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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number EP/K013319/1
Title Reducing the Costs of Marine Renewables via Advanced Structural Materials (ReC-ASM)
Status Completed
Energy Categories Renewable Energy Sources(Ocean Energy) 100%;
Research Types Basic and strategic applied research 100%
Science and Technology Fields PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Metallurgy and Materials) 50%;
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering) 50%;
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator Professor M Stack
No email address given
Mechanical Engineering
University of Strathclyde
Award Type Standard
Funding Source EPSRC
Start Date 19 June 2013
End Date 18 May 2017
Duration 47 months
Total Grant Value £1,010,584
Industrial Sectors Energy
Region Scotland
Programme Energy : Energy
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Professor M Stack , Mechanical Engineering, University of Strathclyde (99.992%)
  Other Investigator Professor AS (AbuBakr ) Bahaj , Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton (0.001%)
Professor RJK Wood , School of Engineering Sciences, University of Southampton (0.001%)
Dr J Wharton , School of Engineering Sciences, University of Southampton (0.001%)
Dr L Myers , School of Engineering Sciences, University of Southampton (0.001%)
Mr C Johnstone , Mechanical Engineering, University of Strathclyde (0.001%)
Dr EA Charles , School of Chemical Engineering & Advanced Materials, Newcastle University (0.001%)
Professor S (Steve ) Bull , School of Chemical Engineering & Advanced Materials, Newcastle University (0.001%)
Dr J Race , School of Marine Science and Technology, Newcastle University (0.001%)
  Industrial Collaborator Project Contact , IT Power Ltd (0.000%)
Project Contact , Marine Current Turbines Ltd (0.000%)
Project Contact , Nautricity (0.000%)
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract For marine renewable energy conversion to achieve a much needed step change in cost reduction, whilst proving to be cost effective and a reliable source for electricity supply, a number of major engineering challenges need to be addressed. The biggest challenge relates to the scaling up of the power capture interface (device level) and new approaches to the station keeping system (physical environment) which in turn is governed by the characteristics of the resource. In order to achieve technology cost reduction, it is envisaged that the development of marine renewable will emulate the development practices adopted in the early days of the wind energy industry and embark on building and deploying larger diameter rotors to increase device capacity and through this deliver lower unit costs. The challenge however relates to managing the resulting consequences on structural loadings. These increase with the square of the diameter of rotors/ power capture interface. As such, this approach will result in the materials used in the power capture interface operating under very high loading conditions.Evidence to date indicates that all large horizontal axis rotor systems greater than 15m diameter, which have been deployed in full scale tidal environments, have succumbed to catastrophic rotor blade failure. Hence, there is a serious Materials challange in developing more robust materials for the operating environment. By combining expertise in Tidal Energy and Materials Science, this project aims to tackle this issue, through a combination of laboratory testing and modelling
Publications (none)
Final Report (none)
Added to Database 16/08/13