Abstract
Ocean currents are one of important resources of ocean energy. Although it is not widely harnessed at present, ocean current power has a vital potential for future electricity generation. In fact, several turbine systems have been proposed in the world. In the present, we consider what factors should be considered in designing the system from the perspective of hydrodynamics. As an example, a floating Kuroshio turbine system which is under development in Taiwan is employed to serve as the case study. The system consists of five major parts; i.e. a foil float which can be employed to adjust the system submergence depth, a twin contrarotating turbine system for taking off the current energy, two nacelles housing power generators, a cross beam to connect two nacelle-and-turbine systems, and two vertical support to connect the foil float and the rest of the system.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Reference
http://www.independent.com/news/2010/sep/20/carpinteriabusiness-obtains-grant-develop-clean-o/. [EB/OL].
http://wdstudio.net/gulfstreamturbine/index.htm. [EB/OL].
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20141224005313/en/IHI-Toshiba-Launch-Demonstration-Research-Ocean-Current. [EB/OL].
Bai J.-Y. Ocean current power generation project [C]. Workshop on Development of Marine Mechanical Energy Industry in Taiwan. Keelung, 2012 (in Chinese).
http://public.eng.fau.edu/design/news-archive/archive/2010-2009/1008_coet.php. [EB/OL].
https://groups.oist.jp/qwmu/research. [EB/OL].
Fleming A. Aquantis ocean current turbine development: Innovative power generation technology [R]. Dehlsen Associates, LLC, Santa Barbara, Washington DC, USA: CA and US Department of Energy, 2014.
Cribbs A. R. Model analysis of a mooring system for an ocean current turbine testing platform [D]. Master Thesis, Boca Raton, USA: Florida Atlantic University, 2010.
Driscoll F. R., Alsenas G. M., Beaujean P. P. et al. A 20 kW open ocean current test turbine [C]. IEEE Oceans 2008. Quebec City, Canada, 2008.
Robson J. H. Submersible electrical power generating plant [P]. US Patent, No. 6531788, 2003.
Robson J. H. Submersible electrical power generating plant [P]. US Patent, No. 7691936, 2007.
Takagi K., Waseda T., Nagaya S. et al. Development of a floating current turbine [C] IEEE Oceans 2012. Hampton Roads, VA, USA, 2012.
Kubo K., Nakamura K., Ueno T. et al. Development of blade for floating type current turbine system [C] IEEE Oceans 2014. St. John’s, Canada, 2014.
Shirasawa K., Tokunaga K., Iwashita H. et al. Experimental verification of a floating ocean current turbine with a single rotor for use in Kuroshio currents [J]. Renewable Energy, 2016, 91: 189–195.
Chen Y.-Y., Bai J.-Y., Chen C.-Y. et al. Efficiency verification for the ocean current power system [C]. 2014 Taiwan Wind Energy Conference. Taipei, 2014 (in Chinese).
Chen F. The Kuroshio Power Plant [M]. Berlin, Germany: Springer, 2013.
Chang L.-Y., Chen F., Tseng K.-T. Dynamics of a marine turbine for deep ocean currents [J]. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 2016, 4(4): 59.
Tzelepis V. Electromechanics of an ocean current turbines [D]. Master Thesis, New Orleans, LA, USA: University of New Orleans, 2015.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Biography: Jiahn-Horng CHEN, Male, Ph. D., Professor
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chen, JH., Chiu, FC., Hsin, CY. et al. Hydrodynamic consideration in ocean current turbine design. J Hydrodyn 28, 1037–1042 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1001-6058(16)60708-4
Received:
Revised:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1001-6058(16)60708-4