Computational Methods for the Design and Prediction of Performance of Tidal Turbines

Author(s):  
Spyros A. Kinnas ◽  
Wei Xu ◽  
Yi-Hsiang Yu ◽  
Lei He

A design method based on a lifting line model is developed to determine the optimum radial circulation distribution on a turbine blade, which will produce the maximum output power for a given tip speed ratio and a given number of blades. The resulting optimum circulation distribution is used in order to determine the preliminary shape of the turbine blade. The blade shape is then refined by using an analysis method, based on a vortex-lattice scheme, in combination with a nonlinear optimization method, which determines the blade geometry that will produce the highest output power. Finally, the effect of nonuniform current inflow on the performance of a turbine is also addressed by coupling the vortex-lattice method with a viscous flow solver.

Author(s):  
Soedibyo Soedibyo ◽  
Farid Dwi Murdianto ◽  
Suyanto Suyanto ◽  
Mochamad Ashari ◽  
Ontoseno Penangsang

<em>Photovoltaic system (PV) is widely used in various renewable energy application. The main problem of PV system is how to get the maximum output power which is integrated in microgrid system. Furthermore, the redundancy output power generated by on a distribution system should also be considered. This study utilizes the excess power for energy storage using bidirectional of KY inverse</em> <em>converter. Since the DC voltage which generated by PV and the energy storage will be converted into AC voltage using inverter toward load. This paper proposes ANFIS as search optimization method using SEPIC converter with a maximum efficiency of 99.95%</em> to impact to power generation performance  in microgrid system.


Author(s):  
Wei Xu ◽  
Spyros A. Kinnas

In this paper, an optimization method is developed for determining the loading on each component, which leads to the maximum efficiency (i.e. maximum output power) of a contra-rotating turbine when subject to uniform inflow. The lifting line model is adopted and both the self-induced velocities and the interaction induced velocities between the front and the back components are included. The optimum ratio of rotational velocities for reducing the torque on support structures and the performance effects of the gap distance between two components are investigated. The optimum distance for two in-line turbines in a turbine farm is also analyzed.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 4045
Author(s):  
David Menéndez Arán ◽  
Ángel Menéndez

A design method was developed for automated, systematic design of hydrokinetic turbine rotor blades. The method coupled a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) solver to estimate the power output of a given turbine with a surrogate-based constrained optimization method. This allowed the characterization of the design space while minimizing the number of analyzed blade geometries and the associated computational effort. An initial blade geometry developed using a lifting line optimization method was selected as the base geometry to generate a turbine blade family by multiplying a series of geometric parameters with corresponding linear functions. A performance database was constructed for the turbine blade family with the CFD solver and used to build the surrogate function. The linear functions were then incorporated into a constrained nonlinear optimization algorithm to solve for the blade geometry with the highest efficiency. A constraint on the minimum pressure on the blade could be set to prevent cavitation inception.


Catalysts ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 508
Author(s):  
Kui You ◽  
Zihan Zhou ◽  
Chao Gao ◽  
Qiao Yang

Biochar is a kind of carbon-rich material formed by pyrolysis of biomass at high temperature in the absence or limitation of oxygen. It has abundant pore structure and a large surface area, which could be considered the beneficial characteristics for electrodes of microbial electrochemical systems. In this study, reed was used as the raw material of biochar and six biochar-based electrode materials were obtained by three methods, including one-step biochar cathodes (BC 800 and BC 700), biochar/polyethylene composite cathodes (BP 5:5 and BP 6:4), and biochar/polyaniline/hot-melt adhesive composite cathode (BPP 5:1:4 and BPP 4:1:5). The basic physical properties and electrochemical properties of the self-made biochar electrode materials were characterized. Selected biochar-based electrode materials were used as the cathode of sediment microbial electrochemical reactors. The reactor with pure biochar electrode (BC 800) achieves a maximum output power density of 9.15 ± 0.02 mW/m2, which increases the output power by nearly 80% compared with carbon felt. When using a biochar/polyaniline/hot-melt adhesive (BPP 5:1:4) composite cathode, the output power was increased by 2.33 times. Under the premise of ensuring the molding of the material, the higher the content of biochar, the better the electrochemical performance of the electrodes. The treatment of reed powder before pyrolysis is an important factor for the molding of biochar. The one-step molding biochar cathode had satisfactory performance in sediment microbial electrochemical systems. By exploring the biochar-based electrode, waste biomass could be reused, which is beneficial for the environment.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 391
Author(s):  
Nan Wu ◽  
Yuncheng He ◽  
Jiyang Fu ◽  
Peng Liao

