Experimental study of the turbulence intensity effects on marine current turbines behaviour. Part II: Two interacting turbines

Type Article
Date 2014-08
Language English
Author(s) Mycek Paul1, 2, Gaurier BenoitORCID2, Germain GregoryORCID2, Pinon Gregory1, Rivoalen Elie1, 3
Affiliation(s) 1 : Univ Havre, CNRS, Lab Ondes & Milieux Complexes, UMR 6294, F-76058 Le Havre, France.
2 : IFREMER, Marine Struct Lab, F-62321 Boulogne Sur Mer, France.
3 : INSA Rouen, Lab Optimisat & Fiabilite Mecan Struct, EA 3828, F-76801 St Etienne, France.
Source Renewable Energy (0960-1481) (Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd), 2014-08 , Vol. 68 , P. 876-892
DOI 10.1016/j.renene.2013.12.048
WOS© Times Cited 106
French abstract The future implantation of second generation marine current turbine arrays depends on the understanding of the negative interaction effects that exist between turbines in close proximity. This is especially the case when the turbines are axially aligned one behind another in the flow.

In order to highlight these interaction effects, experiments were performed in a flume tank on 3-bladed 1/30th scale prototypes of horizontal axis turbines.

This work focuses on the interactions between two horizontal axis marine current turbines, axially aligned with the upstream flow. Thrust and power coefficients function of the rotation speed of the downstream device are presented. Besides, the wake of each turbine is characterised so as to explain their behaviour.

A large range of inter-device distances is considered, as well as two upstream turbulence intensity conditions, namely 3% and 15%. This latter parameter deeply influences the behaviour of a marine current turbine and thus plays a preponderant role in the interactions effects between two devices. Indeed, this study points out that, for the considered turbine and blade geometry, higher ambient turbulence intensity rates (15%) reduce the wake effects, and thus allows a better compromise between inter-device spacing and individual performance.
Keyword(s) Marine current turbine, Performance, Wake, Turbulence, Array, Tidal turbine
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