Numerical Simulation Investigation of Wind Field Characteristics and Acceleration Effects over V-Shaped Hills

Wind energy resources play an important role in sustainable development, and the accelerating effect of wind has been found in V-shaped hills, which informs the siting of wind turbines in this type of terrain. The wind field around the V-shaped hill was simulated using the CFD method. The impact of wind angle, hill pinch angle, and the distance between the hills on the wind field around the V-shaped hill was investigated. Wind acceleration effects at specific locations were studied and analyzed, and these findings were compared with established codes. It was observed that the wind speed at the hill’s top under each wind angle is significantly higher compared to other areas. Additionally, the acceleration ratio at the top generally exhibits a decreasing trend with increasing height. If the wind angle is 15° and the pinch angle is greater than or equal to 15°, or if the distance between the hills is less than or equal to 50 m, the wake zone will gradually transition from two to one. The distance between the hills minimally affects the acceleration ratio at the mid-height and top of the hill. Several codes exhibit inconsistency in specifying acceleration effects in hilly terrain. The findings in this paper align most closely with the American code at the base of the hill. At the hill’s top, the American code is the lowest above 100 m, while the Chinese code is the highest below 100 m. The findings in this paper fall between those of the Japanese and Australian codes. The formulas for the variation in wind speed acceleration ratio at typical locations with respect to height and the angle between the hills are provided.