Project Overview
- The effect of turbulent flow has important repercussions on blade design of Tidal Energy Extraction Devices (TEEDs), in terms of ultimate and fatigue loads. An example set-up for a generic tidal turbine can be seen below. Recently the tidal turbine industry has undergone considerable development.
- However there is uncertainty in the long term structural performance of critical components of tidal turbines, including rotor blades, which are exposed to challenging operating conditions. Tidal turbine blades, usually made from composite materials, can be subjected to a high number of cycles of variable amplitude and frequency [5]. Since fatigue life of composites is sensitive to the loading spectrum, errors in characterizing loads applied can result in premature failure [5].
- As a result of this uncertainty, it has been suggested that turbine developers over-engineer their blades by up to 30% [5][6]. By removing this uncertainty, and associated costs, the tidal stream industry can be more commercially and sustainably viable.
Aims
The main aim of this thesis is to contribute to the understanding of the relationship of fatigue loads to unsteady flow / turbulence through experimental quantification.
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Objectives
The following objectives were considered to be important throughout the project:
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