A survey of two analytical wake models for crosswind kite power systems

TL;DR

This paper reviews two new analytical wake models for crosswind kite power systems, aiming to understand kite interactions in wind farms with simple, low-computation solutions validated against computational data.

Contribution

Introduces two novel analytical wake models based on continuity and momentum equations for crosswind kite systems, providing a simple theoretical framework for kite wake analysis.

Findings

Models compare favorably with computational results

Simpler analytical solutions require minimal computational resources

Models offer preliminary insights into kite wake interactions

Abstract

This paper presents two novel analytical wake models for crosswind kite power systems. One is developed based on the continuity equation, and the other based on both the continuity and momentum equations. For each model, equations for the wake flow speed as well as the wake shape are obtained through a rigorous theoretical approach. Wake models for crosswind kites provide a first step in the understanding of the effects of kite-to-kite aerodynamic interactions on prospective wind energy kite farms. Despite a fair number of computational studies on these wakes, few studies have attempted to provide a concrete analytical solution. Indeed, the primary motivation of this study comes from the fact that analytical models are simple in form and require very little computational power when being solved. The results from the two analytical models are compared with each other and are validated against computational results. Bearing several assumptions, these models are meant to simply offer a preliminary insight that will hopefully see many improvements with added complexity in the near future.