Marine Hydrokinetic Energy Research Articles

Marine hydrokinetic energy potential of Peninsular Malaysia by using hybrid site selection method

The exponential increase in global energy demand is a direct result of the rapid growth of the world's population and technological advancements. However, the use of fossil fuels to meet this demand has led to the issue of CO2 emission and global warming, which prompting nations to undertake mitigation plans for further negative repercussions. Seeing the fact that extensive usage of non-renewable energies is the root cause of these negative effects, renewable energies have become the focus of most research. On top of that too, the implementation of clean energy is urgent to achieve sustainable development. Located in Southeast Asia, Peninsular Malaysia is surrounded by the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea, making it abundant in the source of hydrokinetic energy. Consequently, researchers have taken a keen interest in exploring marine renewable energy within the region. Coastal regions particularly, can significantly benefit from hydrokinetic energy. Henceforth, this study aims to provide a comprehensive approach to identify the optimal locations for marine hydrokinetic energy extraction in Peninsular Malaysia, considering all essential factors that influence decision-making.

Application of nonlinear stiffness mechanism on energy harvesting from vortex-induced vibrations

This study investigates the potential of vortex-induced vibration (VIV) as a renewable energy source, achieved when fluid flow interacts with a bluff body, inducing self-sustained oscillations through vortex shedding in the wake. While VIV research has traditionally focused on understanding its mechanisms and mitigating detrimental effects, interest in VIV energy harvesting has surged as a means to convert marine hydrokinetic (MHK) energy into usable electrical power. The nonlinear effects of two linear oblique springs on VIV energy harvesting are explored using the wake oscillator model, encompassing bistable and Duffing hardening stiffness. The study examines the response and energy harvesting performance while considering the impact of undeformed spring length, structural damping, and initial conditions on VIV energy conversion. Findings show that nonlinear stiffness application in the VIV system can broaden the synchronization bandwidth or reduce the VIV initiation flow speed. Bistable stiffness may broaden the synchronization velocity range, while Duffing hardening stiffness efficiently reduces the VIV initiation speed with small energy harvesting loss. Combining both stiffness types with appropriate control strategies presents a promising approach for achieving a broad synchronization VIV bandwidth and low initiation flow speed. Key parameters, such as the nondimensional parameter defining spring system obliquity and the ratio between undeformed spring length and cylinder diameter, significantly influence VIV response and energy harvesting. Moreover, optimal structural damping is vital to maximize energy harvesting efficiency, and understanding and controlling initial conditions are crucial for optimizing VIV synchronization bandwidth and energy harvesting efficiency for both bistable and Duffing hardening stiffness. This study provides valuable insights into VIV system dynamics and energy conversion potential with nonlinear springs, offering promising avenues for enhancing energy harvesting efficiency and inspiring further applications of nonlinear effects in VIV energy converters.

Hydrokinetic energy harvesting from slow currents using flow-induced oscillations

To harness marine hydrokinetic energy from slow flows, which constitute the majority of currents, tides, and rivers, new Passive Turbulence Control (PTC), consisting of large turbulence stimulators, is tested experimentally on circular cylinders on springs. This study experimentally investigates the effect of PTC on the onset of Flow-Induced Oscillations (FIO) and particularly the relative onset of Vortex-Induced Vibrations (VIV) and galloping. Experiments are conducted in the Low Turbulence Free Surface Water Channel, University of Michigan. Fixed are: mass ratio m* = 1.48, aspect ratio l/D = 10.29, and total damping ratio ζ = 0.04. Parameters are: cylinder diameter D, spring stiffness K, PTC location and height, and flow speed U∈[0.36 m/s-1.45 m/s]. Placing the leading edge of PTC at 40–60° induces high amplitude FIO while placement at 10–20° suppresses FIO. As PTC height increases, VIV and galloping initiate earlier and exhibit higher amplitude with a steeper slope. Lower spring stiffness initiates VIV earlier by reducing the oscillator natural frequency in water. Even though large PTC maintained its effectiveness in initiating galloping early, it has no effect on the earlier initiation of VIV, which starts at a nearly fixed reduced velocity. Lower spring stiffness and large PTC enable power generation at low current speed (0.2 m/s).

