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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number EP/N006224/1
Title MAXFARM (MAXimizing wind Farm Aerodynamic Resource via advanced Modelling)
Status Completed
Energy Categories Renewable Energy Sources(Wind Energy) 100%;
Research Types Basic and strategic applied research 100%
Science and Technology Fields ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 25%;
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering) 50%;
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences) 25%;
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator Dr P ( ) Hancock
No email address given
Mechanical, Medical, and Aerospace Engineering
University of Surrey
Award Type Standard
Funding Source EPSRC
Start Date 02 November 2015
End Date 01 May 2019
Duration 42 months
Total Grant Value £1,476,695
Industrial Sectors Energy
Region South East
Programme Energy : Energy
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Dr P ( ) Hancock , Mechanical, Medical, and Aerospace Engineering, University of Surrey (99.991%)
  Other Investigator Prof S (Simon ) Watson , Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Loughborough University (0.001%)
Professor WE Leithead , Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde (0.001%)
Dr H Yue , Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde (0.001%)
Dr JA (Jim ) Halliday , Energy Research Unit, STFC (Science & Technology Facilities Council) (0.001%)
Professor JM Graham , Aeronautics, Imperial College London (0.001%)
Dr R Palacios Nieto , Aeronautics, Imperial College London (0.001%)
Dr DM Birch , Mechanical, Medical, and Aerospace Engineering, University of Surrey (0.001%)
Professor A Robins , Mechanical, Medical, and Aerospace Engineering, University of Surrey (0.001%)
Dr M Carpentieri , Mechanical Engineering Science, University of Surrey (0.001%)
  Industrial Collaborator Project Contact , SgurrEnergy Limited (0.000%)
Project Contact , Renewable Energy Systems (0.000%)
Project Contact , Garrad Hassan and Partners Ltd (0.000%)
Project Contact , Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (0.000%)
Project Contact , Zenotech Limited (0.000%)
Project Contact , Satellite Applications Catapult (0.000%)
Project Contact , BMT Fluid Mechanics (0.000%)
Project Contact , ZephIR Limited (0.000%)
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract This is a multidisciplinary project that brings together researchers from different academic backgrounds in order to address reliability, lifetime and efficiency in offshore wind farms, and to meet the needs of the UK electricity generation industry. The overarching aim is the reduction of the (levelised) cost of generation of the large offshore wind farms that the UK will need in order to meet national and international objectives in the reduction of CO2 emissions. The multidisciplinary aspect reflects the different but, in context, linked disciplines and brings together the growing discipline of energy meteorology, of aerodynamics and aeroelasticity, of fatigue and structural mechanics, and of systems control. That is, the approach is a holistic one, linking the environmental conditions with their impact on each rotor and the mechanisms to improve farm performance as a whole.The meteorological contribution is essential because of the range of wind flow conditions that exist, subjecting the turbines and - importantly for large wind farms - the wakes of the turbines to a range of unsteady conditions that are known to reduce wind farm efficiency, and to cause increased structural damage (when compared to small-scale onshore wind farms). Both these contribute to increased capital and operating costs. The energy potential for the UK from offshore wind is huge, but offshore wind energy is still at a relatively early stage in technological terms.The aerodynamic response of each turbine to a variety of conditions imposed by the wind flow and the wakes of upstream turbines depends on the aeroelastic behaviour of the blades, the load in turn imposed upon the turbine generator, and the response by the turbine control system. In a large wind farm, the behaviour of one turbine - principally how much energy it is extracting from the wind flow - affects the behaviour, efficiency and lifetime of wind turbines in its wake; the turbines are not independent of each other. In fact, all aspects of the performance of wind turbines within large offshore wind farms, whether power output, loads or operations, are affected by their interaction through the wakes. Hence, to improve the cost effectiveness of offshore wind energy requires a better understanding of the flow-field through the wind farm. The project will address this issue and develop models to better represent the flow-field including the wakes and turbulence. Furthermore, capitalising on this, the implication for loads on the individual wind turbines will be investigated and the design of control strategies will be explored that achieve optimal operation of a large wind farm with each turbine controlled to keep operations and maintenance costs to acceptably low levels whilst (subject to this constraint) maximising farm output.
Publications (none)
Final Report (none)
Added to Database 16/11/15