Windpower Engineering & Development

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Most recent posts
    • News
    • Featured
  • Resources
    • U.S. offshore wind projects
    • Digital issues
    • Podcasts
    • Suppliers
    • Wind Power Videos
    • Wind Power Events
  • Webinars
  • Videos
  • Subscribe
    • Enewsletter Subscription
    • Magazine Subscription
  • About Us
  • 2022 Leadership in Wind
    • 2021 Winners
    • 2020 Winners
    • 2019 Winners

CACTUS Improvements allow In-depth investigation of how rotor design affects wake character

By Paul Dvorak | July 21, 2014

As part of the National Rotor Testbed (NRT), new capability has been incorporated into the Sandia developed wind-turbine free-wake vortex code, CACTUS. Previously, only revolution-averaged velocity data could be output from the simulation. Now, the vortex elements and the induced velocity can be output as time series, enabling the calculation of turbulence statistics. This new capability gives better insight into the wake stability for rotors being designed in support of the NRT project.

The image displays a flow visualization of the particle-seeded flow through the 1 meter diameter fan with flow straighteners.

The image displays a flow visualization of the particle-seeded flow through the 1 meter diameter fan with flow straighteners.

In addition, turbulence statistics are being compared to an actuator line large eddy simulation (AL-LES). These comparisons will highlight the differences between the codes in captured flow physics and ultimately, the effects of these differences on future rotor designs. An example of a CACTUS-generated wake simulation is presented in the figure. A more detailed description of the system is hereĀ past newsletters
Sandia
sandia.gov


Filed Under: Blades, News, Turbines
Tagged With: cactus, Sandia
 

About The Author

Paul Dvorak

Tell Us What You Think!

Related Articles Read More >

EDF tests underwater drone at UK offshore wind farm
GE unveils 3-MW onshore turbine built for North American market
TotalEnergies developing 1-GW offshore wind farm off Carolina coast
NRG Systems adopts ZX Lidars’ latest wind profile measurement tool

Podcasts

Wind Spotlight Interview: RAD Torque Systems
See More >

Windpower Engineering & Development Digital Edition

Digital Edition

Browse the most current issue of Windpower Engineering & Development and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading wind power engineering magazine today.

Windpower Engineering & Development
  • Wind Articles
  • Solar Power World
  • Battery Power Tips
  • Subscribe to Windpower Engineering
  • Advertising
  • About Us/Contact Us

Copyright © 2022 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Windpower Engineering & Development

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Most recent posts
    • News
    • Featured
  • Resources
    • U.S. offshore wind projects
    • Digital issues
    • Podcasts
    • Suppliers
    • Wind Power Videos
    • Wind Power Events
  • Webinars
  • Videos
  • Subscribe
    • Enewsletter Subscription
    • Magazine Subscription
  • About Us
  • 2022 Leadership in Wind
    • 2021 Winners
    • 2020 Winners
    • 2019 Winners