Amplitude Modulation of Wind Turbine Noise

PI Sanjiva Lele, Stanford University
Project Description

Deployment of large wind turbines in large-scale wind farm projects as a renewable energy technology helps address concerns over greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on hydrocarbon based energy sources. However as large‐scale wind energy projects are developed, significant concerns about the noise from wind turbines have arisen and in some cases become a barrier to further development of wind resources. There is particular concern over an intermittent form of intense wind turbine noise, described as ‘intermittent thumping’. However, the aerodynamic mechanisms which create these intense noises, presently categorized as other amplitude modulation (OAM), are poorly understood.

This allocation supports investigations that will deepen the scientific understanding of intense noise emission associated with OAM using physics‐based simulations designed to capture the flow phenomenon responsible for its generation. The outcome will be a greater physical understanding of wind turbine noise that will be important for improved wind turbine design, implementation, and clean energy.

Allocations