AD/RANS Simulations of Wind Turbine Wake Flow Employing the RSM Turbulence Model: Impact of Isotropic and Anisotropic Inflow Conditions

Linlin Tian, Yilei Song, Ning Zhao, Wenzhong Shen and Tongguang Wang
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Linlin Tian: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Hi-Tech Research for Wind Turbine Design, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Yilei Song: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Hi-Tech Research for Wind Turbine Design, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Ning Zhao: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Hi-Tech Research for Wind Turbine Design, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Wenzhong Shen: Department of Wind Energy, Fluid Mechanics Section, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark
Tongguang Wang: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Hi-Tech Research for Wind Turbine Design, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 21, 1-14

Abstract: The Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS)-based generalized actuator disc method along with the Reynolds stress model (AD/RANS_RSM) is assessed for wind turbine wake simulation. The evaluation is based on validations with four sets of experiments for four horizontal-axis wind turbines with different geometrical characteristics operating in a wide range of wind conditions. Additionally, sensitivity studies on inflow profiles (representing isotropic and anisotropic turbulence) for predicting wake effects are carried out. The focus is on the prediction of the evolution of wake flow in terms of wind velocity and turbulence intensity. Comparisons between the computational results and the measurements demonstrate that in the near and transition wake region with strong anisotropic turbulence, the AD/RANS_RSM methodology exhibits a reasonably good match with all the experimental data sets; however, in the far wake region that is characterized by isotropic turbulence, the AD/RANS_RSM predicts the wake velocity quite accurately but appears to over-estimate the wake turbulence level. While the introduction of the overall turbulence intensity is found to give an improved agreement with the experiments. The performed sensitivity study proves that the anisotropic inflow condition is recommended as the profile of choice to represent the incoming wind flow.

Keywords: wind turbine wake; actuator disc model; Reynolds stress model; Sexbierum wind farm; wind tunnel; wake recovery; turbulence intensity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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