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<p>Rotor-tower aerodynamic interaction in horizontal-axis wind turbines produces periodic load fluctuations that affect power output stability and may accelerate structural fatigue. Although this phenomenon has been widely studied for conventional cylindrical towers, the aerodynamic implications of alternative tower cross-sectional geometries remain insufficiently explored. This study investigates the influence of elliptical tower profiles on rotor-tower interaction using a three-dimensional transient numerical framework. Simulations were performed for the WWD-1 D60 wind turbine, a 1&#xa0;MW three-bladed machine with a rotor diameter of <i>D</i> = 60&#xa0;m. The computational domain extended 5<i>D</i> in the streamwise direction, 2.5<i>D</i> in height, and 1.66<i>D</i> in width, and was discretized using approximately 4.27 million elements. Unsteady flow structures were resolved using the Transient Blade Row approach with the SST k-ω turbulence model. The model was validated against manufacturer power curve data for wind speeds between 4 and 12.5&#xa0;m/s, yielding an average prediction error below 3% and less than 1% at rated conditions. Four elliptical tower configurations were compared with the conventional cylindrical tower. Results show that elliptical geometries significantly reduce power fluctuation amplitude associated with rotor-tower interaction. The optimal configuration achieved a reduction of 36.3% relative to the cylindrical case while maintaining nearly identical mean power output. These findings demonstrate that appropriate tower design can mitigate unsteady aerodynamic loading and improve operational reliability in wind turbines.</p>

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Mitigation of power fluctuations in wind turbines through elliptical tower design using three-dimensional transient simulation

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月23日

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  • M. A. Serraye,
  • B. Bouali,
  • L. Mokrani

摘要

Rotor-tower aerodynamic interaction in horizontal-axis wind turbines produces periodic load fluctuations that affect power output stability and may accelerate structural fatigue. Although this phenomenon has been widely studied for conventional cylindrical towers, the aerodynamic implications of alternative tower cross-sectional geometries remain insufficiently explored. This study investigates the influence of elliptical tower profiles on rotor-tower interaction using a three-dimensional transient numerical framework. Simulations were performed for the WWD-1 D60 wind turbine, a 1 MW three-bladed machine with a rotor diameter of D = 60 m. The computational domain extended 5D in the streamwise direction, 2.5D in height, and 1.66D in width, and was discretized using approximately 4.27 million elements. Unsteady flow structures were resolved using the Transient Blade Row approach with the SST k-ω turbulence model. The model was validated against manufacturer power curve data for wind speeds between 4 and 12.5 m/s, yielding an average prediction error below 3% and less than 1% at rated conditions. Four elliptical tower configurations were compared with the conventional cylindrical tower. Results show that elliptical geometries significantly reduce power fluctuation amplitude associated with rotor-tower interaction. The optimal configuration achieved a reduction of 36.3% relative to the cylindrical case while maintaining nearly identical mean power output. These findings demonstrate that appropriate tower design can mitigate unsteady aerodynamic loading and improve operational reliability in wind turbines.