Power Performance Testing and Uncertainty Analysis

for a 1.5MW Wind turbine

Keon-Hoon Kim and Young-Chul Ju
kkh4417@kier.re.kr ycju@kier.re.kr
Korea Institute of Energy Research
305-343, 71-2 Jang-Dong, Yusong-Gu, Daejon, Rep. of KOREA
(T):+82 42 860 3434, (F):+82 42 860 3543
Abstract
The installed capacity of wind turbines in KOREA are growing and enlarging by the central government's
support program. Thus, the importance of power performance verification and its uncertainty analysis are
recognizing rapidly. This paper described the power testing results of a 1.5MW wind turbine and analysed
an uncertainty level of measurements. The measured power curves are very closely coincide with the
calculated one and the annual power production under the given Rayleigh wind speed distribution are
estimated with the 4.722.0% of uncertainty but, in the dominant wind speed region as 78m/s, the
uncertainty are stably decreased to 78%.
1. Introduction
Nowadays, by the increased respect and enlarged governmental subside, many wind turbines(WTs) are
installing and under operation. Thus, interesting on the power performance testing and its uncertainty
analysis for an operating WTs is also emphasized. But, the field results on the testing and analysis are
partially presented, it is fact that the more experiences and accumulations of technology are still needed. In
addition, the power testing is assured as important thing and the uncertainty analysis of the testing is also
considered as very important one as same as in the many testing fields. But, in Korea, the uncertainty
analysis for power performance testing for a WT is considered as a starting stage.
In this study, the power performance testing and its uncertainty analysis for a 1.5MW WT in Jeju-Do
island are treated, as a results the calculated power curve is compared with the tested one and through the
comparison with two curves the uncertainty of tested power curve is analyzed. That is, an operating
1.5MW WT(NM72C/1500, WTG ID:17799) on the coastal area of Jeju-Do island is a target WT for testing
and the testing period is from June 7th 2004 0:00 to June 30th 2005 23:50 nearly around one year. As
the previous description, the cases on the uncertainty analysis for WT field is seldom in Korea, thus the
meaning of this study is very important. And because we have a national certification system as KOLAS in
Korea, the uncertainty analysis must be considered as one of determined procedures in the testing
procedures for WTs.
2. Specifications of WT
The applied standard and regulations in the field are same as belows..
- IEC 61400-12 Wind Turbine Performance Testing, 1998
- MEASNET Power Performance Measurement Procedure, Version 3 Nov. 2000
The above standard and procedures are applied and the measurements for the power curve which is the
most important factor for the assesment of the characteristics for WT are accomplished. And with the
pre-determined Rayleigh wind speed distribution, the annual energy production(AEP) of this target WT is
calculated. Finally, the uncertainty through the measurements are strictly estimated and the uncertainty of
AEP is also determined.

2-1 The overall view of the tested WT
In fig. 1, the overall view of the target WT(#3) and 60m height met mast are presented.

Fig. 1. Overall view of tested WT and a met mast
2-2 Technical specifications of the tested WT
The below table 1 shows a technical basic specifications of the tested WT. The tested WT is a
typical Danish type and the manufacturer of it is VESTAS(NEG-MICON) which has a rated capacity of
1.5MW and the power regulation technic as active stall. Thus in the normalization process of captured
data, the measured wind speed data not the measured power data are normalized with the IEC
standard.

