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At least 1,783 records · Page 99

Effects of upstream rotor tilt on a downstream floating wind turbine

This work quantifies the relationship between the design tilt of an upstream rotor and the structural response of a spar floating offshore wind turbine located in its wake. Three wind speed scenarios are considered: below, at, and above rated operation. The inflow is generated with the Mann model and the wake and loads are simulated with FAST.Farm. As the upstream rotor tilt goes from 0° to 6°, we find that the mean wake is displaced upward by more than 0.2 rotor diameters (D) by a downstream distance of 7 D. The vertical velocities increase by up to 35 cm/s in the center of the wake. As a result, the downstream rotor is partially waked and experiences a rotated velocity vector. With a higher upstream rotor tilt, the velocities and moments on the downstream turbine increase their mean axial value and their lateral and vertical standard deviation. These changes affect the blade and tower loading and the floater motion primarily in the out-of-plane direction: the damage-equivalent loads for the tower pitch moment and blade-root moment increase by up to 10% because of higher variability at the first mode for the tower and at one blade passing frequency for the blade root. Lesser effects are observed for the roll moments and for floater sway and heave. When the joint effect of rotor tilt and platform motion is considered, the load response on the downstream system is amplified primarily for tower pitch and blade out-of-plane moment.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Large Eddy Simulation of Wind Turbine Wakes. Detailed Comparisons of Two Codes Focusing on Effects of Numerics and Subgrid Modeling

In this work we report on results from a detailed comparative numerical study from two Large Eddy Simulation (LES) codes using the Actuator Line Model (ALM). The study focuses on prediction of wind turbine wakes and their breakdown when subject to uniform inflow. Previous studies have shown relative insensitivity to subgrid modeling in the context of a finite-volume code. The present study uses the low dissipation pseudo-spectral LES code from Johns Hopkins University (LESGO) and the second-order, finite-volume OpenFOAMcode (SOWFA) from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. When subject to uniform inflow, the loads on the blades are found to be unaffected by subgrid models or numerics, as expected. The turbulence in the wake and the location of transition to a turbulent state are affected by the subgrid-scale model and the numerics.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Reduced Order Models for Liquid Hydrogen Pooling and Vaporization Supported by Experiments

In the event of a leak of liquid hydrogen, a pool can form that vaporizes, disperses, and eventually dilutes to a non-flammable mixture. In this work, we describe fast-running models for the pooling and vaporization of liquid hydrogen in a steady cross-wind. Several pooling models from the literature are compared to solve for the flow and extent of the pool. The size of the pool can serve as the source for a separate dispersion model, which builds upon the existing one-dimensional Gaussian plume model in HyRAM+. Additional terms for the effects of a cross-wind on momentum and entrainment were added so that the model could handle the effects of a cross-wind on a low-speed flow. The models are compared to experimental data on pooling extent and downwind dispersion for steady flow rates of liquid hydrogen in a steady cross-wind. In the two compared experiments, liquid flow rates of 15 and 45 g/s were spilled onto concrete in cross-winds of approximately 1.8 m/s. The rate of growth of the pool and the downwind concentration boundaries are compared to the models, showing good agreement, although additional tuning is needed. These models can contribute to the advancement of codes and standards for liquid hydrogen systems.

dispersion↗

Investigating the interactions between wakes and floating wind turbines using FAST.Farm

As floating offshore wind progresses to commercial maturity, wake and array effects across a farm of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) will become increasingly important. While wakes of land-based and bottom-fixed offshore wind turbines have been extensively studied, only recently has this topic become relevant for floating turbines. This work presents an investigation of the mutual interaction between the motions of floating wind turbines and wakes using FAST.Farm. While FAST.Farm has been extensively validated across a wide range of conditions, it has never been validated for FOWT applications. Hence, in the first part of this work, we validate FAST.Farm by comparing simulations of a single FOWT against high-fidelity results from large-eddy simulations available in the literature. The validation is based on wake meandering, mean wake deflection, and velocity deficit at different downstream locations. This validation showed that the original axisymmetric (polar) wake model of FAST.Farm overpredicts the vertical wake deflection induced by shaft tilt and floater pitch, while the new curled wake model is capable of properly capturing the vertical wake deflection. In the second part, we use FAST.Farm to analyze a small three-unit array of FOWTs with a spacing of 7 diameters across a wide range of environmental conditions. The same National Renewable Energy Laboratory 5 MW reference wind turbine atop the OC4-DeepCwind semisubmersible is adopted for the three FOWTs and for the validation against high-fidelity simulations. To assess the effect of the floating substructure, we compare the power production, tower-base moments, and blade-root moments obtained for the floating turbines with the results obtained in a fixed-bottom configuration. The main differences introduced by the floating substructure are the motions induced by the waves, the change in the natural frequencies of the tower caused by differences in the boundary condition at its base, and the larger vertical deflection of the wake deficit due to the mean pitch of the platform. The impact of these differences, as well as other minor effects, are analyzed in detail.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

