SWEPT2
Lead Research Organisation:
Imperial College London
Department Name: Aeronautics
Abstract
The SWEPT2 project aims to develop a sophisticated tool for modelling wind turbine wakes and wake interactions in the
context of large wind parks, primarily offshore. Such models are essential for improved wind farm designs with improved
energy yields. The Imperial College contribution is to improve the understanding of the flow physics associated with large
scale rotor wakes interacting with the turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer and with downstream rotors. This is
aimed at improving the turbulence modelling in the CFD calculations of flow through the whole wind park array of HAWTs.
Comparisons with experimental measurements at laboratory scale and at full scale to help validation are intended.
context of large wind parks, primarily offshore. Such models are essential for improved wind farm designs with improved
energy yields. The Imperial College contribution is to improve the understanding of the flow physics associated with large
scale rotor wakes interacting with the turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer and with downstream rotors. This is
aimed at improving the turbulence modelling in the CFD calculations of flow through the whole wind park array of HAWTs.
Comparisons with experimental measurements at laboratory scale and at full scale to help validation are intended.
Planned Impact
Very considerable growth is currently predicted for the offshore wind industry to fulfil renewable energy obligations. An
improved prediction tool for large wind parks, which are the standard deployment planned to achieve this growth, has
capability to make a large financial contribution to the UK economy through reduced wind park maintenance and increased
energy efficiency.
improved prediction tool for large wind parks, which are the standard deployment planned to achieve this growth, has
capability to make a large financial contribution to the UK economy through reduced wind park maintenance and increased
energy efficiency.
People |
ORCID iD |
| John Graham (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Burton Tony L.
(2021)
Wind Energy Handbook
Graham J
(2017)
Rapid distortion of turbulence into an open turbine rotor
in Journal of Fluid Mechanics
Milne I
(2019)
Turbulence velocity spectra and intensities in the inflow of a turbine rotor
in Journal of Fluid Mechanics
| Description | A theoretical analysis based on the Rapid Distortion of Turbulence has been completed showing that turbulence in the wind incident on a wind turbine rotor is amplified by the mean wind flow around and through the rotor. This effect increases the buffeting and fatigue of the blades. The results detailing the theory and the degree of amplification according to the size of the turbine have been published. A further work comparing the theoretical results with full scale field data from both a wind turbine and a tidal turbine (to which the theory also applies) have also been submitted to a journal. Simple methods of predicting the turbulence levels (intensity and length-scale) generated in the wake of a turbine considered as an actuator disc source in a large scale computational simulation of flow through a wind farm has been made into a report submitted to all the partners (industrial and academic) in the SWEPT2 consortium. |
| Exploitation Route | The results will be usable as inputs (or to correct inputs) to routine computational simulations of wind turbine and wind farm flows. |
| Sectors | Energy Other |
| Description | The findings have contributed to the understanding of the industrial partners for modelling the wake flow fields. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
| Sector | Energy |
| Impact Types | Economic |
| Title | Wind-Tunnel Simulation of Approximately Horizontally Homogeneous Stable Atmospheric Boundary Layers |
| Description | 2 component Laser Doppler Anemometry measurements made in the Environmental flow Wind Tunnel at Surrey University, correlated with a cold wire to determine the longitudinal and vertical heat flux in a stable boundary layer with an overlying inversion. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Wind-Tunnel_Simulation_of_Approximately_Horizontally_Homogeneo... |
| Title | Wind-Tunnel Simulation of Approximately Horizontally Homogeneous Stable Atmospheric Boundary Layers |
| Description | 2 component Laser Doppler Anemometry measurements made in the Environmental flow Wind Tunnel at Surrey University, correlated with a cold wire to determine the longitudinal and vertical heat flux in a stable boundary layer with an overlying inversion. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Wind-Tunnel_Simulation_of_Approximately_Horizontally_Homogeneo... |
| Description | Interaction of atmospheric turbulence with wind turbine rotors. |
| Organisation | University of Western Australia |
| Department | Oceans Graduate School |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Wind tunnel tests of model turbines in simulated atmospheric boundary layers. Development of predictive methods for velocities and loads. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Comparisons with full-scale data and development of predictive methods for velocities and loads. |
| Impact | 2 journal article publications and 1 article submitted Dec 2023 under consideration by Journal of Fluid Mechanics. |
| Start Year | 2016 |