Keeta Chapman-Smith
PhD
Modelling Tropical Cyclones for Safer Farm Design and Operation
Host Organisation
Technical University of Denmark
Company
Ørsted
Project Description
There has been an increase of offshore wind farm development in tropical cyclone affected areas. However, the impact of one of the most damaging weather phenomena has not been sufficiently addressed in relation to wind farm design and turbine operation, leaving a grey area in international standard guidelines. In order to understand the impact tropical cyclones can have on wind turbines, we first must understand their wind fields. Reanalysis datasets can provide some insight, but due to their spatial resolution they often underestimate the tropical cyclone maximum winds. Numerical modelling can provide detailed information on the wind field, though, this is computationally expensive. The aim of this project is to develop methods that can capture the wind field of a tropical cyclone in a computationally efficient way, while recognising that tropical cyclones behave differently across regions due to the point of formation, atmospheric forces and land-sea interactions.
Supervisors
Xiaoli Guo Larsén
Mark Brodersen
Morten Niels Nielsen
Jana Fischereit
Background
I am from New Zealand, born and raised in a town called Napier located in the North Island. To study Physics at the University of Otago I moved to the South Island to a town called Dunedin. My master’s research focused on understanding the atmospheric impact from substorm-induced electron precipitation. Substorms are a type of space storm that also cause the Northern and Southern lights. I finished my master’s studies in November 2021 (formally graduating in December 2022) before starting work in Auckland as a Data Scientist for a small data consultancy firm. While working as a Data Scientist I was exposed to a range of clients and was able to develop my communication skills. In October 2023 I moved to Germany to try to broaden my horizons and explore the European renewable energy sector before eventually finding my home in Copenhagen.
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I have always wanted to work in the renewable sector. The problem that I have always faced, is in which area and in what capacity. When I came across this PhD, I knew that it was the perfect fit. It coupled working with atmospheric data, renewable energy, a touch of economics and in research. Another significant positive of this program is that it partners with industry. By partnering with industry, I will be able to undertake in-depth research while keeping it aligned with what industry is trying to learn from this project. I also wanted to study a PhD abroad so that I can learn different ways of working and understand how other countries are tackling problems.