Initial Look at the Dynamics of the Microscale Flow Field within a Large Wind Farm in Response to Variations in the Natural Inflow

This paper discusses some early results from a study to examine the influence of the natural inflow structure on the internal microscale turbulence environment of a large wind farm. Two fully equipped, high-resolution boundary layer measurement systems were employed to document the alteration of the turbulent structure as the flow entered and left a wind park consisting of 41 rows of turbines.These systems collected data continuously for a period of several weeks during the peak wind season in San Gorgonio Pass. In addition, statistical summaries of the inflow and outflow characteristics from a hub-height elevation were recorded prior to, during, and after the detailed measurement period. Results of these hub-height summaries will be discussed and interpreted in this paper.