How Applicable Are Turbulence Assumptions Used in the Tidal Energy Industry?

As tidal current and marine hydro-kinetic energy converters start to be deployed in pre-commercial arrays, it is critical that the design conditions are properly characterised. Turbulence is known to influence fatigue loads and power production, so developers use turbulence models to generate unsteady flows in order to simulate device performance. Most such models construct a synthetic flow field using a combination of measured parameters and theoretical assumptions. The majority in use today are based on atmospheric flow conditions and may have limited applicability in tidal environments. In the present work, we compare key turbulence model assumptions (which are recommended by the tidal turbine standards and are used in design software) to turbulence measurements from two tidal test sites in Scotland and Canada. Here, we show that the two sites have different levels of conformity to theoretical models, with significant variability within nearby locations at the same site. The agreement with spectral models is shown to be depth-dependent. The vertical component spectrum is better represented by the Kaimal model, while the streamwise spectrum is better represented by the von Kármán model. With the exception of one site, the shear profiles follow a power law, although with a different exponent to that commonly assumed. Both sites show significant deviations from the theoretical length scales and isotropy ratios. Such deviations are likely to misrepresent the loads experienced by a device. These results highlight the turbulence characteristics at real deployment sites, which are not well represented by current models, and, hence, which must be determined using field measurements.

Impacts of soft marine fouling on the hydrokinetic energy harvesting from one-degree-of-freedom vortex-induced vibrations

Most previous studies on marine hydrokinetic energy harvesters focussed on clean cylindrical oscillators. The current paper presents the results of the first investigation on the vortex-induced vibrations (VIV) hydrokinetic energy conversion from cylindrical oscillators covered with soft marine fouling. The one-degree-of-freedom system oscillates in the cross-flow direction. The Reynolds number ranges from 5.5 × 103 to 5.5 × 104. A hydroid-type of soft marine fouling is modelled with three different compaction ratios. On average, under a variety of electromechanical coupling and flow velocities examined, the marine fouling reduces the power harnessed and the energy transfer ratio by around 59 % and 62 %, respectively, relative to the clean oscillator.

Flexible-Time Receding Horizon Iterative Learning Control With Application to Marine Hydrokinetic Energy Systems

This brief presents an iterative learning control (ILC) framework for a class of repetitive control (RC) applications characterized by: 1) continuous operation; 2) flexible iteration time; and 3) an economic performance metric. Specifically, the effect of iteration-varying initial conditions, resulting from the continuous nature of the operation, is accounted for through an iteration domain receding horizon formulation. To address the need for flexible iteration times, the time-domain dynamics are transformed into path-domain dynamics characterized by a non-dimensional parameter spanning an iteration-invariant range. The resulting model is used to derive learning filters that minimize a multi-objective economic cost. The proposed methodology is applied to the control a kite-based marine hydrokinetic (MHK) system, which executes high-speed, repetitive flight paths with the objective of maximizing its lap-averaged power output. The proposed approach is validated via simulations of a medium-fidelity nonlinear model of a kite-based MHK system, and the results demonstrate robust and fast convergence of the kite to power-optimal flight patterns.

Iterative Learning-Based Path Optimization With Application to Marine Hydrokinetic Energy Systems

This article presents an iterative learning control (ILC)-based approach for optimizing the flight path geometry of a tethered marine hydrokinetic (MHK) energy system. This type of system, which replaces the tower of a conventional system with a tether and a lifting body, can capture energy either through an on-board rotor or by driving a generator with tension in the tether. In the latter mode of operation, which represents the focal point of this effort, net positive energy is generated over one cycle of high-tension spool-out followed by low-tension spool-in. Because the net energy generation is sensitive to the shape of the flown path, we employ an iterative learning update law to adapt the path shape from one lap to the next. This update law is complemented with an iterative power take-off (PTO) controller, which adjusts the spooling profile at each iteration to ensure zero net spooling. We present and validate the proposed control approach in both uniform and spatiotemporally varying turbulent flow environments, based on a realistic ocean model detailed in this article. Finally, based on simulation results across a wide range of excitation levels, we perform a simulation-based assessment of convergence properties, comparing these results against bounds derived in the authors’ prior work.

