Richard J.A.M. Stevens

Physics of Fluids · University of Twente

Publication 51 · Wind-farm flow

Exploring a better turbine layout in vertically staggered wind farms

M. Zhang, R.J.A.M. Stevens, J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 1037, 072041 (2018).

Main finding

Elevating the first (odd) row yields higher entrance production than lowering it because the first row accesses faster undisturbed flow aloft. For the first four rows, odd-elevated layouts produce 1.069–1.152 times the aligned reference across cases; odd-lowered layouts produce 1.035–1.122.

Relative cumulative production against turbine row for two vertical staggering patterns
How to read the figure. Cumulative power production of a vertically staggered wind farm relative to an aligned farm of the same layout, against turbine row, for four combinations of rotor diameter and streamwise spacing. Raising the odd rows (red) beats lowering them (blue) through the entrance rows, and the two converge toward the aligned reference downstream. Which rows are raised matters mainly at the farm entrance, not in the fully developed region. Open the full-resolution figure. Figure 5. M. Zhang and R.J.A.M. Stevens (2018). No separate licence is stated here; consult the original publication and credited source before reuse.

Why this matters

Supports the bounded claim that ordering high and low rows matters mainly in the entrance region.

Research context

Elevating alternate entrance rows gives them access to faster undisturbed flow and avoids direct wake overlap. Farther downstream, vertical staggering does not change the momentum-replenishment constraint enough to sustain the gain.

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