Abstract:

In this study, an overview of the effect of turbulence on wind turbine performance is presented. Models with full description were generated to clearly illustrate Winfield plots, 3 Dimensional Spatial Wind Flow Directions, Wake Distribution Patterns behind the Rotors, and 3 Dimensional Spatial Turbulent Wind Distribution Patterns. The power and the coefficient of power were examined from the wake vortex simulation while the flow velocity cut plots at different wind speeds (2, 4, 6 and 8 m/s) and time step (2, 4 and 6 s) were obtained using QBlade software. The results revealed that, while the power coefficient was observed to decrease and increase with increasing wind speed, the power output increased variably from 0.0416903 to 2.51354 kw as the wind speed also increased from 2 to 8 m/s at peak time step of 6s. It was also found that, while the wind influx towards a wind turbine can be displaced by extreme turbulence which subsequently displaces the wind direction, reduces turbine trust, power coefficient and the power output, the wake effect downstream can affect the wind speed and performance of other turbines downwind. The characteristics and complexity of a given terrain as well as the aforementioned factors should be considered while siting and operating a wind turbine or wind farm.

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