Numerical Simulation and Wind Tunnel Studies of the Wind Load on Wind Turbine Structures

Abstract:

This paper investigated the structural responses of the wind turbine due to wind loads by performing the wind tunnel test and the Computational Fluid Dynamics, (CFD). The base shear force and the base moment of the wind turbine measured by the wind tunnel test were compared with the numerical simulation results. Both the numerical dynamic mesh and sliding mesh models were selected for the numerical simulations. The results showed that the dynamic mesh model was better than the sliding model by comparing to the wind tunnel test result. In the case of the k-epsilon RNG turbulence model, the prediction of the bending moment affecting by acrossswind was more than 50%, and the prediction of the force affecting by acrosswind was less than 3%. The both simulation results of the prototype and the full scale wind turbine were obtained by CFD model. The comparisons of the result showed that the error of F_x was about 15% and M_y was about 13.5%.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 250-253)
• Pages: 3811-3814
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.250-253.3811
• Online since: May 2011
• Authors: Cheng Hsin Chang, Jen Mu Wang, Chii Ming Cheng
• Keywords: Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Wind Load, Wind Tunnel, Wind Turbine (WT)

References

[1] D. G. Phillis, P.J. Richards and R.G.J. Flay: CFD modelling and the development of the diffuser augmented wind turbine, Wind and Structures, An International Journal, v 5, n 2-4,(2002) pp.267-276

DOI: 10.12989/was.2002.5.2_3_4.267

[2] Liauzun, Cédric: Assessment of CFD techniques for wind turbine aeroelasticity, Proceedings of the ASME Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference (2006)

[3] FLUENT 6.3 Documentation，http://www.fluent.com/ (2006)