Validation using SCADA Data

For continuous operation and production of energy from wind plants, blades, gearbox, shaft components undergo millions of revolution during the lift time and experience wear and tear due to unsteady aerodynamic forces. During this process the blades need to withstand forces which vary with prevailing wind speed and turbulence at site. In this work boundary element momentum method based computations were performed for hypothetical 2.1MW turbine of blade radius 37m. Reduction in blade relative velocity up to 3% is possible at 180 0 azimuth position due to the tower effect was observed. A change of <1% in blade angle of attack was found for yaw and wind shear effects. The blade angle of attack has been validated using experiment and theoretical results from Gallant, Morote, and Elgammi study. Results showed better agreement near outboard section of blade than inboard region for above rated wind speeds. Data analysis was also conducted for variable speed active pitch regulated 2.1MW wind turbine of rotor diameter 95m and hub height of 80m at a site located in India. The results showed that maximum thrust and power coefficient was found to be 0.951 and 0.447 at wind speeds ~6 m/s and 9 m/s.

A 2D Blade Element Study of a Wind Turbine Rotor under Yaw Loads

Wind turbines operate within an environment of varying wind direction and magnitude leading to misalignment or yaw between the wind and the turbine rotor. Many control techniques have been applied to small horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs) to prevent significant yaw loads, but in reality, most of the time the rotor is under some yaw load which may be significant. A blade element of a HAWT rotor under yaw loading is similar to a sinusoidally pitching airfoil. Here a miniaturized pitching S822 airfoil with a reduced frequency k of 0.025 at a Reynolds number ( Re = 105) is considered where the maximum dynamic angle of attack is equal to the static angle where the maximum lift to drag ratio occurs. These dynamic results obtained with laser Doppler anemometry (LDA), particle image velocimetry (PIV) and a numerical simulation with the Transition SST method are compared to a constant wind-loaded blade element. Since direct load measurement for dynamic miniaturized models in wind tunnels is very challenging, the non-intrusive PIV control volume analysis approach has been applied for load determination. Unlike the rotor in an ideal unidirectional freestream flow, a rotor under yaw loads, as presented here, experiences significant unbalanced loading in one cycle and a non-uniform wake. Results may be used to predict the cyclical range of loads a blade element experiences in yaw conditions and effects on the downstream rotor wake.

The impact of diffuser augmentation on a tidal stream turbine

The results from an experimental study of a model diffuser augmented tidal stream turbine are presented with a particular focus on the impact of the diffuser upon the turbine׳s performance in yawed flows. This study is the first to examine yaw effects with quantification of blockage corrections and is the first study of the wake recovery characteristics of such devices. The device was designed using an innovative optimisation procedure resulting in a diffuser that was able to maintain the turbine׳s performance to yaw angles of up to ±30°. It is shown that the diffuser׳s performance is strongly influenced by its length to diameter ratio and by the jet flow that develops through the turbine׳s tip gap. Although the performance characteristics of an individual turbine can be significantly improved by diffuser augmentation under yawed flow, a wake recovery rate that is less than half that of a bare rotor raises doubts about their suitability for array deployment.

Unsteady vortex lattice method coupled with a linear aeroelastic model for horizontal axis wind turbine

Many aerodynamic phenomena on wind turbines are extremely complicated, such as the ground boundary layer effects, directional and spatial variations in wind shear, unsteady yaw effects, and unsteady aerodynamics due to the platform motion of offshore floating wind turbines. Thus, it is unclear whether prediction of the aerodynamic load of a turbine using conventional blade element momentum theory is accurate. On the other hand, this method does not consider unsteady wake effect behind the rotor, the unsteady vortex lattice method can treat non-uniform flow effects derived from the trailing wake from the turbine. Moreover, the aeroelasticity of wind turbines is significant because of the recent scaling up of the turbine size. This induces unsteady aerodynamic phenomena because of fluctuations in the geometrical relative velocity and induced velocity. In the present work, we developed a fully coupled simulation code and analyzed the unsteady aerodynamics of wind turbines by substituting aerodynamic model from FAST's AeroDyn to the vortex lattice method. The developed code was validated with unsteady aerodynamic experimental Phase VI data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Finally, the results show that the developed coupled code yields accurate values and good performance in the unsteady yaw case.

Quantifying wave and yaw effects on a scale tidal stream turbine

The behaviour of Tidal Stream Turbines (TST) in the dynamic flow field caused by waves and rotor misalignment to the incoming flow (yaw) is currently unclear. The dynamic loading applied to the turbine could drive the structural design of the power capture and support subsystems, device size and its proximity to the water surface and sea bed. In addition, the strongly bi-directional nature of the flow encountered at many tidal energy sites may lead to devices omitting yaw drives; accepting the additional dynamic loading associated with rotor misalignment and reduced power production in return for a reduction in device capital cost. Therefore it is imperative to quantify potential unsteady rotor loads so that the TST device design accommodates the inflow conditions and avoids an unacceptable increase in maintenance action or, more seriously, suffers sudden structural failure.The experiments presented in this paper were conducted using a 1:20th scale 3-bladed horizontal axis TST at a large towing tank facility. The turbine had the capability to measure rotor thrust and torque whilst one blade was instrumented to acquire blade root strain, azimuthal position and rotational speed all at high frequency. The maximum out-of-plane bending moment was found to be as much as 9.5 times the in-plane bending moment. A maximum loading range of 175% of the median out-of-plane bending moment and 100% of the median in-plane bending moment was observed for a turbine test case with zero rotor yaw, scaled wave height of 2 m and intrinsic wave period of 12.8 s.A new tidal turbine-specific Blade-Element Momentum (BEM) numerical model has been developed to account for wave motion and yawed flow effects. This model includes a new dynamic inflow correction which is shown to be in close agreement with the measured experimental loads. The gravitational component was significant to the experimental in-plane blade bending moment and was also included in the BEM model. Steady loading on an individual blade at positive yaw angles was found to be negligible in comparison to wave loading (for the range of experiments conducted), but becomes important for the turbine rotor as a whole, reducing power capture and rotor thrust. The inclusion of steady yaw effects (using the often-applied skewed axial inflow correction) in a BEM model should be neglected when waves are present or will result in poor load prediction reflected by increased loading amplitude in the 1P (once per revolution) phase.

The impact of yaw error on aeroelastic characteristics of a horizontal axis wind turbine blade

Horizontal axis wind turbines operate under yawed conditions for a considerable period of time due to the power control mechanism or sudden changes in the wind direction. This in turn can alter the dynamic characteristics of a turbine blade because the flow over the rotor plane may trigger complicated induced velocity patterns. In this study, an aeroelastic analysis under yawed flow conditions is carried out to investigate the effects of yaw error on the blade behaviors and dynamic stability. A beam model including geometric nonlinearity coupled with unsteady aerodynamics based on a free-vortex wake method with the blade element theory is employed in the present study. The aerodynamic approach for a horizontal axis wind turbine blade under yawed flow conditions is verified through comparison with measurements. It is also shown that the present method gives slightly better results at high yaw angles than does the method previously published in the literature. The dynamic instabilities of a National Renewable Energy Laboratory 5 MW reference wind turbine have subsequently been investigated for various wind speeds and yaw angles. Observations are made that yaw effects induce considerable changes in airloads and blade structural behavior. Also, the aeroelastic damping values for this particular blade under yawed flow conditions can be reduced by up to approximately 33% in the worst case. Therefore, it is concluded that the impacts of yaw misalignments adversely influenced the dynamic aeroelastic stability of the horizontal axis wind turbine blade.