Harmonic buffeting in a high-altitude ridge-mounted triblade Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine

In the context of high-altitude mountain ridges, harvesting energy with wind turbines presents new challenges. The results of a computer model solving the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations for incompressible flows above such a ridge are presented in the context of a case study. A theoretical blade-element model of a triblade Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) was implemented. By combining both models we show that a wind turbine placed at such a location may receive less dense incoming air with repercussions on power output, as well as other unforeseen effects due to airflow negative vertical incidence such as the appearance of harmonic cyclic torque both in the turbine main shaft and nacelle yaw-control system.