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4th International Conference on Ocean Energy, 17 October, Dublin
(6) 3. Results
The area-mean magnitude of the additional source
(7)
term across the rotor region is presented in Fig. 3. The
c is the chord length, dr is the radial width, and additional source, as depicted in Equation (13) is
are the lift and drag coefficients respectively, and: predominantly a function of the fourth power of the
longitudinal velocity. This is reflected in the power-law
(8) relationship between blade source magnitude and
substituting the expressions for and into the freestream velocity.
equations for and yields: Addition of the extra source term to the dissipation
transport equation leads to an increase in the value of ε
(9) at the location of the rotor as would be expected, and
this is shown in Fig. 4. Although the magnitude of the
(10) difference between the 'standard' and 'modified' models
increases with freestream velocity, relative to the
These expressions make up the additional source standard source, there is little variation. For instance,
terms introduced into the conservation of momentum for a flow velocity of 1.0 m s-1, the value of ε for the
equations. modified source is 15.0 % greater than for the standard
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4th International Conference on Ocean Energy, 17 October, Dublin
source, compared to 16.5 % for a flow velocity of 3.0 Vertical profiles of longitudinal velocity are
m s-1. presented in Fig. 5 at a selection of different distances
downstream of the rotor ranging between 1.0 and 16.0
diameters. In all cases, there are parts of the profiles
where velocities are lower in magnitude for the
modified model when compared to the standard model.
Immediately downstream of the rotor (1.0 - 2.0
diameters), this was mainly observed at the locations of
the blade tips and along the middle of the profile. These
locations correspond to the parts of the rotor region
where the additional blade source was greatest in
magnitude as shown in Fig. 6.
Further downstream (8.0 diameters and beyond)
velocities are lower across most of the blade region for
the modified model. This indicates a slower wake
recovery following modification of the turbulence
model. The purpose of the modification is to account
for the breakdown of large-scale to small-scale
turbulence at the blade, which in turn has slightly less
significance on the flow further downstream.
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4th International Conference on Ocean Energy, 17 October, Dublin
9.0 diameters downstream of the rotor. This indicates modified model. Similar trends are observed for the
that the influence of the source term on the turbulence turbulent kinetic energy in Fig. 10. Plots for both
structure nearer the rotor has more significant turbulent kinetic energy and its dissipation indicate a
implications on the velocity structure further lack of symmetry in the contours and this may be
downstream. attributed to the rotation of the flow in the wake region.
4. Conclusions
A coupled Blade Element Momentum -
Computational Fluid Dynamics (BEM-CFD) model is
used to simulate Tidal Stream Turbine rotors. A
modification is applied to the turbulent energy
Figure 8: Wake diameter profiles for an inlet velocity of dissipation transport equation in the k-ε turbulence
3.0 m s-1. model and an additional source term is introduced at
the location of the rotor. This is intended to account for
As can be seen by the turbulence dissipation rate turbulent length scales in the vicinity of the turbine
contours presented in Fig. 9, introduction of the blades.
additional source term in the modified model has a The magnitude of the additional source term was
relatively little effect on the values of ε at the location most significant at the nacelle and the blade tips. This
of the rotor when compared to the standard model. A was evident in vertical profiles of velocity immediately
fractional increase in dissipation is observed within the downstream of the rotor. Velocities at these locations
actual blade region. However, the influence is were slightly lower for the modified model compared
considerably more significant further downstream than to the standard model.
the rotor as shown by lower dissipation rates for the
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4th International Conference on Ocean Energy, 17 October, Dublin
Influence of the additional term on the total turbulent The Authors wish to acknowledge the financial
energy dissipation at the rotor location was relatively support of the Welsh Assembly Government, the
small. However, the dissipation was affected much Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, the
more significantly further downstream in the wake Welsh European Funding Office, and the European
region despite the additional source only being applied Regional Development Fund Convergence Programme.
at the rotor location. By introducing the additional
source, there was a slight decrease in k and increase in ε References
at the rotor location. Both parameters decreased
significantly further downstream by introducing the [1] R. Malki, A.J. Williams, T.N. Croft, M. Togneri,
additional source. I. Masters (2012): A Coupled Blade Element
The modification to the turbulence model resulted in Momentum - Computational Fluid Dynamics
a slower wake recovery indicated by lower velocities in Model for Evaluating Tidal Stream Turbine
the far downstream wake region. Turbulence intensities Performance. Applied Mathematical Modelling.
were also significantly lower for the modified model up Accepted.
to 10 diameters downstream beyond which values were [2] Y.S. Chen, S.W. Kim (1987): Computation of
similar for the standard and modified models. Although turbulent flow using an extended turbulence
modification to the turbulence model mainly affected closure model. NASA Contractor Report, NASA
turbulence structures near the rotor, the effect of this on CR-179204.
velocity structures was evident much further
downstream. [3] A. El Kasimi, C. Masson (2008): An extended k-ε
The slower wake recovery of the modified model model for turbulent flow through horizontal axis
was also shown by the wake diameter profiles whereby wind turbines. Journal of Wind Engineering 96:
wake widths were narrower compared to the standard 103-122.
model in the far downstream. [4] R.T. Griffiths, M.G. Woollard (1978):
Performance of the Optimal Wind Turbine.
Acknowledgements Applied Energy 4: 261-272.
This work was undertaken as part of the Low Carbon
Research Institute Marine Consortium
(www.lcrimarine.org).