Design of a Novel Experimental Facility for Testing of Tidal Arrays
In order to obtain the maximum amount of energy from tidal stream extraction devices, deployment in large arrays should be studied. The area of seabed with favorable conditions is fairly limited; therefore layout spacing has to be optimized. In this paper a feasibility study for a novel experimental...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2013-08-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/6/8/4117 |
| _version_ | 1811303525986074624 |
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| author | Matevz Pintar Athanasios J. Kolios |
| author_facet | Matevz Pintar Athanasios J. Kolios |
| author_sort | Matevz Pintar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In order to obtain the maximum amount of energy from tidal stream extraction devices, deployment in large arrays should be studied. The area of seabed with favorable conditions is fairly limited; therefore layout spacing has to be optimized. In this paper a feasibility study for a novel experimental facility, suitable for the testing of an array of tidal devices, is presented. To avoid space and scale limitations of towing tanks, testing is proposed to be performed in large lakes or calm seas using a self-propelled vessel, which will carry an array of devices with variable spacing, creating relevant speed differences and measuring their performance and loading. Using hydrodynamic scaling laws, an appropriate size for test turbines and the range of vessel speed was determined to fulfill experimental requirements. Computational fluid dynamic simulations, using the actuator disc method, have suggested a suitable turbine array configuration to resemble real application conditions. A simplified model of the vessel was analyzed using the finite elements method to determine the main scantlings. The hull resistance calculated by empirical formulae was found to be negligible compared to the resistance of the tested turbine. It was confirmed that turbine size and speed determined by scaling laws are also reasonable from a propulsion point of view. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T07:49:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d578b204261b4415959fa57434fcd2c2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T07:49:33Z |
| publishDate | 2013-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-d578b204261b4415959fa57434fcd2c22022-12-22T02:55:35ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732013-08-01684117413310.3390/en6084117Design of a Novel Experimental Facility for Testing of Tidal ArraysMatevz PintarAthanasios J. KoliosIn order to obtain the maximum amount of energy from tidal stream extraction devices, deployment in large arrays should be studied. The area of seabed with favorable conditions is fairly limited; therefore layout spacing has to be optimized. In this paper a feasibility study for a novel experimental facility, suitable for the testing of an array of tidal devices, is presented. To avoid space and scale limitations of towing tanks, testing is proposed to be performed in large lakes or calm seas using a self-propelled vessel, which will carry an array of devices with variable spacing, creating relevant speed differences and measuring their performance and loading. Using hydrodynamic scaling laws, an appropriate size for test turbines and the range of vessel speed was determined to fulfill experimental requirements. Computational fluid dynamic simulations, using the actuator disc method, have suggested a suitable turbine array configuration to resemble real application conditions. A simplified model of the vessel was analyzed using the finite elements method to determine the main scantlings. The hull resistance calculated by empirical formulae was found to be negligible compared to the resistance of the tested turbine. It was confirmed that turbine size and speed determined by scaling laws are also reasonable from a propulsion point of view.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/6/8/4117tidal stream turbinewake interactionexperimental vesseltidal farmarray optimisation |
| spellingShingle | Matevz Pintar Athanasios J. Kolios Design of a Novel Experimental Facility for Testing of Tidal Arrays Energies tidal stream turbine wake interaction experimental vessel tidal farm array optimisation |
| title | Design of a Novel Experimental Facility for Testing of Tidal Arrays |
| title_full | Design of a Novel Experimental Facility for Testing of Tidal Arrays |
| title_fullStr | Design of a Novel Experimental Facility for Testing of Tidal Arrays |
| title_full_unstemmed | Design of a Novel Experimental Facility for Testing of Tidal Arrays |
| title_short | Design of a Novel Experimental Facility for Testing of Tidal Arrays |
| title_sort | design of a novel experimental facility for testing of tidal arrays |
| topic | tidal stream turbine wake interaction experimental vessel tidal farm array optimisation |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/6/8/4117 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT matevzpintar designofanovelexperimentalfacilityfortestingoftidalarrays AT athanasiosjkolios designofanovelexperimentalfacilityfortestingoftidalarrays |