UKERC EDC: Publications

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Abstract:

The Performance Assessment of Wave and Tidal Array Systems (PerAWaT) project, launched in October 2009 with £8m of ETI investment. The project delivered validated, commercial software tools capable of significantly reducing the levels of uncertainty associated with predicting the energy yield of major wave and tidal stream energy arrays. It also produced information that will help reduce commercial risk of future large scale wave and tidal array developments.

This document outlines the issues associated with array scale modelling within an energy yield analysis and array layout optimisation. The aim of the array scale modelling in the context of an energy yield assessment is to both evaluate the energy yield for each individual device within the array, and to predict the changes in the inter-array flow field due to the energy extraction process.

A summary isprovided of the standard guidelines for performance assessment of tidal energy devices and tidal energy resource assessments that have been written in recent years.

This is followed by a review of existing methods for modelling an array of tidal turbines for the evaluation of energy yield. The GH array scale modelling approach is described and explained. The GH array scale modelling approach incorporates many different aspects: the use of a rationalised flow field model to represent the tidal flow as a series of flow maps and a long term flow occurrence distribution; the use of an assimilation method to correct the numerical spatial flow model using site data, yielding 3-d array flow speed and turbulence intensity fields for each flow state; and the use of a perturbation method to allow the array influenced flow modelling to be imposed upon the tidal spatial flow model. This allows an efficient wake modelling approach, coupling a rationalised eddy viscosity model with wake interaction models.

This report provides an overview of the approach adopted by TidalFarmer for energy yield assessment, and a discussion of how the arrayscale models are implemented within the software.

Publication Year:

2011

Publisher:

ETI

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5286/ukerc.edc.000381

Author(s):

Thomson, M.D. and McCowen, D.

Energy Category

Class Name:

Subclass Name:

Category Name:

Renewable Energy Sources

Ocean Energy

Language:

English

File Type:

application/pdf

File Size:

771347 B

Rights:

Energy Technologies Institute Open Licence for Materials

Rights Overview:

The Energy Technologies Institute is making this document available to use under the Energy Technologies Institute Open Licence for Materials. Please refer to the Energy Technologies Institute website for the terms and conditions of this licence. The Information is licensed "as is" and the Energy Technologies Institute excludes all representations, warranties, obligations and liabilities in relation to the Information to the maximum extent permitted by law. The Energy Technologies Institute is not liable for any errors or omissions in the Information and shall not be liable for any loss, injury or damage of any kind caused by its use. This exclusion of liability includes, but is not limited to, any direct, indirect, special, incidental, consequential, punitive, or exemplary damages in each case such as loss of revenue, data, anticipated profits, and lost business. The Energy Technologies Institute does not guarantee the continued supply of the Information. Notwithstanding any statement to the contrary contained on the face of this document, the Energy Technologies Institute confirms that it has the right to publish this document.

Further information:

N/A

Region:

United Kingdom

Publication Type:

Technical Report

Subject:

Modelling

Theme(s):

Marine

Related Dataset(s):

No related datasets