High-fidelity aeroelastic analyses of wind turbines in complex terrain: fluid–structure interaction and aerodynamic modeling

Abstract. This paper shows high-fidelity fluid–structure interaction (FSI) studies applied to the research wind turbine of WINSENT (Wind Science and Engineering in Complex Terrain) project. In this project, two turbines are going be erected south Germany WindForS complex-terrain test field. The FSI is obtained by coupling CFD URANS–DES code FLOWer multiphysics FEM solver Kratos Multiphysics, which both beam shell structural elements can chosen model turbine. codes coupled an explicit implicit way. different modeling approaches strongly differ with respect computational resources, therefore advantages their higher accuracy must correlated respective additional costs. presented method has been firstly a single-blade under standard uniform inflow conditions. It could concluded that for such small turbine, conditions sufficient correctly build blade deformations. Afterwards, aerodynamic complexity increased considering full turbulent generated from real field data, flat complex terrains. shown these cases fidelity necessary. effects aeroelasticity then on phase-averaged loads, showing using same turbulence, terrain mostly influenced shear, while affected low-velocity structures forest. Finally, impact turbulence damage equivalent loading (DEL) discussed, flexibility reduces DEL case inflow, acting as damper breaks larger cycles into smaller ones.