Biography
Education
KU Leuven (Leuven, Belgium): PhD researcher in Mechanical Engineering (2013 – 2017)
PhD dissertation: Large-eddy Simulation & Optimal coordinated control of wind-farm boundary layers
Master of Science in Energy Engineering: Thermo-mechanical Energy (KU Leuven, 2013)
Honors: Magna cum laude
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, minor in Materials Science (KU Leuven, 2011)
Honors: Magna cum laude
Career
2023 - Sept. 2024: Senior Research Engineer in Environmental and Applied Fluid Dynamics,von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics, VKI, Sint-Genesius-Rode, Belgium
2020 - 2023: Research Engineer in Environmental and Applied Fluid Dynamics, von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics, VKI, Sint-Genesius-Rode, Belgium
2019-2020: Lecturer in Scientific Computing, Eindhoven University of Technology, TU/e, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
2018-2019: Postdoctoral researcher in Mechanical Engineering, KU Leuven, Belgium
Spring 2014: Visiting researcher, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
2012 -2013: Teaching assistant, KU Leuven,Belgium
Grants & Awards
- 2014 – 2022: HPC grants - 14 successful project applications for Flemish Tier 1 supercomputer resources (VSC - muk, BrENIAC, Hortense) for 50M+ corehours.
- Award 2020 Excellent course evaluation certificate for “Introduction to Computational Science” at TU/e, with perfect 5/5 score for teacher evaluation.
- Postdoc Grant 2019 KTH FLOW 2-year Postdoctoral Grant (P. Schlatter, R. Vinuesa). Not taken up.
- Award 2018 Best Pitch Presentation & Poster at VSC User Day 2018 (700k corehours)
- Award 2013 “Best Teaching Assistant” nomination for “Numerical Techniques in Fluid Dynamics” at KU Leuven
Service to Society
2020 - present: European Academy of Wind Energy (EAWE): Member of Science Communication Committee: Setting EAWE strategy on science communication towards the general public, with a specific focus on K12 children education.
2017 - 2018: European Academy of Wind Energy (EAWE) Member of Young Scientific Committee: Member of scientific committee for organization of EAWE PhD seminar in Brussels at VUB
2023: External jury member for PhD defense of dr. Ishaan Sood (KU Leuven 2023, now at Laborelec)
Journal reviewer for: Wind Energy, Wind Energy Science Journal, Journal of Turbulence, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Energies, Journal of Physics - Conference Series, Fluids, Atmosphere, Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy. [Publons profile: https://publons.com/researcher/1552204/wim-munters/peer-review/]
2022-2023:Proposal reviewer for: European Research Council Consolidator Grant (2022), Horizon Europe (2023)
Invited Lectures:
- Lecture 2023, Multi-scale modelling of atmospheric flows with applications to wind energy, VKI Lecture Series on Multidisciplinary simulation of wind farms in complex environments
- Symposium 2022: WRF for wind engineering: multi-scale wind engineering for offshore wind farms, TU/e: KIVI Symposium Eindhoven
- Science Communication 2021, Turbulence at the exascale, Online: Podcast interview in UK Turbulence consortium:
- Lecture 2020: An overview of experiments and simulation strategies for Atmospheric Boundary Layers, VKI/online: H2020 ZEPHYR training
- Science Communication 201:9 Experience as a Belgian scientist in the Netherlands, TU/e
- Symposium 2019 Wind-farm modeling and control, Sioux Lime Eindhoven
- Symposium 2019 Wind-farm modeling and control, DTU (Roskilde, DK): Wake modeling Seminar
Teaching
2024 Introduction to Turbulence (numerical parts on DNS, RANS, and LES) [master-after-master], VKI
2023 2024 Physics of Atmospheres (boundary layer meteorology, numerical modeling of atmospheric flows) [master-after-master], Lecturer VKI
2023 2025 Lecture Series CFD for Atmospheric Flows and Wind Engineering [post-graduate] Lecturer VKI
2022 2024 Lecture Series Introduction to Quantum Computing for Fluid Dynamics [post-graduate], Lecturer, Co-director VKI
2021 – 2024 MAFD TCS (Wind turbine wake modeling) [post-graduate], VKI
2020 Introduction to Computational Science (numerical analysis and scientific computing) [BSc] Coordinator, Lecturer TU/e
2019 Introduction to Calculus (general introduction to calculus) [BSc] Coordinator, Lecturer TU/e
2019 Introduction to Numerical Analysis (numerical analysis for applied mathematics students) [BSc] Lecturer TU/e
