The statistical data of five years wind speed measurements at University of Maryland, Baltimore County are used to find out the availability of wind energy resource for power generation. Wind speeds are measured at an approximately 30 meters above the ground; the monthly and yearly mean wind speeds are calculated and evaluated by using the Weibull distribution function. The annual values of k (dimensionless Weibull shape parameter) ranged from 1.78 to 1.99 with a five-year mean value of 1.87. The annual values of c (Weibull scale parameter) ranged from 3.15 to 3.60 with a five-year mean value of 3.28. The results show the highest and lowest wind power potential occurs in February and July, respectively. While this site is not appropriate for large-scale power generation, this study shows the availability of enough wind potential for non-grid connected electrical and mechanical applications. Different residential wind harvesting technologies in urban areas have been studied and more promising ones are introduced as solutions to provide larger-scale power generation at this site with a low annual mean wind speed.
- Fluids Engineering Division
An Assessment on the Wind Energy Potential and Possible Solutions for Power Generation in Baltimore County in Maryland, USA Available to Purchase
Goudarzi, N, Zhu, WD, Delgado, R, & St. Pé, A. "An Assessment on the Wind Energy Potential and Possible Solutions for Power Generation in Baltimore County in Maryland, USA." Proceedings of the ASME 2014 4th Joint US-European Fluids Engineering Division Summer Meeting collocated with the ASME 2014 12th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels. Volume 1D, Symposia: Transport Phenomena in Mixing; Turbulent Flows; Urban Fluid Mechanics; Fluid Dynamic Behavior of Complex Particles; Analysis of Elementary Processes in Dispersed Multiphase Flows; Multiphase Flow With Heat/Mass Transfer in Process Technology; Fluid Mechanics of Aircraft and Rocket Emissions and Their Environmental Impacts; High Performance CFD Computation; Performance of Multiphase Flow Systems; Wind Energy; Uncertainty Quantification in Flow Measurements and Simulations. Chicago, Illinois, USA. August 3–7, 2014. V01DT39A007. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/FEDSM2014-21784
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