3. Status of testing site
3-1 Position of testing site and facilities
The testing site is far away about 60km from Jeju-city, and located on the west-east-west direction from
the Halla mountain. The next fig. 2 shows the location of testing site(Hankyung) in Jeju-Do island. In
overall view, testing site are faced with the sea from south-west to north-west direction. And the testing
site has a relatively flat terrain so it is not needed to have a site calibration. The below fig. 3 shows the
location of the tested WT, a met mast and the adjacent WTs on the topographical map. The TM
coordination(WGS84) for each WTs and a met mast are presented in tab. 2.
3-2 Topographcal features of the testing site
The topographical features of the testing site are satisfied with IEC61400-12 Annex A(Table A.1 - test
site requirements : topographical variations), thus the supplementary site calibration is not needed. The
distance L between tested WT and met mast is 180.0m and the rotor diameter of tested WT is 72.0m and
the the met mast is located on 330 direction from the tested WT.
Tab. 1. Technical specifications of tested WT
Wind turbine
manufacturer VESTAS
type NM72C/1500kW
cut-in 4m/s
cut-out 25m/s
Rotor
power control Active Stall
rotor dia. 72m
hub height 62m
RPM 17.3
Blade
type AL35
air brake Full Blade
twist angle 10
Gear Box
type planet/helical
gear ratio 1:70.2
Generator
rated power 1500kW
no. of poles 6
voiltage 3X600V/60Hz
rated current 1607A
Yawing type Ball bearing
Controller type Com./Thyristers
Tower type Steel Plate
Fig. 2. The location of testing site in Jeju-Do island Fig. 3. Location of tested WT and a met mast
Tab. 2. Local coordination of WTs and a met mast[Datum:TM(WGS84)]
No X(E) Y(N) altitude model
1 122610.9 33370.3 3.6 NM72C-1500
2 122295.0 33139.8 3.6 NM72C-1500
3(WT) 122337.4 32468.0 2.4 NM72C-1500
4 121910.2 32290.6 3.6 NM72C-1500
met mast 122247.4 32623.9 5.0 -
3-3 Undisturbed wind direction
By an IEC61400-12 annex A, the disturbed wind direction related on the tested WT must be considered.
The disturbed wind direction are determined by the relative positions(distance and angle) of no. 3 WT and
a met mast. The disturbed angle which is influenced by the adjacent obstacles and the other WT are same
as eq. 1.
disturbed sector c = 2Arctan(2Dn/Ln + 0.25) -------------------------------------------------------- (eq. 1)
No. X(E) Y(N) Dn angle Ln Ln/Dn c
1 122610.9 33370.3 72.0 17 942.8 13.1 44
2 122295.0 33139.8 72.0 356 673.1 9.3 50
3(*) 122337.4 32468.0 72.0 - 0 0 -
4 121910.2 32290.6 72.0 247 462.6 6.4 59
No. X(E) Y(N) Dn angle Ln Ln/Dn c
1 122610.9 33370.3 72.0 26 830.2 11.5 46
2 122295.0 33139.8 72.0 5 518.1 7.2 56
3 122337.4 32468.0 72.0 150 180.0 2.5 93
4 121910.2 32290.6 72.0 45 474.1 6.6 58
met mast 122247.4 32623.9 72.0 - 0 0 -
And the following tab. 3 are present the procedure for the calculation of undisturbed wind direction for
the measurement. That is, undisturbed angle at the measurement is determined as 55100 and 280
330.
Tab. 3. Determination of the disturbed and undisturbed angle[Datum:TM(WGS84)],()
4. Testing facilities
4-1 Testing parameters and sensors
In this measurement, all measured parametrs and used sensors is presented in tab. 4 and also the
calibration results and the location of the installed sensors beside the met mast are shown on fig. 4.
4-2 Calibration
The next tab. 5 presents a calibration results on the used sensors.
Tab. 4. Measurement parameters and the type of sensors


Fig. 4. Location of the sensors installed on and beside the met mast
Tab. 5. Calibration results of sensors
Parameters Gain Unit Offset Unit
Hub height wind speed 0.62293 Hz/(m/s) 0.261 m/s
Reference wind speed 0.62364 Hz/(m/s) 0.255 m/s
Wind direction 1 180 deg
Temperature 0.101 mV/ -40.6
Barometric press. 0.092 mV/ 600 hPa
Precipitation 0.1 count 0 Dig
Power 0.6 mV/ 0 kW
Status signal 1 Dig. 0 Dig
Controller wind speed 0.56665 Hz/(m/s) 0.9274 m/s
5. Analysis of the measured data
5-1 Selection of the measured data
All procedures and methods in measurement are complied with an IEC61400-12 and MEASNET
guidelines. All 10min averaged, standard deviation, maximum and minimum data are gathered and the data
are analyzed and selected as effective one with a below limitation.
- testing period : 2004. June 7th 0:00-2005. June 30th 23:50
- wind directition data must be included in the undisturbed sector
- averaging time have to be 600sec(10min averaged)
- STATUS signal must be 1
- WT must be under normal operatin.
- When wind speed is over 5.25m/sec, but power is lower than 30kW, then removed as abnormal data
5-2 Normalization of data[1],[2]
All measuring procedures and methods are complied with the IEC61400-12 and MEASNET, the data
normalization for standard air condition[air density 1.225kg/m
3
, 15(dry air)and 1,013hPa] is accomplished
through belowed description.

