A primer of turbulence at the wind turbine rotor

Abstract Some wind turbine fatigue problems are caused by the turbulent wind, and there is an engineering need to understand both qualitatively and quantitatively the characteristics of the wind that are causing untimely damage to wind turbine components. To help meet this need, this article describes, in simple terms, turbulent motion: where it is generated and how it changes with differences in terrain, height above the ground, meteorological conditions, time, and distance from its source. For quantitative information on conventional atmospheric turbulence, the reader is referred to the classic literature, and for current information specialized for wind turbine dynamics the reader is guided to the modern literature of the American and European wind energy programs. The article concludes with examples of several computational methods and several measurement methods of modeling the turbulent wind that loads and stresses turbine rotors.

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