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- Do you know what the 'wake effect' is in a wind farm?
Just as a ship can be placed upwind of another and leave it without wind, wind turbines located in a certain way can affect others in the production of energy. Today we tell you about the characteristics of this reality that engineers deal with every day in the design and construction phases of a wind farm.
The 'wake effect' is the trail left by each turbine where wind speeds are reduced. The wind regime generates additional turbulence to that already produced by the terrain, affecting nearby wind turbines and even neighboring wind farms. This is an important factor that must be taken into account in the design and construction phase of a wind farm to avoid possible deviations in production, both for each individual generator and for the wind farm as a whole.
The regions where the 'wake effect' is observed are normally two.
The attached image shows the interaction of the wake with the ambient wind flow.
What factors produce the 'wake effect' in a wind farm?
To understand this question, we must first of all consider how far away the wind turbines have to be positioned in order to maximize their performance.
Until now, at least in Spain, the distances between wind turbines were not considered from an environmental point of view, but only in terms of production.
However, in recent years and with the advent of environmental and ESG policies, the regulation in Spain has included some criteria to reduce the environmental impact of onshore wind generation. Thus, we can say that, currently, there is not only a single correct distance between wind turbines, but there are several applications in the positioning of the same for each environment, taking into account both the production and the visual impact on the landscape.
If we talk in terms of production or efficiency, we must consider the general standards in which it is recommended to position a wind turbine with respect to another. Thus, taking into account the predominant wind directions, turbines should be spaced between 5-8 rotor diameters apart. While, for non-predominant wind directions, the distance should be between 2-4 rotor diameters.
Understanding the type of air that the turbine is confronted with is decisive when talking about production. On the one hand, we distinguish laminar flow, in which the particles move in a parallel and orderly manner, and turbulent flow in which these particles are chaotic and disorderly. The most suitable type of air for wind turbines is laminar and what lowers the productivity of these will be the wakes caused by other wind turbines that slow down the wind, thus creating extra turbulence and therefore a loss in air quality.
Some measures to avoid the 'wake effect' in a wind farm:
Vector Renewables has a team specialized in wind projects that has accumulated more than 30 GW in the provision of technical services in this technology. If you need advice for your renewable energy projects, do not hesitate to contact us.
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De conformidad con el artículo 32 de la ley 3/2009, de 3 de abril, sobre modificaciones estructurales de las sociedades mercantiles se publica i) el Proyecto Común de Fusión Transfronteriza entre Vector Renewables España SLU y Nuo Srl así como ii) el Informe de Administradores respecto del Proyecto Común de Fusión.
Acceda aquí a la documentación:
PROYECTO COMÚN DE FUSIÓN ->