COLLOQUIUM THEMES

New advances in the underlying physics of turbulent/turbulent entrainment.

Turbulent wakes spread and grow through the process of entrainment, which describes the transport and mixing of background fluid into the wake. Recent experiments and DNS simulations have unveiled a particular influence of freestream turbulence on the development of wakes and jets, which are at odds with existing low-fidelity wind turbine wake models. The workshop will provide an opportunity to review these latest advancements, discuss their implications for the wind energy community, and explore the potential for improving current wind turbine wake models.

New advances in fidelity of numerical simulations/experimental representations of wind farms/turbines.

Recent high-fidelity LES of wind turbine and wind farm flows have revealed new topics of interest for the wind energy community, including phenomena such as cloud formation and pressure-gravity waves arising from atmospheric stratification, etc. In addition, recent experiments with lab-scale floating wind turbines, wind farms, and turbines exposed to faithful atmospheric turbulence using active-turbulence generating grids have yielded breakthrough results. The workshop will provide a platform to present the latest findings from recent experiments and simulations, as well as to discuss new approaches for accurately representing wind turbine and wind farm flows, both experimentally and numerically. It will also provide an opportunity to discuss recent advances in the modelling of wind turbine and wind farm wakes, such as the recent low-fidelity physics-based models developed for yawed turbines (Starke et al., Wind Energy, 2024; 27(11): 1302–1318), for wakes developing in the atmospheric boundary layer (Vahidi & Porté-Agel, J. Fluid Mech., 2022, 43, A49), and for wind farm wakes (Bastankhah et al., J. Fluid Mech., 985, A43).

New advances in our understanding of the multi-scale dynamics in wind turbine wakes.

Recent studies have highlighted the multiscale nature of wind turbine wakes, with low- and high-frequency dynamics whose importance varies depending on the location within the wake, the turbine’s operating point, the freestream conditions, etc. These dynamics play a crucial role in the flow recovery. This workshop will bring together the latest insights into single turbine wakes, with a focus on wake recovery and dynamics, and explore how these insights can contribute to the development of more accurate wind turbine and wind farm wake models.

New advances in understanding the interaction between atmospheric turbulence and wind turbine and wind farm flows.

Considered by Paul Veers et al. (Grand Challenges in the Science of Wind Energy, Science 366, eaau2027, 2019) as one of the three major challenges in wind energy research, a deeper understanding of wind farm flow physics across scales is still needed, particularly regarding the interaction between atmospheric turbulence and wind farm flows. This workshop will provide a platform to discuss recent advancements, notably in remote sensing technologies for atmospheric phenomena and full-scale in-farm wake measurements (e.g. LiDAR), as well as in LES of wind farm flows and mesoscale modelling tools.

More broadly, this workshop will bring together leading experts to discuss the latest advancements in wind turbine and wind farm turbulent flows, covering both fundamental and applied topics. We invite new contributions that deepen our understanding of these complex turbulent flows and improve the accuracy of wake models, ultimately supporting the development of more efficient and optimised wind farms.