Pressurized experiments could help wind farms generate more power
A new way of simulating wind turbines in the field shows how tweaking turbine operation could unlock tens of thousands of dollars per turbine every year.
Researchers have devised a method to simulate wind conditions in wind tunnels, potentially helping wind farms generate more power. Traditional wind tunnels can't accurately replicate the complexities of the real atmosphere, making testing new wind turbine designs difficult. To address this, researchers employed a pressurized wind tunnel, which mimics atmospheric flow physics, allowing for more precise experiments.
This approach enabled them to determine how the alignment of the turbine and its tip speed relative to the wind affect power generation. The study also validated a computationally efficient model for testing different turbine designs and wind farm strategies. By optimizing turbine alignment, blade pitch angles, and tip speed relative to the wind, the researchers estimate that wind farms could generate tens of thousands of dollars more per turbine annually.
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