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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number EP/N020782/1
Title Dynamic Loadings on Turbines in a Tidal Array (DyLoTTA)
Status Completed
Energy Categories Renewable Energy Sources(Ocean Energy) 100%;
Research Types Basic and strategic applied research 100%
Science and Technology Fields ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator Dr T O'Doherty
No email address given
Engineering
Cardiff University
Award Type Standard
Funding Source EPSRC
Start Date 01 July 2016
End Date 31 March 2020
Duration 45 months
Total Grant Value £803,546
Industrial Sectors Energy
Region Wales
Programme Energy : Energy
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Dr T O'Doherty , Engineering, Cardiff University (99.993%)
  Other Investigator Professor J Clarke , Mechanical Engineering, University of Strathclyde (0.001%)
Mr C Johnstone , Mechanical Engineering, University of Strathclyde (0.001%)
Dr DM O'Doherty , Engineering, Cardiff University (0.001%)
Dr RI Grosvenor , Engineering, Cardiff University (0.001%)
Dr C Byrne , Engineering, Cardiff University (0.001%)
Mr P Prickett , Engineering, Cardiff University (0.001%)
Dr A Mason-Jones , Engineering, Cardiff University (0.001%)
  Industrial Collaborator Project Contact , ANSYS Europe Limited (0.000%)
Project Contact , Ove Arup & Partners Ltd (0.000%)
Project Contact , Lloyd's Register (0.000%)
Project Contact , National Instruments Corp (UK) Ltd (0.000%)
Project Contact , Tidal Energy Limited (0.000%)
Project Contact , Nautricity (0.000%)
Project Contact , Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (0.000%)
Project Contact , Airborne Composites BV, The Netherlands (0.000%)
Project Contact , Bosch Rexroth Corporation (0.000%)
Project Contact , SKF Group (UK) (0.000%)
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract The research will investigate the nature of the loading patterns imparted onto tidal stream turbines when positioned and operated within an array and develop operational procedures to mitigate the impacts of these extreme loading patterns. Exposure to open sea wave climates with high wave-current interactions will influence the power generating, structural integrity, product durability and maintenance requirements of the technologies deployed. The research will undertake both experimental and numerical analyses in a manner that will make the results and findings transferable to real-life implementations. This will inform developers of the peak and fluctuating loads that devices are exposed to in a commercial array environment and will also identify and test mitigating actions to be implemented in order to ensure the robustness and sustainability of the array.The dynamic, cyclic loadings on a tidal stream turbine have been shown to depend on the current profile and wave characteristics which can increase the severity of these loads. This must be considered in the design of the turbine. A turbine in an array will be subjected to more complex flows due to its position in the array, which will result in more diverse loading patterns, which must be fully understood by the turbine designers and operators.The project will therefore evaluate and measure the loading and performance of different configurations of tidal stream turbine arrays using numerical modelling and model scaled experiments. The numerical modelling will use fluid and structural modelling. An existing and proven, instrumented, laboratory scale turbine design will used for the tests. Initial work on a three turbine array will be undertaken to create models of a full-scale turbine array to determine the power output, loading patterns and accurate life-fatigue analysis based on realistic site deployment conditions. This information will be formulated to provide a basis for the industry to evaluate anticipated performance, monitoring needs, operational best practice and maintenance regimes in order to deliver the lowest cost of energy from tidal arrays
Publications (none)
Final Report (none)
Added to Database 08/08/16