Using Physics-Informed Generative Adversarial Networks to Perform Super-Resolution for Multiphase Fluid Simulations

AbstractComputational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are useful in the field of engineering design as they provide deep insights on product or system performance without the need to construct and test physical prototypes. However, they can be very computationally intensive to run. Machine learning methods have been shown to reconstruct high-resolution single-phase turbulent fluid flow simulations from low-resolution inputs. This offers a potential avenue towards alleviating computational cost in iterative engineering design applications. However, little work thus far has explored the application of machine learning image super-resolution methods to multiphase fluid flow (which is important for emerging fields such as marine hydrokinetic energy conversion). In this work, we apply a modified version of the super-resolution generative adversarial network (SRGAN) model to a multiphase turbulent fluid flow problem, specifically to reconstruct fluid phase fraction at a higher resolution. Two models were created in this work, one which incorporates a physics-informed term in the loss function and one which does not, and the results are discussed and compared. We found that both models significantly outperform non-machine learning upsampling methods and can preserve a substantial amount of detail, showing the versatility of the SRGAN model for upsampling multiphase fluid simulations. However, the difference in accuracy between the two models is minimal indicating that, in the context studied here, the additional complexity of a physics-informed approach may not be justified.

Hydrokinetic energy conversion using flow induced oscillations of single-cylinder with large passive turbulence control

Various types of flow-induced oscillations (FIOs) have been implemented in development of marine hydrokinetic (MHK) energy converters. With passive turbulence control (PTC), energy harvesting starts at a flow speed of about 0.5 m/s. However, there is worldwide MHK energy available in even slower currents. In the present study, the effect of damping on FIO and power extraction is investigated for a converter with large turbulence stimulation (PTC) consisting of straight strips with a height of 15% of the cylinder diameter and placed symmetrically on the cylinder surface. The oscillating amplitude decreases, as the damping ratio increases, with unchanged sinusoidal pattern of the displacement time-history. The frequency ratio is also affected by damping especially in the VIV initial branch and transition region between VIV and galloping. An important flow characteristic of the large-PTC cylinder is that a recirculation region is formed behind the PTC, causing appreciable disturbance to the flow past the cylinder. Power can be harvested in the whole FIO range and the harnessed power maximum appears at the largest inflow velocity tested. However, the optimum of harnessing efficiency is located at the beginning of the VIV upper branch. The gap between VIV and galloping is bridged when large PTC is used, eliminating the drop in power and efficiency even at higher damping, which would be a weakness of regular-PTC cylinder for energy harvesting. The mechanism behind the variation of harnessing efficiency with inflow velocity and damping ratio is revealed, and the optimality criterion for the converter design is discussed.

Renewable energy and biological conservation in a changing world

Without a shift to renewable energy sources, climate change will have adverse effects on many terrestrial and aquatic species. On the other hand, replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy will have different effects on wildlife, some negative. To protect biota, while navigating the complexities surrounding the transition to renewable energy, will require sharing knowledge between energy experts and wildlife experts, as well as policy makers and resource managers. This special issue is intended to advance the conversation. Interactions between renewable energy facilities and fauna are complex. Each source of renewable energy has its own conservation concerns, and each presents its own set of opportunities for mitigation; Other concerns and mitigations are shared. In this overview, we review climate risks to biota, clarify the complementarities among renewables for the conservation community, and summarize research on energy effects on biota for the energy community. The papers invited for this special issue address fossil (coal, oil, natural gas) and renewable energy (terrestrial biomass energy, hydropower, marine-hydrokinetic energy, wind energy, solar energy) and affected fauna. We hope that the results of these studies, and others like them, set us on a path toward low-carbon energy systems that provide society with energy while protecting future biodiversity.

