An Investigation of Tidal Stream Turbine Wake Development Using Modified BEM–AD Model
Tidal stream turbines (TST) are a promising option for electricity generation to meet the ever-increasing demand for energy. The actuator disk (AD) method is often employed to represent a TST, to evaluate the TST operating in a tidal flow. While this method can effectively reduce the computational c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/5/1198 |
| _version_ | 1797264583621083136 |
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| author | Chee M. Pang David M. Kennedy Fergal O’Rourke |
| author_facet | Chee M. Pang David M. Kennedy Fergal O’Rourke |
| author_sort | Chee M. Pang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Tidal stream turbines (TST) are a promising option for electricity generation to meet the ever-increasing demand for energy. The actuator disk (AD) method is often employed to represent a TST, to evaluate the TST operating in a tidal flow. While this method can effectively reduce the computational cost and provide accurate prediction of far-wake flow conditions, it falls short of fully characterising critical hydrodynamics elements. To address this limitation, a hybrid method is implemented by coupling AD with the blade element momentum (BEM) theory, using detailed performance data, such as thrust, to enhance the prediction of the wake effects. This work focuses on the development of a hybrid BEM–AD method using Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) turbulence models within computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Two variations and a hybrid modification of an AD model are presented in this paper. The first modified variation is a velocity variation that takes into account velocity profile inflow into the disk’s configuration. The second modified variation is a radial variation that integrates the blade element theory into the disk’s configuration. The hybrid modified model combines both the velocity profiles influenced and blade element theory in the design and analysis of the actuator disk. Several key investigations on some of the pre-solver parameters are also investigated in this research such as the effect of changing velocity and radial distance on the porosity and loss coefficient of the actuator disk performance. Importantly, this work provides an improved method to evaluate the key wake effects from a TST array which is crucial to determine the power performance of the TST array. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:31:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7649fddb14304573807362d3f6d67ba2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:31:13Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-7649fddb14304573807362d3f6d67ba22024-03-12T16:43:42ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732024-03-01175119810.3390/en17051198An Investigation of Tidal Stream Turbine Wake Development Using Modified BEM–AD ModelChee M. Pang0David M. Kennedy1Fergal O’Rourke2Centre of Renewables and Energy (CREDIT), School of Engineering, Dundalk Institute of Technology, A91 K584 Dundalk, IrelandDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Technological University Dublin, Bolton Street, D07 H6K8 Dublin, IrelandCentre of Renewables and Energy (CREDIT), School of Engineering, Dundalk Institute of Technology, A91 K584 Dundalk, IrelandTidal stream turbines (TST) are a promising option for electricity generation to meet the ever-increasing demand for energy. The actuator disk (AD) method is often employed to represent a TST, to evaluate the TST operating in a tidal flow. While this method can effectively reduce the computational cost and provide accurate prediction of far-wake flow conditions, it falls short of fully characterising critical hydrodynamics elements. To address this limitation, a hybrid method is implemented by coupling AD with the blade element momentum (BEM) theory, using detailed performance data, such as thrust, to enhance the prediction of the wake effects. This work focuses on the development of a hybrid BEM–AD method using Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) turbulence models within computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Two variations and a hybrid modification of an AD model are presented in this paper. The first modified variation is a velocity variation that takes into account velocity profile inflow into the disk’s configuration. The second modified variation is a radial variation that integrates the blade element theory into the disk’s configuration. The hybrid modified model combines both the velocity profiles influenced and blade element theory in the design and analysis of the actuator disk. Several key investigations on some of the pre-solver parameters are also investigated in this research such as the effect of changing velocity and radial distance on the porosity and loss coefficient of the actuator disk performance. Importantly, this work provides an improved method to evaluate the key wake effects from a TST array which is crucial to determine the power performance of the TST array.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/5/1198tidal energyCFDRANSactuator diskBEM |
| spellingShingle | Chee M. Pang David M. Kennedy Fergal O’Rourke An Investigation of Tidal Stream Turbine Wake Development Using Modified BEM–AD Model Energies tidal energy CFD RANS actuator disk BEM |
| title | An Investigation of Tidal Stream Turbine Wake Development Using Modified BEM–AD Model |
| title_full | An Investigation of Tidal Stream Turbine Wake Development Using Modified BEM–AD Model |
| title_fullStr | An Investigation of Tidal Stream Turbine Wake Development Using Modified BEM–AD Model |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Investigation of Tidal Stream Turbine Wake Development Using Modified BEM–AD Model |
| title_short | An Investigation of Tidal Stream Turbine Wake Development Using Modified BEM–AD Model |
| title_sort | investigation of tidal stream turbine wake development using modified bem ad model |
| topic | tidal energy CFD RANS actuator disk BEM |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/5/1198 |
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