Flume testing of passively adaptive composite tidal turbine blades under combined wave and current loading

The tidal energy industry is progressing rapidly, but there are still barriers to overcome to realise the commercial potential of this sector. Large magnitude and highly variable loads caused by waves acting on the turbine are of particular concern. Composite blades with in-built bend-twist elastic response may reduce these peak loads, by passively feathering with increasing thrust. This could decrease capital costs by lowering the design loads, and improve robustness through the mitigation of pitch mechanisms. In this study, the previous research is extended to examine the performance of bend-twist blades in combined wave–current flow, which will frequently be encountered in the field. A scaled 3 bladed turbine was tested in the flume at IFREMER with bend-twist composite blades and equivalent rigid blades, sequentially under current and co-directional wave–current cases. In agreement with previous research, when the turbine was operating in current alone at higher tip speed ratios the bend-twist blades reduced the mean thrust and power compared to the rigid blades. Under the specific wave–current condition tested the average loads were similar on both blade sets. Nevertheless, the bend-twist blades substantially reduced the magnitudes of the average thrust and torque fluctuations per wave cycle, by up to 10% and 14% respectively.     

Experimental study of extreme thrust on a tidal stream rotor due to turbulent flow and with opposing waves

Time-varying thrust has been measured on a rotor in shallow turbulent flow at laboratory scale. The onset flow has a turbulence intensity of 12% at mid depth and a longitudinal turbulence length scale of half the depth, about 5 times the vertical scale, typical of shallow flows. The rotor is designed to have thrust and power coefficient variations with tip speed ratio close to that of a full-scale turbine. Three extreme probability distributions give similar thrust exceedance values with the Type 1 Pareto in mid range which gives 1:100, 1:1000 and 1:10 000 exceedance thrust forces of 1.38, 1.5 and 1.59 times the mean value. With opposing waves superimposed the extreme thrust distribution has a very similar distribution to the turbulent flow only. Exceedance forces are predicted by superposition of a drag force with drag coefficient of 2.0 based on the wave particle velocity only and with an unchanged mean thrust coefficient of 0.89. These values are relevant for the design of support structures for marine turbines.     

Short crested wave–current forces around a large vertical circular cylinder

An analytical solution for the diffraction of short crested incident wave along positive x-axis direction on a large circular cylinder with uniform current is derived. The important influences of currents on wave frequency, water run-up, wave force, inertia and drag coefficients on the cylinder profiles are investigated for short-crested incident wave. Based on the numerical results, we find wave frequency of short crested wave system is affected by incident angle and the strength of the currents. The wave frequency increases or decreases with increasing current speed following or opposing wave propagating direction. It shows that the effects of current speeds, current directions on water run-up on the circular cylinder with different radius for different wave numbers are very conspicuous when the incident wave changes from long crested plane waves to short-crested waves. With the increase of current speed, the water run-up on the cylinder becomes more and more high, and will exceed that of long crested plane wave and short crested wave case without currents even though the current speed is small. The total wave loads, inertia coefficient and drag coefficient exerted on a cylinder with currents would be larger compared to the wave loads exerted pure short-crested waves. Therefore, ocean engineers should consider the short crested wave–current load on marine constructs carefully.     

A coupled-mode model for water wave scattering by vertically sheared currents in variable bathymetry regions

A coupled-mode model is developed for treating the wave–current–seabed interaction problem, with application to wave scattering by non-homogeneous, sheared current with linear vertical velocity profile, over general bottom topography. The wave potential is represented by a series of local vertical modes containing the propagating and evanescent modes, plus additional terms accounting for the satisfaction of the boundary conditions. Using the above representation, in conjunction with a variational principle, a coupled system of differential equations on the horizontal plane is derived, with respect to the unknown modal amplitudes. In the case of small-amplitude waves, a linearized version of the above coupled-mode system is obtained, extending previous analysis by Belibassakis et al. (2011) to the propagation of water waves over variable bathymetry regions in the presence of vertically sheared currents. Keeping only the propagating mode in the vertical expansion of the wave potential, the present system reduces to a one-equation model, that is shown to extend known mild-slope mild vertical shear equation concerning wave–current interaction over slowly varying topography. After additional simplifications, the latter model is shown to be compatible with the extended mild-slope mild-shear equation by Touboul et al. (2016). Results are presented for various representative test cases demonstrating the usefulness of the present coupled mode system and the importance of various terms in the modal expansion, and compared against experimental data collected in wave flume validating the present method. The analytical structure of the present system facilitates extensions to model non-linear effects and applications concerning wave scattering by inhomogeneous currents in coastal regions with general 3D bottom topography.     