All measured data are normalized as standard air density
- air density : determined by the measured atmospheric temperature and barometric pressure
j
10
min

1
10
min
L
10
min
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (eq. 2)
- wind speed normalization by the active stall pitch control type
V
n
V
10
min(

j
0
j
10
min
)
1,8
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (eq. 3)
power curve is determined by the bin of 0.5m/s and the normalized wind speed and averaged power
data are used
- wind speed : V
i

N
i
1

, 1
N
i
V
n,i,,
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (eq. 4)
- power data : I
i

N
i
1

, 1
N
i
I
n,i,,
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (eq. 5)
AEP is calculated with the measured power curve and Rayleigh wind speed distribution
- reference wind speed for AEP : annual average wind speed 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11m/s
ALIN
/
i 1
N
[ F(V
i
) -F(V
i -1
)
[
(
2
I
i -1
-I
i
)
--------------------------------------------------------- (eq. 6)
- Rayleigh accumulated probability distribution function
F(V) 1-oxp

V
cc
V
)
2

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (eq. 7)
power coefficients are calculated by the measured power curve
- power coefficient : C
j,i

2
1
j
0
AV
i
8
I
i
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- (eq. 8)
5-3 Measured data and results
The measured dataset are sorted with bin-method, all of them satisfies the minimum requirements of the
IEC61400-12. The next fig. 5 shows the all scattered measured data. The measured turbulence intensity are
shown in fig. 6. and in fig. 7, the wind speed data are shown in the undisturbed wind direction sectors.
Fig. 8 also presents a turbulence intensity in the undisturbed sectors.
Fig. 5. Scatter diagram of measured data Fig. 6. Turbulence intensity data with wind speed
6. Measurements and analysis results
6-1 Measured power curve
Fig. 7. Wind speed in the undisturbed sectors Fig. 8. Turbulence intensity in the undisturbed sectors
The power curve which is plotted with the normalized wind speed is same as fig. 9 and the comparision
between the measured data and the calculated one is shown in fig. 10, and they are coincide well without
a big differences.
-200
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Wind speed(m/sec)
P
o
w
e
r
(
k
W
)
Calculated Power Curve Measured Power Curve
6-2 Measured power coefficient curve
The comparison between the power coeffcient curve which are calculated with the normalized wind speed
data at standard air condition and the calculated one is shown fig. 11, then the coincidence is nearly same
with the casr of the power curve and, in the high wind speed region, the agreement of them is raised.
Fig. 9. Power curve with normalized wind speed Fig. 10. The binned power curve with
the normalized wind speed
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Wind speed(m/sec)
P
o
w
e
r

C
o
e
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
t

C
p
Calculated Cp Measured Cp
Fig. 11. The comparison between the measured and the calculated power coefficient
6-3 Uncertainty analysis of the measured power curve
In tab. 6, the A-type, B-type and the combined uncertainty of the measured power data are shown, the
ratio between the measured power curve and the calculated one on bin 7(4.48m/s) is 41.1% at minimum
level but the almost of tested power curve is coincide with the calculated one within 99%101% range. In
addition, the standard uncertainty are combined with A-type and B-type uncertainty and the standard
combined uncertainty has a low value in the low wind speed region, but the more wind speed and the
power can be got, the more uncertainty we can get, and the maximum value reached at the near rated
power as 9.97m/s(1,056.23kW) and 100.1kW. Because the wind turbine reaches to the power control
schemes at just before the rated wind speed, the high uncertainty is related with the big fluctuation of
power on this area[3].[4]. But, after the rated wind speed and the power, the wind turbine can produce the
power stably and the standard combined uncertainty are reduced dramatically by after 12.98m/s which
produce power of around 1,500kW. The A-type, B-type and the combined uncertainty through the wind
speed and the power are shown in the next fig. 12. and fig. 13.
6-4 AEP
Tab. 7 shows the estimated AEP with the measured power curve in this testing, the assumed Rayleigh
wind speed distribution and 100% availability and eq. 6 are used as calculation procedure.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
0 5 10 15 20 25
Wind speed(m/s)
S
t
a
n
d
a
r
d

u
n
c
e
r
t
a
i
n
t
y
(
k
W
)
A-type uncertainty B-type uncertainty Combined uncertainty
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600
Power(kW)
S
t
a
n
d
a
r
d

