Lagrangian Vortex Computations of a Four Tidal Turbine Array: An Example Based on the NEPTHYD Layout in the Alderney Race

Myriam Slama, Camille Choma Bex, Grégory Pinon, Michael Togneri and Iestyn Evans
Additional contact information
Myriam Slama: Laboratoire Ondes et Milieux Complexes, Normandie University, UNILEHAVRE, 76600 Le Havre, France
Camille Choma Bex: Laboratoire Ondes et Milieux Complexes, Normandie University, UNILEHAVRE, 76600 Le Havre, France
Grégory Pinon: Laboratoire Ondes et Milieux Complexes, Normandie University, UNILEHAVRE, 76600 Le Havre, France
Michael Togneri: Energy & Environment Research Group, Swansea University, Bay Campus, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK
Iestyn Evans: Energy & Environment Research Group, Swansea University, Bay Campus, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 13, 1-23

Abstract: This study investigates the wake interaction of four full-scale three-bladed tidal turbines with different ambient turbulence conditions, in straight and yawed flows. A three-dimensional unsteady Lagrangian Vortex Blob software is used for the numerical simulations of the turbines’ wakes. In order to model the ambient turbulence in the Lagrangian Vortex Method formalism, a Synthetic Eddy Method is used. With this method, turbulent structures are added in the computational domain to generate a velocity field which statistically reproduces any ambient turbulence intensity and integral length scale. The influence of the size of the structures and their density (within the study volume) on the wake of a single turbine is studied. Good agreement is obtained between numerical and experimental results for a high turbulence intensity but too many structures can increase the numerical dissipation and reduce the wake extension. Numerical simulations of the four turbine array with the layout initially proposed for the NEPTHYD pilot farm are then presented. Two ambient turbulence intensities encountered in the Alderney Race and two integral length scales are tested with a straight flow. Finally, the wakes obtained for yawed flows with different angles are presented, highlighting turbine interactions.

Keywords: numerical computations; vortex method; synthetic eddy method; turbulence; tidal energy converters (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/13/3826/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/13/3826/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:13:p:3826-:d:582127

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().