Wind speed Measurement

• To be able to understand and predict the performance of wind turbines it is

essential to have some knowledge of the behavior and structure of wind.

• This is also required for proper design of supporting structure to carry the
imposed load safely and at an economically viable cost.

• The behavior and structure of the wind varies from site to site depending on
the general climate of the region, the physical geometry of the locality, the
surface condition of the terrain around the site and various other factors.
• All countries have national meteorological services that record and publish
weather related data including wind speed and direction.

• Wind speed is measured by anemometer and wind direction is measured by

wind vane attached to a direction indicator.

• Anemometers work on one of the following principles.

(i) The oldest and simplest anemometer is a swinging plate hung vertically and
hinged along its top edge. Wind speed is indicated by the angle of deflection of
the plate with respect to vertical.
ii) Cup anemometer consists of three or four cups mounted symmetrically
about a vertical axis. The speed of rotation indicates wind speed.

(iii) Wind speed can also be recorded by measuring the wind pressure on a
flat plate.

(iv) Hot wire anemometer measures the wind speed by recording cooling
effect of the wind on hot wire. The heat is produced by passing an electric
current through the wire.
• (v) An anemometer can also be based on sonic effect. Sound travels through still
air at a known speed. However, if the air is moving, the speed decreases or
increases accordingly.

• (vi) The other more novel techniques include the laser anemometer, the
ultrasonic anemometer and the SODAR Doppler anemometer.
• According to World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recommendation,
wind speed measurement should be made at an effective height of 10 m above the
ground.
• The frequency of measurement depends on the purpose for which the data is
going to be used.
• For some applications, such as the estimation of the highest probable gust or the
evaluation of turbulence intensity at a site, measurements at few seconds
interval are required as wind speed varies on a time scale of seconds or less.
• For the purpose of energy studies, mean wind speed is used, which is generally
based on different averaging periods from 10 min to 1 h in different countries.
• An elegant method of describing average wind speed, duration
and direction on a single graph is shown. It is known as wind
rose.

It depicts the compass bearing from which the wind comes (all
16 directions) along with average wind speed and duration in a
year. The lengths of bars represent the percentage of duration.
IMPORTANT FACTORS AFFECTING
WIND ENERGY OUTPUT
Tip Speed Ratio

• For constant wind speed, power extraction by a turbine will decrease if

1. The blades are so close together or rotating so rapidly that a blade moves into the turbulence created

by a preceding blade.

2. The blades are so far apart or rotating so slowly that much of the air passes through the cross section

of the

device without interacting with the blades

• It is important that enough time lapses between two blades traveling through the same location so that

new/unused wind can enter this location

• Thus, for a particular wind speed there exists an optimum turbine speed to produce maximum output.

• To obtain optimum efficiency, it is important to match the rotational frequency of the turbine to the

corresponding wind speed

• Solidity
• Solidity is defined as the ratio of the projected area of the rotor blades on the
rotor plane to the swept area of the rotor.
solidity = n C/D,
• where n is the number of blades,
• C is average breadth of a blade
• and D is the diameter of the rotor(diameter of the circle described by a blade)
 Capacity Factor
• Because of variable nature of wind speed, the wind power plants cannot operate

steadily at full power, 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.

• At times the wind speed may even be insufficient to drive the turbine.

• A wind turbine generally runs 65-80 per cent of the time in a year with
variation in output power.

• Therefore, instead of power capacity, the annual energy output is more

important as the revenue is generated on the basis of energy produced.
• Capacity factor is defined as the ratio of the actual annual output energy, to the
energy that would be generated if it is operated at rated power throughout the
year.

• The sites where CF is less than 12 per cent are not considered suitable for wind
power generation.
Site Selection Criteria
for Wind Farms
• Winds should be strong and persistent and power available should be
above average.
• Annual average wind speeds are to be high.
 Main considerations in site selection

1. High annual average wind speed

• Wind velocity is a critical parameter.
Power in the wind
• Doubling V increases by a factor 8.
• High average wind velocity is the principal fundamental parameter for selecting a
WECS site.
Strategy for siting
• Survey of historical data
• Contour maps of terrain and wind are consulted.
• Potential sites are visited.
• Best sites are instrumented for more than one year.
• Choose optimal site.
2.Avalabilty of anemometry data
• Wind speed determines the WECS output power.
• There are difficulties with the instrumentation and measurement methods.

• Anemometer height above ground, accuracy, linearity, location on the support

tower ,shadowing and inaccurate readings ,icing inertia of rotor and temperature
effects
3. Availability of wind (Vt) curve at the proposed site

• Wind curve determines the maximum energy in the wind.

• Principal initial controlling factor in predicting electrical output and hence

revenue return of WECS machine.

• Average wind speed V such that km/hr.

• Wind curve also determines reliability of the delivered WECS generated power.

• V(t) curve goes to zero means no generated power.

4. Wind structure at the proposed site.
• V(t) curve should be flat,smooth steady wind that blows all the time.
• Homogeneous flow of wind is referred to as the structure of wind.

5. Altitude of the proposed site.

• It affects the air density and power in the wind and useful electrical output
• Wind tend to have higher velocities at higher altitudes.
6. Terrain and its aero dynamics
• Use of hills or mountains which channel the prevailing wind in to a pass
region,obtaining higher wind power.
7.Local Ecology
• If the structure is bare rock it may mean lower hub heights hence lower structure
cost.
• If trees and grass are present which will destruct the wind, higher hub heights
resulting in larger system costs.\
8.Distance to roads and railways
• Heavy Machinery,structures materials blades and other apparatus will have to be
moved to the WECS site
9.Nearness to site to local centres/users
• Minimises transmission line length and hence losses and costs.
• Should be relatively nearer to the users of the generated electric energy.
10.Nature of ground
• Foundation of WECS should be secured.
• Ground surface should be stable.
• Erosion problem should not be there.
11. Favourable land cost-Controls WECS system cost
12.Other conditions such as icing problem, salt spray or blowing dust should not be
present as they may affect aeroturbine blades, causing damage to machinery and electrical
apparatus.
Characteristics of a Good Wind Power Site
• A site should have a high annual wind speed.
• There should be no tall obstructions for a radius of 3 km.
• An open plain or open shore line may be a good location.
• The top of a smooth well rounded hill with gentle slops lying on a flat plain or
located on an island in a lake or sea is a good site.
• A mountain gap which produces to wind funneling is good.
 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF WIND ENERGY
CONVERSION SYSTEMS (WECS)

Advantages:
1. Wind energy, a renewable energy source, can be tapped free of fuel cost.
2. The wind turbine generation (WTG) produces electricity which is
environmentally friendly.
3. Wind power generation is cost effective.
4. It is economically competitive with other modes of power generation.
5. Quite reliable.
6. Electric power can be supplied to remote inaccessible areas.
• Disadvantages:

1. As the wind speed is variable, wind energy is irregular, unsteady and erratic.

2. Wind turbine design is complex.

3. Wind energy systems require storage batteries which contribute to environmental

pollution.

4. Wind energy systems are capital intensive and need government support.

5. Wind energy has low energy density and normally available at only selected
geographical locations away from cities and load centers.
6. For wind farms (which are located in open areas away from load centres), the
connection to state grid is necessary.

7. ‘Large units’ have less cost per kWh, but require capital intensive technology. In
contrast ‘small units’ are more reliable but have higher capital cost per kWh.