u
n
c
e
r
t
a
i
n
t
y
(
k
W
)
A-type uncertainty B-type uncertainty Combined uncertainty
Fig. 12. The uncertainty analysis through Fig. 13. The uncertainty analysis through
the wind speed the power
Tab. 6. Uncertainty analysis of the measured power curve(standard air condition)
Bin no. Windspeed(m/s) Power(kW) No. of data Cp A-type SU(kW) B-type SU(kW) Combined SU(kW)
3 2.50 -2.85 499 -0.073 0.206 5.850 5.853
4 2.99 -2.54 502 -0.038 0.329 5.775 5.785
5 3.49 -4.60 386 -0.043 0.563 5.849 5.876
6 3.99 -6.65 335 -0.042 0.811 5.858 5.914
7 4.48 16.23 318 0.072 1.253 12.743 12.804
8 4.99 62.01 228 0.200 2.165 23.839 23.937
9 5.48 121.50 197 0.295 2.480 32.656 32.750
10 6.02 192.98 177 0.355 3.374 37.485 37.637
11 6.50 276.44 194 0.404 3.395 50.813 50.926
12 6.99 366.00 133 0.430 4.516 55.417 55.601
13 7.50 470.32 119 0.448 5.186 64.615 64.823
14 8.00 556.73 147 0.436 5.336 56.442 56.694
15 8.47 680.97 131 0.450 6.387 89.737 89.964
16 9.00 794.88 90 0.438 7.223 76.221 76.563
17 9.50 930.46 80 0.436 7.024 99.368 99.616
18 9.97 1056.23 102 0.427 6.406 99.979 100.184
19 10.52 1189.43 74 0.410 7.275 96.781 97.054
20 11.01 1298.11 86 0.390 5.579 90.323 90.496
21 11.50 1369.46 84 0.361 5.609 63.576 63.823
22 12.01 1436.77 65 0.333 5.153 59.915 60.137
23 12.50 1472.83 52 0.303 5.114 37.163 37.513
24 12.98 1500.30 54 0.275 3.144 31.352 31.509
25 13.48 1506.89 54 0.247 2.914 18.594 18.821
26 13.97 1510.05 51 0.222 2.715 17.787 17.993
27 14.49 1511.24 46 0.199 2.957 17.563 17.810
28 15.02 1512.86 40 0.179 2.676 17.610 17.812
29 15.53 1514.72 30 0.162 2.350 17.670 17.826
30 16.02 1509.16 22 0.147 3.069 18.599 18.820
31 16.54 1514.04 15 0.134 3.589 18.323 18.671
32 17.02 1514.05 22 0.123 1.135 17.553 17.589
33 17.50 1503.83 24 0.113 3.147 21.528 21.757
34 18.06 1511.12 17 0.103 3.356 19.260 19.550
35 18.50 1514.17 21 0.096 4.154 18.068 18.540
36 19.04 1505.65 12 0.088 2.854 20.244 20.444
37 19.57 1514.63 8 0.081 3.997 20.748 21.130
38 20.04 1516.50 12 0.076 4.087 17.785 18.248
39 20.44 1513.26 11 0.071 4.142 18.373 18.834
40 20.91 1511.63 8 0.066 2.818 17.700 17.923
41 21.54 1516.35 8 0.061 2.237 18.292 18.428
42 22.03 1512.68 8 0.057 2.196 18.325 18.456
43 22.54 1505.20 3 0.053 1.608 20.388 20.452
44 23.05 1508.80 3 0.049 1.819 18.328 18.418
note) SU - standard uncertainty
Tab. 7. Estimated AEP(standard air condition)
Wind speed
(m/s)
Meas. AEP
(MWh)
AEP uncertainty
(MWh)
AEP uncertainty
(%)
Extrap.AEP
(MWh)
Suggest. AEP
(MWh)
Extrap. AEP/Sug. AEP
(%)
4 849 187 22.0 849 904 93.9
5 1859 276 14.8 1859 1910 97.3
6 3071 342 11.1 3071 3106 98.9
7 4306 379 8.8 4307 4321 99.7
8 5440 393 7.2 5447 5446 100.0
9 6401 391 6.1 6425 6424 100.0
10 7151 379 5.3 7205 7224 99.7
11 7679 363 4.7 7775 7835 99.2
7. Conclusion
With a 1.5MW wind turbine in the field, the power performance testing is accomplished and its AEP is
estimated with the given wind conditions. In addition, the uncertainty in the measurement of power curve
and the calculation of AEP is analyzed.
In the low wind speed region, the power curve has the high uncertainty relatively, the maximum
uncertainty is reached just before the rated wind speed but, after this region, the power output is stabilized
and the uncertainty is maintained as low level. The uncertainty of power curve has a huge influence on the
AEP and thus the AEP in the low wind speed region also has a high level of uncertainty. That is, in low
wind speed region, the uncertainty of AEP reaches at over 1020% which is so high level. As the result
of this measurements, the uncertainty of AEP will be 22% through 4.7% with the wind speed of 4m/s
through 11m/s. By the consideration of the local annual wind speed of test site at Jeju-Do island, that is,
annual average wind speed of around 78m/s, it has around 78% of uncertainty in the estimation of
AEP.
References
1. IEC 61400-12 Wind Turbine Performance Testing, 1998
2. MEASNET Power Performance Measurement Procedure, Version 3 Nov. 2000
3. K.H.Kim, Power Performance Testin for a 1.5MW in Hankyung at Jeju-Do island, KIER, 2005.
4. Germanischer Lloyd, "testing of wind turbines", 1994.