Fraunhofer IWES is measuring the aerodynamics of wind turbines with a rated power of more than five megawatts (MW). The aerodynamic properties of the AD 8 wind turbine, with rated power of 8 MW and rotor diameter of 180 m, are being measured at the site in Bremerhaven and compared against complex models in the scope of the “HighRe” research and development project (aerodynamics with high Reynolds numbers for the large offshore wind turbines of the future).
The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) with a budget of € 4 million. This way it shall be assessed whether the model calculations used to date are also valid for large wind turbines, which will primarily be built offshore in the future. With these detailed findings of real wind conditions both in front of and on a wind turbine, it will become possible to analyze and understand the precise aerodynamic effect on rotor blades at such large dimensions. The wind field is scanned using three overlapping LiDAR laser scanners in front of the wind turbine and complemented with additional wind measurements in front of and behind the turbine. At the same time, sensors are installed on the turbine and rotor blades to record these conditions precisely.
