Analysis of the effects of control strategies and wave climates on the loading and performance of a laboratory scale horizontal axis tidal turbine.

Martinez, Rodrigo, Ordonez-Sanchez, Stephanie, Allmark, Matthew ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6812-3571, Lloyd, Catherine ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7056-8158, O'Doherty, Timothy ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2763-7055, Germain, Gregory, Gaurier, Benoit and Johnestone, Cameron 2020. Analysis of the effects of control strategies and wave climates on the loading and performance of a laboratory scale horizontal axis tidal turbine. Ocean Engineering 212 , 107713. 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2020.107713

Preview

PDF - Submitted Pre-Print Version Download (7MB) | Preview

Abstract

To understand the influence of complex hydrodynamic loads on tidal turbines, laboratory testing is necessary as a first approach. Previous laboratory work undertaken gave an indication that the use of speed control strategies may disguise the associated loading range that a turbine may be subjected to when this is operated with a variable speed control strategy. However, the preceding work was undertaken in a highly controlled environment without the influence of turbulent flows. The focus of this paper is directed towards the study of wave-induced loads on tidal turbines when these are controlled using two strategies and the impact that these parameters have on the turbine’s performance when this is operated in a recirculating flume. Laboratory tests were undertaken with a 0.9 m diameter horizontal axis tidal turbine subjected to combined wave and current conditions with both regular and irregular waves. Constant speed and constant torque control strategies have been considered, for which rotor thrust, torque and blade root bending moment have been measured. Results show that similar to previous studies, average loads and power capture values remain unchanged between control strategies and the superposition of waves to the current. However, signal fluctuations are 2 to 3 times higher for torque control than for constant speed control strategy. A phase difference between the periodic signals of the turbine thrust and the incoming waves was also identified, in this case, the phase variation was lower when using torque than speed control. This work thus demonstrates the implication of studying strategies to control a marine converter from early stages of development.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Engineering
Subjects:	T Technology > TC Hydraulic engineering. Ocean engineering
Publisher:	Elsevier
ISSN:	0029-8018
Funders:	EPSRC
Date of Acceptance:	20 April 2020
Last Modified:	17 Nov 2024 08:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/133447

Citation Data

Cited 13 times in Scopus. View in Scopus. Powered By Scopus® Data

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item