Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-2023-37
https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-2023-37
17 Apr 2023
 | 17 Apr 2023
Status: this preprint is currently under review for the journal WES.

Revealing inflow and wake conditions of a 6MW floating turbine

Nikolas Angelou, Jakob Mann, and Camille Dubreuil-Boisclair

Abstract. We investigate the characteristics of the inflow and the wake of a 6MW floating wind turbine from the Hywind Scotland offshore wind farm, the world's first floating wind farm. We use two commercial nacelle-mounted lidars to measure the up- and downwind conditions, with a fixed and a scanning measuring geometry, respectively. In the analysis, the effect of the surge and sway motion of the nacelle on the lidar measuring location is taken into account. The upwind conditions are parameterised in terms of the mean horizontal wind vector at hub height, the shear and veer of the wind profile along the upper part of the rotor and the induction of the wind turbine rotor. The wake characteristics are studied in two narrow wind speed intervals 8.5–9.5 ms-1 and 12.5–13.5 ms-1, corresponding to below and above rotor rated speeds, respectively, and for turbulence intensity values between 3.3 %–6.4 %. The wake flow is measured by a wind lidar scanning in a horizontal plan position indicator mode, which reaches ten rotor diameters downwind. This study focuses on the downstream area between 3 and 8 rotor diameters. In this region, our observations show that the transverse profile of the wake can be adequately described by a self-similar wind speed deficit, that follows a Gaussian distribution. We find that even small variations (∼1 %–2 %) of the ambient turbulence intensity can result in an up to 10 % faster wake recovery. Furthermore, we do not observe any additional spread of the wake due to the motion of the floating wind turbine.

Nikolas Angelou et al.

Status: open (extended)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on wes-2023-37', Anonymous Referee #1, 20 Apr 2023 reply

Nikolas Angelou et al.

Nikolas Angelou et al.

Viewed

Total article views: 749 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total BibTeX EndNote
617 123 9 749 9 6
  • HTML: 617
  • PDF: 123
  • XML: 9
  • Total: 749
  • BibTeX: 9
  • EndNote: 6
Views and downloads (calculated since 17 Apr 2023)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 17 Apr 2023)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 735 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 735 with geography defined and 0 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 
Latest update: 01 Jun 2023
Download
Short summary
This study presents the first experimental investigation using two nacelle-mounted wind lidars that reveal the upwind and downwind conditions relative to a full-scale floating wind turbine. We find that in the case of floating wind turbines with small pitch and roll oscillating motions (<1 degree) the ambient turbulence is the main driving factor that determines the propagation of the wake characteristics.