The influence of flow acceleration on tidal stream turbine wake dynamics: A numerical study using a coupled BEM–CFD model

Masters, Ian; Malki, R.; Williams, Alison; Croft, Nick

doi:10.1016/j.apm.2013.06.004

Cited by 38 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…The BRG-CFD results are published in [18] and also have good agreement with the BEMT results shown in the top panel of Figure 2. It should be borne in mind that for simplicity, this comparison is done in a uniform flow above a flat bed; in the real environment, non-uniform flows and sloped surfaces will influence the results [9,26]. Figure 4 shows the velocity deficit and the turbulent kinetic energy for each of the models.…”

Section: Cfd and Bem-cfdmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Comparison of Numerical Modelling Techniques for Tidal Stream Turbine Analysis

et al. 2015

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To fully understand the performance of tidal stream turbines for the development of ocean renewable energy, a range of computational models is required. We review and compare results from several models of horizontal axis turbines at different spatial scales. Models under review include blade element momentum theory (BEMT), blade element actuator disk, Reynolds averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) CFD (BEM-CFD), blade-resolved moving reference frame and coastal models based on the shallow water equations. To evaluate the BEMT, a comparison is made to experiments with three different rotors. We demonstrate that, apart from the near-field wake, there are similarities in the results between the BEM-CFD approach and a coastal area model using a simplified turbine fence at a headland case.

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Section: Cfd and Bem-cfdmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Conversely, the BEM-CFD mesh has sufficiently fine resolution to capture the turbulence generation [26]. Full details of the representation of the turbines in the BEM-CFD model are described in Section 3.…”

Section: Coastal Area Modellingmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Comparison of Numerical Modelling Techniques for Tidal Stream Turbine Analysis

et al. 2015

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“…One such study applied the Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) technique to examine the interactions between the wakes produced by multiple rotors in a turbulent flow to assess the changes in power production due to the turbulent inflow [2]. Another study investigated the effect of a simple non-uniform inflow model on the performance and wake structure of tidal turbines using a BEM representation of the rotor [3]. The representation of the rotor in [3] was based on the assumption that the influence of the moving blades on the flow becomes evenly distributed over a circular region over time.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Another study investigated the effect of a simple non-uniform inflow model on the performance and wake structure of tidal turbines using a BEM representation of the rotor [3]. The representation of the rotor in [3] was based on the assumption that the influence of the moving blades on the flow becomes evenly distributed over a circular region over time.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulating the Wake Downstream of a Horizontal Axis Tidal Turbine Using a Modified Vorticity Transport Model

Vybulkova

Vezza

Brown

2016

IEEE J. Oceanic Eng.

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Vybulkova, L., Vezza, M., and Brown, R. (2016) Simulating the wake downstream of a horizontal axis tidal turbine using a modified vorticity transport model. IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, 41(2), pp. 296-301.There may be differences between this version and the published version. You are advised to consult the publisher's version if you wish to cite from it.http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/119684/ In order to decrease the need for fossil fuels, the alternative energy resources must be not only economically viable but also sustainable in the long-term. One of the most promising alternatives is the marine renewable energy resource.The relatively young marine energy industry is presented with two challenges. Firstly, to deliver a continuous reliable power supply and secondly, to minimize potentially harmful effects of the power extraction on the marine environment.The requirement to understand the interactions between a tidal turbine and the surrounding flow environment motivated the present work. A tidal turbine mounted on the seabed induces a wake that extends far down-stream of the device.As the direction of tidal flow changes so does the position of the wake with respect to the device The detailed study of the turbine wake has been conducted by means of computer simulations. An existing finite-volume computer model called the Vorticity Transport Model has been modified to suit the purpose of simulating the wake of a horizontal-axis tidal turbine subjected to a non-uniform flow typical of that close to the seabed. High-resolution computer simulations suggest that a progressive fragmentation of the vortical structure occurs during the development of the wake of a tidal turbine. The predicted fragmentation generates small-scale unsteady flow phenomena beyond five rotor diameters down-stream of the device in the area previously thought unaffected by the presence of a tidal turbine. The effects of non-uniform flow on the vorticity structure down-stream of a tidal turbine and the fragmentation process are analysed in this work.

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“…This rigid lid approach has been used in various research papers to model the turbulent flow in channels [48][49][50]. It is also possible to model channels with a rigid but sloping lid [51,52], where the slope corresponds to a drop of 1/1000, for example, as observed in the field. This has not been applied here due to the complexity of the bed forms.…”

Section: Domainmentioning

confidence: 99%

Computational Fluid Dynamics and Visualisation of Coastal Flows in Tidal Channels Supporting Ocean Energy Development

et al. 2015

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Flow characteristics in coastal regions are strongly influenced by the topography of the seabed and understanding the fluid dynamics is necessary before installation of tidal stream turbines (TST). In this paper, the bathymetry of a potential TST deployment site is used in the development of the a CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) model. The steady state k-and transient Large Eddy Simulation (LES) turbulence methods are employed and compared. The simulations are conducted with a fixed representation of the ocean surface, i.e., a rigid lid representation. In the vicinity of Horse Rock a study of the pressure difference shows that the small change in height of the water column is negligible, providing confidence in the simulation results. The stream surface method employed to visualise the results has important inherent characteristics that can enhance the visual perception of complex flow structures. The results of all cases are compared with the flow data transect gathered by an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP). It has been understood that the k-method can predict the flow pattern relatively well near the main features of the domain and the LES model has the ability to simulate some important flow patterns caused by the bathymetry.

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The influence of flow acceleration on tidal stream turbine wake dynamics: A numerical study using a coupled BEM–CFD model

Cited by 38 publications

References 11 publications

A Comparison of Numerical Modelling Techniques for Tidal Stream Turbine Analysis

A Comparison of Numerical Modelling Techniques for Tidal Stream Turbine Analysis

Simulating the Wake Downstream of a Horizontal Axis Tidal Turbine Using a Modified Vorticity Transport Model

Computational Fluid Dynamics and Visualisation of Coastal Flows in Tidal Channels Supporting Ocean Energy Development

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