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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)selected Raytheon Co. to develop an advanced wind turbine modeling tool. The tool will provide an accurate assessment of the turbine’s effects on radar systems throughout the United States.
The large, rapidly moving blades of wind farm turbines can return Doppler-shifted radar signals that mimic aircraft or even a stationary tornado. This Doppler interference results in degraded radar performance that could make aircraft or weather events undetectable. The proposed new system includes a commercial software platform from Analytical Graphics Inc. (AGI), which models radars, aircraft and wind farm objects, along with terrain and environmental effects, in a time-dynamic, 3D environment. The modeling tool also uses software from State College, Pa.-based Remcom for modeling detailed electromagnetic interactions.
According to Andy Zogg, Raytheon Network Centric Systems vice president of command and control systems, it was Raytheon’s 60-year legacy of radar systems work that helped the company acquire the contract. Raython hopes to help DHS better manage approvals of wind farm applications.
The team will deliver this solution to the DHS’ Directorate of Science and Technology, Special Projects Division.
