From Turbines to Simulations: Computational Legacy in Wind Energy Evolution

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has become a cornerstone of wind energy research and engineering, shaping the way wind turbines are conceived, optimized, and operated. From early actuator disk and blade element momentum (BEM) theories-coupled CFD to high-fidelity large-eddy simulations, the field has progressed through key methodological advances: overset grid and sliding mesh technologies for rotating machinery; improved delayed detached-eddy simulation (IDDES/DDES) for separated, unsteady flows; multi-phase and FSI (fluid-structure interaction) coupling for aero-hydro-servo-elastic analysis of floating turbines; and terrain-resolving CFD for complex atmospheric boundary layers. Alongside these breakthroughs, persistent debates and practical constraints remain around accuracy versus computational cost, model validation and uncertainty quantification, and the transferability of CFD insights to design guidelines and operations and maintenance (O&M) decisions. One of the most important issues is on how CFD helps assisting engineering modeling for actual loads analysis in wind turbine designs.

Goal:

This Research Topic examines the historical arc and present state of CFD in wind energy, charting how methods, software, and validation practices have evolved – and where they should go next to support the sector’s rapid scaling onshore and offshore.
Our goal is to collect concise, high-quality contributions that clearly demonstrate how CFD advances improve wind turbine and wind farm performance, reliability, and decision-making. Usages of CFD in improving engineering modeling quality will be aimed.

Scope and Information for Authors:

This Research Topic welcomes contributions including, but not limited to:

• Advances in turbulence modeling and simulation methods for wind turbines and wind farms, including steady and unsteady approaches and hybrid techniques.
• Computational studies of horizontal- and vertical-axis turbines, wake behavior, wind farm interactions, and complex terrain.
• Coupled aero-hydrodynamic-structural modeling and wave–wind interaction for fixed-bottom and floating turbines.
• Credibility-focused work on verification, validation, uncertainty assessment, community test cases, and clear links to design and operations decisions.
• Demonstration on how the usage of CFD can be used to improve the reliability of engineering modeling for wind turbines, including validation or data generation approaches.

We especially value studies that compare methods on shared test cases, release transparent reference datasets, or translate simulation results into practical guidance for designers, developers, and operators.