PeterF Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 I am the secretary of my club and there is a preliminary plan for a wind farm with 125m tall turbines (80m mast + 45m blades) in the field adjacent to ours. One of the proposed turbines may be as close as 125m from our runway. This is just too close so we are looking at moving the runway / flying area in the same general plot of land and the power company has stated they will help with the move. The questions I would like some help with from others who may fly near / have flown near wind turbines is 1. Do wind turbines create enough downwind turbulence to affect models. 2. How far do we need to move from the turbine to make sure we are clear of downwind turbulence. 3. Are there any other known problems with flying in the vicinity of wind turbines, distractions such as flocker if they are in the eye line etc. Some options still take us within 150m of the turbine tower, other options keep the flying area more than 250m from it. However, is 250m enough of a separation. If I take the CAP658 and BMFA Handbook for >7kg models I could fly within 50m of a structure but that just seems too close for comfort. I have got contacts of a couple of clubs and are chasing those up. Anyone else who has information would be welcome. I have tried searching and got little information. We are in touch with BMFA but they do not seem to be able to answer the question about how close can you fly without problems with turbulence. Many thanks in advance for any help you can supply. PeterF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowerman Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Watching with interest as our club may have similar problems in the near future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 heloo peter - i was at a large model fly in- a couple of weeks ago......there has been some turbines installed........on the other side of the road from the site.......i cant comment on any effects from them...some of the forum members here fly there on a regular basis.....they may comment for you....see my photo for an idea of the proximity..... ken anderson....ne...1 ....turbines dept... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 A wind turbine must produce blade tip vortices and a relatively small RC plane will be effected by them. This is an interesting picture! Most of the studies seem to consider the effect of turbine wake reducing the efficiency on an adjascent turbine. The current separation distance is generally 7 rotor diameters although studies have indicated that for maximum efficiency (ie minimum interference) it should be as much 18 rotor diameters. I suppose the question is not how close you are allowed to go but how far down wind do you need to be. Edited By Simon Chaddock on 16/06/2013 11:46:40 Edited By Simon Chaddock on 16/06/2013 11:47:58 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Is the photo real? Doesn't seem to be a lot of effect from the downwind turbines... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 I took the photos martin....Ken Anderson ne....1photos dept.Edited By ken anderson. on 16/06/2013 21:36:38 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterF Posted June 16, 2013 Author Share Posted June 16, 2013 Thanks for the responses. I do fluid flow as part of my job and have found quite a bit of lierature and studies on downwind effects of turbines on velocity profiles, turbulence etc. the trouble is reklating this to the effects on models. I have heard of a couple of clubs flying around 500m downwind, the trouble is we are likely to be closer than this and there does not seem to be much info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew767 Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Peter....It would be worth contacting the Huddersfield club (HDMAC) as they have a recent very large turbine which i believe is less than 300m from their runway. Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterF Posted June 16, 2013 Author Share Posted June 16, 2013 Andrew, thanks for that, I have found a contact and contacted them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Posted by ken anderson. on 16/06/2013 21:35:45: I took the photos martin.... Ken Anderson ne....1 photos dept. Edited By ken anderson. on 16/06/2013 21:36:38 I was referring to this picture from the link in Simon's post, Ken - I assume you can't lay claim to it even from your claiming copyright for pictures dept? ...if so, how where and when? I'd be intrigued... Edited By Martin Harris on 17/06/2013 14:29:07 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Martin The photo appears on this site. Appears to be genuine organisation. Taken above a wind farm at sea with presumably a low mist which the wind turbines stir up. Probably quite a rare occurrence which is why they took the picture!. There is evidence that down wind the average annual temperature is at least 1 degree higher due to the turbulent mixing reducing the severity of any ground frosts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Skilbeck Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 You would think the wind would have less energy downstream of a wind turbine, so while there maybe some vorticies the wind strength may be slighly reduced. Depends what your flying site layout is, we have several trees and a large hedge on one side, in certain wind directions we do get some turbulence, if it was your first time flying there you might even mistake it for localised radio interference.................... Be interesting on the picture of the wind turbines if the effect was caused by the turbine blades or just some vortex shedding from the tall tower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 The assessment from Frank, reaches the same conclusion to a news item in the Telegraph (which I have been unable to find). There were further implications from this observation. Again which i do not remember. Greens would not like it, as the assessment suggested that they were less green, than had previously been claimed. If memory serves me half well, some of the impacts ignored are the damage done by site roads, the energy used in their construction, energy used in the concrete bases, the impact of many facets from the inter connectors to the grid. Energy losses reaching the centres of population. Are you sure you should not be joining the locals and insisting on a proper audit of energy consumed and generated and the impact on local communities and wild life. My farther used to say, there is a reason that windmills went out of favour, the wind was free even in the times prior to the 1900s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterF Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 Thanks, I have found 3 clubs who all fly within close range of wind turbines, about 250m closest approach and state they have had no problems. This is good information to assess our current situation and exactly what I was trying to find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Just a point but what if a plane actually hit a blade. Is it the pilots fault? I don't know what damage say a 10lb plane would do to it but I would not like to even think of the cost of repair to one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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