Wake characterization of an undulating membrane tidal energy converter
| Type | Article | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date | 2020-07 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Language | English | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Author(s) | Träsch Martin1, 2, 3, Déporte Astrid1, Delacroix Sylvain 1, Germain Gregory2, Gaurier Benoit2, Drevet Jean-Baptiste3 |
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| Affiliation(s) | 1 : EEL ENERGY, 60, rue de Folkestone 62200 Boulogne sur Mer, France 2 : IFREMER, Marine Structure Laboratory, 150 Quai Gambetta 62200 Boulogne sur Mer, France 3 : Ademe, 20 avenue du Gresille, Angers 49004, France |
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| Source | Applied Ocean Research (0141-1187) (Elsevier BV), 2020-07 , Vol. 100 , P. 102222 (12p.) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| DOI | 10.1016/j.apor.2020.102222 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| WOS© Times Cited | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Keyword(s) | Marine Renewable Energy, Tidal Energy, Undulation, Power Take-Off, Wake characteristics, Flume tank | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | Most of the research done on tidal energy focuses on marine current turbines. Therefore, tidal turbine’s wake is well-documented. The tidal energy converter studied here is based on the fluid-structure interactions that occur between a flexible membrane and an axial flow, resulting in an undulating motion that can be used to harvest energy. This device’s performance had been studied but it is the first time its wake is experimentally characterized from two-dimensional Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements. PIV is synchronized with a motion tracking system that gives information on trajectory and power conversion. Wake measurement gives access to velocity deficit, turbulence intensity and vorticity. Three configurations are tested in order to identify the influence of the main adjustment parameters. Pre-stress increases the membrane vertical speed, leading to a more important vertical expansion of the wake. The power extraction slows down the membrane’s motion, thus limiting the wake’s length and intensity. The flume tank measurements suggest that the best location for a downstream device in a tidal farm would be in the same horizontal position, at 5 membrane’s length. In the open sea, the membrane interaction effects should not predominant. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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