09:00 - 10:30 Challenges of forest modelling
Resource assessment
Room: Hall G1
In this session we will get deep into the forest! We will look at how computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can be used in modelling the flow in forested areas, how to model profiles and also the turbulence. Different models will be applied and there will be lots of data from real forested sites around the world. The effects of using different input data will be investigated, and the use of lidar LIDAR scans to estimate roughness and other forest related parameters will be discussed. We will also hear about a series of experiments aiming amongst others to improve our understanding of flow in forested areas.
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Learning objectives
- Understand how to use CFD in forested areas;
- Understand how to model turbulence and profiles;
- Evaluate the different inputs for forest modelling;
- Understand what needs to be measured in forest-related experiments.
Presenter
Co-authors:
Claude Abiven (1) F Elie Gournay (1)
(1) The Natural Power Consultants Ltd, Dalry, Castle Douglas, United Kingdom
Presenter's biography
Biographies are supplied directly by presenters at WindEurope Summit 2016 and are published here uneditedClaude owns masters in Fluid Mechanics and Climate Sciences from Virginia Tech and MIT. He has been working for Natural Power, a wind energy consultancy, for nine years. His work is mainly focused on advanced wind flow modelling for energy yield assessment. His research interests include CFD modelling of complex or forested terrain including wake modelling, as well as mesoscale and CFD coupling
Abstract
Wind flow modelling uncertainties in forested terrain
Introduction
Wind farms are often located within or in direct vicinity of forested terrain which implies challenges on horizontal and vertical wind flow modelling with an impact on project uncertainty. The industry has come up with a set of tools and methodologies in an attempt to reduce uncertainties on wind flow modelling in forested terrain. Here we propose to explore the impact of diverse modelling techniques on power estimates, and to provide an order of magnitude of uncertainties that are to be expected in forested terrain.
Approach
The impact of forest data sources (satellite imagery, tree height survey, lidar scans) will be assessed by analyzing the sensitivity of linear and CFD wind flow models to these inputs on sites where various sources of data are available.
The impact of modelling options (roughness maps, zero plane displacement, canopy models) will be assessed by analyzing the sensitivity of linear and CFD models to these parameters.
In the absence of hub height measurements in forested terrain it is necessary to extrapolate wind speed measurements to hub height. The effectiveness of various methodologies will be discussed (zero plane displacement, canopy models) by comparing extrapolated wind speeds to on-site measurements.
Finally, a set of pairs of met masts located in forested terrain will be used in order to estimate uncertainties on wind speed that can be expected from various model types and methodologies.
Main body of abstract
Conclusion
We will conclude by discussing the various options available to the analyst for forest modelling in terms of their impact on project uncertainty.
Learning objectives
Wind flow model uncertainty in forested terrain
Definitions and impact of zero plane displacement on wind shear and wind speed
Added value of CFD and canopy models in forests
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