Large-eddy simulation of the effects of a tower structure on wind velocity and drag coefficient

Abstract

A large-eddy simulation was implemented for the flow around a cylindrical observation tower to investigate the effects of the tower structure on wind speed and drag coefficient. The mean wind velocity accelerates above the tower because flow separation occurs at the leading edge of the top of the tower. The drag coefficient is strongly linked to the Reynolds shear stress. Above the tower, the Reynolds shear stresses change from negative to positive within the recirculation zone and return to a negative value in the latter half of the tower because of the steep velocity gradients near the top of the tower. The change in the Reynolds shear stress results in an inaccurate drag coefficient. When one anemometer is used, a location at over 10 m above the top of the tower is suitable for measuring the drag coefficient accurately. When two anemometers are used, the Reynolds shear stress can be measured more accurately. Although the effects of the tower on the drag coefficient are not entirely removed, the use of two anemometers is a promising approach to estimate the drag coefficient in a tower. Graphical Abstract