大于切出风速的大型风力机运行控制策略研究

运用非定常叶素动量(BEM)理论计算气动载荷,叠加重力载荷和惯性载荷,建立并数值求解全机动力学模型。基于快速非支配排序遗传算法(NSGA),在切出风速以上,优化得到变速变桨和定速变桨两种控制规律曲线,实现大型风力机在25m/s~40m/s风速之间正常运行的目的。比较两种控制策略的输出功率、风轮推力和转矩,得出变速变桨控制策略更适合于25m/s~40m/s之间风力机运行控制的结论。计算稳态工况时8种叶根载荷的极限值,由各载荷的变化趋势可知,Fy在25m/s之后增大9%,其他载荷均安全。     

Characteristics of turbulent particle transport in human airways under steady and cyclic flows

Motion of monodispersed aerosol particles suspended in air flow has been studied on realistic transparent model of human airways using Phase Doppler Particle Analyser (P/DPA). Time-resolved velocity data for particles in size range 1–8 μm were processed using Fuzzy Slotting Technique to estimate the power spectral density (PSD) of velocity fluctuations. The optimum processing setup for our data was found and recommendations for future experiments to improve PSD quality were suggested. Typical PSD plots at mainstream positions of the trachea and the upper bronchi are documented and differences among (1) steady-flow regimes and equivalent cyclic breathing regimes, (2) inspiration and expiration breathing phase and (3) behaviour of particles of different sizes are described in several positions of the airway model. Systematically higher level of velocity fluctuations in the upper part of the frequency range (30–500 Hz) was found for cyclic flows in comparison with corresponding steady flows. Expiratory flows in both the steady and cyclic cases produce more high-frequency fluctuations compared to inspiratory flows. Negligible differences were found for flow of particles in the inspected size range 1–8 μm at frequencies below 500 Hz. This finding was explained by Stokes number analysis. Implied match of the air and particle flows thereby indicates turbulent diffusion as important deposition mechanism and confirms the capability to use the P/DPA data as the air flow velocity estimate.     

Hydrodynamics of vertical falling films in a large-scale pilot unit – a combined experimental and numerical study

The hydrodynamics of vertical falling films in a large-scale pilot unit are investigated experimentally and numerically. We study a broad range of operating conditions with Kapitza and Reynolds numbers ranging from Ka = 191–3394 and Re 24–251, respectively. We compare film thickness measurements, conducted by a laser triangulation scanner, with those obtained by directly solving the full Navier–Stokes equations in two dimensions and using the volume of fluid (VOF) numerical framework. We examine the evolution of the liquid film at multiple locations over a vertical distance of 4.5 m. In both our experiments and simulations we identify a natural wave frequency of the system of approximately 10 Hz. We investigate the formulation of the inlet boundary condition and its effects on wave formation. We show how potentially erroneous conclusions can be made if the simulated domain is shorter than 1000 film thicknesses, by mistaking the forced inlet frequency for the natural wave frequency. We recommend an inlet disturbance consisting of a multitude of frequencies to achieve the natural wave frequency over relatively short streamwise distances.     

Enhancement of channel wall vibration due to acoustic excitation of an internal bubbly flow

The effect of an internal turbulent bubbly flow on vibrations of a channel wall is investigated experimentally and theoretically. Our objective is to determine the spectrum and attenuation rate of sound propagating through a bubbly liquid flow in a channel, and connect these features with the vibrations of the channel wall and associated pressure fluctuations. Vibrations of an isolated channel wall and associated wall pressure fluctuations are measured using several accelerometers and pressure transducers at various gas void fractions and characteristic bubble diameters. A waveguide-theory-based model, consisting of a solution to the three-dimensional Helmholtz equation in an infinitely long channel with the effective physical properties of a bubbly liquid is developed to predict the spectral frequencies of the wall vibrations and pressure fluctuations, the corresponding attenuation coefficients and propagation phase speeds. Results show that the presence of bubbles substantially enhances the power spectral density of the channel wall vibrations and wall pressure fluctuations in the 250–1200 Hz range by up to 27 and 26 dB, respectively, and increases their overall rms values by up to 14.1 and 12.7 times, respectively. In the same frequency range, both vibrations and spectral frequencies increase substantially with increasing void fraction and slightly with increasing bubble diameter. Several weaker spectral peaks above that range are also observed. Trends of the frequency and attenuation coefficients of spectral peaks, as well as the phase velocities are well predicted by the model. This agreement confirms that the origin of enhanced vibrations and pressure fluctuations is the excitation of streamwise propagating pressure waves, which are created by the initial acoustic energy generated during bubble formation.     

