Tip vortex instability triggered by rotor asymmetry for accelerated wake recovery
Abstract
The breakdown of tip vortices in the wake of a wind turbine is the crucial first step of wake mixing and recovery. Capitalizing on inherent instabilities in the vortex system to promote interaction between adjacent vortices can accelerate this breakdown process. One way to trigger vortex instability is to introduce an asymmetry to the rotor by modifying one or two of the blades. The current study uses water channel experiments and simulations to investigate the effects of different types of rotor asymmetry on the wake. Results show that rotor asymmetry successfully triggers vortex instabilities, though some types of asymmetry are more effective than others. These findings suggest rotor asymmetry could be used as a type of passive flow control to mitigate the detrimental effects of wakes on downstream turbines in a wind farm.
Origin : Files produced by the author(s)