CENTRALE LYON

Overview

École Centrale de Lyon is a founding member of the Centrale network. The following PhD position focuses on numerical simulation of wind turbine noise propagation in the atmosphere, accounting for three-dimensional effects.

Description of the work

The objectives of the PhD are threefold.

• First, develop a reference numerical model for the propagation of wind turbine noise in the atmosphere. The model will be based on a 3D parabolic equation using a formulation adapted to sound propagation in a moving and inhomogeneous atmosphere. It will incorporate an aeroacoustic source model for the wind turbine and integrate data from large-eddy simulations for the atmospheric flow.

• Second, once the model is validated on test cases, perform comparisons with in situ measurements from a wind farm in collaboration with CEREMA.

• Third, apply the model to investigate three-dimensional propagation effects arising in wind turbine noise context, including the effect of the three-dimensional flow around the wind turbine.

These results will be used to provide recommendations to improve operational models employed in noise assessment studies for wind farms.

References

[1] M. Pawlaczyk-Łuszczyńska, K. Zaborowski, A. Dudarewicz, M. Zamojska-Daniszewska, and M. Waszkowska. Response to noise emitted by wind farms in people living in nearby areas. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2018.

[2] L. Hanna, L. Feinberg, J. Brown-Saracino, F. Bennet, R. May, and J. Köppel. Results of IEA wind adaptive management white paper. Technical report, International Energy Agency Wind Implementing Agreement, 2016.

[3] Colas, J., Emmanuelli, A., Dragna, D., Blanc-Benon, P., Cotté, B. & Stevens, R.J.A.M., 2024, Impact of a two-dimensional steep hill on wind turbine noise propagation, Wind Energy Science, 9, 1869-1884.

[4] R. J. A. M. Stevens, D. F. Gayme, and C. Meneveau. Effects of turbine spacing on the power output of extended wind-farms. Wind Energy, 19(2) :359–370, 2015.

[5] W. Z. Shen, W. J. Zhu, E. Barlas, and Y. Li. Advanced flow and noise simulation method for windfarm assessment in complex terrain. Renewable Energy, 143 :1812–1825, 2019.

[6] B. Kayser, Gauvreau B, and D. Ecotière. Sensitivity analysis of a parabolic equation model to ground impedance and surface roughness for wind turbine noise. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 146(5) :3222–3231, 2019.

[7] H. Bommidala, J. Colas, A. Emmanuelli, D. Dragna, C. Khodr, B. Cotté, and R. J.A.M. Stevens. Three-dimensional effects of the wake on wind turbine sound propagation using parabolic equation. Journal of Sound and Vibration, 608 :119036, 2025.

[8] V. E. Ostashev, J. Colas, D. Dragna, and D. K. Wilson. Phase-preserving narrow- and wide-angle parabolic equations for sound propagation in moving media. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 155(2) :1086–1102, 02 2024.

[9] Tian, Y. and Cotté, B.: Wind Turbine Noise Modeling Based on Amiet’s Theory: Effects of Wind Shear and Atmospheric Turbulence, Acta Acust. united Ac., 102, 626–639.

[10] PIBE project, Database from the long-term measurement campaign, cerema-med.shinyapps.io/pibe-app/

Required skills / qualifications

• Diplomas: master’s degree or equivalent (engineering diploma) in acoustics, mechanical engineering, physics, or a related field.

• Experience: none required.

• Knowledge required: background in acoustics, fluid mechanics, aeroacoustics, and numerical methods.

• Operational skills: hands-on experience with computing in C/C++, Fortran, Python, or similar programming languages; excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

• Behavioural skills: autonomy, curiosity, initiative, and ease of interpersonal communication.

Work context / environment

This PhD work is within the French project EOPE (Évaluation des modèles Opérationnels pour la Prévision du bruit des Éoliennes en environnement réaliste) funded by the French agency for ecological transition ADEME. EOPE is a collaborative project between Centrale Lyon, CEREMA, and University of Twente, which aims to develop a reference numerical model for wind turbine noise propagation and to provide recommendations to improve the operational