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At least 19 records

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DOE OSTI2021

FAST.Farm load validation for single wake situations at alpha ventus

The main objective of the presented work is the validation of the simulation tool FAST.Farm for the calculation of power and structural loads in single wake situations; the basis for the validation is the measurement database of the operating offshore wind farm alpha ventus. The approach is described in detail and covers the calibration of the aeroelastic turbine model, transfer of environmental conditions to simulations, and comparison between simulations and adequately filtered measurements. It is shown that FAST.Farm accurately predicts power and structural load distributions over wind direction with discrepancies of less than 10 % for most of the cases compared to the measurements. Additionally, the frequency response of the structure is investigated, and it is calculated by FAST.Farm in good agreement with the measurements. In general, the calculation of fatigue loads is improved with a wake-added turbulence model added to FAST.Farm in the course of this study.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2020

Multimodel validation of single wakes in neutral and stratified atmospheric conditions

Previous research has revealed the need for a validation study that considers several wake quantities and code types so that decisions on the trade-off between accuracy and computational cost can be well informed and appropriate to the intended application. In addition to guiding code choice and setup, rigorous model validation exercises are needed to identify weaknesses and strengths of specific models and guide future improvements. Here, we consider 13 approaches to simulating wakes observed with a nacelle-mounted lidar at the Scaled Wind Technology Facility (SWiFT) under varying atmospheric conditions. We find that some of the main challenges in wind turbine wake modeling are related to simulating the inflow. In the neutral benchmark, model performance tracked as expected with model fidelity, with large-eddy simulations performing the best. In the more challenging stable case, steady-state Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulations were found to outperform other model alternatives because they provide the ability to more easily prescribe noncanonical inflows and their low cost allows for simulations to be repeated as needed. Dynamic measurements were only available for the unstable benchmark at a single downstream distance. These dynamic analyses revealed that differences in the performance of time-stepping models come largely from differences in wake meandering. This highlights the need for more validation exercises that take into account wake dynamics and are able to identify where these differences come from: mesh setup, inflow, turbulence models, or wake-meandering parameterizations. In addition to model validation findings, we summarize lessons learned and provide recommendations for future benchmark exercises.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS1990

On the inviscid acoustic-mode instability of supersonic shear flows. I - Two-dimensional waves

The same previously utilized methods to study acoustic-mode instability in supersonic boundary layers are applied to free shear layers, and new calculations are derived for boundary layers with cooling and suction. The linear inviscid stability theory is employed to calculate spatial amplification rates at Mach 3 for the sinuous and varicose modes of a single wake flow and a single jet flow, each made up of the same mixing-layer profile plus a central region of uniform flow. It is shown that along with sequences of sinuous and varicose unstable modes clearly identifiable as acoustic modes, both of these flows, unlike the boundary layer, have a lowest sinuous mode that is the most unstable.

Mack, Leslie M.↗

NASA NTRS2019

The Intermediate Wake of a Thin Flat Plate with a Circular Trailing Edge

The intermediate wakes of thin flat plates with circular trailing edges (TEs) are investigated here with direct numerical simulations (DNSs). The separating boundary layers are turbulent in all cases. The near wake in two thin-plate cases (IN & NS), with a focus on the vortex shedding process, was explored in a recent article. Intermittent shedding was observed in Case IN. Case NS, with half the TE diameter of Case IN, was an essentially non-shedding case. A third case (ST) with a sharp trailing edge was also investigated and found to exhibit an intermittent wake instability. The objectives of the present study are twofold. The first is to determine if the wake instability found in Case ST exists in Cases IN and NS as well. The second is to provide the distributions of the turbulent normal intensities and shear stress in the wake and to understand these distributions via the budget terms in the corresponding transport equations. The results show that both Cases IN & NS exhibit a wake instability in the intermediate wake region, that is similar to that found earlier in Case ST. We note that in Case IN, the presence of an intermediate-wake instability results in the co-existence of two different types of instability within a single wake. The distributions of the turbulent normal intensities and shear stress, and the budget terms for the streamwise intensity are included and discussed here. All the budget terms contribute appreciably to the overall budget in the transport equation for streamwise normal intensity.

