Abstract
In this paper, a computational model for predicting the aerodynamic behavior of wind turbine wakes and blades subjected
to unsteady motions and viscous effects is presented. The model is based on a three-dimensional panel method using a
surface distribution of quadrilateral sources and doublets, which is coupled to a viscous boundary layer solver. Unlike
Navier-Stokes codes that need to solve the entire flow domain, the panel method solves the flow around a complex geometry
by distributing singularity elements on the body surface, obtaining a faster solution and making this type of codes suitable
for the design of wind turbines. A free-wake model has been employed to simulate the wake behind a wind turbine by
using vortex filaments that carry the vorticity shed by the trailing edge of the blades. Viscous and rotational effects inside
the boundary layer are taken into account via the transpiration velocity concept, applied using strip theory with the cross
sectional angle of attack as coupling parameter. The transpiration velocity is obtained from the solution of the integral
boundary layer equations with extension for rotational effects. It is found that viscosity plays a very important role in the
predictions of blade aerodynamics and wake dynamics, especially at high angles of attack just before and after boundary
layer separation takes place. The present code is validated in detail against the well-known MEXICO experiment and a set
of non-rotating cases. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Wind Energy |
Volume | 19 |
Issue number | 1 |
Pages (from-to) | 67–93 |
Number of pages | 27 |
ISSN | 1095-4244 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2016 |
Keywords
- Panel method
- Free wake
- Viscous-inviscid interaction
- Integral boundary layer
- Wind turbine