Effects of dynamic induction control on power and loads, by LES-ALM simulations and wind tunnel experiments

Dynamic Induction Control (DIC) has the potential of boosting wind farm power by enhancing wake recovery, whereby periodic pitch motions are used to exploit the natural instabilities of wind turbine wakes. This work studies DIC both experimentally and numerically. A thorough validation of an LES-ALM (Actuator Line Method) simulation tool is first conducted against experimental measurements. This shows that the CFD model is able to accurately simulate the power, loads and wake behavior of a wind turbine operating with DIC. The validated CFD model is then employed to study the effects of some DIC parameters. Results indicate an increase in the fatigue loads caused by the pitch activity that enhances wake recovery.