Davide Trabucchi

First comparison of LES of an offshore wind turbine wake with dual-Doppler lidar measurements in a German offshore wind farm

Large-Eddy Simulations (LES) are more and more used for simulating wind turbine wakes as they resolve the atmospheric as well as the wake turbulence. Considering the expenses and sparsity of offshore measurements, LES can provide valuable insights into the flow field in offshore wind farms. However, for an application of LES wind fields to assess offshore wind farm flow, a proper validation with measured data is necessary. Such a proper validation requires that the LES can closely reproduce the atmospheric conditions during the measurement. For this purpose, a representation of the large-scale features that drive the wind flow is required. Large-scale-forcing and nudging of the LES model PALM is tested with reanalysis data of the COSMO-DE model for a case study during one particular day in the beginning of 2014 at a German offshore wind farm. As wind and temperature profiles of the LES prove to follow the large-scale features closely, the wake of a single wind turbine is simulated with an advanced version of an actuator disc model. Measurement data is provided by processed dual-Doppler lidar measurements during the same day in the same wind farm. Several methods have been investigated at the University of Oldenburg to compare LES wind fields and lidar measurements. In this study a dual-Doppler algorithm was applied in order to estimate the horizontal stationary wind field. The raw data originate from Plan Position Indicator (PPI) measurements, which have been performed with two long-range wind lidars installed at different opposing platforms at the border of the wind farm.

A Methodology for the Reconstruction of 2D Horizontal Wind Fields of Wind Turbine Wakes Based on Dual-Doppler Lidar Measurements

Dual-Doppler lidar is a powerful remote sensing technique that can accurately measure horizontal wind speeds and enable the reconstruction of two-dimensional wind fields based on measurements from two separate lidars. Previous research has provided a framework of dual-Doppler algorithms for processing both radar and lidar measurements, but their application to wake measurements has not been addressed in detail yet. The objective of this paper is to reconstruct two-dimensional wind fields of wind turbine wakes and assess the performance of dual-Doppler lidar scanning strategies, using the newly developed Multiple-Lidar Wind Field Evaluation Algorithm (MuLiWEA). This processes non-synchronous dual-Doppler lidar measurements and solves the horizontal wind field with a set of linear equations, also considering the mass continuity equation. MuLiWEA was applied on simulated measurements of a simulated wind turbine wake, with two typical dual-Doppler lidar measurement scenarios. The results showed inaccuracies caused by the inhomogeneous spatial distribution of the measurements in all directions, related to the ground-based scanning of a wind field at wind turbine hub height. Additionally, MuLiWEA was applied on a real dual-Doppler lidar measurement scenario in the German offshore wind farm “alpha ventus”. It was concluded that the performance of both simulated and real lidar measurement scenarios in combination with MuLiWEA is promising. Although the accuracy of the reconstructed wind fields is compromised by the practical limitations of an offshore dual-Doppler lidar measurement setup, the performance shows sufficient accuracy to serve as a basis for 10 min average steady wake model validation.

Characterizing Wake Turbulence with Staring Lidar Measurements

Lidar measurements in the German offshore wind farm Alpha Ventus were performed to investigate the turbulence characteristics of wind turbine wakes. In particular, we compare measurements of the free flow in the surroundings of the wind turbines with measurements in the inner region of a wake flow behind one turbine. Our results indicate that wind turbines modulate the turbulent structures of the flow on a wide range of scales. For the data of the wake flow, the power spectrum as well as the multifractal intermittency coefficient reveal features of homogeneous isotropic turbulence. Thus, we conjecture that on scales of the rotor a new turbulent cascade is initiated, which determines the features of the turbulent wake flow quite independently from the more complex wind flow in the surroundings of the turbine.

Comparing measurements of the horizontal wind speed of a 2D Multi-Lidar and a cup anemometer

Wind measurements of a 2D Multi-Lidar and a mast mounted cup anemometer are compared in this study. Average wind speed and direction as well as the turbulence intensity of the wind speed are considered. Data analysis is mainly performed using standard regression analysis on 10 minute average data and the calculation of the power spectral density. The results show a good agreement regarding wind speed and direction and the turbulence intensity of the horizontal wind.

Shear layer approximation of Navier-Stokes steady equations for non-axisymmetric wind turbine wakes: Description, verification and first application

The number of turbines installed in offshore wind farms has strongly increased in the last years and at the same time the need for more precise estimation of the wind farm efficiency. For this reason, the wind energy community could benefit from more accurate models for multiple wakes. Existing engineering models can only simulate single wakes, which are superimposed if they are interacting in a wind farm. This method is a practical solution, but it is not fully supported by a physical background. The limitation to single wakes is given by the assumption that the wake is axisymmetric. As alternative, we propose a new shear model which is based on the existing engineering wake models, but is extended to simulate also non- axisymmetric wakes. In this paper, we present the theoretical background of the model and two application cases. First, we proved that for axisymmetric wakes the new model is equivalent to a commonly used engineering model. Then, we evaluated the improvements of the new model for the simulation of a non-axisymmetric wake using a large eddy simulation as reference. The results encourage the further development of the model, and promise a successful application for the simulation of multiple wakes.

Lidar Simulations to Study Measurements of Turbulence in Different Atmospheric Conditions

Modern lidar technology promises a fundamental enhancement of wind velocity measurements for site assessment. Previous studies have shown good agreements between lidars and mast mounted sonic anemometers concerning measurements of the 10 minute average horizontal wind velocity in flat terrain but have shown substantial differences concerning the measurement of turbulence intensity. One of the main reasons for poor turbulence measurements is assumed to lie in the scanning technique called VAD, applied by lidars. In contrast to a sonic anemometer, a VAD-scanning lidar senses the wind field at different positions along a circle. This is centred at the target point, and with a radius three orders of magnitude larger than the typical size of an anemometer. The resulting temporal and spatial averaging by the VAD scan influences the turbulence measurements. To understand the effects of different VAD scanning configurations and of the atmospheric condition on measuring turbulence, a numerical lidar scanner simulator was used. The influence of the VAD cone angle and the stability of the used LES generated wind fields were studied. The results show a high dependency on the used cone angle and the atmospheric stability.