Steerable Wind Turbine Modules for Wake and Fatigue Reduction

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wind turbine farms face challenges with wake interference and fatigue damage due to closely spaced turbines, leading to reduced energy output and increased turbulence, which are mitigated by using steerable wind turbines arranged in modules with optimized spacing and orientation to align with prevailing wind directions.

Innovation Solution

The arrangement of steerable wind turbines in modules with 0.5 to 4 turbine diameters separation and optimized orientation to minimize wake interference, using modules with turbines aligned to prevailing wind directions, and controlling turbine operation to reduce turbulence and fatigue.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If turbines are spaced 8-12 diameters apart in the prevailing wind direction, then wake interference and fatigue damage are reduced, but the energy output density of the wind farm decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefatigue damage reductionVSAvoidenergy output density

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The wind farm is divided into multiple modules, each containing a specific number of turbines arranged in a compact configuration. This segmentation allows the farm to achieve high density overall while maintaining acceptable wake interference levels within each module, resolving the contradiction between compact spacing and wake damage reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from traditional two-dimensional turbine spacing to three-dimensional module arrangement. By organizing turbines into vertical and horizontal modules with specific spacing relationships, the system achieves higher energy density without proportionally increasing wake interference, as the modular structure allows for optimized spacing in multiple dimensions simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If multiple smaller turbines are used instead of fewer larger turbines, then energy output density increases, but wake interference and turbulence increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy output densityVSAvoidwake interference

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The wind farm is divided into multiple modules, each containing a specific number of turbines arranged in a compact configuration. This segmentation allows the farm to achieve high density overall while maintaining acceptable wake interference levels within each module, resolving the contradiction between compact spacing and wake damage reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of manufacture

If turbines are placed closer together, then infrastructure cost decreases and energy output density increases, but wake turbulence causes fatigue damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinfrastructure costVSAvoidfatigue damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The wind farm is divided into multiple modules, each containing a specific number of turbines arranged in a compact configuration. This segmentation allows the farm to achieve high density overall while maintaining acceptable wake interference levels within each module, resolving the contradiction between compact spacing and wake damage reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration enhances energy output density and reduces fatigue damage by aligning damaging wakes to lower speed directions, allowing closer turbine spacing within the farm while maintaining efficient energy extraction.

Implementation Method 1

A wind turbine's rotor blades extract some of the energy from the wind, reducing the remaining energy in the wind behind the turbine, and thereby reducing its speed.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWind power extraction: Wind Power

Data Source

PatentUS12571369B2Wind turbine farm

Publication Date: 2026.03.10 HAMILTON WILLIAM LARRY

AI summary

Wind turbine farms are presented including: a number of steerable wind turbines, where each of the steerable wind turbines includes a turbine diameter and a blade center locus, where each of the steerable wind turbines are separately and axially steerable about a vertical axis to align with one or more prevailing wind directions, where the steerable wind turbines is arranged in one or more modules, where each of the modules is defined by at least two steerable wind turbines, where each of the at least two steerable wind turbines in a module is positioned in a fixed position.