IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/renene/v243y2025ics0960148125001491.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

An experimental and numerical assessment of tidal stream turbine behavior under seabed bathymetry proximity and blockage ratio effect

Author

Listed:
  • Chen, Long
  • Wang, Hao
  • Yao, Yu
  • Sun, Zhenkai
  • Chin, Ren-Jie

Abstract

The combination of waves, currents, and seabed bathymetry can result in large hydrodynamic loads that can lead to excessive loading, tidal turbine fatigue and power fluctuations. In this work, a 1:50 scaled tidal stream turbine model is utilized to further the fundamental understanding of tidal turbine behavior with present of seabed bathymetry. The influence of seabed bathymetry proximity on tidal turbines power and loading fluctuations are assessed in terms of spectral density. In the spectral domain of power coefficient, the presence of seabed bathymetry effectively reduces the energy cascade. For thrust coefficient, the frequency decay depicted peaks nearly at the harmonics along the rotor's rotational (fr). The coupled effects of seabed bathymetry and blockage ratio were also examined by a transient numerical analysis. The implication of blockage effects is not only to increase the hydrodynamic performance but also shifting the optimum performance TSR to a higher value. The presence of seabed bathymetry resulted in skewed wake flows and the seabed element obstruction is the primary mechanism for reduced performance at close proximity. The results of this study provide recommendations for turbine positioning and fatigue analysis in such flows.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Long & Wang, Hao & Yao, Yu & Sun, Zhenkai & Chin, Ren-Jie, 2025. "An experimental and numerical assessment of tidal stream turbine behavior under seabed bathymetry proximity and blockage ratio effect," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:243:y:2025:i:c:s0960148125001491
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2025.122487
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148125001491
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.renene.2025.122487?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Li, Gang & Zhu, Weidong, 2023. "Tidal current energy harvesting technologies: A review of current status and life cycle assessment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    2. Allmark, Matthew & Ellis, Robert & Ebdon, Tim & Lloyd, Catherine & Ordonez-Sanchez, Stephanie & Martinez, Rodrigo & Mason-Jones, Allan & Johnstone, Cameron & O’Doherty, Tim, 2021. "A detailed study of tidal turbine power production and dynamic loading under grid generated turbulence and turbine wake operation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 1422-1439.
    3. Wei-Bo Chen & Hongey Chen & Lee-Yaw Lin & Yi-Chiang Yu, 2017. "Tidal Current Power Resources and Influence of Sea-Level Rise in the Coastal Waters of Kinmen Island, Taiwan," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-15, May.
    4. Zhang, Yidan & Shek, Jonathan K.H. & Mueller, Markus A., 2023. "Controller design for a tidal turbine array, considering both power and loads aspects," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).
    5. Lloyd, Thomas P. & Turnock, Stephen R. & Humphrey, Victor F., 2014. "Assessing the influence of inflow turbulence on noise and performance of a tidal turbine using large eddy simulations," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 742-754.
    6. Han, Cong & Banerjee, Arindam, 2024. "Near wake evolution of a tidal stream turbine due to asymmetric sheared turbulent inflow with different integral length scales," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 237(PD).
    7. Zuo, Hongyan & Tan, Jiqiu & Wei, Kexiang & Huang, Zhonghua & Zhong, Dingqing & Xie, Fuchun, 2021. "Effects of different poses and wind speeds on wind-induced vibration characteristics of a dish solar concentrator system," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 1308-1326.
    8. Liu, Xiaodong & Feng, Bo & Liu, Di & Wang, Yiming & Zhao, Haitao & Si, Yulin & Zhang, Dahai & Qian, Peng, 2022. "Study on two-rotor interaction of counter-rotating horizontal axis tidal turbine," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    9. Lucille Furgerot & Yohann Poprawski & Marc Violet & Emmanuel Poizot & Pascal Bailly du Bois & Mehdi Morillon & Yann Mear, 2019. "High-resolution bathymetry of the Alderney Race and its geological and sedimentological description (Raz Blanchard, northwest France)," Journal of Maps, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(2), pages 708-718, July.
    10. Si, Yulin & Liu, Xiaodong & Wang, Tao & Feng, Bo & Qian, Peng & Ma, Yong & Zhang, Dahai, 2022. "State-of-the-art review and future trends of development of tidal current energy converters in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    11. Guerra, Maricarmen & Hay, Alex E., 2024. "Field observations of the wake from a full-scale tidal turbine array," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    12. Chen, Wei-Bo & Liu, Wen-Cheng, 2017. "Assessing the influence of sea level rise on tidal power output and tidal energy dissipation near a channel," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 603-616.
    13. Mycek, Paul & Gaurier, Benoît & Germain, Grégory & Pinon, Grégory & Rivoalen, Elie, 2014. "Experimental study of the turbulence intensity effects on marine current turbines behaviour. Part II: Two interacting turbines," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 876-892.
    14. Mycek, Paul & Gaurier, Benoît & Germain, Grégory & Pinon, Grégory & Rivoalen, Elie, 2014. "Experimental study of the turbulence intensity effects on marine current turbines behaviour. Part I: One single turbine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 729-746.
