Sensitivity analysis of the effect of wind and wake characteristics on wind turbine loads in a small wind farm

Abstract. Wind turbines are designed using a set of simulations to determine the fatigue and ultimate loads, which typically focused solely on unwaked wind turbine operation. These structural loads can be significantly influenced by inflow conditions. Turbines experience altered conditions when placed in wake upstream turbines, additionally influence loads. It is important understand impact uncertainty resulting both waked turbines. The goal this work assess wind-inflow-related wake-related parameters have greatest during normal operation for three-turbine farm. Twenty-eight screened an elementary effects sensitivity analysis approach identify that lead largest variation each turbine. This study uses National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) 5 MW baseline turbine, simulated with OpenFAST synthetically generated based International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Kaimal turbulence spectrum IEC exponential coherence model NREL tool TurbSim. focus individual parameters, though interactions between considered, how differs results show ambient primary direction shear most sensitive Secondary importance all identified as yaw misalignment, streamwise integral length, exponent components model. tertiary differ Tertiary account up 9.0 % significant events include veer, non-streamwise model, Reynolds stresses, direction, air density, several calibration parameters. For 5.4 vertical standard deviation, lateral lengths, information shows increased load downstream