An experimental investigation on the characteristics of fluid–structure interactions of a wind turbine model sited in microburst-like winds

An experimental investigation is performed to assess the characteristics of the fluid– structure interactions and microburst-induced wind loads acting on a wind turbine model sited in microburst-liked winds. The experiment study was conducted with a scaled wind turbine model placed in microburst-like winds generated by using an impinging-jet-typed microburst simulator. In addition to quantifying complex flow features of microburst-like winds, the resultant wind loads acting on the turbine model were measured by using a high-sensitive force–moment sensor as the turbine model was mounted at different radial locations and with different orientation angles with respect to the oncoming microburstlike winds. The measurement results reveal clearly that, the microburst-induced wind loads acting on the turbine model were distinctly different from those in a conventional atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) wind. With the scales of the wind turbine model and the microburst-like wind used in the present study, the dynamic wind loadings acting on the turbine model were found to be significantly higher (i.e., up to 4 times higher for the mean loads, and up to 10 times higher for the fluctuation amplitudes) than those with the same turbine model sited in ABL winds. Both the mean values and fluctuation amplitudes of the microburst-induced wind loads were found to vary significantly with the changes of the mounted site of the turbine model, the operating status (i.e., with the turbine blades stationary or freely rotating), and the orientation angle of the turbine model with respect to the oncoming microburst-like wind. The dynamic wind load measurements were correlated to the flow characteristics of the microburst-like winds to elucidate underlying physics. The findings of the present study are helpful to gain further insight into the potential damage caused by the violent microbursts to wind turbines to ensure safer and more efficient operation of the wind turbines in thunderstorm-prone areas. & 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.