Understanding stratification and wake evolution due to thermal fields for wind-turbine array over a rough-terrain

德克萨斯大学圣安东尼奥分校将启动一项研究，研究崎岖地形上大气边界层和风力发电场之间的相互作用。该项目与UTSA卓越研究中心科学技术奖(HRD 0932339)有关并源自该奖项，该奖项的标题是“将高性能计算集成在研究和教育中以实现模拟、可视化和实时预测”。PI将进行一项基础性研究，以提高对在崎岖地形上布置的风力涡轮机阵列的热场引起的层结和尾迹演变的理解。她将开发一个多尺度框架，以了解大气风和风力涡轮机发电场之间的关键外部影响。该项目将在UTSA，特别是一名初级女性教员和德克萨斯州卢伯克的德克萨斯理工大学国家风资源中心之间建立新的合作伙伴关系。智力价值拟议的研究将通过准确地考虑影响风力发电场性能的关键外部因素，促进风力发电场计算模拟方面的最先进水平。通过数值模拟以及现有的实验和现场数据的分析，将加深对风力机产生的湍流和大气边界层之间相互作用的物理过程的理解，从而在风工程基础科学方面取得重大进展。具体地说，该小组将制定基本的多尺度框架，以了解关键的外部影响：(A)层化；(B)发展与风力发电场的大气热边界层相互作用；(C)尾迹-尾迹相互作用；以及(D)复杂地形。本研究的目标是：(A)开发一个大型涡旋模拟工具，能够准确地解释影响风电场性能的关键外部因素；(B)了解稳定和不稳定条件下风力涡轮机产生的流动结构和层化大气热边界层的相互作用；(C)利用数值生成的数据和现有的实验室和现场测量数据，了解由于浮力、表面粗糙度和风力涡轮机结构引起的湍流的复杂相互作用。这一结果可能有助于在更广泛的地形上更容易获得风能，为未来风力发电场的安装提供更现实的预测工具。该项目将开发一门风能技术联合课程，在UTSA和TTU同时教授。该项目将有助于UTSA学生的教育、激励和指导，这些学生主要是西班牙裔。PI是UTSA工程学专业的一名女性教员，在这个领域，学术界的许多领域都缺乏女性的榜样。

The University of Texas?San Antonio will initiate a study of the interaction between atmospheric boundary layers and wind farms over rough terrain. This project is related to and derived from the UTSA Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology award (HRD 0932339) entitled "Integrating High Performance Computing in Research and Education for Simulation, Visualization and Real-Time Prediction". The PI will conduct a fundamental study to improve the understanding of stratification and wake evolution due to thermal fields for wind-turbine arrays laid out over a rough terrain. She will develop a multi-scale framework to understand the key external effects between atmospheric winds and wind turbine farms. The project will develop a new partnership between UTSA, particularly a junior female faculty member, and the National Wind Resource Center at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.Intellectual MeritThe proposed study will advance the state of the art in the computational simulation of wind farms by accurately accounting for the key external factors affecting the wind farm performance. Analysis from the numerical simulations and existing experimental and field data will provide improved understanding of interplay of the physical processes between the wind turbine-generated turbulence and the atmospheric boundary layer, thus making a significant stride in fundamental science of wind engineering. Specifically, the team will develop fundamental multi-scale framework to understand the key external effects: (a) stratification (b) developing atmospheric thermal boundary layer interaction with a wind farm and (c) wake-wake interaction, and (d) complex topography. The objectives of the current study are (a) to develop a large eddy simulation tool that can accurately account for the key external factors affecting the wind farm performance, (b) to understand the interactions of the wind turbine generated flow structures and stratified atmospheric thermal boundary layer under stable and unstable conditions, (c) use the numerically generated data and existing laboratory and field measurements to develop an understanding of the complex interaction of the turbulence due to buoyancy, surface roughness and wind turbine structures.Broader ImpactThe project has direct relevance to the development of renewable energy sources in the US. The results could help to make wind energy more accessible in wider terrains, providing more realistic predictive tools to serve as guides for the future of wind-farm installations. The project will develop a joint course in wind energy technology to be taught simultaneously at UTSA and TTU. The project will help in the education, motivation and mentoring of students at UTSA, who are predominantly Hispanic. The PI is a female faculty member in engineering at UTSA in a field where role models for women are lacking in many quarters of academe.