Offshore Wind Market and Economic Analysis

This report is the third annual assessment of the U.S. offshore wind market. It includes the following major sections: Section 1: key data on developments in the offshore wind technology sector and the global development of offshore wind projects, with a particular focus on progress in the United States; Section 2: analysis of policy developments at the federal and state levels that have been effective in advancing offshore wind deployment in the United States; Section 3: analysis of actual and projected economic impact, including regional development and job creation; Section 4: analysis of developments in relevant sectors of the economy with the potential to affect offshore wind deployment in the United States

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Distributed Wind Controls: A Research Roadmap for Microgrids, Infrastructure Resilience, and Controls Launchpad (MIRACL)

The Microgrids, Infrastructure Resilience, and Advanced Controls Launchpad (MIRACL) project’s controls research area aims to expand the benefits from distributed wind (DW) generation assets beyond solely providing low cost power directly to consumers. To make distributed wind turbines operate more effectively there is a need for more advanced ways to control them, allowing power companies, businesses, and energy consumers to take advantage of the unique characteristics of wind energy. DW can contribute to the safe and secure operation of grid by providing services such as voltage regulation, frequency regulation, spinning reserves, and even black start capabilities. In the larger DER context where much of the research has focused around solar technologies, the inertia available in wind technologies has generally not been considered. For wind turbines to provide these services in an optimal and expanded way, development and demonstration of control methods and communication interfaces within a grid and microgrid framework are required. In this document, NREL led the literature review in collaboration with SNL, of DER controls-focused integration research to establish a baseline for the controls research under the MIRACL project to identify specific control functions to be focused on throughout this project. This literature review focused primarily on the control functions of variable distributed generation, largely pulling from past solar PV and battery controls works, with a specific focus on applicability for distributed wind energy systems. The goal of this document is to identify a research roadmap based on the open literature and past national laboratory works to inform advanced wind turbine and power electronics control functions for four use cases: 1) distributed wind in isolated systems, 2) grid-connected microgrids (wind-hybrid systems and islanded operation), 3) behind-the-meter distributed wind applications in the power distribution systems, and 4) front-of-the-meter distributed wind applications in the power distribution systems.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Latitudinal dynamics of steady solar wind flows

In many previous studies, it has been assumed that the streamlines of the solar wind are in a purely radial direction beyond a few solar radii. Therefore, the nonradial modulations by the magnetic force and gas pressure is neglected at large heliocentric distances. The work reported in this paper includes a two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) study of the latitudinal structure of solar wind flows. The dynamical effects of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) are investigated by MHD solutions and by comparing them with both one-dimensional and two-dimensional hydrodynamic (HD) solutions. The corotational effect of the sun and the influence of transient events in the solar atmosphere are neglected. With such a simplification, the latitudinal structure of the steady solar wind is controlled by the dynamic balance of the magnetic force and the gas pressure. Several different patterns of the evolution of the solar wind latitudinal structure are exhibited in the calculation. The results indicate the existence of a proton number density maximum at the magnetic neutral line, whether or not there is a density maximum or minimum at the inner boundary. The drift motion of magnetic field lines toward the magnetic neutral line enhances the magnetic field strength around the neutral sheet, which may provide a possible explanation of the discrepancy between the measured IMF at 1 AU and that extrapolated from the photospheric magnetic field by the current source-surface modeling.

Yang, W.-H.↗

Effects of reaction control system jet simulation on the stability and control characteristics of a 0.015-scale space shuttle orbiter model in the Ames Research Center 3.5-foot hypersonic wind tunnel

An experimental investigation was performed in the Ames Research Center 3.5-Foot Hypersonic Wind Tunnel to obtain detailed effects which interactions between the RCS jet flow field and the local orbiter flow field have on orbiter hypersonic stability and control characteristics. Six-component force data were obtained through an angle-of-attack range of 15 to 35 deg with 0 deg angle of sideslip. The test was conducted with yaw, pitch and roll jet simulation at a free-stream Mach number of 10.3. These data simulate two SSV reentry flight conditions at Mach numbers of 28.3 and 10.3. Fuselage base pressures and pressures on the nonmetric RCS pods were obtained in addition to the basic force measurements. Model 42-0 was used for these tests.

Dziubala, T. J.↗

Analytic model of the remobilization of pinned glide dislocations: Including dislocation drag from phonon wind

Here, we discuss the effect of a non-constant dislocation drag coefficient on the very high strain rate regime within an analytic model describing mobile-immobile dislocation intersections applicable to fcc polycrystals. Based on previous work on dislocation drag, we estimate its temperature and pressure dependence and its effects on stress–strain rate relations. In the high temperature regime, we show that drag can remain the dominating effect even down to intermediate strain rates. We also discuss the consequences of having a limiting dislocation velocity, a feature which is typically predicted by analytic models of dislocation drag, but which is somewhat under debate because a number of MD simulations predict supersonic dislocations.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Evaluation of Seasat SMMR wind speed measurements

The Seasat scanning multichannel microwave radiometer (SMMR) is able to measure the wind speed at the ocean surface through the change in ocean surface microwave emissivity caused by the wind. In this paper the SMMR-derived wind speeds are compared to the wind speeds derived from an active microwave scatterometer also aboard the Seasat, the Seasat A scanning scatterometer (SASS). Four orbits that passed over the severe storm that damaged the Queen Elizabeth II are examined in detail. These orbits and five others were used to investigate effects which degrade the SMMR wind retrievals. When the data are filtered for such effects, it is found that the SMMR winds agree with the SASS winds with a scatter (1 sigma) of less than 2 m/s about a bias of 1 to 2 m/s.