Rai, Man Mohan↗

DOE OSTI2020

Photon deceleration in plasma wakes generates single-cycle relativistic tunable infrared pulses

Not Available

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

NASA NTRS1995

Large HAWT wake measurement and analysis

From the theoretical fluid dynamics point of view, the wake region of a large horizontal-axis wind turbine has been defined and described, and numerical models of wake behavior have been developed. Wind tunnel studies of single turbine wakes and turbine array wakes have been used to verify the theory and further refine the numerical models. However, the effects of scaling, rotor solidity, and topography on wake behavior are questions that remain unanswered. In the wind tunnel studies, turbines were represented by anything from scaled models to tea strainers or wire mesh disks whose solidity was equivalent to that of a typical wind turbine. The scale factor compensation for the difference in Reynolds number between the scale model and an actual turbine is complex, and not typically accounted for. Though it is wise to study the simpler case of wakes in flat topography, which can be easily duplicated in the wind tunnel, current indications are that wind turbine farm development is actually occurring in somewhat more complex terrain. Empirical wake studies using large horizontal-axis wind turbines have not been thoroughly composited, and, therefore, the results have not been applied to the well-developed theory of wake structure. The measurement programs have made use of both in situ sensor systems, such as instrumented towers, and remote sensors, such as kites and tethered, balloonborne anemometers. We present a concise overview of the work that has been performed, including our own, which is based on the philosophy that the MOD-2 turbines are probably their own best detector of both the momentum deficit and the induced turbulence effect downwind. Only the momentum deficit aspects of the wake/machine interactions have been addressed. Both turbine power output deficits and wind energy deficits as measured by the onsite meteorological towers have been analyzed from a composite data set. The analysis has also evidenced certain topographic influences on the operation of spatially diverse wind turbines.

Miller, A. H.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Wake Vortex Effects Between Urban Air Mobility Aircraft

This study models the wake-induced downwash of an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) aircraft and the wake’s effects on a trailing aircraft’s dynamic stability when intersecting the wake trail. The Proctor wake vortex model is used to compute the wake-induced downwash over a 0.8 × 0.8 nautical mile flight area. The model is complemented by core radius growth, Proctor single phase wake decay, wake propagation, and Lamb wake aging. The wake data is then stored and loaded to the trailing aircraft as an atmospheric condition to affect the dynamics. Preliminary simulations include modeling the downwash from multiple UAM aircraft over the flight area and determining the normalized wake reduction at the ICAO 5 nautical mile separation criteria for a LIGHT aircraft trailing a MEDIUM aircraft.

Wake Vortex↗

DOE OSTI2022

Do ambient shear and thermal stratification impact wind turbine tip-vortex breakdown?

Modern wind turbines experience uneven inflow conditions across the rotor, due to the ambient flow’s shear and thermal stratification. Such conditions alter the shape and length of turbine wakes and thus impact the loads and power generation of downstream turbines. To this end, understanding the spatial evolution of the individual wakes under different atmospheric conditions is key to controlling and optimising turbine arrays. With this numerical study we aim to obtain a better understanding of the fundamental physics governing the near-wake dynamics of wind turbines under shear and thermal stability, by examining their tip-vortex breakup mechanisms. Our approach considers scale-resolving simulations of a single turbine wake under a linear shear profile as well as the application of harmonic tip perturbations to trigger flow instabilities. For the subsequent analysis we use the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) method to extract coherent structures from the flow, and we also calculate mean kinetic energy fluxes to quantify each coherent structure’s contribution to wake recovery. The wake’s helical spiral is found to hinder wake recovery for all studied ambient flow conditions, whereas the mutual inductance instability has positive MKE flux leading to an enhanced wake recovery. Finally, the ambient shear has the largest impact on the local MKE flux with respect to downstream location by changing the shape of the curve and location of extrema, whereas thermal stratification has only a minimal impact on the magnitude of the near-wake local MKE flux distribution.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS1988

Computational analysis of hover performance using a new free wake method

The development of EHPIC (Evaluation of Hover Performance using Influence Coefficients), a hover performance analysis code incorporating a new free wake analysis method based on the use of influence coefficients, is discussed. The technical principles underlying the EHPIC code are examined with emphasis on the extension of single-filament wake models to a multi-bladed multifilament wake suitable for realistic hover performance predictions. The coupling of the wake model to a lifting surface loads analysis is described, and sample problems are solved to demonstrate the robustness of the method.

