A contra-rotating marine current turbine on a flexible mooring : development of a scaled prototype

Clarke, Joe and Connor, Gary and Grant, Andrew and Johnstone, Cameron and Ordonez Sanchez, Stephanie (2008) A contra-rotating marine current turbine on a flexible mooring : development of a scaled prototype. In: 2nd International Conference on Ocean Energy, 2008-10-15 - 2008-10-17.

[thumbnail of strathprints008055]
Preview
Text. Filename: strathprints008055.pdf
Accepted Author Manuscript

Download (1MB)| Preview

Abstract

The contra-rotating marine current turbine concept developed by the Energy Systems Research Unit at the University of Strathclyde is aimed at extracting energy in a wide range of water depths by 'flying' a neutrally-buoyant device from a flexible, tensioned mooring. After successful proof of concept turbine trials, the development programme has moved on to investigate the performance of a scaled prototype of the complete system incorporating the turbine, submersible contra-rotating generator and mooring. The turbine/generator assembly has been tested in a towing tank, and the entire system is now undergoing sea trials. An investigation into turbine wake development (an area in which it is hoped that the contra-rotating turbine will have uniquely beneficial properties) has recently begun. Small single-rotor model turbines have been deployed in a flume. Trends observed so far are in accordance with those observed by other researchers.