A numerical simulation of flow field in a wind farm on complex terrain

A three-dimensional flow simulation was performed to investigate the wind flow around wind-power generation facilities on mountainous area of complex terrain. A digital map of eastern mountainous area of Korea including a wind farm was used to model actual complex terrain. Rotating wind turbines in the wind farm were also modeled in the computational domain with detailed geometry of blade by using the frozen rotor method. Wind direction and speed to be used as a boundary condition were taken from local meteorological reports. The numerical results showed not only details of flow distribution in the wind farm but also the variation in the performance of the wind turbines due to the installed location of the turbines on complex terrain. The wake effect of the upstream turbine on the performance of the downstream one was also examined. The methodology presented in this study may be used in selecting future wind farm site and wind turbine locations in the selected site for possible maximum power generation.

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