2019 Theory and practice of Ordinary Differential Equations (numerical solution of ODE for applied math students) [MSc] Assistant Lecturer TU/e
2019 Dynamics (mechanical eng.) [BSc] Assistant Lecturer TU/e
2019 Introduction to Transport Phenomena (mechanical eng.) [BSc] Assistant Lecturer TU/e
2019 Probability and Statistics [BSc] Teaching assistant TU/e
2013- 2017 Numerical Techniques in Fluid Dynamics (building a CFD solver from scratch in MATLAB) [MSc] Teaching assistant KU Leuven
2013- 2017 Numerical Modeling in Mechanical Engineering (FV, FD, FEM in MATLAB) [MSc] Teaching assistant KU Leuven
2014- 2016 Integrated Project in Mechanical Engineering [BSc] Teaching assistant KU Leuven
2014- 2015 Thermal Systems & Energy Management (Heat pump labs) [MSc] Teaching assistant KU Leuven
2014- 2015 Energy Conversion Machines & Systems (HVAC labs) [BSc] Teaching assistant KU Leuven
Publications
Articles in internationally reviewed academic journals
Ivanova, T., Porchetta, S., Buckingham, S., van Beeck, J., Munters, W. Improving Wind and Power Predictions via Four-Dimensional Data Assimilation in the WRF Model: Case Study of Storms in February 2022 at Belgian Offshore Wind Farms. Wind Energy Science Discussions (under review)
Munters, W., Koloszar, L., Planquart, P. (2023) Performance of hybrid turbulence models in OpenFOAM for numerical simulations of a confined backward-facing step flow at low Prandtl number. Technische Mechanik – European Journal of Engineering Mechanics 43 (1), 94 – 110 Vemuri, A.,
Buckingham, S., Munters, W., Helsen, J., van Beeck, J. (2022) Sensitivity analysis of mesoscale simulations to physics parameterizations over the Belgian North Sea using Weather Research and Forecasting – Advanced Research WRF (WRF – ARW). Wind Energy Science,7 (5), 1869 – 1888 Zarri,
A., Dell’Erba, E., Munters, W., Schram, C. (2022) Aeroacoustic installation effects in multi-rotorcraft: Numerical investigations of a small-size drone model. Aerospace Science and Technology, 128, 107762
Porchetta, S., Muñoz-Esparza, D., Munters, W., van Beeck, J., van Lipzig, N. (2021). Impact of ocean waves on offshore wind farm power production. Renewable Energy, 180, 1179 – 1193
Munters, W., Meyers, J. (2018). Towards practical dynamic induction control of wind farms: analysis of optimally controlled wind-farm boundary layers and sinusoidal induction control of first-row turbines. Wind Energy Science, 3, 409 - 425
Munters, W. , Meyers, J. (2018). Dynamic strategies for yaw and induction control of wind farms based on largeeddy simulation and optimization. Energies, 11 (1), art.nr.177.
Munters, W., Meyers, J. (2017). An optimal control framework for dynamic induction control of wind farms and their interaction with the atmospheric boundary layer. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London A, Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 375 (2091), 20160100.
Goit, J., Munters, W., Meyers, J. (2016). Optimal coordinated control of power extraction in LES of a wind farm with entrance effects. Energies, 9 (1), art.nr. 29.
Munters, W., Meneveau, C., Meyers, J. (2016). Turbulent inflow precursor method with time-varying direction for large-eddy simulations and applications to wind farms. Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 159 (2), 305-328.
Munters, W., Meneveau, C., Meyers, J. (2016). Shifted periodic boundary conditions for simulations of wallbounded turbulent flows. Physics of Fluids, 28, art.nr. 025112.
Articles in peer-reviewed conference proceedings
Palatos-Plexidas, A., Gremmo, S., Porchetta, S., van Beeck, J., De Cruz. L., Munters, W. (2024) A numerical analysis of wind farm wake characteristics in the southern part of the North Sea. TORQUE Conference. Florence, IT, 29 – 31 May 2024. (Accepted)
Ivanova, T., Porchetta, S., Buckingham, S., van Beeck, J., Munters, W. (2024). Investigating North Sea Precipitation Variability: Implications for Offshore Wind Energy Siting and Condition Assessments. TORQUE Conference. Florence, IT, 29 – 31 May 2024.(Accepted)
Vemuri, A., Porchetta, S., Munters, W., Gebel, J., Nejad, A., Helsen, J., van Beeck, J. (2024). Integrating COAWST and OpenFAST for wind turbine loading. TORQUE Conference. Florence, IT, 29 – 31 May 2024. (Accepted)
Oder, J., Alsailani, M., Koloszar, L., Munters, W., Laboureur, D. (2023). Direct Numerical Simulation of Flow in a Confined Differentially Heated Cavity at Low Prandtl Numbers. NURETH-20. Washington, DC, 20 – 25 August, 2023.
