Investigation and optimisation of the HELIX strategy are primarily done with numerical experiments. Large Eddy Simulations coupled with servo-aero-elastic tools are used to study how the HELIX impacts the wake and the loads.
The HELIX strategy is currently being tested in the lab facilities of TU Delft. The WindAI Lab testbed is unique in the world and allows to quickly test and improve control strategies with several scaled wind turbines. Experiments can also been conducted at the Open Jet Facility of the Aerospace Faculty.
The first field test of the HELIX concept will be on a 2.3 MW onshore turbine equipped with a nacelle-mounted lidar to scan the wake.
The project's final step will be to demonstrate the HELIX wake mixing and closed-loop wake steering on the 11 MW wind turbine of the HKN wind farm.