Atmospheric Turbulence Effects on Wind Turbine Wakes over Two-Dimensional Hill: A Wind Tunnel Study

The wake behavior of wind turbines in complex terrain is influenced by the combined effects of atmospheric turbulence and terrain features, which brings challenges to wind farm power production and safety. Despite extensive studies, there remains a gap in understanding the combined impact of turbule...

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Main Authors: Bowen Yan, Shuangchen Tang, Meng Yu, Guowei Qian, Yao Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/11/2865
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author Bowen Yan
Shuangchen Tang
Meng Yu
Guowei Qian
Yao Chen
author_facet Bowen Yan
Shuangchen Tang
Meng Yu
Guowei Qian
Yao Chen
author_sort Bowen Yan
collection DOAJ
description The wake behavior of wind turbines in complex terrain is influenced by the combined effects of atmospheric turbulence and terrain features, which brings challenges to wind farm power production and safety. Despite extensive studies, there remains a gap in understanding the combined impact of turbulent inflows and terrain slopes on turbine wake behaviors. To address this, the current study conducted systematic wind tunnel experiments, using scaled wind turbines and terrain models featured both gentle and steep slopes. In the experiments, different turbulent inflows were generated and the wake characteristics of turbines located at different locations were analyzed. The results demonstrated that higher turbulence intensity accelerates wake recovery, and that steep slopes introduce distinctive wake patterns, including multi-peak added turbulence intensity profiles. Moreover, turbines on hilltops exhibited a more rapid wake recovery compared to those positioned in front of hills, a phenomenon attributed to the influence of adverse pressure gradients. This study provides pivotal experimental insights into the evolution laws of wind turbine wake over terrains under different turbulent inflow conditions, which are instrumental in wind turbine siting in complex terrains.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1996-1073
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Energies
spelling doaj-art-c2d5670406de42a2b389750b4e4230652025-08-20T03:46:38ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-05-011811286510.3390/en18112865Atmospheric Turbulence Effects on Wind Turbine Wakes over Two-Dimensional Hill: A Wind Tunnel StudyBowen Yan0Shuangchen Tang1Meng Yu2Guowei Qian3Yao Chen4Chongqing Key Laboratory of Wind Engineering and Wind Resource Utilization, School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, ChinaChongqing Key Laboratory of Wind Engineering and Wind Resource Utilization, School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, ChinaChongqing Key Laboratory of Wind Engineering and Wind Resource Utilization, School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, ChinaSouthern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Ocean Engineering and Technology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai 519082, ChinaChongqing Key Laboratory of Wind Engineering and Wind Resource Utilization, School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, ChinaThe wake behavior of wind turbines in complex terrain is influenced by the combined effects of atmospheric turbulence and terrain features, which brings challenges to wind farm power production and safety. Despite extensive studies, there remains a gap in understanding the combined impact of turbulent inflows and terrain slopes on turbine wake behaviors. To address this, the current study conducted systematic wind tunnel experiments, using scaled wind turbines and terrain models featured both gentle and steep slopes. In the experiments, different turbulent inflows were generated and the wake characteristics of turbines located at different locations were analyzed. The results demonstrated that higher turbulence intensity accelerates wake recovery, and that steep slopes introduce distinctive wake patterns, including multi-peak added turbulence intensity profiles. Moreover, turbines on hilltops exhibited a more rapid wake recovery compared to those positioned in front of hills, a phenomenon attributed to the influence of adverse pressure gradients. This study provides pivotal experimental insights into the evolution laws of wind turbine wake over terrains under different turbulent inflow conditions, which are instrumental in wind turbine siting in complex terrains.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/11/2865wind tunnel testwind turbine wakevelocity deficitadded turbulence intensitycomplex terrain
spellingShingle Bowen Yan
Shuangchen Tang
Meng Yu
Guowei Qian
Yao Chen
Atmospheric Turbulence Effects on Wind Turbine Wakes over Two-Dimensional Hill: A Wind Tunnel Study
Energies
wind tunnel test
wind turbine wake
velocity deficit
added turbulence intensity
complex terrain
title Atmospheric Turbulence Effects on Wind Turbine Wakes over Two-Dimensional Hill: A Wind Tunnel Study
title_full Atmospheric Turbulence Effects on Wind Turbine Wakes over Two-Dimensional Hill: A Wind Tunnel Study
title_fullStr Atmospheric Turbulence Effects on Wind Turbine Wakes over Two-Dimensional Hill: A Wind Tunnel Study
title_full_unstemmed Atmospheric Turbulence Effects on Wind Turbine Wakes over Two-Dimensional Hill: A Wind Tunnel Study
title_short Atmospheric Turbulence Effects on Wind Turbine Wakes over Two-Dimensional Hill: A Wind Tunnel Study
title_sort atmospheric turbulence effects on wind turbine wakes over two dimensional hill a wind tunnel study
topic wind tunnel test
wind turbine wake
velocity deficit
added turbulence intensity
complex terrain
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/11/2865
work_keys_str_mv AT bowenyan atmosphericturbulenceeffectsonwindturbinewakesovertwodimensionalhillawindtunnelstudy
AT shuangchentang atmosphericturbulenceeffectsonwindturbinewakesovertwodimensionalhillawindtunnelstudy
AT mengyu atmosphericturbulenceeffectsonwindturbinewakesovertwodimensionalhillawindtunnelstudy
AT guoweiqian atmosphericturbulenceeffectsonwindturbinewakesovertwodimensionalhillawindtunnelstudy
AT yaochen atmosphericturbulenceeffectsonwindturbinewakesovertwodimensionalhillawindtunnelstudy