The siting of a wind turbine using the WASP numerical model and its validation by comparison with field data

The objectives of this study were twofold The first was to locate sites where the wind is enhanced due to orographic forcing, thus having high annual average windspeeds. The WASP numerical model was used to simulate wind speeds over the Soetanysberg, a coastal hill approximately 20 km west of Cape Agulhas. The average annual wind speed was predicted to be 11.4 m/s at 50m a.g.l at this site. This is a 24% increase over the wind measured at the Cape Agulhas lighthouse for the same height. The predicted theoretical power of 2019 W/m2, was more than twice the average power that occurs at the lighthouse. The second aim was to validate the numerical model. This was achieved by measuring wind speeds, using a TALA Kite, at a number of prospective sites on the Soetanysberg and at Cape Agulhas. The wind speed values from Cape Agulhas were then used by the numerical model to make velocity predictions at the sites and these results were compared with the measured values. It was found that the numerical model performed well. Two indicators were used to compare the results; the error of predictions (m) and the correlation coefficient (r). The average error of the predictions was 7%, with a maximum error of 15.4℅, and it was found that the model tended to underestimate the wind speed when it erred. The measured velocity profile, was correlated with the predicted velocity profile and 'r' was found to range between 0.68 and 0.87 for eight of the mine sites.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Energy Research Centre

Year dc:date.issued

1990

Author dc:creator

• Denison, Jonathan

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Dutkiewicz, Ryszard Karol

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8284

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/8284