CFD Wind Flow Simulation Using Preliminary Direction Results

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical simulations for atmospheric wind flow require significant calculation loads and time, making it inefficient to create accurate wind power resource maps, especially in complex terrains like Korea, where existing methods are either inaccurate or require extensive measurement data.

Innovation Solution

A numerical simulation system and method that uses an input unit to set analysis results of one wind direction as an initial condition for another, leveraging geometric symmetry and vector sums to accelerate convergence and reduce analysis time, allowing for more rapid and efficient creation of wind power resource maps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If computational fluid dynamics numerical simulation is used to accurately reflect terrain effects and increase spatial resolution of wind power resource maps, then manufacturing precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to large calculation load and calculation time required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespatial resolution accuracyVSAvoidcalculation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary simulations for representative wind directions first, then uses those results as initial conditions for subsequent simulations. This preliminary action allows the simulation to start closer to the final solution state, reducing the number of iterations needed and thereby decreasing calculation time while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the full 360-degree wind direction range into multiple representative directions (e.g., 0°, 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°, 225°, 270°, 315°). By dividing the problem into discrete segments and solving them systematically with optimized initial conditions, the overall calculation time is reduced while preserving terrain effect accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If all meteorological variables (wind directions, wind speeds, atmosphere stabilities) are individually numerically simulated to increase reliability of wind power resource map, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases due to large calculation load

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewind power resource map reliabilityVSAvoidanalysis time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary simulations for representative wind directions first, then uses those results as initial conditions for subsequent simulations. This preliminary action allows the simulation to start closer to the final solution state, reducing the number of iterations needed and thereby decreasing calculation time while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the initial condition parameter from default values to results obtained from previous simulations of different wind directions. This parameter change enables the numerical solver to converge faster to the correct solution, reducing analysis time while maintaining reliability across all meteorological variables.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If measurement data from wind condition towers is collected for at least one year and corrected for twenty years to improve analysis reliability, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases due to extended measurement and analysis period

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanalysis reliabilityVSAvoidmeasurement and analysis time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates virtual copies of wind flow conditions through numerical simulation, replacing the need for extensive physical measurements. By using CFD simulations with optimized initial conditions, the system can generate 20-year equivalent data from much shorter measurement periods, dramatically reducing the time required while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical measurement system (physical wind condition towers requiring years of data collection) with a computational system using CFD numerical simulation. This substitution eliminates the need for long-term physical measurements while achieving the same or better analytical reliability through virtual modeling of atmospheric wind flow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP2919044B1Numerical simulation system and numerical simulation method for atmospheric flow by computational fluid dynamics
Publication Date: 2022.08.03 KOREA INST OF ENERGY RES
  • EP2919044B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2919044B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2919044B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(c)

AI summary

Provided are a numerical simulation system and method for an atmospheric wind flow by computational fluid dynamics. In detail, provided are a numerical simulation system and method for an atmospheric wind flow by computational fluid dynamics capable of more rapidly and efficiently performing a fluid analysis and easily making a wind power resource map by setting an analysis result of a wind direction depending on the same analysis area as an initial condition (second initial condition in the present invention) of an analysis of another wind direction.