Rotor blade imbalance fault detection for variable-speed marine current turbines via generator power signal analysis

Marine hydrokinetic (MHK) turbines extract renewable energy from oceanic environments. However, due to the harsh conditions that these turbines operate in, system performance naturally degrades over time. Thus, ensuring efficient condition-based maintenance is imperative towards guaranteeing reliable operation and reduced costs for marine hydrokinetic power. This paper proposes a novel framework aimed at identifying and classifying the severity of rotor blade pitch imbalance faults experienced by marine current turbines (MCTs). In the framework, a Continuous Morlet Wavelet Transform (CMWT) is first utilized to acquire the wavelet coefficients encompassed within the 1P frequency range of the turbine's rotor shaft. From these coefficients, several statistical indices are tabulated into a six-dimensional feature space. Next, Principle Component Analysis (PCA) is employed on the resulting feature space for dimensionality reduction, and then the application of a K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) machine learning algorithm is utilized for fault detection and severity classification. The effectiveness of the proposed framework is validated using a high-fidelity MCT numerical simulation platform, where results demonstrate that the presence of a pitch imbalance fault can be accurately detected 100% of the time and correctly classified based upon severity more than 97% of the time.

Turbulence-parameter estimation for current-energy converters using surrogate model optimization

Surrogate models maximize information utility by building predictive models in place of computational or experimentally expensive model runs. Marine hydrokinetic current energy converters require large-domain simulations to estimate array efficiencies and environmental impacts. Meso-scale models typically represent turbines as actuator discs that act as momentum sinks and sources of turbulence and its dissipation. An OpenFOAM model was developed where actuator disc k-ε turbulence was characterized using an approach developed for flows through vegetative canopies. Turbine-wake data from laboratory flume experiments collected at two influent turbulence intensities were used to calibrate parameters in the turbulence-source terms in the k-ε equations. Parameter influences on longitudinal wake profiles were estimated using Gaussian process regression with subsequent optimization minimizing the objective function within 3.1% of those obtained using the full model representation, but for 74% of the computational cost (far fewer model runs). This framework facilitates more efficient parameterization of the turbulence-source equations using turbine-wake data.

Synergistic Flow-Induced Oscillation of Multiple Cylinders in Harvesting Marine Hydrokinetic Energy

Abstract Flow-induced oscillations/vibrations (FIO/V) of cylinders in tandem can be enhanced by proper in-flow spacing to increase hydrokinetic energy harnessing. In a farm of multiple cylinders in tandem, the effect of interference on harnessing efficiency arises. Three years of systematic experiments in the Marine Renewable Laboratory (MRELab) of the University of Michigan, on an isolated cylinder, and two and three cylinders in tandem have revealed that synergistic FIO can enhance oscillations of cylinders in close proximity. Two cylinders in tandem can harness 2.5–13.5 times the hydrokinetic power of one isolated cylinder. Three cylinders in tandem can harness 3.4–26.4 times the hydrokinetic power of one isolated cylinder. Negative impact on the harnessed energy by multiple cylinders, such as the shielding effect for the downstream cylinder/s, is possible. Specifically for the three-cylinder configuration, at a certain flow speed, the decrease in the power of the middle cylinder can be overcome by adjusting its stiffness and/or damping.

