Abstract
This work determines the variation in the fatigue loading on a tidal turbine at two depth positions and two different locations within a site. Site data were obtained at the European Marine Energy Centre, EMEC, test facility in Scotland, which has been compiled at the University of Edinburgh. The turbine modelled is the 18m Diameter DEEP-gen 1MW horizontal axis turbine. A blade element method is combined with a synthetic turbulence inflow to determine forces along the blade over a period of five tidal cycles. The focus is on establishing the difference between the loads at one tidal site, with an emphasis on the variety of turbulent conditions, with the onset flow fluctuations as great as 17% and the average integral lengthscales varying from 11 to 14 m at hub height. Fatigue loading is assessed using damage equivalent loads, with a 30% variation between turbine positions and 32% between turbine locations within a site, for one design case. When long term loading is assessed, a 41% difference is found for aggregated loads for a near surface turbine and a 28% difference for a near bed turbine.
Highlights
To progress the development of full-scale tidal sites, there is a need to understand the loading which a turbine experiences
This study examines the difference in loading on a turbine at two different locations within a tidal site as well as at two different depth positions
Spatial variation of conditions is important to understand as it leads to a variation in damage equivalent loads (DELs)
Summary
In addition to the variation in loads from shear and turbulence, the impact of waves on the loading will be examined using the measured varying profiles and varying turbulence. The operational conditions are defined primarily through the UDA with the calculated power weighted average providing a comparison point between turbine heights and locations. For each set of binned velocities the characteristics of the onset flow are determined
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