Experiment No.

HEIGHT EXTRAPOLATION OF WIND MAST USING

1/7TH POWER LAW INDEX
Contents
1. Problem Statement
2. Objective
3. Methodology
4. Theory
5. Observations
6. Graphs
7. Conclusions

Problem Statement:
Justify and validate the (1/7th Power Law Index) height extrapolation of wind
velocities for 10 meter, 18 meter and 30 meter wind mast.

Objective:
The experiment is to conduct the height extrapolation of wind speeds using power
law index equation at B.E.C wind site for the different heights i.e. 10meter, 18meter and
wind speeds for 30meter are extrapolated.

Methodology:a) Compute monthly and annual power law indices for the site to be used.
= log (V2/V1)/log (h2/h1).(1)
Where,
V1 =Cubic mean wind speed at height of h1 = 10 meter,
V2 = Cubic mean wind speed at height of h2 = 18 meter.

b) Extrapolate the wind speed to new height 30 meter using,

Vnew = Vref (hnew/Zref) ..(2)

Theory:
Height extrapolation of wind velocities:Dept. of EEE, BEC Bagalkot
Page 1

Experiment No.1
Wind speeds at heights of 20 meter to 120 meter above ground are desirable for
making any decision about location and type of wind turbine to be installed. Many times
the data is not available. Further, the existing wind data available at most of
meteorological stations world over is measured at height of 10 meter to 50 meter above
the ground. Hence some estimate must be made from wind speeds measured at some
height. This requires a mathematical model that predicts or extrapolates wind speed
measured at anemometer heights are extrapolated to hub height of the wind turbine.
This extrapolation is done in the same vertical plane using power law index,
which is obtained from wind speed measured at 10 meter & 18 meter heights.

Observations:
The recorded wind velocities at 10 meter height and 18 meter height are taken out
and these values are tabulated. These values are actually recorded by data logger for each
minute. These data are huge hence the average value per day is calculated and tabulated.
Now we have two averaged wind velocities v1 and v2 at 10 meters and 18 meters height
respectively. From the formula mentioned above for power law index, the power law
index for each value is calculated and the new wind velocity at 30 meter height is
calculated and the same is tabulated.

Tabular column:

Dept. of EEE, BEC Bagalkot

Page 2

Wind
Velocit
y V10
in m/s

Wind

Wind
Velocity
(1/7th
Velocity
V18 in
power law V30 in m/s
No.1
m/s Experiment
index)

Theoretic
al Value
of V30 at
=1/7

01-072013

6.34062
5

7.82097
2

0.3569858
11

9.3855037
37

8.4130181
33

02-072013

7.02347
2

9.14118
06

0.4483461
07

11.493897
3

9.8331662
79

03-072013

9.87583
3

12.5922
2

0.4133957
37

15.552980
59

13.545448
72

04-072013

12.0631
9

13.7716
6

0.2253439
87

15.451782
05

14.814172
11

05-072013
06-072013

8.34219

8.98805
4
7.72

0.1268667
61
0.3400367
61

9.5898299
31
9.1844685
35

9.6684480
24
8.3044025
71

07-072013
08-072013

8.93254
2
6.23002

9.33729
2
7.82097
2

0.0753932
67
0.3869249
07

9.7039118
45
9.5301456
45

10.044123
28
8.4130181
33

09-072013

7.75104
6

9.14118
1

0.2806490
81

10.550279
28

9.8331667
09

10-072013

10.5687
1

12.5922
2

0.2980357
07

14.662943
18

13.545448
72

11-072013

12.0054
2

13.7716
7

0.2335113
7

15.516394
5

14.814182
87

12-072013

10.2646
7

11.4262
59

0.1823883
06

12.541997
5

12.291225
49

13-072013

8.53786
9

9.41672

0.1666852
85

10.253652
13

10.129563
96

14-072013
15-072013
16-072013

7.63212
4
4.96590
3
5.12292

8.17119
17
5.23034
7
5.73222
2

0.1161111
4
0.0882675
18
0.1911895
2

8.6705073
48
5.4715773
22
6.3203067
59

8.7897493
99
5.6262833

17-072013

4.46222

5.105

0.2289505
01

5.7383644
7

5.4914475
55

18-072013

5.70305
6

6.50764

0.2245282
3

7.2985204
15

7.0002671
43

19-072013

7.85187
5

8.88645
8

0.2105801
23

9.8956796
96

9.5591612
25

20-072013

5.00811

5.73647

0.2310114
34

6.4549714
3

6.1707197
17

21-072013

6.03055
6

6.86923
6

0.2215322
12

7.6922799
5

7.3892358
94

22-077.625
8.15048
Dept.
of EEE,
BEC Bagalkot
2013
6
Page
3
23-077.39833 8.33708

8.6364937
96
9.2491432
5

8.7674762
81
8.9681986
4

12.660770

10.560757

Date

6.32142
9

2013

0.1133833
73
0.2032347
75

24-07-

7.32666

9.81756

0.4978895

6.1661501
44

Error
0.9724856
04
1.6607310
26
2.0075318
65
0.6376099
4
0.0786180
93
0.8800659
64
0.3402114
31
1.1171275
12
0.7171125
67
1.1174944
53
0.7022116
31
0.2507720
08
0.1240881
66
0.1192420
51
0.1547059
77
0.1541566
15
0.2469169
15
0.2982532
71
0.3365184
71
0.2842517
13
0.3030440
57
0.1309824
85
0.2809446
1
-

Experiment No.1
Box Plots:

Fig (i): Variation of wind velocities during the month of July(at 10m
height)

Dept. of EEE, BEC Bagalkot

Page 4

Experiment No.1

Fig (ii): Variation of wind velocities during the month of July(at 18m
height)

Conclusion:
Extrapolation of height for 30m wind mast is carried out using 1/7th power
law index and is verified.

Dept. of EEE, BEC Bagalkot

Page 5