    15. Evans, P. & Mason-Jones, A. & Wilson, C. & Wooldridge, C. & O'Doherty, T. & O'Doherty, D., 2015. "Constraints on extractable power from energetic tidal straits," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 707-722.
    16. Gaurier, Benoît & Ikhennicheu, Maria & Germain, Grégory & Druault, Philippe, 2020. "Experimental study of bathymetry generated turbulence on tidal turbine behaviour," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 1158-1170.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Druault, Philippe & Gaurier, Benoît & Germain, Grégory, 2022. "Spatial integration effect on velocity spectrum: Towards an interpretation of the − 11/3 power law observed in the spectra of turbine outputs," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 1062-1080.
    2. Kabir Bashir Shariff & Sylvain S. Guillou, 2025. "Towards a Generalized Tidal Turbine Wake Analytical Model for Turbine Placement in Array Accounting for Added Turbulence," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-27, April.
    3. Zhang, Jisheng & Zhou, Yudi & Lin, Xiangfeng & Wang, Guohui & Guo, Yakun & Chen, Hao, 2022. "Experimental investigation on wake and thrust characteristics of a twin-rotor horizontal axis tidal stream turbine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 701-715.
    4. Han, Cong & Banerjee, Arindam, 2024. "Near wake evolution of a tidal stream turbine due to asymmetric sheared turbulent inflow with different integral length scales," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 237(PD).
    5. Magnus Harrold & Pablo Ouro, 2019. "Rotor Loading Characteristics of a Full-Scale Tidal Turbine," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-19, March.
    6. Magnier, Maëlys & Delette, Nina & Druault, Philippe & Gaurier, Benoît & Germain, Grégory, 2022. "Experimental study of the shear flow effect on tidal turbine blade loading variation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 744-757.
    7. Craig Hill & Vincent S. Neary & Michele Guala & Fotis Sotiropoulos, 2020. "Performance and Wake Characterization of a Model Hydrokinetic Turbine: The Reference Model 1 (RM1) Dual Rotor Tidal Energy Converter," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-21, October.
    8. Zhang, Dahai & Liu, Di & Liu, Xiaodong & Xu, Haiyang & Wang, Yuankui & Bi, Ran & Qian, Peng, 2024. "Unsteady effects of a winglet on the performance of horizontal-axis tidal turbine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    9. Gao, Jinjin & Liu, Han & Lee, Jiyong & Zheng, Yuan & Guala, Michele & Shen, Lian, 2022. "Large-eddy simulation and Co-Design strategy for a drag-type vertical axis hydrokinetic turbine in open channel flows," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 1305-1316.
    10. Enayatollah Zangiabadi & Matt Edmunds & Iain A. Fairley & Michael Togneri & Alison J. Williams & Ian Masters & Nick Croft, 2015. "Computational Fluid Dynamics and Visualisation of Coastal Flows in Tidal Channels Supporting Ocean Energy Development," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-16, June.
    11. Liang, Darong & Wu, Baigong & Shu, Yongdong & Zhou, Zhenhu & Zhang, Xiao & Chen, Jianmei & Zhu, Wanqiang & Ji, Qingshan, 2024. "Structural optimization and performance investigation of power flow adaptive flow devices based on multi-body coupling," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 312(C).
    12. Gaurier, Benoît & Ikhennicheu, Maria & Germain, Grégory & Druault, Philippe, 2020. "Experimental study of bathymetry generated turbulence on tidal turbine behaviour," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 1158-1170.
    13. Allmark, Matthew & Ellis, Robert & Ebdon, Tim & Lloyd, Catherine & Ordonez-Sanchez, Stephanie & Martinez, Rodrigo & Mason-Jones, Allan & Johnstone, Cameron & O’Doherty, Tim, 2021. "A detailed study of tidal turbine power production and dynamic loading under grid generated turbulence and turbine wake operation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 1422-1439.
    14. Yang, Zhixue & Ren, Zhouyang & Li, Hui & Pan, Zhen & Xia, Weiyi, 2024. "A review of tidal current power generation farm planning: Methodologies, characteristics and challenges," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    15. Durán Medina, Olmo & Schmitt, François G. & Calif, Rudy & Germain, Grégory & Gaurier, Benoît, 2017. "Turbulence analysis and multiscale correlations between synchronized flow velocity and marine turbine power production," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 314-327.
    16. Ahmadi, Mohammad H.B., 2019. "Influence of upstream turbulence on the wake characteristics of a tidal stream turbine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 989-997.
    17. Myriam Slama & Camille Choma Bex & Grégory Pinon & Michael Togneri & Iestyn Evans, 2021. "Lagrangian Vortex Computations of a Four Tidal Turbine Array: An Example Based on the NEPTHYD Layout in the Alderney Race," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-23, June.
    18. Razi, P. & Ramaprabhu, P. & Tarey, P. & Muglia, M. & Vermillion, C., 2022. "A low-order wake interaction modeling framework for the performance of ocean current turbines under turbulent conditions," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 1602-1617.
    19. Vinod, Ashwin & Han, Cong & Banerjee, Arindam, 2021. "Tidal turbine performance and near-wake characteristics in a sheared turbulent inflow," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 840-852.
    20. Lo Brutto, Ottavio A. & Nguyen, Van Thinh & Guillou, Sylvain S. & Thiébot, Jérôme & Gualous, Hamid, 2016. "Tidal farm analysis using an analytical model for the flow velocity prediction in the wake of a tidal turbine with small diameter to depth ratio," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 347-359.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:243:y:2025:i:c:s0960148125001491. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/renewable-energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.