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A parametric study and optimization of the fully-passive flapping-foil turbine at high Reynolds number

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  • Boudreau, Matthieu
  • Picard-Deland, Maxime
  • Dumas, Guy

Abstract

The dynamics of a fully-passive flapping-foil turbine, operating at a Reynolds number of 3.9×106, is studied via two-dimensional fluid-structure numerical simulations. The foil is allowed to move freely, but only, in heave and in pitch by being simply attached with springs and dampers. These elastic supports eliminate the need for the more complex mechanisms that are traditionally used to prescribe specific foil motions. This study demonstrates that the optimal performance of fully-constrained flapping-foil turbines can be matched with this simpler concept when the structural parameters are adequately adjusted. An efficiency reaching 53.8% has been achieved. Also, the effects of varying the heaving mass and the heave stiffness can be effectively characterized by a single parameter, which is not the heave natural frequency. On the other hand, the pitch dynamics is appropriately characterized by the pitch natural frequency, which combines the moment of inertia and the pitch stiffness. An optimal efficiency can be maintained over large variations of the inertial and stiffness properties when the effective parameters are kept constant. It is also found that the presence of viscous friction in pitch is detrimental to the turbine performance, but its effect remains small with a realistic friction level.

Suggested Citation

  • Boudreau, Matthieu & Picard-Deland, Maxime & Dumas, Guy, 2020. "A parametric study and optimization of the fully-passive flapping-foil turbine at high Reynolds number," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 1958-1975.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:146:y:2020:i:c:p:1958-1975
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2019.08.013
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sitorus, Patar Ebenezer & Ko, Jin Hwan, 2019. "Power extraction performance of three types of flapping hydrofoils at a Reynolds number of 1.7E6," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 106-118.
    2. Teng, Lubao & Deng, Jian & Pan, Dingyi & Shao, Xueming, 2016. "Effects of non-sinusoidal pitching motion on energy extraction performance of a semi-active flapping foil," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 810-818.
    3. Kinsey, T. & Dumas, G. & Lalande, G. & Ruel, J. & Méhut, A. & Viarouge, P. & Lemay, J. & Jean, Y., 2011. "Prototype testing of a hydrokinetic turbine based on oscillating hydrofoils," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 1710-1718.
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhang, Yongkuang & Han, Xinyang & Hu, Yuxuan & Chen, Xihan & Li, Zhuohang & Gao, Feng & Chen, Weixing, 2024. "Dual-function flapping hydrofoil: Energy capture and propulsion in ocean waves," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 222(C).
    2. Li, Weizhong & Wang, Wen-Quan & Yan, Yan, 2020. "The effects of outline of the symmetrical flapping hydrofoil on energy harvesting performance," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 624-638.
    3. Villeneuve, Thierry & Boudreau, Matthieu & Dumas, Guy, 2021. "Assessing the performance and the wake recovery rate of flapping-foil turbines with end-plates and detached end-plates," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 206-222.
    4. Liu, Zhen & Qu, Hengliang & Song, Xinyu & Chen, Zhengshou, 2025. "A state-of-the-art review on energy-harvesting performance of the flapping hydrofoil with influential parameters," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 245(C).
    5. Dominic Cloutier & Mathieu Olivier & Guy Dumas, 2025. "A Parametric Study of a Fully Passive Oscillating Foil Turbine on a Swinging Arm in a Tandem Configuration," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-26, June.
    6. Zhang, Yongkuang & Feng, Yongjun & Chen, Weixing & Gao, Feng, 2022. "Effect of pivot location on the semi-active flapping hydrofoil propulsion for wave glider from wave energy extraction," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    7. Zhang, Yubing & Wang, Yong & Xie, Yudong & Sun, Guang & Han, Jiazhen, 2022. "Effects of flexibility on energy extraction performance of an oscillating hydrofoil under a semi-activated mode," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    8. Dilip Thakur & Faisal Muhammad & Muhammad Saif Ullah Khalid, 2025. "How Does Energy Harvesting from a Fluttering Foil Influence Its Nonlinear Dynamics?," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-26, July.
    9. Tamimi, V. & Wu, J. & Esfehani, M.J. & Zeinoddini, M. & Naeeni, S.T.O., 2022. "Comparison of hydrokinetic energy harvesting performance of a fluttering hydrofoil against other Flow-Induced Vibration (FIV) mechanisms," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 186(C), pages 157-172.
    10. Dominic Cloutier & Mathieu Olivier & Guy Dumas, 2025. "Parametric Study of a Fully Passive Oscillating Foil on a Swinging Arm," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-29, March.

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