Gulf Stream Marine Hydrokinetic Energy Off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina

AbstractMulti-year measurements of current velocity, salinity, and temperature from fixed and vessel-mounted sensors quantify Gulf Stream (GS) marine hydrokinetic energy (MHK) resource variability and inform development off Cape Hatteras, NC. Vessel transects across the GS demonstrate a jet-like velocity structure with speeds exceeding 2.5 m/s at the surface, persistent horizontal shear throughout the jet, and strongest vertical shears within the cyclonic shear zone. Persistent equatorward flow at the base of the GS associated with the Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC) produces a local maximum in vertical shear where stratification is weak and is postulated to be a site of strong turbulent mixing. Repeated transects at the same location demonstrate that the velocity structure depends upon whether the GS abuts the shelf slope or is offshore.Currents from a fixed acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) deployed on the shoreward side of the GS exceed 1 m/s 64% of the time 40 m below the surface. The 3.75-year time series of currents from the ADCP mooring document large, roughly weekly variations in downstream and cross-stream speed (−0.5 to 2.5 m/s) and shear (± 0.05 s−1) over the entire water column due to passage of GS meanders and frontal eddies. Current reversals from the mean GS direction occur several times a month, and longer period variations in GS offshore position can result in reduced currents for weeks at a time. Unresolved small-scale shear is postulated to contribute significantly to turbulent mixing.

The effects of marine fouling on the wake-induced vibration of tandem circular cylinders

This paper reports the results of laboratory in-water experiments in which artificially marine-fouled circular cylinders were freely vibrating in the wake of a similar fixed upstream cylinder. Cross-flow vibrations at gaps of 3–7 diameters were examined. The marine fouling was simulated by CNC machining of uniformly distributed single-sized pyramids on the surface of the test cylinders. Depending on the spacing ratio, the smooth tandem cylinder demonstrated both Vortex-Induced Vibration (VIV) and galloping types of response. Interestingly, only the VIV-like response was presented by the artificially marine-fouled cylinder. The maximum amplitude of the oscillations and maximum lift force coefficient of the marine-fouled tandem cylinders were, respectively, around one-third and two-thirds of those in the corresponding smooth tandem cylinders. In the case of tandem circular cylinders, the marine fouling showed two contradictory outcomes. It eliminated the galloping and suppressed the VIV-like response, which is beneficial from structural integrity standpoint. From energy performance point of view, the marine fouling negatively affects the energy harvested in a marine hydrokinetic energy converter.

Marine hydrokinetic energy harvesting performance of diamond and square oscillators in tandem arrangements

The global demand for renewable energy sources has arisen significant research interests in marine hydrokinetic energy harvesting from flow induced vibrations. The current study deals with the hydrokinetic energy harvesting potentials of diamond and square oscillators at various inline configurations. Both the sharp edge sections and the wake induced vibrations in tandem arrangement can lead to galloping type of instability with high energy efficiency ratios. The present in-water towing tank experiments comprise 1DoF vibrating systems at Re ranging from 2 × 103 to 4.8 × 104.The results show that the upstream wake generally enhances the system efficiency and the mechanical work done by the oscillating square cylinder. With tandem diamond cylinders, the upstream vortices enrich both the overall oscillations and the harvested mechanical power by the downstream cylinder. The energy efficiency in the tandem configuration is 3–5 times higher than a single diamond cylinder. The TOPSIS algorithm is applied to sort the energy performance of different configurations. The study proves the extreme advantages of tandem diamond oscillators over square configuration in the extraction of the hydroelastic energy. High-amplitude, high-frequency vibrations of tandem diamond cylinders make them even surpass the typical circular cross-sections in generating the mechanical power.

Are Subsidies Required for Marine Hydrokinetic Energy Devices in Ireland? A Technological and Site Assessment

Are Subsidies Required for Marine Hydrokinetic Energy Devices in Ireland? A Technological and Site Assessment

Changes in Relative Fish Density Around a Deployed Tidal Turbine during on-Water Activities

