A modeling study is undertaken to better understand the physics of katabatic flows. This study is divided into three topics; a comparison between a large eddy simulation (LES) and a mesoscale model of katabatic flows, a sensitivity study of katabatic flows to various physical parameters, and an investigation into the...
A time domain simulation model which approximates the
three-dimensional velocity fluctuations of wind turbulence
has been developed. This model is used in a discrete time
control algorithm to regulate the output torque of a wind
turbine by changing the pitch angle of the turbine blade.
The wind model provides a...
Interactions between surface winds and meanders in mid-latitude sea surface temperature
(SST) fronts with horizontal length scales of 100-1000 km are investigated
from satellite observations and numerical simulations. Observations from the Sea-
Winds scatterometer on the QuikSCAT satellite show that the magnitude, direction,
curl, and divergence of the surface wind...
Lake Kinneret is Israel's only fresh water lake (unless you count the Dead Sea). It spans roughly 20km from north to south, and about 12km at its widest east west extent. It is not quite 50m deep at its deepest point. In late spring, the lake stratifies significantly and remains...
A time dependent model of the shallow, tropical convective boundary layer is
developed and tested. To simplify the treatment of thermodynamic processes and
return to first principles of physics, conserved quantities of entropy and total
water density are used as primary model variables. In addition, a new shallow
cumulus parameterization...
Most existing analyses of the blade loads on horizontal
axis wind turbines are conducted using linear steady-state
aerodynamics, but evaluation of loads resulting from wind
turbulence or gusts may not be adequate using these
techniques. This study develops single-parameter
approximations for both the shed wake and trailing wake
components of...
As more wind farms are connected to the grid, the variable nature of wind energy begins to influence grid stability. Energy storage could help smooth the variable nature of wind energy. Laboratory demonstration and exploration of the interaction between different energy storage devices and wind energy could help improve and...
Development of variable speed horizontal axis wind turbines has resulted in a need for an analysis code with a rotor speed degree-of-freedom. This study develops a five degree-of-freedom time domain computer code that evaluates blade and rotor, mean and cyclic loads with nonlinear aerodynamics together with atmospheric turbulence as a...
The natural fall of trees in riparian areas is an important source of coarse woody debris for mountain streams, improving fish habitat and influencing stream morphology. Existing models consider the probability of coarse woody debris entering a stream channel based upon trees having a random direction of fall without consideration...
An empirical statistical model is developed that relates the non-tidal motion of the ocean surface currents off the Oregon coast to forecasts of the coastal winds. The empirical statistical model is then used to produce predictions of the surface currents that are evaluated for their agreement with measured currents. Measurements...
