Abstract
In order to better manage and maintain deployed Tidal Stream Turbine (TST) devices their response to complicated and severe loading mechanisms must be established. To aid this process the research presented details a methodology for mapping TST operational data, taken under a variety of operating conditions, to a set of model parameters. The parameter sets were developed based on a TST rotor torque model which, as well as providing means of characterising turbine behaviour, can be used to create TST simulations with minimal computation expense. The use of the model in facilitating parameter surface mapping is demonstrated via its application to a set of rotor torque measurements made of a 1/20th scale TST during flume testing. This model is then deployed to recreate the known rotor behaviour which is compared with the original flume based measurements. This is a flexible tool that can be applied to investigate turbine performance under conditions that cannot be readily replicated using tank-based experiments. Furthermore, Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations of such conditions could be time consuming and computationally expensive. To this end, the use of the model in creating drivetrain test bed based simulations is demonstrated. The model, which can be calculated in real-time, is used to develop representative turbine simulations at high turbulence intensity levels which were not achievable during flume experimentation. The intention is to provide a test-bed for future turbine performance monitoring under more realistic, site specific conditions. The work will also support the deployment of performance surfaces in real-life turbine applications.
Highlights
Tidal Stream Turbines (TST) renewable energy devices of commercial scale are currently being designed, deployed and tested
The test bed motor can be controlled to replicate the turbine rotor input to the drive train. In this case the motor is directly coupled to a generator for power extraction thereby effectively enabling the simulation of both a direct-drive and geared tidal stream turbine equipped with a permanent magnet synchronous generator
A parametric model of the torque developed via a TST rotor, and experienced by a TST drive train, has been outlined
Summary
Tidal Stream Turbines (TST) renewable energy devices of commercial scale are currently being designed, deployed and tested. The intention of this simulator is to recreate the results of realistic flow conditions on the TST rotor and apply these as inputs onto a drive train These can be used to operate a generator to produce outputs that will provide the basis of TST performance monitoring algorithms. The outputs of the turbine rotor model based on the developed parametric characterisation of flume based measurements are compared with original scale model datasets acquired The intention is to enable more challenging turbine performance testing to be conducted quickly and at low cost within a laboratory environment These simulations are integrated with the physical drive train emulator setup which operates optimal Tip-Speed Ratio (l) control. This work is proposed to form the basis of on-going research that will consider and apply these techniques
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