Foloppe, B., Dewitte, L., Munters, W. (2023). Potential increase in annual energy production of the Belgian offshore wind-farm cluster through wake steering : farm-based versus cluster-wide optimization. Wake 2023 Conference. Visby, 20-22 June 2023.
Munters, W., Adiloglu, B., Buckingham, S., van Beeck, J. (2022). Wake impact of constructing a new offshore wind farm zone on an existing downwind cluster: a case study of the Belgian Princess Elisabeth zone using FLORIS. Journal of Physics: Conference Series: Vol. 2265. The Science of Making Torque from Wind. Delft, 1 – 3 June 2022.
Foloppe, B., Munters, W., Buckingham, S., Vandevelde, L., van Beeck, J. (2022). Development of a dynamic wake model accounting for wake advection delays and mesoscale wind transients. Journal of Physics: Conference Series: Vol. 2265. The Science of Making Torque from Wind. Delft, 1 – 3 June 2022.
Vemuri, A., Munters, W., Buckingham, S., Helsen, J., van Beeck, J. (2022). Modeling extreme weather events for offshore wind in the North Sea: a sensitivity analysis to physics parameterizations in WRF. Journal of Physics: Conference Series: Vol. 2265. The Science of Making Torque from Wind. Delft, 1 – 3 June 2022.
Munters, W., Koloszar, L., Planquart, P. (2022). Numerical simulation of a confined backward-facing step flow using hybrid turbulence models in OpenFOAM. Conference on Modelling Fluid Flow (CMFF’22). Budapest, 30 August – 2 September 2022. Budapest, Hungary.
Munters, W., Meyers, J. (2018). Optimal dynamic induction and yaw control of wind farms: effects of turbine spacing and layout. Journal of Physics: Conference Series: Vol. 1037. The Science of Making Torque from Wind. Milan, 20-22 June 2018.
Munters, W., Meyers, J. (2016). Effect of wind turbine response time on optimal dynamic induction control of wind farms. Journal of Physics: Conference Series: Vol. 753. The Science of Making Torque from Wind. Munich, 5- 7 October 2016.
Meyers, J., Munters, W., Goit, J. (2016). A framework for optimization of turbulent wind-farm boundary layers and application to optimal control of wind-farm energy extraction. Proceedings of the American Control Conference. American Control Conference (ACC). Boston, 6-8 July 2016 (art.nr. WeA15.3)
Abstracts presented at international scientific conferences
Munters, W., Kale, B., Gillyns, E., van Beeck, J., Buckingham, S. (2023). Weathering the storm: a large-eddy simulation study of offshore wind farm flows in transient weather conditions. Wind Energy Science Conference 2023, Glasgow, UK, 23 – 25 May 2023
Vemuri, A., Munters, W., Buckingham, S., Helsen, J., van Beeck, J. (2023). Modeling wind turbine loading during extreme weather events through a coupling of OpenFAST to WRF simulations at turbulence gray-zone resolutions. Wind Energy Science Conference 2023, Glasgow, UK, 23 – 25 May 2023
Porchetta, S., Munters, W., Howland, M. (2023). Power validation of different mesoscale wind farm parameterizations in WRF. Wind Energy Science Conference 2023, Glasgow, UK, 23 – 25 May 2023
Foloppe, B., Munters, W., van Beeck, J., Vandevelde, L. (2023). Wake behavior downstream of a wind turbine providing Frequency Containment Reserve using a dynamic engineering wake model. Wind Energy Science Conference 2023, Glasgow, UK, 23 – 25 May 2023
Ivanova, T., Buckingham, S., van Beeck, J., Munters, W. (2023). Improving the predictions of leading-edge erosion drivers for the Belgian offshore wind farms via data assimilation in WRF. Wind Energy Science Conference 2023, Glasgow, UK, 23 – 25 May 2023
Schena, L., Gillyns, E., Munters, W., Buckingham, S., Mendez, MA. (2022). Control of a wind turbine via machine learning techniques. ECCOMAS 2022, 5 – 9 June 2022.
