A comparison of actuator disc and BEM models in CFD simulations for the prediction of offshore wake losses

In this paper computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are performed using ANSYSCFX to compare wake interaction results obtained from two rotor modelling methodologies: the standard actuator disc and the blade element momentum model (BEM). The unsteady simulations embed Coriolis forces and neutral stability conditions in the surface layer and stable conditions in the free stream. The BEM method is implemented in the CFD code through a pre-processing set of files that employs look-up tables. The control system for the wind turbines is considered through look-up tables that are constructed based on operational wind farm data. Simulations using the actuator disc and BEM methodologies have been performed using a number of different turbulence models in order to compare the wind turbine wake structure results. The use of URANS and LES numerical methods, coupled with the two different methodologies of representing the turbine, enables an assessment to be made of the details required for varying degrees of accuracy in computing the wake structures. The findings stress the importance of including the rotation of the wake and the non-uniform load on the rotor in LES simulations to account for more accurate turbulence intensity levels in the near wake.