Generalized Wind Speed Probability Distribution
Publication: Journal of Engineering Mechanics
Volume 109, Issue 1
Abstract
The magnitude of the vector sum of two orthogonal, horizontal, wind velocity components is often modelled by the Rayleigh distribution. In the derivation, it is assumed that the components are independent, identically distributed, zero‐mean, Gaussian random variables. The effect of unequal variance components with both zero and nonzero means is investigated and the resulting distribution is found to be closely fitted by the Rayleigh distribution calibrated to the derived mean wind speed. The more general case in which the unequal variance components are correlated, again with both zero and nonzero means, is studied. The Rayleigh distribution again provides a good approximation when calibrated to the mean wind speed. Data collected by the National Weather Service are used to illustrate the approach. Comparison of the derived distribution with the observed histogram and the Rayleigh distribution shows that the Rayleigh provides a good approximation.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Cliff, W. C., “The Effect of Generalized Wind Characteristics on Annual Power Estimates from Wind Turbine Generator,” Battelle PNL 2436 Report, Energy Research and Development Administration Contract No. EY‐76‐C‐06‐1830, 1977.
2.
Corotis, R. B., “Stochastic Modelling of Site Wind Characteristics,” Final Report, ENDA/RLO/2342‐77/2, Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., Sept., 1977.
3.
Corotis, R. B., “Survey Methodology and Reliability Analysis for Site Wind Characteristics,” Final Report, DOE/RLO/2343‐79/1, Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., Jan., 1979.
4.
Crutcher, H. L., and Baer, L., “Computation for Elliptical Wind Distribution Statistics,” Journal of Applied Meteorology, Vol. 1, No. 4, Dec., 1962, pp. 522–530.
5.
Doran, J. C., Bates, J. A., Liddell, P. J. and Fox, T. D., “Accuracy of Wind Power Estimates,” Battelle PNL 2442 Report, Energy Research and Development Administration Contract No. EY‐76‐C‐06‐1830, Oct., 1977.
6.
Hald, A., Statistical Theory with Engineering Applications, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, N.Y., 1952, pp. 585–612.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
Copyright © 1983 ASCE.
History
Published online: Feb 1, 1983
Published in print: Feb 1983
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.