California Polytechnic State University Wind Resource Assessment

<p>Wind resource assessment at California Polytechnic State University shows there is potential for wind power generation on Cal Poly land. A computational fluid dynamics model based on wind data collected from a campus maintained meteorological tower on Escuela Ranch approximately 5 miles northwest of campus suggests there are areas of Cal Poly land with an IEC Class III wind resource at a height of 80 meters above ground. In addition during the daytime when the campus uses the most energy there are large portions of land with annual average daytime wind speeds above 6.9m/s. These areas have been identified by analyzing the wind speed and directional data collected at the meteorological tower and using it to create the boundary conditions and turbulence parameters for the computer model. The model boundary conditions and turbulence parameters have been verified through comparison between data collected at Askervein hill in Scotland during the 1980’s and the results of a simulation of Askervein hill using the same model. Before constructing a wind farm for power generation, additional meteorological towers should be constructed in Poly Canyon to further confirm the wind resource prediction.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

MS in Mechanical Engineering

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical Engineering

Year dc:date.available

2011

Author dc:creator

• Smith, Jason Allan

Contributors dc:contributor

• Patrick Lemieux

• wind resource
• anemometer
• computational fluid dynamics
• Cal Poly
• boundary conditions
• turbulence model
• Other Mechanical Engineering

Identifier

10.15368/theses.2011.184

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.calpoly.edu:theses-1666