Quackenbush, Todd R.↗

NASA NTRS1989

New free-wake analysis of rotorcraft hover performance using influence coefficients

Free-wake analyses of helicopter rotor wakes in hover using time stepping have been shown to encounter instabilities which preclude convergence to valid free-vortex solutions for rotor-wake geometries. Previous work has demonstrated that these convergence difficulties can be overcome by implementing a new free-wake analysis method based on the use of influence coefficients. The present paper reviews this approach and documents its incorporation into a hover performance analysis called Evaluation of Hover Performance using Influence Coefficients (EHPIC). The technical principles underlying the EHPIC code are described with emphasis on steps taken to develop the single-filament wake models used in previous work into a multifilament wake valid for realistic hover performance predictions. The coupling of the wake model to a lifting surface loads analysis is described, and sample problems are solved that illustrate the robustness of the method. Performance calculations are also undertaken for hover to illustrate the utility of EHPIC in the analysis of rotorcraft performance.

Quackenbush, Todd R.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Single-Component Average Velocity Profiles in the Wake of the Orion Crew Capsule at the National Transonic Facility

A minimally intrusive molecular tagging instrument measured single-component average velocity profiles in two planes in the wake of the Orion capsule with different heat shield configurations in the National Transonic Facility at the NASA Langley Research Center. Reynolds number effects at subsonic conditions have proven difficult to predict due to the largely separated wake flow. Therefore two measurement planes in the wake of the model were probed to measure the wake profile for different heat shield configurations and act as a validation reference for computational tools. Air testing included Mach numbers of 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7 at Reynolds numbers of 5.3 and 7.5 million. In cryogenic nitrogen, the instrument was employed under transient conditions during the facility warm up at M = 0.3 with decreasing Reynolds numbers from 16 million. An exhaustive list of the results is shown and discussed here. For free transition heat shield configurations, the size of the wake was found to increase with Mach number, yet remain constant with Reynolds number for low (M = 0.3) and high (M = 0.7) subsonic Mach numbers. However, intermediate Mach numbers (M = 0.5) showed that the wake was smaller at higher Reynolds numbers for the IDAT heat shield. The addition of surface roughness in the form of grit, known as the fixed transition cases, negated any Mach number dependence to the wake profile and increased the size of the wake for all cases.

Velocimetry↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Single-Component Average Velocity Profiles in the Wake of the Orion Crew Capsule at the National Transonic Facility

Velocimetry↗

NASA NTRS2009

Interaction of Aircraft Wakes From Laterally Spaced Aircraft

Large Eddy Simulations are used to examine wake interactions from aircraft on closely spaced parallel paths. Two sets of experiments are conducted, with the first set examining wake interactions out of ground effect (OGE) and the second set for in ground effect (IGE). The initial wake field for each aircraft represents a rolled-up wake vortex pair generated by a B-747. Parametric sets include wake interactions from aircraft pairs with lateral separations of 400, 500, 600, and 750 ft. The simulation of a wake from a single aircraft is used as baseline. The study shows that wake vortices from either a pair or a formation of B-747 s that fly with very close lateral spacing, last longer than those from an isolated B-747. For OGE, the inner vortices between the pair of aircraft, ascend, link and quickly dissipate, leaving the outer vortices to decay and descend slowly. For the IGE scenario, the inner vortices ascend and last longer, while the outer vortices decay from ground interaction at a rate similar to that expected from an isolated aircraft. Both OGE and IGE scenarios produce longer-lasting wakes for aircraft with separations less than 600 ft. The results are significant because concepts to increase airport capacity have been proposed that assume either aircraft formations and/or aircraft pairs landing on very closely spaced runways.

Proctor, Fred H.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Relativistic wind farm effect: Possibly turbulent flow of a charged, massless relativistic fluid in graphene

At low Reynolds numbers, the wind flow in the wake of a single wind turbine is generally not turbulent. However, turbines in wind farms affect each other's wakes so that a turbulent flow can arise. In the present work, an analog of this effect for the massless charge carrier flow around obstacles in graphene is outlined. We use a relativistic hydrodynamic simulation to analyze the flow in a sample containing impurities. Depending on the density of impurities in the sample, we indeed find evidence for potentially turbulent flow and discuss experimental consequences.

