Development of an effective performance turbine model for a river hydrokinetic cross-flow turbine with supporting struts

The effective performance turbine model (EPTM), developed by Laval University, Mavi Innovations Inc., Lambda2 Engineering Simulations and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), enables the simulation of a large number of river hydrokinetic turbine units on a typical desktop computer. The EPTM was verified numerically with the simulation results from full detailed turbine geometry, showing that it is capable of modelling wake structure, turbine interactions, and the energy production of each turbine in an array.

To confirm the numerical findings, validation against field experiments is necessary. Through NRCan’s Clean Growth Program, two 5-kilowatt (kW) cross-flow turbines will be deployed and tested at the Canadian Hydrokinetic Turbine Test Centre (CHTTC) with various turbine configurations. This project consists of two phases:

• Phase 1 focuses on the development of a new EPTM for the turbines to be tested at CHTTC
• Phase 2 will validate the EPTM using the test data obtained from CHTTC

The work presented in this report covers phase 1 of the project. As the EPTM is turbine geometry specific, and no EPTM model has been developed for the turbines to be installed at the CHTTC, a full-rotor Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) simulation of these turbines was required to develop a new EPTM. Following this, a number of preliminary two-dimensional CFD simulations were completed to determine the optimal operating regime of the turbine. From there, a reference high-fidelity three-dimensional CFD simulation was performed with the full geometry of the turbines, including supporting struts, at the optimal operating regime. Based on the results, a new EPTM for the 5kW cross-flow turbine was derived. A second report covering phase 2 of the project will be prepared when the upcoming experimental works are completed at the CHTTC.

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