River Current Turbine: Modeling

and System Design

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Outline
Introduction
Historical Perspective
Survey
Comparison
Design
Simulation and Results
Conclusion

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River Current Turbine (RCT)
Extraction of kinetic energy from a flowing stream of river
water
Also known as,
o Hydro-kinetic energy
o Zero head energy
o Water current turbine
o Free flow/stream turbine
o Ultra-low-head turbine
Similar technologies,
o Tidal energy
o Marine current energy
o Wind energy (specially, for built environment)

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Fundamentals
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Power from a moving fluid: P = ρAV 3 C p
2
For water:
o velocity is low
o Density is high

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Wind and Water turbine
Historical Perspective

3500 BC: Mesopotamians 500-900 AD:Europe, China

1890: America, Europe 1978: Juba, Sudan (White Nile) 5

River Systems and Geophysical Energy
The sun evaporates ground water, which is accumulated on
higher elevations.
The potential energy of the water body converts into all other
forms
Volumetric flow rate and velocity are the most important factors
Velocity of water may depend on:
o River cross section
o Curvature etc.

River cross section River curvature 6

Technology Survey: River Current Turbine

Garman Turbine: ITDG,U.K. Tyson Turbine: Australia

Rutten Company,Belgium Alt. Hydro Solution Ltd., Ontario 7

Technology Survey: Tidal & Marine Energy

Marine Current Ltd., UK. SMD Hydrovision, UK.

Ocean Powers Tech.Inc., USA Engineering Business Limited, UK.

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Technology Survey: Dual (River/Marine) Appl.

Blue Energy, BC, Canada Gorlov Helical Turbine

J. A. Consultant, UK. ETTE, Norway 9

Comparison: Horizontal vs. Vertical

Factor Vertical axis Horizontal axis

Design symmetry Symmetric Asymmetric

Durability Higher Lower

Efficiency Claimed higher Lower

Water sealing Less need Required

Fish passage Wider Constrained

Alignment/Yaw No need Required

Direction of Unidirectional Bidirectional

rotation
Availability of Significant Scarce
literature
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Design of a River Current Turbine System
Augmentation G e n e ra to r

• Increase in velocity
• Velocity/Power regulation
• Flotation
R o to r-B la d e

C hannel
C h a n n e lin g
D e v ic e

Darrieus type turbine

• Higher efficiency
• Literature available

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Channeling Device
Augmentation depends on
• Channel profile
• Dimensions
• Flow characteristics
For a particular design
2 gy o + Vo2
V =
3

bo Vo V b1

Plan view

Surface level

yo y1
Vo V

Lateral view

Augmentation results 12
Darrieus type turbine Design Example
Blade shape Dimensions
Parameter Dimension/ Ratio
Blade chord 56.3mm
Blade thickness 10.1 mm

Turbine height 200 mm

Lift and drag Turbine height 0.15 mm

Solidity ratio 0.179

Schematics

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 Hydrodynamic Modeling
Depending on , TSR, λ & azimuth angle,θ
• Relative velocity
W = 1 + 2λ cosθ + λ2

• Angle of attack
sin θ
α = tan −1
cos θ + λ
• Tangential force
πρ
F = hrσW 2
( C L sin α − C D cos α )
n
• Torque, power and efficiency
Using classical physics
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Simulation

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Results

Force ripple Captured power

Rotor torque Power coefficient 16

Conclusions
Higher number of blades imply higher ripple frequency
and higher average torque
Turbine operates most efficiently at a TSR of 1.15
Efficiency varies from 10% - 40%

Further Work
Ripple in power output
Efficiency
Starting torque
Variable pitch operation
Solidity, Number of blades & Blade inclination angle

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Acknowledgement
Dr. M. T. Iqbal
Dr. J. Quaicoe

Thank You
For your attention & presence

Questions/Comments

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