潮流发电装置运动衰减特性与不规则波响应

为了研究基于竖轴水轮机的漂浮式潮流能发电装置的运动衰减特性与不规则波响应,提出了基于船模拖曳水池的系泊试验方法,设计了试验模型和装置,构建了系泊试验平台,进行了组合模型的自由衰减试验、系泊衰减试验和系泊状态下的不规则波响应试验. 衰减试验中测量了模型的摇动衰减特性,不规则波响应试验中测量了系缆的拉力响应和组合模型的摇动响应. 试验研究得到了关于漂浮式潮流能发电装置的衰减运动特性和4级海况、0.6m/s流速时1号系缆的拉力响应以及组合模型的摇动响应. 研究可为基于竖轴水轮机的漂浮式潮流能发电装置的理论研究和工程应用提供参考和借鉴.     

Laboratory study on the evolution of waves parameters due to wave breaking in deep water

Understanding of the occurrence of the wave breaking, the process of the wave breaking and evolution of waves after they break in deep water is crucial to simulate the growth of wind wave in ocean. In this study, deep-water breaking waves with various spectral types, center frequencies and frequency bandwidths are generated in a wave flume based on energy focusing theory. The time series of the wave surface elevation along the flume are obtained by 22 wave probes mounted along the central line of the flume. The characteristics of deep-water wave breaking are analyzed using the spectrum analysis based on the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). For small center frequency the maximum height of wave surface generated using the Pierson–Moskowitz (P–M) spectrum is produced and the impact of the frequency width is small in wave breaking zone. While the spectral type has a significant impact on the local wave steepness during breaking, the influence of center frequency and frequency width on the local wave steepness is very weak. The significant wave steepness changes significantly after wave breaking, but it remains stable in the upstream or the downstream of wave breaking zone. After wave breaking, the peak frequency remains stable, but the spectrally weighted wave frequency changes significantly. The relationship between the level of downshift and the incident wave steepness is approximately linear. By analyzing the energy spectra, it is found that the energy loses near high frequency of controlling frequencies range and increases near peak frequency during the wave breaking. After wave breaking, the total energy dissipates remarkably with increasing breaking intensity.     

Dynamic wind loads and wake characteristics of a wind turbine model in an atmospheric boundary layer wind

An experimental study was conducted to characterize the dynamic wind loads and evolution of the unsteady vortex and turbulent flow structures in the near wake of a horizontal axis wind turbine model placed in an atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel. In addition to measuring dynamic wind loads (i.e., aerodynamic forces and bending moments) acting on the wind turbine model by using a high-sensitive force-moment sensor unit, a high-resolution digital particle image velocimetry (PIV) system was used to achieve flow field measurements to quantify the characteristics of the turbulent vortex flow in the near wake of the wind turbine model. Besides conducting “free-run” PIV measurements to determine the ensemble-averaged statistics of the flow quantities such as mean velocity, Reynolds stress, and turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) distributions in the wake flow, “phase-locked” PIV measurements were also performed to elucidate further details about evolution of the unsteady vortex structures in the wake flow in relation to the position of the rotating turbine blades. The effects of the tip-speed-ratio of the wind turbine model on the dynamic wind loads and wake flow characteristics were quantified in the terms of the variations of the aerodynamic thrust and bending moment coefficients of the wind turbine model, the evolution of the helical tip vortices and the unsteady vortices shedding from the blade roots and turbine nacelle, the deceleration of the incoming airflows after passing the rotation disk of the turbine blades, the TKE and Reynolds stress distributions in the near wake of the wind turbine model. The detailed flow field measurements were correlated with the dynamic wind load measurements to elucidate underlying physics in order to gain further insight into the characteristics of the dynamic wind loads and turbulent vortex flows in the wakes of wind turbines for the optimal design of the wind turbines operating in atmospheric boundary layer winds.     

