Parameter study of power production in wind farms - experimental investigation of interaction of two wind turbines in tandem array

Abstract

The main goal of this experimental study was to find criteria for optimum total power productions of a tandem array of turbines in a "small" wind farm. Experiment included testing of two models of wind turbines (HAWT) in scale, each one with 0.9 m of rotor diameter. During tests turbine models were coaxial and were tested with 3 different relative distances, separating them denoted as 3D, 5D, and 9D, where D is rotor diameter. Working conditions also were varied by changing the Tip Speed Ratio (TSR) of both turbines and the turbulence intensity of the incoming wind. A hot wire probe was used to scan the velocity field between the model turbines in a defined positions to characterize velocity deficit and the level of the turbulence in disturbed flow.