Impact of freestream turbulence integral length scale on wind farm flows and power generation

Emily Louise Hodgson, Niels Troldborg and Søren Juhl Andersen

Renewable Energy, 2025, vol. 238, issue C

Abstract: The impact of freestream turbulence integral length scale on wind farm flow and power production is investigated by conducting Large Eddy Simulations on wind farms with two spacings, Sx=8R and Sx=12R (turbine radius R). The integral length scale of inflow turbulence Lu is varied, Lu∈[3.2R,12.0R], while maintaining identical turbulence intensity and velocity. Shorter integral length scales lead to a faster near wake breakdown and improved wake recovery in the wake of the first turbine, causing substantial increases in the second turbine power output; 42% and 18% for the two spacings. Over the first four turbines, total power output increases by 8.6% and 6.0% respectively. Spectra, cross-correlations and entrainment scales are also examined and show that the first turbine breaks down inflow scales and wake-generated turbulence dominates the inflow to the second turbine. Further into the turbine row, dominant flow structures and entrainment scales are associated with both wake turbulence and larger wind farm-generated structures matching the turbine spacing. These results show that the freestream turbulence integral length scale has a significant impact on wind farm flows and power generation, mainly by impacting the development of wakes in the farm entrance.

Keywords: Large eddy simulation; Wind farm flows; Wind turbine; Wakes; Turbulence; Integral length scale (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:238:y:2025:i:c:s096014812401872x

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2024.121804

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