Wave-in-deck experiments with focussed waves into a solid deck

This paper examines impact forces resulting from wave-in-deck processes from two separate series of experiments: one with a generic solid deck model, and the other with a combined jacket and deck model, both were conducted with and without an I-beam grillage in-place below the solid deck. A range of inundation levels from 2.1 to 7.1 cm at 1:80 scale is considered. The focus is on global impact forces, which are considered more relevant for integrity assessment of overall bottom-founded structures when survivability is in question and local slamming is not addressed. The objective is to characterise the resultant impact forces as well as to investigate whether there is any interaction between the flows through the jacket and hitting the deck. Focussed wave groups were generated to impinge on the models which were suspended from a carriage over a towing tank. The motion of the support carriage mimics uniform current in-line with the incident waves. Both undisturbed surface elevations as well as impact force time histories were measured. From the first series of tests, a large increase in peak forces as well as high frequency oscillations (force spikes) is observed with the grillage in-place. As soon as the jacket model is in-place for the second series of tests, albeit with a different mounting support arrangement, such a large difference vanishes, which could likely be due to the effect of frequency-dependent transfer functions. We provide experimental evidence of the presence of the jacket in modifying the wave impact on the deck through a significant reduction in the total horizontal impulse. The effects of current on the wave impact forces are also investigated. A simple analytical model based on a momentum argument is used to describe the scaling of horizontal peak force with currents and inundation levels. Finally, the importance of the short duration force spikes as well as vertical impact loads on a real structure at full-scale is discussed based on the same analytical model.     

The formation of hydrodynamic slugs by the interaction of waves in gas–liquid two-phase pipe flow

This paper examines the effects of wave interaction on the formation of hydrodynamic slugs in two-phase pipe flow at relatively low gas and liquid superficial velocities. The experiments were conducted using a horizontal 31 m long, D = 10 cm internal diameter transparent pipe at atmospheric pressure. High resolution photography allowed the location of the gas–liquid interface to be measured with a high degree of accuracy at 5 Hz. Image analysis allowed individual waves to be tracked over a 14D section of the pipe. Regular waves having similar properties such as speed, amplitude and length were seen far from the region of slug formation. However, near the transition region, where hydrodynamic slugs were formed, significant differences between wave properties were observed which resulted in wave interaction leading to a type of sub-harmonic resonance and slug formation. The formation of hydrodynamic slugs due to wave interaction differs from predictions for slug formation using long wavelength stability theory. The properties of the waves were quantified which gave detailed information on the resonance mechanism found near the transition to slugging.     

近海风电结构台风环境动力灾变与控制

开发海上风能是实现我国碳达峰、碳中和“3060”目标的重要举措.海上风电的大型化是降本增效的主要途径,已成为近年来的发展趋势.目前海上风电基础结构设计标准由欧洲领衔;区别于欧洲的海洋环境与地质条件,我国海上风电结构面临强台风、软弱土等挑战,极易发生动力灾变,大型化可能进一步加剧风电结构灾变风险.防灾降载的关键在于深入理解海上风电相关的空气动力学、水动力学、结构动力学、土动力学等的一体化耦合与智能控制.本文围绕台风环境风机动力灾变与控制相关领域的交叉力学问题,结合笔者团队近年研究成果,较为详细地评述了国内外最新研究进展情况,主要包括:台风风场及其诱发的波浪场工程尺度性状,台风环境中风机气动、水动载荷及智能控制策略,风浪流多向载荷联合作用下基础失效模式与结构灾变机制,以及考虑风浪流-结构-基础-海床-风机控制耦合作用的一体化分析设计方法.在此基础上,建议了我国海上风电大型化进程中仍有待突破的研究重点:需更深入掌握台风风场工程尺度性状、台风和台风浪载荷特性,需探索台风环境中的风机控制策略,亟需建立台风环境中大型海上风电整机一体化设计理论并开发国产化工业软件.上述相关领域的突破,对于我国实现海...     

Swirl number based transposition of flow-induced mechanical stresses from reduced scale to full-size Francis turbine runners

At part load conditions, Francis turbines are subject to the emergence of a hydrodynamic instability in their draft tube, referred to as precessing vortex rope. It induces pressure pulsations in the water passages at the precession frequency of the vortex, leading to additional vibrations and dynamic loads on the runner blades. The prediction of both the dynamic behaviour of the vortex rope and the resulting dynamic loads over a wide operating range is of importance to improve the runner design and robustness on the one hand and to assess additional fatigue and related maintenance costs on the other hand. Such a prediction, either with numerical simulation or reduced scale physical model tests, remains however challenging. The present paper aims at introducing a methodology to assess the vortex behaviour, the related pressure fluctuations and the resulting dynamic strains on the runner over the complete part load operating range. It is based on reduced scale physical model tests of a Francis turbine, including the measurement of the pressure and the load on the runner with instrumented blades. It is shown that the influence of both the discharge factor and speed factor on the vortex dynamics behaviour and related pressure fluctuations can be represented by a single parameter; the swirl number. The correlation with the swirl number is further extended to the dynamic strains induced by the vortex rope on the runner blades. Similar mechanical load and pressure measurements are finally performed on the full-scale machine during a power ramp-up and the results are compared to the empirical correlations established on the reduced scale physical model.     

