CRESTDL - In Service Training in Renewable Energy copyright CREST 2001

Wind Turbine Database Pre-course Activity

We recommend that you work through this activity in two 30-40 minute sessions. In the first session, download the software and practice using it until you are familiar with all of its features. Then in the second session, use the software to carry out the tasks listed in C) before answering the questions and making your posting to the CRESTDL Wind Power Discussion Group

A) Scenario

You are project manager for a new wind farm situated close to a National Park. Owing to the nature of the site, the Local Authority have placed constraints on the size and number of wind turbines on the site.

Your task is to satisfy the planning constraints, whilst meeting the minimum rated capacity of the farm as a whole as defined by your economic analysis.

B ) Constraints

  1. The wind farm should consist of no more than six machines.
  2. The rotor diameter of each machine should not exceed 70 metres.
  3. The minimum rated capacity of the farm to satisfy economic parameters is 7.5 MW.

C) Tasks

  1. Run the wind turbine database software (download from Wind Power module at http://crestdl.lboro.ac.uk/)
  2. Select Size (kW) and Rotor Diameter (m) as your search parameters.
  3. Based on the information in B) above, click on a range for turbine size and rotor diameter that you think may meet the project requirements and planning constraints.
  4. Click on the "Search database" button.
  5. Read through the list of machines that match your search criteria.
  6. Based on your knowledge of the various turbine parameters (eg. power regulation, generator type), select one machine from those listed. You may need to refer to the relevant study notes or case studies before making your decision.
  7. Make a new post to the CRESTDL Wind Power discussion group at http:\\crestdl.lboro.ac.uk) stating your choice of turbine. Briefly explain why you have selected it from those machines that meet the criteria in B).


D) Questions

  1. How many of your selected turbines will be needed to fulfill the farm's minimum rated capacity requirements?
  2. Does this number of turbines meet the planning constraints?
  3. Is the constraint on rotor diameter satisfied?