29-31 Oct 2019 Nantes (France)
An experimental database for wind turbine noise propagation in an outdoor inhomogenous medium
Bill Kayser  1@  , David Ecotiere  2@  , Benoit Gauvreau  1@  
1 : Unité Mixte de Recherche en Acoustique Environnementale
IFSTTAR - Institut Français des Sciences et Technologies des Transports, de l'Aménagement et des Réseaux
2 : Unité Mixte de Recherche en Acoustique Environnementale
Centre d'études et d'expertise sur les risques, l'environnement, la mobilité et l'aménagement

Wind turbine noise is influenced by physical phenomena related to long-range sound propagation, i.e. ground effects (roughness, impedance), and micrometeorological effects (mean refraction, intermittency fluctuations, small-scale turbulence scattering). While acoustic modelling tools have developed considerably in recent years, little work has focused on wind power issues and on estimating the uncertainties associated with measurements nor acoustic forecasting. Quantifying the overall variability and uncertainties associated with the emission-propagation-reception chain thus appears essential for controlling the acoustic impacts of wind turbines in an inhomogeneous outdoor medium. In this context, a large-scale experimental campaign was carried out in 2017 to study the emission and propagation of wind turbine noise as a function of various influent parameters (wind and temperature fields, blade pitch, ground properties, etc.). For this purpose, more than 20 sound measurement points (sound pressure level meters, audio recordings) were carried out during one week (7 days, 24/24h), including "ON/OFF" phases of the wind turbines, both in the near field (characterisation of the sound power of the machines) and in the far field (up to 1.5 km) on a frequency range including infrasound (down to 1 Hz). Simultaneously, micrometeorological monitoring were carried out using several types of devices (Lidar, 3D sonic anemometers and high meteorological mast) at different locations on the site. These surveys were supplemented by in situ acoustic impedance measurements at different locations of the surrounding types of grounds. The aim of this communication is to present the measurement campaign and the associated database, including post-processing and first analyses for future applications.


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