As flow passes over a wing (or a wind turbine blade), a "bound vortex" forms around it. In this work, we describe this vortex as it appears in a type of computer simulation. We use this description to address two problems in literature; to find the correct velocity near the wing (as it is sampled) and to indicate when a simulation appropriately represents the relevant physical phenomena (related to convergence). This work provides understanding of such simulations and means to make them cheaper.

This study is the first to experimentally test how wind turbine blades behave at near-supersonic speeds, a condition expected in the largest turbines. In the experiments, we observed unstable and potentially detrimental shock waves that become stronger at higher speeds and angles. Basic prediction tools in wind turbine design miss these details, highlighting the need for better tools and experiments to understand the extreme conditions faced by modern wind turbines.

This work uses simulations to investigate floating wind turbines which have the potential to supply the world's electricity demand many times by 2040. In particular, the effect of the rotor motion was investigated on the wake by forcing the turbine to move under a variety of motions. The results highlight differences in the effect of these motions. While some led to a wake behavior that was close to that of a fixed-bottom turbine, other motions produced a remarkably different wake structure.

This paper demonstrates that floating wind turbines can utilize their natural yaw motion at sea to their advantage. By synchronizing the yaw motion of the floating platform with a special control method called the Helix, a turbine can mix the air in the wake more effectively, speeding up wind recovery and boosting the energy available to neighboring turbines. This discovery opens up new possibilities for designing more efficient floating wind farms.

We studied the airflow around a new type of wind turbine called the X-Rotor, which could help to reduce the cost of offshore wind energy. Comparing a computer simulation model and wind tunnel experiments, we found that the model correlates well under normal conditions but becomes less accurate when the blades pitch. Our results show that future designs of this turbine category must consider complex 3D flow effects to better predict and improve wind turbine performance.