Simulation and Calibration Study on the Influence of Turbulence Caused by Attitude Changes of Ocean Data Buoys and Its Shielding Effects on Wind Speed Measurement

Abstract

Ocean data buoys are a critical means of automatically acquiring offshore oceanographic and meteorological data, offering advantages of long-term, fixed-position, continuous, and real-time monitoring. The turbulence generated by the buoy’s structure is a significant factor affecting wind speed measurement accuracy. In this study, a 10 m-diameter buoy was analyzed to evaluate the influence of structural turbulence and shielding effects on wind speed measurements. The Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations, combined with the RNG k–ε turbulence model, were employed to simulate the flow field and turbulence characteristics. Numerical simulations were conducted to calculate wind fields around the buoy and measured wind speeds at two sensor heights with varying pitch angles. The shielding effects on wind measurements were examined across different wind directions. To assess the impact of photovoltaic panels, wind fields and wind speed measurements were also analyzed for a configuration without these panels. Results indicate that shielding effects can cause substantial wind speed measurement errors, particularly when sensors are located on the leeward side, due to the formation of low -wind -speed zones in the wake region. Measurement error increases with higher incident wind speeds. Sensors positioned at greater elevations exhibit improved accuracy, as they are less affected by near-surface turbulence. Removing photovoltaic panels reduces measurement error; however, the shielding effects caused by the buoy body itself remain significant and cannot be neglected.