Minimising turbine thrust variation in multi-rotor tidal fences

Recent analysis of tidal stream energy devices has focussed on maximising power output. Studies have shown that significant performance enhancement can be achieved through the constructive interference effects that develop between tidal stream turbines by deploying them close together. However, this...

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Main Authors: Vogel, CR, Stephenson, T
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2020
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author Vogel, CR
Stephenson, T
author_facet Vogel, CR
Stephenson, T
author_sort Vogel, CR
collection OXFORD
description Recent analysis of tidal stream energy devices has focussed on maximising power output. Studies have shown that significant performance enhancement can be achieved through the constructive interference effects that develop between tidal stream turbines by deploying them close together. However, this results in variation in the flow incident on the turbines and hence leads to thrust variation across the turbine fence. This may lead to varying damage rates across the fence with adverse impacts on operation and maintenance costs over the turbine lifetime. This study investigates strategies to reduce thrust variation across fences of tidal turbines using three-dimensional Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes simulations. It is shown that the variation in turbine thrust across a fence of eight turbines can be reduced to within 1% with minimal impact on the fence power. Furthermore, by reducing the rotational speed of inboard turbines, or varying the blade pitch angle of the turbines across the fence, it is possible to reduce overall turbine loads and increase the power to thrust ratio of the turbines.
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spelling oxford-uuid:9d2bdef8-21b7-4939-85d8-a4276bddc6fd2022-03-27T00:41:01ZMinimising turbine thrust variation in multi-rotor tidal fencesJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:9d2bdef8-21b7-4939-85d8-a4276bddc6fdEnglishSymplectic ElementsSpringer2020Vogel, CRStephenson, TRecent analysis of tidal stream energy devices has focussed on maximising power output. Studies have shown that significant performance enhancement can be achieved through the constructive interference effects that develop between tidal stream turbines by deploying them close together. However, this results in variation in the flow incident on the turbines and hence leads to thrust variation across the turbine fence. This may lead to varying damage rates across the fence with adverse impacts on operation and maintenance costs over the turbine lifetime. This study investigates strategies to reduce thrust variation across fences of tidal turbines using three-dimensional Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes simulations. It is shown that the variation in turbine thrust across a fence of eight turbines can be reduced to within 1% with minimal impact on the fence power. Furthermore, by reducing the rotational speed of inboard turbines, or varying the blade pitch angle of the turbines across the fence, it is possible to reduce overall turbine loads and increase the power to thrust ratio of the turbines.
spellingShingle Vogel, CR
Stephenson, T
Minimising turbine thrust variation in multi-rotor tidal fences
title Minimising turbine thrust variation in multi-rotor tidal fences
title_full Minimising turbine thrust variation in multi-rotor tidal fences
title_fullStr Minimising turbine thrust variation in multi-rotor tidal fences
title_full_unstemmed Minimising turbine thrust variation in multi-rotor tidal fences
title_short Minimising turbine thrust variation in multi-rotor tidal fences
title_sort minimising turbine thrust variation in multi rotor tidal fences
work_keys_str_mv AT vogelcr minimisingturbinethrustvariationinmultirotortidalfences
AT stephensont minimisingturbinethrustvariationinmultirotortidalfences