Watson, Mark (ORCID:0000000258959949)↗

DOE OSTI2026

Differences in cluster and internal wake effects from mesoscale and large-eddy simulations off the US East Coast

Mesoscale simulations are increasingly used to estimate wake effects within and between large wind farms, despite limited validation for large-scale wake effects. This study evaluates the capabilities and limitations of mesoscale simulations in capturing wake-induced impacts on wind turbine power production through a direct comparison with large-domain large-eddy simulations (LESs) for three planned offshore wind farms under realistic atmospheric conditions and a range of atmospheric stabilities. We assess mesoscale performance in replicating wake characteristics behind single and multiple turbine clusters and quantify the resulting variability in mean turbine power. Results show that mesoscale Weather Research and Forecasting simulations with the Fitch wind farm parameterization capture key features of the velocity deficit downstream of both single and multiple wind farms, with mean root-mean-square errors near 5 % and good agreement with stability-driven wake behavior. However, in these simulations, the mesoscale Fitch parameterization underestimates power losses from internal wake effects, particularly when turbines align with the prevailing wind direction or under stable stratification. In these conditions, individual wakes persist and dominate downstream power deficits. The coarse resolution of the mesoscale simulations limits their ability to resolve individual wind turbine wakes that drive power fluctuations within wind farms. Nonetheless, mesoscale simulations can yield accurate estimates of combined wake losses from internal and cluster effects across some wind direction sectors, where errors in wake representation may cancel each other out. These findings underscore the strengths of mesoscale simulations for capturing broader wake patterns while highlighting their limitations for modeling turbine-level power losses. Future work should explore hybrid modeling approaches to capture both long-range cluster wake propagation and localized internal wake dynamics.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS1984

Noise produced by the interaction of a rotor wake with a swept stator blade

An analysis is developed for the noise generated by the interaction of rotor viscous wakes and a single swept stator vane. The stator vane spans a channel with infinite parallel walls which contains a uniform subsonic mean flow. High frequency wakes, for which the noise generation is concentrated at the vane leading edge, are considered. The general wake pattern is expanded in spanwise modes and solutions for each mode are derived using the Wiener-Hopf technique applied to the equations in the nonorthogonal coordinates. Closed form expressions for the acoustic farfield are obtained. The results of the analysis are used in parametric calculations of rotor viscous wake-stator vane interactions in order to study the effectiveness of sweep as a noise reduction mechanism. For the cases studied, moderate stator sweep angles produce sizeable reductions in the level of the farfield noise. The presence of rotor wake circumferential lean actually increases the noise reduction produced by moderate stator sweep angles.

Envia, E.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Vortices induced in a stagnation region by wakes - Their incipient formation and effects on heat transfer from cylinders

Horseshoe-like vortices, induced by wakes in the stagnation region of bluff bodies, are proposed as an efficient mechanism for augmentation of convective heat transfer. The vortex 'flow module' induced by single or multiple wakes, which had not been observed previously, was first documented and the resulting flow field was studied using various visualization techniques and hot-wire anemometry. In an attempt to understand the driving force behind this flow module, the conditions at which incipient formation of the vortices occurs were investigated. Existence of such a threshold is essential and was hitherto an open question in analytical studies of stability of flow in stagnation region. Finally, effects of the flow module on heat transfer from a cylinder were measured.

Nagib, H. M.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Finite-time arbitrary-motion unsteady cascade airfoil theory for helicopter rotors in hover

A complete and detailed derivation of finite-time arbitrary-motion cascade theory is presented for both Laplace and frequency domains. This theory includes the effect of returning wakes for both single- and multibladed rotors. The generalized cascade lift-deficiency function (CLDF) is shown to be consistent with the generalized Theodorsen lift-deficiency function when the wake spacing approaches infinity or when the reduced frequency tends to infinity. This function predicts correct zero-reduced-frequency limit. Accurate and efficient numerical procedures are presented for the evaluation of the CLDF. Numerical examples comparing the CLDF with Loewy's lift deficiency function in frequency domain are presented. Accurate Pade approximants of the CLDF are constructed using a Bode-plot approach which allows for complex poles.

Dinyavari, M. A. H.↗