Characterization of the vertical evolution of the three-dimensional turbulence for fatigue design of tidal turbines

Type Article
Date 2020-08
Language English
Author(s) Thiebaut Maxime1, Filipot Jean-Francois1, Maisondieu ChristopheORCID2, Damblans Guillaume1, Jochum Christian3, Kilcher Levi4, Guillou Sylvain5
Affiliation(s) 1 : France Énergies Marines, Technopôle Brest-Iroise, 525 Avenue Alexis de Rochon, 29280 Plouzané, France
2 : IFREMER, ZI Pointe du diable, 29280 Plouzané, France
3 : ENSTA Bretagne, CNRS UMR 6027, IRDL, 2 rue Francois Verny, 29806 Brest, France
4 : National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, USA
5 : Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, LUSAC, EA4253, site universitaire de Cherbourg, rue Louis Aragon, BP 78, 50130 Cherbourg-Octeville, France
Source Philosophical Transactions Of The Royal Society A-mathematical Physical And Engineering Sciences (1364-503X) (Royal Society of London), 2020-08 , Vol. 378 , N. 2178 , P. 0190495 (18p.)
DOI 10.1098/rsta.2019.0495
WOS© Times Cited 15
Keyword(s) turbulence, Reynolds stresses, tidal-steam energy convertor, coupled acoustic Doppler current profilers, Alderney Race
Abstract

A system of two coupled four-beam acoustic Doppler current profilers was used to collect turbulence measurements over a 36-h period at a highly energetic tidal energy site in Alderney Race. This system enables the evaluation of the six components of the Reynolds stress tensor throughout a large proportion of the water column. The present study provides mean vertical profiles of the velocity, the turbulence intensity and the integral lengthscale along the streamwise, spanwise and vertical direction of the tidal current. Based on our results and considering a tidal-stream energy convertor (TEC) aligned with the current main direction, the main elements of turbulence prone to affect the structure (material fatigue) and to alter power generation would likely be: (i) the streamwise turbulence intensity (Ix), (ii) the shear stress,  (iii) the normal stress, and (iv) the vertical integral lengthscale (Lz). The streamwise turbulence intensity, (Ix), was found to be higher than that estimated at other tidal energy sites across the world for similar height above bottom. Along the vertical direction, the length (Lz) of the large-scale turbulence eddies was found to be equivalent to the rotor diameter of the TEC Sabella D10. It is considered that the turbulence metrics presented in this paper will be valuable for TECs designers, helping them optimize their designs as well as improve loading prediction through the lifetime of the machines. This article is part of the theme issue ‘New insights on tidal dynamics and tidal energy harvesting in the Alderney Race’.

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How to cite 

Thiebaut Maxime, Filipot Jean-Francois, Maisondieu Christophe, Damblans Guillaume, Jochum Christian, Kilcher Levi, Guillou Sylvain (2020). Characterization of the vertical evolution of the three-dimensional turbulence for fatigue design of tidal turbines. Philosophical Transactions Of The Royal Society A-mathematical Physical And Engineering Sciences, 378(2178), 0190495 (18p.). Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2019.0495 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00642/75433/