Cardone, V.↗

Effects of Passive Porosity on Interacting Vortex Flows At Supersonic Speeds

A wind tunnel experiment was conducted in the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (UPWT) to determine the effects of passive surface porosity on vortex flow interaction about a general research fighter configuration at supersonic speeds. Optical flow measurement and flow visualization techniques were used and included pressure-sensitive paint (PSP), schlieren, and laser vapor screen (LVS) These techniques were combined with force and moment and conventional electronically-scanned pressure (ESP) measurements to quantify and to visualize the effects of flow-through porosity applied to a wing leading-edge extension (LEX) mounted to a 65 deg cropped delta wing model.

Erickson, Gary E.↗

Effects of Passive Porosity on Interacting Vortex Flows at Supersonic Speeds

A wind tunnel experiment was conducted in the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (UPW7) to determine the effects of passive surface porosity on vortex flow interactions about a general research fighter configuration at supersonic speeds. Optical flow measurement and flow visualization techniques were used and included pressure-sensitive paint (PSP), schlieren, and laser vapor screen (LVS). These techniques were combined with force and moment and conventional electronically-scanned pressure (ESP) measurements to quantify and to visualize the effects flow-through porosity applied to a wing leading-edge extension (LEX) mounted to a 65 deg cropped delta wing model.

Erickson, Gary E.↗

Wind turbines, amenities and disamenities: A study of home value impacts in densely populated Massachusetts

In this study, we investigate the effect of planned or operating wind turbines on urban home values. Previous studies, which largely produced non-significant findings, focused on rural settings. We analyzed more than 122,000 home sales, between 1998 and 2012, that occurred near 41 turbines in densely populated Massachusetts communities. Although we found the effects from various negative features (such as electricity transmission lines) and positive features (such as open space) generally accorded with previous studies, we found no net effects due to turbines in these communities. Lastly, we also found no unique impact on the rate of home sales near wind turbines.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

SeaWinds Scatterometer Wind Vector Retrievals Within Hurricanes Using AMSR and NEXRAD to Perform Corrections for Precipitation Effects: Comparison of AMSR and NEXRAD Retrievals of Rain

The opportunity provided by satellite scatterometers to measure ocean surface winds in strong storms and hurricanes is diminished by the errors in the received backscatter (SIGMA-0) caused by the attenuation, scattering and surface roughening produced by heavy rain. Providing a good rain correction is a very challenging problem, particularly at Ku band (13.4 GHz) where rain effects are strong. Corrections to the scatterometer measurements of ocean surface winds can be pursued with either of two different methods: empirical or physical modeling. The latter method is employed in this study because of the availability of near simultaneous and collocated measurements provided by the MIDORI-II suite of instruments. The AMSR was designed to measure atmospheric water-related parameters on a spatial scale comparable to the SeaWinds scatterometer. These quantities can be converted into volumetric attenuation and scattering at the Ku-band frequency of SeaWinds. Optimal estimates of the volume backscatter and attenuation require a knowledge of the three dimensional distribution of reflectivity on a scale comparable to that of the precipitation. Studies selected near the US coastline enable the much higher resolution NEXRAD reflectivity measurements evaluate the AMSR estimates. We are also conducting research into the effects of different beam geometries and nonuniform beamfilling of precipitation within the field-of-view of the AMSR and the scatterometer. Furthermore, both AMSR and NEXRAD estimates of atmospheric correction can be used to produce corrected SIGMA-0s, which are then input to the JPL wind retrieval algorithm.

SeaWinds↗

The viability of photovoltaics on the Martian surface

The viability of photovoltaics (PV) on the Martian surface may be determined by their ability to withstand significant degradation in the Martian environment. Probably the greatest threat is posed by fine dust particles which are continually blown about the surface of the planet. In an effort to determine the extent of the threat, and to investigate some abatement strategies, a series of experiments were conducted in the Martian Surface Wind Tunnel (MARSWIT) at NASA Ames Research Center. The effects of dust composition, particle size, wind velocity, angle of attack, and protective coatings on the transmittance of light through PV coverglass were determined. Both initially clear and initially dusted samples were subjected both to clear winds and simulated dust storms in the MARSWIT. It was found that wind velocity, particle size, and angle of attack are important parameters affecting occlusion of PV surfaces, while dust composition and protective coatings were not. Neither induced turbulence nor direct current biasing up to 200 volts were effective abatement techniques. Abrasion diffused the light impinging on the PV cells, but did not reduce total coverglass transmittance by more than a few percent.

Gaier, James R.↗