Improved Tidal Turbine Performance through Optimised Support Structure Design

Experimental testing of scale tidal turbines reveals the importance of the turbine support structure on device performance. Previous work suggests that this may be related to a highly turbulent region around the support structure. Experimental work using 1:72 scale commercial support structure models supports this, with up to 50% differences in power output observed using the same turbine mounted on different support structures. Computational modelling of the same cases is ongoing, which it is hoped will allow identification of specific geometrical features of support structure design that lead to reduced turbine output, and allow the proposal of optimal structure designs. These designs will then be tested experimentally.