Session: 09-03-01 Current and Tidal Energy - 1

Paper Number: 81210

81210 - Power Production From a Hydrokinetic Device: Mass of Water Turbine 

Water current interaction with a hydrokinetic energy converter is studied by use of computational fluid dynamics. Mass of water turbine (MOWT) is a hydrokinetic energy converter consisting of several thin paddles attached to a conveyor. The paddles are allowed to rotate around the hull due to the current loads. The current-induced mechanical motion of the paddles is converted to electricity through the power take-off system of the device. In this study, a two dimensional computational tank is developed that is capable of generating efficiently various current profiles in variable water depths. The fluid-structure interaction problem is studied by solving the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations. Good agreement is observed for the results of the model and existing data. The model is used to study the interaction of uniform current with MOWT. Discussion is provided on the velocity and pressure distribution around the MOWT body, and the effect of the body on the flow field. The forces on individual paddles of the MOWT are computed and compared with the empirical relations. It is found that the current-induced force on the leading paddle is substantially different from that on the downstream paddles due to the change of the flow field. For efficient energy production from this device, optimization is necessary to find a suitable configuration. To obtain an optimum design of the MOWT, the effect of the incoming current velocity and the configuration of the paddles are investigated by considering several combinations and assessing the current-induced loads on the paddles.

Presenting Author: Azin Lamei University of Dundee

Authors:

Azin Lamei University of Dundee
Masoud Hayatdavoodi University of Dundee
Stuart Moir MWNW Consulting