Investigating wind farm blockage in a neutral boundary layer using large-eddy simulations

Strickland, J.; Stevens, R.J.A.M.

doi:10.1016/j.euromechflu.2022.05.004

Publication 95 · Atmospheric turbulence

Investigating wind farm blockage in a neutral boundary layer using large-eddy simulations

J. Strickland, R.J.A.M. Stevens, Eur. J. Mech. - B/Fluids 95, 303–314 (2022).

Read the article

Main finding

Wind-farm blockage estimates depend on layout and the chosen reference velocity in the tested LES. The associated adverse pressure gradients do not uniquely establish pressure or mass-conservation dominance, or general insensitivity to turbulence.

First-row wind-farm power measured against two different references, giving opposite signs — **How to read the figure.** Power of a turbine in the first farm row, plotted against streamwise spacing. (a) Normalised by a stand-alone turbine, the ratio exceeds one; (b) normalised by an infinite row, the same rows fall below one. Whether the front row appears to gain or lose depends on which reference is used. Open the full-resolution figure. Figure 7. J. Strickland and R.J.A.M. Stevens (2022). No separate licence is stated here; consult the original publication and credited source before reuse.

Why this matters

Why front-row turbines are not a neutral reference.

Research context

The finite-farm simulations connect earlier alignment, spacing, and thrust-coefficient studies to an explicit upstream slowdown. The later stable-boundary-layer study (read the finding) adds surface cooling and pressure-response effects while separating them from a capping-inversion gravity-wave pathway.

View in the complete publication list Related atmospheric boundary layer research