Realistic Wake Simulation using the WRF-SADLES System

Simulating wind turbine wakes with high accuracy is crucial for understanding their effects on nearby flow patterns and optimizing the design and operation of wind farms. However, current Large Eddy simulation (LES) models for this purpose often rely on highly idealized boundary layer conditions, which may not capture all relevant realistic processes. In this study, we present the development and application of a Simple Actuator Disc model for Large Eddy Simulation (SADLES) for simulating wakes in realistic conditions. SADLES was developed to utilize traditional thrust and power curves provided by turbine manufacturers, while also achieving an intermediate resolution of a few dozen meters to strike a balance between fidelity and computational cost. SADLES has been integrated into the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model, resulting in the WRF-SADLES system. Using this system, atmospheric conditions from ERA5 data were downscaled to a wake-enable scale of 40 m using a system of 5 nested domains. Selected transition events were simulated and the results were validated using real observations from the FINO1 meteorological mast and LiDAR data. Our WRF-SADLES approach represents a promising advancement in the simulation of wind turbine wakes and their impacts on surrounding flow fields.