Wind turbine wakes modeling and applications: Past, present, and future

In the past few decades, wind energy technology has undergone rapid development, with large-scale wind farms bringing about significant wake effect. Since the wake effect can have a serious impact on wind turbine (WT) performance, the development of accurate WT wake models is essential for the optimal design and control of wind farms. A comprehensive review of wake modeling in WT will provide an understanding the strengths and limitations of wake models, leading to the development of more accurate and cost-effective models that are better suited to meet the operational challenges of wind farms. This review investigates the whole evolution process of WT wake models, focusing on the modeling process and application prospects. The review analyzes different wake modeling methods and explores the evolution laws of wake models. On this basis, the evolution, categorization and comparison of wake models are discussed based on the environmental characteristics of mountainous and deep-sea complex wind farms and the structural characteristics of WT, along with the prospects and potential improvements of WT wake models for complex environments. In addition, it discusses the latest research on the practical application of WT wake models, emphasizing the importance of the wake effect in the design of WT and in the construction and application of wind farms. Finally, it summarizes the limitations inherent in wake-related studies of WT, proposing potential strategies to overcome these challenges. Through systematic analysis, this review aims to deepen the understanding of WT wake effects and promote the further development of wind power technology.