Marine energy resource Wave and Tidal energy experimental

Marine energy resource Wave and Tidal energy experimental studies Introduction Tidal flow acceleration Fundamental research on wave and tidal energy devices has been conducted at the University of Southampton covering a wide range of devices, hydrodynamic and physical parameters. By creating a tapered sea bed foundation for a tidal turbine it is possible to increase the flow speed which will increase energy capture from a device. Horizontal axis tidal turbines Optimum location for tidal turbine A range of scale turbines have been constructed to investigate power generation performance, cavitation, flow field characterisation and device interaction effects. Fastest flow Slowest Upright leading to power train above tank floor Flow over ramp foundation Height above bed Inflow Downstream distance Turbine rotor -800 mm diameter -CNC machined Measured flow velocity approaching and flowing over a scale tapered turbine foundation. OWEL Hub & dynamometer -torque / thrust A 1/40 th-scale model of the Offshore Wave Energy Limited device has been developed at the University. Waves enter the open-ended tapered duct and force air through a turbine. Experiments have quantified the power extraction over a range of wave conditions. Based on the results, device geometries have been optimised. 1/40 th scale prototype (left), Fully instrumented 1/20 thscale turbine (top right) and dual turbine arrangement (bottom right) Tidal fences Investigating the effects of rows of tidal turbines using porous media to simulate energy extraction. www. southampton. ac. uk Wave travelling along the duct of the OWEL device (left) and the long wave flume facility used for testing (right). | www. energy. soton. ac. uk