Hydrodynamic analysis and fatigue loading evaluation of a tidal turbine
Xu, Kai Finnegan, William O’Rourke, Fergal Goggins, Jamie
Xu, Kai
Finnegan, William
O’Rourke, Fergal
Goggins, Jamie
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Publication Date
2025-09-07
Type
conference paper
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Citation
Xu, Kai, Finnegan, William, O'Rourke, Fergal, & Goggins, Jamie. (2025). Hydrodynamic analysis and fatigue loading evaluation of a tidal turbine. Paper presented at the 16th European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference (EWTEC 2025), Madeira, Portugal, 7–11 September, https://doi.org/10.36688/ewtec-2025-708
Abstract
As tidal turbines are operated for longer periods, the effects of frequent and large-scale fluctuations in hydrodynamic loading are of significant importance. These fluctuations in hydrodynamic loading can lead to fatigue damage of turbine blades, particularly for floating turbines operating in shallow water conditions, where the influence of wave loading becomes significant. Thus, the fatigue loading on tidal turbines must be accurately evaluated within the design stage to ensure the long-term durability and longevity of these devices. In this study, a series of hydrodynamic tests have been conducted on a tidal turbine model in a physical wave tank. The results show that under wave loadings, the damage equivalent load (DEL) on the turbine decreases with the increase of the depth below still water level (SWL) and the wave period in transitional water conditions. Twin turbine testing results reveal that the twin turbine can experience 1.25 to 2 times the hydrodynamic loadings on a single turbine, and the loadings can be increased with increased cluster interactions. In parallel, a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of a horizontal axis tidal turbine rotor and a numerical wave tank model have been developed using ANSYS CFX to conduct the hydrodynamic analysis and expand the analysis to evaluate the fatigue loadings under both current and wave conditions. This research can help improve the present fatigue design and in the long run, help society achieve sustainable development goals and reach ‘net zero’ CO2 emissions energy goals by 2050.
Publisher
European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference
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CC BY-NC-ND