An approach for the verification and validation of rotor aerodynamics codes based on free-wake vortex methods

This paper presents an approach to verify and validate a newly developed free-wake lifting line vortex code to model the wake generated by a wind turbine in axial flow conditions. Although the code is intended to simulate wind turbine wakes, it may be readily applied to propellers and helicopter rotors. The Delft University of Technology model wind turbine is used for this case study. Detailed hot-film inflow measurements in the near wake and smoke visualizations of tip vortex cores are used as a basis for validating the free-wake model. A parametric analysis was carried out to investigate how different levels of blade/wake descretizations and viscous modeling influence the accuracy of the inflow results. The tip vortex locations were compared with those predicted by the vortex model. In general very good agreement was obtained. It was found that the middle sections of the blades are rather insensitive to the choice of the viscous modeling parameters. However, high sensitivity to these parameters was observed at the blade tip and root regions.