Potential Effects of Wind Turbine Generators on Pre-Existing RF Communication Networks
Wind turbine interference prediction studies on RF communications
systems can be accomplished using ATDI’s RF planning software packages: ICS Telecom and HTZ Warfare. ICS Telecom and HTZ Warfare
possess the ability to model the effect of wind farms on any radio communications
technology, including broadcast, mobile, radar, and satellite.
ATDI’s comprehensive radio network planning tool-kit
offers features that allow for the import and configuration of a wind turbine farm on a digital terrain
modeling workspace and the ability to model the subsequent effects on an RF communications system. The two white
papers below that describe the interference effects upon radar and microwave links may be downloaded.
Interference Effects on Primary Surveillance Radar
Primary surveillance radar (PSR) is the tracking mechanism that airports use to monitor
the positions of airborne targets. PSR functions on the basic radar principle whereupon
transmitted RF energy is reflected back to radar by a target, allowing for the radar
system to calculate the target's position. Some possible interference effects caused by wind turbines
to such radar are:
- i) formation of shadow regions
- ii) target loss due to clutter returns
- iii) false target generation due to clutter returns
It is the vast amount of electromagnetic energy reflected by the large, metallic turbines that
creates the most
worrisome effect. Known as clutter return, it can lead to the 'twinkling' effect, in which turbines
appear for brief periods of time on a radar operator's display. The below image
created in the HTZ Warfare, shows areas where false targets are likely to
appear.
Areas of Possible Turbine 'Twinkling' - Image produced by HTZ Warfare
To download the full white paper detailing a full analysis of a primary surveillance radar system,
please click on the link below.
Wind Turbine Effects on Primary Surveillance Radar
Interference Effects on Microwave Links
Practical wind turbine analyses should carefully consider three different criteria that
can cause potential worst-case performance degradation to a microwave link system.
These criteria include:
- i) near-field propagation
- ii) diffraction propagation
- iii) reflection/scattering propagation effects that can lead to possible interference scenarios
The image below displays an example of multipath analysis run in ICS Telecom. This
is but one of the many forms of analysis possible using this RF planning tool.
Multipath Effects on Microwave System Due to Reflection from
Wind Turbines
To download the full white paper detailing a full analysis of a microwave link system,
please click on the link below.
Wind Turbine Effects on Microwave Link
Software
ICS Telecom: radio network planning and analysis- technical spectrum management- from 10kHz to 450 GHz.
HTZ Warfare: tactical radio communication planning- electronic warfare.
ICS Manager: administrative spectrum management.
ICS Map Server: workshop for 2D and 3D digital cartography.
Antios : antenna design in 2D and 3D.
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