Statistical characterization of marine wind structure over wind-turbine-relevant heights in tropical cyclones

Tropical cyclones (or typhoons, hurricanes) may influence the power production and structural integrity of offshore wind turbines. However, understanding of tropical cyclone wind structure over turbine-relevant heights remains limited. Based on observations from a wind lidar and a meteorological mast at a planned offshore wind farm site, this paper investigates the marine wind characteristics, e.g., wind speed shear, wind direction veer, and turbulence intensity, over turbine-relevant heights in tropical cyclones. Statistical distributions of the marine wind characteristics are analyzed, and their variations with upstream fetch conditions and hub-height wind speeds are examined. Some noteworthy features of the marine wind structure in tropical cyclones are observed, such as the median wind veer rate of 0.018 degrees/m and veer angle of 2.2 degrees across the turbine rotor heights, different wind shear coefficients and wind veer rates for upper and lower rotors, and levelling off or decrease of wind shear coefficient and turbulence intensity with increasing wind speed at hub-height wind speed over 25 m/s. The outcome of this study is expected to provide useful information for design and operation of offshore wind turbines, marine platforms, and other ocean structures in tropical cyclone-prone regions.