Reviewed by Danielle Ellis, B.Sc.Sep 5 2024
A group of researchers at the University of Adelaide examined wind turbine operating conditions and how those conditions relate to power output, performance, and turbine interaction. By slowing down wind turbines, wind farms could become much more cost-effective. This would also increase the wind farms' lifespan and lessen noise pollution. The study has been published in the Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics.
Dr. Rey Chin. Image Credit: University of Adelaide
The researchers worked under the direction of Dr. Rey Chin.
We have found that the efficiency of wind turbines arranged in wind farms in which turbines are clustered together can be improved by reducing the rotational speed of wind turbines at the front of the group.
Dr. Rey Chin, Senior Lecturer, School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, University of Adelaide
Chin said, “The power extracted from the wind turbine behind the first is significantly less – up to 30 % of the turbine in front of it – because of the effect that the wake has. By reducing the rotational speed of the leading turbines, the speed of the ones behind can be increased so that all the turbines in a group spin at the same speed. This might have a small impact on the total energy generated by wind farms, but this is outweighed by important benefits, some of which are hidden but some, such as reduced noise pollution, are more obvious.”
All states and territories in Australia currently have 110 wind farms in operation, of which 31 wind farms—with a total of 599 turbines—are older than 15 years.
Although some wind farms are now designed for a minimum operating life of 30 years, wind farms normally have a nominal design life of 20 to 30 years.
The construction of a wind turbine costs about AUD $7 million, and its decommissioning costs about half a million dollars.
Up until now, wind turbine technology has been implemented quickly without much consideration for end-of-life planning.
Dr. Rey Chin, Senior Lecturer, School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, University of Adelaide
Chin said, “Wear and tear on a turbine can be significantly reduced by slowing down its rotational speed and will increase its longevity and improve their cost-effectiveness.
Turbines are currently over-designed. By optimizing the performance of individual turbines clustered together the design and manufacturing process that goes into making turbines can be simplified and with significant cost savings.
Dr. Rey Chin, Senior Lecturer, School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, University of Adelaide
“Noise pollution is the most significant negative aspect of wind farms and is often cited in opposition to proposed new farms. Reducing the noise that farms make by minimizing the rotational speed of wind turbines makes this important source of green energy more acceptable for people living nearby,” said Dr. Chin
The wind farm industry will find great value in the team's findings, which will help them plan future farms more meticulously and accurately through the use of business case analyses.
Journal Reference:
Bayron, P., et al. (2024) Experimental analysis of co-rotating and counter-rotating tandem horizontal-axis wind turbine performance and wake dynamics. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics. doi.org/10.1016/j.jweia.2024.105840