Patent ID: 7953563
Filing Date: 2011-05-31
Classification: G01M

Abstract:
1. A method of determining a time-dependent influence of a rotating wind turbine blade on a surrounding gas flow field affecting the wake of said turbine blade, within an array of computational cells, using a computer system, comprising: determining a radial blade section of said turbine blade that lies within a chosen computational cell; determining an initial fluid flow vector representing the flow within said chosen computational cell at a beginning of a time step using said computer system; determining a force vector exerted on said radial blade section based on said initial fluid flow vector imparted by said gases of said gas flow field in said chosen computational cell on said radial blade section over a duration of said time step using initial upwind and downwind fluid flow vectors, a blade section velocity vector, and a blade section orientation; wherein said force vector imparted by said radial blade section on said gases in said chosen computational cell is determined using said computer system; determining an evolved fluid flow vector at an end of said time step from changes of said gas flow field imparted by said force vector of said radial blade section from said force vector using said computer system; and determining evolved upwind and downwind fluid flow vectors across said chosen computational cell from said force vector, and the difference therebetween, using said computer system.