S051031 LES Analysis of the Influence of a Wind Turbine Tower on the Wind Turbine Wake Using an Actuator Disk Model

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of a wind turbine tower on the wind velocity distribution in the wake of a wind turbine. Large-eddy simulation (LES) of the wind flow around the wind turbine was performed using an actuator disk model for the rotor and by explicitly resolving the tower and nacelle. In addition, LES with no tower was performed. With regard to the streamwise component of the wind velocity in the wind turbine wake, the LES with tower reproduced the asymmetric distribution in the lateral direction, which was observed in a wind tunnel experiment, while the LES with no tower produced symmetric distribution.