A model for the scattering of long waves by slotted breakwaters in the presence of currents

Slotted breakwaters have been used to provide economical protection from waves in harbors where surface waves and currents may co-exist. In this paper, the effects of currents on the wave scattering by slotted breakwaters are investigated by using a simple model. The model is based on a long wave approximation. The effects of wave height, barrier geometry and current strength on the reflection and transmission coefficients are examined by the model. The model results are compared with recent experimental data. It is found that both the wave-following and wave-opposing currents can increase the reflection coefficient and reduce the transmission coefficient. The model can be used to study the interaction between long waves and slotted breakwaters in coastal waters. The project partially supported by the Hong Kong Research Grant Council under Grant No. HKUST-DAG03/04.EG39 and HKUST6227/04E.     

Numerical modelling and flow analysis of a centrifugal pump running as a turbine: Unsteady flow structures and its effects on the global performance

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the flow patterns in a centrifugal pump when it works as a centripetal turbine, with special interest in the unsteady behavior in order to explain the shape of the performance curves. Also, we focus on the determination of the radial thrust and other mechanical loads over a pump‐designed machine. The pump studied is commercial, with single axial suction and a vaneless spiral volute casing. A numerical study has been carried out in order to obtain more information about the flow into the volute and the impeller. A numerical three‐dimensional unsteady simulation has been developed using a commercial code that solves the URANS set of equations with a standard k–ε turbulence model. The results show the non‐axisymmetric flow developed in the volute, responsible for a significant radial thrust; the interaction between the tongue and the impeller, generating force fluctuations; the velocity and pressure distributions inside the impeller; and the exit flow, characterized with post‐rotation and low‐pressure. These flow results allow us to understand the behavior of the machine by comparing it with the pump mode. Complementarily, an experimental study was conducted to validate the numerical model and characterize the pump‐turbine performance curves at constant head. Fast‐response pressure taps and a three‐hole pneumatic pressure probe were employed to obtain a complete data set of non‐stationary and stationary measurements throughout the centrifugal machine. As a result, loss of efficiency or susceptibility to cavitation, detected numerically, was confirmed experimentally. The study demonstrates that the numerical methodology presented here has shown its reliability and possibilities to predict the unsteady flow and time‐mean characteristics of centrifugal pumps working as turbines. In particular, it is shown that the commercial design of the pump allows a reasonable use of the impeller as a turbine runner, due to the suitable adaptation of the inflow distributions to the volute casing. Moreover, the efficiency for the inverse mode is shown to be as high as achieved for the pumping operational mode. In addition, it is concluded that both axial and radial thrusts are controlled, though important unsteady fluctuations—up to 25%—clocked with the blade passing frequency appear beyond the nominal conditions. In that case, a moderate use of the pump as a turbine is recommended in order to minimize risks of fatigue failure of the bearings. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

台风过境下大型单桩式海上风机结构动力特性研究

风机大型化是我国海上风电技术发展的重要方向. 东南沿海是我国海上风电发展的重要基地, 这一区域频繁发生的台风对海上风机的影响不可忽略. 台风风场与常规大风风场有不同的湍流特性, 同时台风期间较高的风速会引起巨大的台风浪. 本文考虑台风经过期间独特的风场及波浪场, 开展风浪联合作用对大型单桩海上风机影响的研究. 基于DTU 10 MW大型单桩风机, 运用一体化分析软件SIMA建立风浪联合作用下大型单桩风机的耦合数值模型, 研究台风经过不同阶段大型风力机的动力响应特性. 计算结果显示, 叶片变桨能有效降低台风经过时风机叶片所受风载荷, 变桨状态下单桩风机所受风载荷主要来源于塔筒. 在台风经过的不同阶段, 大型单桩海上风机结构表现出不同的动力特性. 台风全过程塔筒运动均受波浪激发一阶频率控制, 塔基上方结构动力载荷以惯性载荷为主, FOVS至FEWS阶段及BOVS阶段至BEWS阶段塔筒运动一阶频率处响应能量增长较小, 响应能量向低频及波频转移. 塔基下方泥面线处剪力响应受波频控制, 弯矩响应受一阶频率控制.