Turbulence Measurements for Wind Turbine
Siting on a Complex Terrain
Constantine J. Strataridakis
S.A.M.-High Technology Consulting and Applications
S.A.
Bruce R. White and Andreas Greis
Department
of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering
University
of California, Davis
Abstract
Mean velocity and turbulence measurements were used
for the wind-turbine siting. A scaled model of the site was tested in the UC
Davis Atmospheric Boundary Layer wind tunnel. The surface of the model was
scanned at various heights, using hot-wire anemometry. Contour plots of the
turbulence intensity and the wind power were generated, respectively. The
pattern of the wind-tunnel data was verified by field measurements using a
hot-film probe positioned on a 4 m mobile mast. The results were compared with
the output of a widely used wind-resource analysis PC-program. It is concluded
that turbulence measurements over a site, could indicate quickly and reliably,
the suitable positions of the wind-turbines in a wind-farm, taking into
consideration that turbulence does not require long-term measurement periods,
as it is the case with wind speed. Also, wind tunnel modeling is a valuable
tool in the process of wind energy resource assessment and wind-turbine siting.
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