Richard J.A.M. Stevens

Professor at the University of Twente

Wind energy · Turbulence · Environmental flows

Publication 106 · Wind-energy acoustics

Wind turbine sound propagation

J. Colas, A. Emmanuelli, D. Dragna, P. Blanc-Benon, B. Cotté, R.J.A.M. Stevens, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 154, 1413–1426 (2023).

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Main finding

Parabolic-equation and linearized-Euler calculations can agree on broadband overall turbine sound levels while differing in frequency-resolved details in the two tested cases. Terrain and propagation-angle limits remain material; neither solver is validated generally.

Level difference between two sound propagation solvers mapped over four cases
How to read the figure. Difference in predicted sound level between a linearised Euler equations solver and a parabolic equation solver, mapped over the propagation domain in four cases. Three show the two methods close together; the fourth shows a large local discrepancy. The cheaper parabolic method is adequate for a first-pass broadband level, but frequency-resolved and terrain-limit differences remain material. Neither solver is validated in general here. Open the full-resolution figure. Figure 7. J. Colas et al. (2023). No separate licence is stated here; consult the original publication and credited source before reuse.

Why this matters

Different propagation models can agree on overall level while disagreeing locally.

Research context

Effects of Two-Dimensional Steep Hills on the Performance of… (read the finding) supplies the terrain LES; Effect of a 2D Hill on the Propagation of… introduces the moving-frame terrain LEE and point-source cases. A later extension, Impact of a Two-Dimensional Steep Hill on Wind Turbine… (read the finding), applies the verified LEE workflow to all six terrain/wake cases, source-height and wind-speed effects, an extended moving source, and comparison with contrary terrain studies.

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