Large eddy simulation: A study of clearings in forest and their effect on wind turbines
Journal article, 2021

In this article, the Ryningsnas site in Sweden is investigated using large eddy simulation with three different clearing setups: a homogeneous forest, that is, no clearing, the current clearing, that is, the existing clearing at the location, and an extended clearing. Neutral stratification is simulated, and the wind turbines are modelled by a two-way-coupled actuator line model. From the simulations, the electrical generator power was found to be the highest for the current clearing. But the fatigue loads were both higher and lower than the homogeneous forest depending on which part of the wind turbine that was investigated. The extended clearing nearly always had the lowest fatigue loads but unfortunately also the lowest electrical generator power. Further optimization of the clearings and the wind turbine locations in relation to them is needed to find the sweet spot where the fatigue loads are lower and the electrical generator power is higher.

CFD

wind turbine

SOWFA

OpenFOAM

LES

forest clearing

ALM

Author

Johanna Matsfelt

Chalmers, Mechanics and Maritime Sciences (M2), Fluid Dynamics

Lars Davidson

Chalmers, Mechanics and Maritime Sciences (M2), Fluid Dynamics

Wind Energy

1095-4244 (ISSN) 1099-1824 (eISSN)

Vol. 24 12 1388-1406

The influence of clearings in forests: CFD simulations and LIDAR measurements

Swedish Energy Agency (44952-1), 2018-01-01 -- 2020-07-01.

Subject Categories

Energy Systems

Marine Engineering

Other Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering

DOI

10.1002/we.2637

More information

Latest update

4/5/2022 5