Comparisons between the Wake of a Wind Turbine Generator Operated at Optimal Tip Speed Ratio and the Wake of a Stationary Disk

• Main Authors: Takanori Uchida, Yuji Ohya, Kenichiro Sugitani
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hindawi Limited 2011-01-01
• Series: Modelling and Simulation in Engineering
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/749421

The wake of a wind turbine generator (WTG) operated at the optimal tip speed ratio is compared to the wake of a WTG with its rotor replaced by a stationary disk. Numerical simulations are conducted with a large eddy simulation (LES) model using a nonuniform staggered Cartesian grid. The results from the numerical simulations are compared to those from wind-tunnel experiments. The characteristics of the wake of the stationary disk are significantly different from those of the WTG. The velocity deficit at a downstream distance of 10𝐷 (𝐷: rotor diameter) behind the WTG is approximately 30 to 40% of the inflow velocity. In contrast, flow separation is observed immediately behind the stationary disk (≤2𝐷), and the velocity deficit in the far wake (10𝐷) of the stationary disk is smaller than that of the WTG.