Global interest in mitigating climate change effects is a driver for the development of renewable energy sources. In-stream tidal power, a type of marine hydrokinetic (MHK) energy uses tidal currents to generate electricity and is one example of developing a renewable energy industry. Effects and impacts on fishes in areas of tidal power development are a consideration, and presently there are many unanswered questions in this field of research. Knowledge of how fish use these areas before and after device installation is essential to informing regulators for decision-making. We attempted a Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) study design to compare an index of fish density near and away from an MHK tidal energy device deployed in Cobscook Bay, Maine. The index was mean volume backscattering strength (Sv) obtained from 24-hour stationary, down-looking hydroacoustic surveys. Data were collected several times per year at an “impact” site within 50–75 m of a device and at a “control” site approximately 1.6 km away, both before and after turbine installation in August 2012. Fish density was lowest in March surveys and highest in May surveys at both sites. One of four comparisons (August 2011/before vs. 2012/after) indicated an interaction of fish density with turbine installation. Operational status of the installed turbine and on-water activity disturbances (e.g., industry vessel and diving activities) varied at the impact site and possibly influenced results. Lower fish densities were observed during installation and maintenance periods than during normal device operation. The effects of construction activities must be separated from the effects of a deployed device to effectively implement a statistically rigorous assessment that could separate the effects of these different activities. This parsimonious approach and results were used for permit licensing by federal and state regulatory bodies at this site and others and can be used to consider regulatory adjustments during different phases of device operation and maintenance.

Harvesting Ocean Wave Energy: A Proposed System for Conversion Into Electrical Power

Development of alternative energy resources having low carbon emissions is critical to mitigating the increasingly devastating impacts of climate change. Our oceans have the ability to provide that energy source to meet energy demand around the world. Much of the 2,000 GW of extractable ocean wave energy currently exist within US waters (totaling 1,170,000 GWH yearly). The high‐power density contained within ocean waves makes wave energy the most concentrated, consistent, and readily available renewable energy resource. The extent of wave energy's potential has been unrealized to date, primarily due to the fact prior wave energy–harvesting technology struggled with issues of low conversion efficiencies, complicated moving mechanical systems with hydraulic fluids and risks of environmental harm, significant capital costs, and reliability concerns of the electrical generating conditions in marine environments. To date, marine hydrokinetic (MHK) wave energy converters (WECs) have not adequately taken advantage of existing transmission lines currently servicing existing offshore wind farms to deliver that electrical power back to the mainland, thereby reducing their capital costs construction. US development of wave energy–harvesting facilities have generally lagged behind that of other countries, such as in Europe or Australia, largely due to limited governmental support for this technology and complicated administrative, governmental, and environmental approval procedures. This article will discuss the science behind the harvesting of ocean wave energy, as well as a mechanical system for converting the ocean energy into electrical energy.

Modeling and dynamic analysis of a mobile underwater turbine system for harvesting Marine Hydrokinetic Energy

We present the modeling and dynamic analysis of a Mobile Underwater Turbine System, a novel integration of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles and Hydrokinetic Turbines, for harvesting Marine Hydrokinetic Energy from the Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream, an ocean current that flows off the coast of North Carolina, is a source of hydrokinetic energy. However, the meandering nature of the Gulf Stream makes it challenging to harvest the full energy potential of the stream using fixed turbine systems. One possible solution for increasing the amount of energy that can be extracted from the Gulf Stream involves using a mobile underwater energy harvester system that can follow the meandering stream so as to remain in regions of maximum energy potential. The framework for the conceptual design, and studies focusing on the feasibility of such a system, have been presented previously in (Divi, 2017). The focus of this paper is a mathematical model of the system which has been developed to analyze the dynamics of such a system, along with parametric studies utilizing this model to come up with a system with an optimized set of design parameters. A 6-DOF analytical model of the system is developed to gain an understanding of the system's dynamic behavior and stability. A bead-based tether model is further developed to analyze the behavior of the system when it is anchored and harvesting energy. A study regarding the effects of tether parameters such as the number of tether elements, the spring constant, and the damping coefficient of the tether on the tether behavior and computation time required for analysis, is put forth to help determine an optimal set of tether parameters. In addition, a set of system parameters such as turbine diameter, hull diameter, L/D ratio of the hull and ballast tank size, are analyzed to see how they affect the net energy produced and the maximum distance travelled by the system. Finally, three modes of power transfer to the shore are considered, and an optimization algorithm is presented and used to find the best set of parameters suited for maximum energy transfer for each mode.