Abstract
This paper presents first test results from wind tunnel studies of mean and turbulent wake characteristics within an array of large wind turbines. Up to now, a single rotating speed controlled 1:300 scale model of a 5MW-rated machine with a rotor diameter of 126m and a hub height of 90m is tested in a realistic model off-shore atmospheric boundary layer. The blade design is based on blade-element theory for low Reynolds number blade aerodynamics to comply with modelling requirements. Preliminary tests in a low-turbulence flow at a tip speed ratio of TSR=6 yielded a thrust coefficient of CT=0.52 which is within 5% of the predicted value of the theoretical design case with a lift coefficient of C= 0.6 (but a larger blade chord to mimic a higher C). Velocity measurements in the modelled off-shore boundary layer at several downstream positions suggest a transition from near to far wake at a downstream distance of approximately 4 rotor diameters D. At a downstream distance of 10D turbulence intensities in the wake of the single model turbine are still approximately twice as large as in the undisturbed boundary layer. Along with the high turbulence levels a velocity deficit of about 25% is found. Time averaged flow fields and lateral profiles of the vertical velocity clearly illustrate the characteristic swirl generated by the blade rotation, which persists until about a downstream distance of 7D.