Vemuri, A., Buckingham, S., Munters, W., Daems, PJ., Delobbe, L., Helsen, J., van Beeck, J. (2021). Prediction of high-impact weather phenomena over Belgian offshore wind farms: A case study of Storm Ciara. Wind Energy Science Conference. Hannover (online), 25 – 27 May 2021.
Porchetta, S., Muñoz-Esparza, D., Munters, W., van Beeck, J., van Lipzig, N. (2021). Surface wave influences on offshore wind turbines: a coupled atmosphere-wave model investigation. Wind Energy Science Conference. Hannover (online), 25 – 27 May 2021.
Munters, W., Meyers, J. (2018). A data-driven flow model for wind-farm control based on Koopman mode decomposition of large-eddy simulations. Bulletin of the American Physical Society: vol. 63. Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics. Atlanta, GA, November 2018.
Munters, W., Meyers, J. (2017). Optimal coordinated control of wind-farm boundary layers in large-eddy simulations: intercomparison between dynamic yaw control and dynamic induction control. Wind Energy Science Conference. Lyngby, 26 – 29 June 2017.
Meyers, J., Munters, W. (2017). Optimal coordinated control of wind-farm boundary layers in large-eddy simulations: intercomparison between dynamic yaw control and dynamic induction control. Wind Energy Science Conference. Lyngby, 26 – 29 June 2017.
Munters, W., Meyers, J. (2016). PDE-constrained optimal control of large-scale wind farms. European Conference on Computational Optimization. Leuven, 12-14 September 2016.
Munters, W., Meyers, J. (2016). Optimal control of wind-farm boundary layers: effect of turbine response time. Bulletin of the American Physical Society: vol. 61. Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics. Portland, OR, 20-22 November 2016, Abstract No. L2.00009.
Meyers, J., Munters, W., Vahid Bokharaie, V. (2016). Optimal control and optimization of wind farms using largeeddy simulations. EUROMECH Colloquium 576 Wind Farms in Complex Terrains. Stockholm, 8-10 June 2016.
Meyers, J., Munters, W., Vahid Bokharaie, V. (2016). LES-based optimal control and optimization of wind farms. Windfarms 2016: International colloquium on wind-power plants. Richardson, Texas, 23-25 May 2016.
Munters, W., Goit, J., Meyers, J. (2016). HPC-based optimal coordinated control in large-eddy simulations of wind farms. HPC-CORE Workshop. Lancaster, UK, 7-8 April 2016.
Munters, W., Meneveau, C., Meyers, J. (2015). Turbulent inflow precursor method with time-varying direction for large eddy simulations and applications to wind farms. International Colloquium on Large Wind-Power Plants: Interaction, Control, and Integration. Book of Abstracts. Windfarms 2015. Leuven, 8-10 July 2015.
Meneveau, C., Munters, W., Meyers, J. (2015). Turbulent Inflow Conditions for Time-Varying Mean-Flow Directions in LES with Application to Wind Farms. International conference on model integration across disparate scales in complex turbulent flow simulation (ICMIDS). State College, PA, USA, 15-17 June 2015.
Munters, W., Meneveau, C., Meyers, J. (2015). Shifted periodic boundary conditions for large-eddy simulation of wind farms. Bulletin of the American Physical Society: vol. 60. Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics.. Boston, MA, USA, 22 - 24 November 2015, Abstract No. G12.00006.
Meyers, J., Goit, J., Munters, W. (2015). Optimal coordinated control of energy extraction in wind farms. International Colloquium on Large Wind-Power Plants: Interaction, Control, and Integration. Book of Abstracts.. Windfarms 2015. Leuven, 8 - 10 July 2015.
Meyers, J., Munters, W., Goit, J. (2015). Optimal coordinated control of energy extraction in LES of wind farms: effect of turbine arrangement patterns. Bulletin of the American Physical Society: vol. 60. Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics. Boston, MA, USA, 22 - 24 November 2015.
Meyers, J., Goit, J., Munters, W. (2014). Optimal control of energy extraction in LES of large wind farms. Bulletin of the American Physical Society: vol. 59. Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics. San Francisco, CA, USA, 23-25 November 2014, Abstract No. E24.00004.
Munters, W., Meneveau, C., Meyers, J. (2014). A concurrent precursor inflow method for LES of atmospheric boundary layer flows with variable inflow direction for coupling with meso-scale models. Bulletin of the American Physical Society: vol. 59. Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics. San Francisco, CA, USA, 23-25 November 2014, Abstract No. L35.00005.