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Project To Validate a Wind Turbine

Turbulence Model

Stephen Wheeler7th November 2013

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Introduction

• The Civil Aviation Authority

• The CAA’s Environmental Programme

• Presenter

• Project Background

• Outline Of The Project To Validate a Wind Turbine Turbulence Model

• Output

• Timelines

• Next Steps

• Final Message

• Any Questions?

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The Civil Aviation Authority

The CAA is the UK's specialist aviation regulator. Its regulatory activities range from

making sure that the aviation industry meets the highest technical and operational safety

standards to preventing holidaymakers from being stranded abroad or losing money

because of tour operator insolvency.

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CAA Environmental Programme

• Is a high level document that outlines the CAA’s environmental objectives until 2016. It can be found at: http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/2248/CAA_and_the

Environment_final.pdf

• Each area of the CAA has specific environmental objectives within the programme

• CAA Environmental Programme areas responsible for this project are:

Safety and Airspace Regulation Group - Safety

and Standards element of the programme

Aerodrome and Air Traffic Standards Division

Air Traffic Management Section

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Presenter

Stephen WheelerSafety and Standards Hotspot

Champion

Civil Aviation Authority

Safety and Airspace Regulation Group

Aerodrome and Air Traffic Standards

Air Traffic Management Standards

Tel: 01293 57 3819

Email: Stephen.wheeler@caa.co.uk

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Project Background

• Why Undertake this Project?

Observed rise in the number of aerodromes voicing concerns regarding their perception of the possible effects of wind turbine turbulence on their operations

Greater proliferation of wind turbines in more densely populated areas and those areas used by aviation

Completion of a Safety Review by the CAA into the establishment of two wind turbines at East Midlands Airport

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• What are we endeavouring to achieve?

To obtain a greater knowledge and provide high quality impartial evidence regarding wind turbine turbulence.

The CAA commissioned a project undertaken by Liverpool University - Integrated Simulation of Light Aircraft Encounter With Helicopter and Wind Turbine Wakes

An initial element of this wider project resulted in the creation of a model outlining the nature of the turbulence associated with wind turbines

Whilst the creation of this model was a step in the right direction, the data would not be able to be released into the public domain and hence used as a resource for wind turbine and aviation industries alike, until validated

To ensure the model could be validated as soon as possible and to ensure that the data released was of the highest quality possible it became evident that the use of a LIDAR would be the most efficient and effective method of achieving these objectives

Therefore a separate project outside of the original project was needed to validate of the Liverpool University model.

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Outline Of The Project To Validate a Wind Turbine Turbulence Model  

• The project consisted and consists of the following stages:

Selection of a suitable LiDAR System

Galion Lidar - Provided by SgurrEnergy, Glasgow.

Request for funding

Fund Management Board - AIFCL– One-off payment.

Selection of a suitable location

East Midlands Airport – Manchester Airlines Group

Selection of a suitable time of year

Undertaken after consultation with the Meteorological Office to attain, via historical data, the best time of year to ensure the wind speeds needed to validate the model

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Installation of the LiDAR at the project site

The Galion Lidar is relatively small and mobile (only 83kg) therefore the installation and site calibration time is short i.e. A day or two

Turbulence monitoring period

LiDAR left in situ for the monitoring process to begin

Assessment of data output

Liverpool University will complete this aspect of the project

Peer review of model

This will possibly be undertaken by the Dutch Research Institute – NLR tbc

Publication

Once the final validated and peer reviewed model is produced the CAA will

ensure that its content will be released into the public domain in a format that is

usable for both the wind turbine and aviation industries alike

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Output• What will the project deliver?

An independently commissioned, high quality, fully validated, peer reviewed model, outlining the length and nature of the turbulence associated with wind turbines for a wide variety of wind speeds

• Where will this be published?

Aeronautical Information Publication

CAP 764

New guidance for those wishing to undertake renewable developments on or near aerodromes

An entry in the Airspace Safety Initiative Local Planning Authority presentation

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Benefits • Alleviation of the problem of spurious objections to wind farm developments

based on the turbulent effects of wind turbines on aerodrome operations

• Reduction in the time required by wind turbine developers to assess the nature and effects of any wind farm development on neighbouring aerodromes and those who operate from them

• Reduction in project delay times associated with turbulence related concerns raised by aerodromes and those who operate from them

• Reduction in the costs associated with delays caused to wind turbine developments by aviation concerns relating to turbulence

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Timelines

• 2013

May - Project Initiation

- Galion Lidar selected Jun - Funding Agreed With Fund Management Board Aug - East Midlands Site Finalised Nov - LIDAR Insitu East Midlands Dec - Liverpool University Obtain Results

• 2014

Mar - Liverpool University Finalise Model Apr - Results Peer Reviewed May - Results Published

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Next Steps

• Flights through wind turbine turbulence to find out likely effects?

Helicopter

Simulated

Possibly real

Fixed Wing

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• Leadership and Part Funding - Aviation Industry - Stephen Wheeler - CAA

Project Lead

• Project Funding - Wind Industry - Simon Heyes Chairman Fund Management

Board

• Turbulence Data Assessment and Modelling - Liverpool University - George

Barakos – Academic Director

School Of Engineering

• Project Location - Aviation Industry - East Midlands Airport - Simon Whitby - Flight Operations Director/ Mark Chambers - Engineering Manager

• Project Equipment - Wind Industry - Galion Lidar- SgurrEnergy - Gordon Mina –

Technical Engineer

Final Message

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If A Common Problem Presents Itself Collaboration Is The Key

To Solving It

To The Benefit of All

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Any Questions?