In this paper a novel hybrid piezoelectric and electromagnetic energy harvester for civil engineering low-frequency sloshing environment is reported. The architecture, fabrication and characterization of the harvester are discussed. The hybrid energy harvester is composed of a permanent magnet, copper coil, and PVDF(polyvinylidene difluoride) piezoelectric film, and the upper U-tube device containing a cylindrical fluid barrier is connected to the foundation support plate by a hinge and spring. The two primary means of energy collection were through the vortex street, which alternately impacted the PVDF piezoelectric film through fluid shedding, and the electromotive force (EMF) induced by changes in the magnetic field position in the conducting coil. Experimentally, the maximum output power of the piezoelectric transformer of the hybrid energy harvester was 2.47 μW (circuit load 270 kΩ; liquid level height 80 mm); and the maximum output power of the electromagnetic generator was 2.72 μW (circuit load 470 kΩ; liquid level height 60 mm). The low-frequency sloshing energy collected by this energy harvester can drive microsensors for civil engineering monitoring.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Spyros A. Kinnas ◽  
Kyungjung Cha ◽  
Seungnam Kim

A comprehensive method which determines the most efficient propeller blade shapes for a given axisymmetric hull to travel at a desired speed, is presented. A nonlinear optimization method is used to design the blade, the shape of which is defined by a 3-D B-spline polygon, with the coordinates of the B-spline control points being the parameters to be optimized for maximum propeller efficiency, for given effective wake and propeller thrust. The performance of the propeller within the optimization scheme is assessed by a vortex-lattice method (VLM). To account fully for the hull/propeller interaction, the effective wake to the propeller and the hull resistance are determined by analyzing the designed propeller geometry by the VLM, coupled with a Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solver. The optimization method re-designs the optimum blade with the updated effective wake and propeller thrust (taken to be equal to the updated hull resistance), and the procedure continues until convergence of the propeller performance. The current approach does not require knowledge of the wake fraction or the thrust deduction factor, both of which must be estimated a priori in traditional propeller design. The method is applied for a given hull to travel at a desired speed, and the optimum blades are designed for various combinations of propeller diameter and RPM, in the case of open and ducted propellers with provided duct shapes. The effects of the propeller diameter and RPM on the designed propeller thrust, torque, propeller efficiency, and required power are presented and compared with each other in the case of open and ducted propellers. The present approach is shown to provide guidance on the design of propulsors for underwater vehicles, and is applicable to the design of propulsors for surface ships.


Laser Physics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 025801
Author(s):  
Xiangrui Liu ◽  
Zhuang Li ◽  
Chengkun Shi ◽  
Bo Xiao ◽  
Run Fang ◽  
...  

Abstract We demonstrated 22 W LD-pumped high-power continuous-wave (CW) deep red laser operations at 718.5 and 720.8 nm based on an a-cut Pr3+:YLF crystal. The output power of both polarized directions reached the watt-level without output power saturation. A single wavelength laser operated at 720.8 nm in the π-polarized direction was achieved, with a high output power of 4.5 W and high slope efficiency of approximately 41.5%. To the best of our knowledge, under LD-pumped conditions, the laser output power and slope efficiency are the highest at 721 nm. By using a compact optical glass plate as an intracavity etalon, we suppressed the π-polarized 720.8 nm laser emission. And σ-polarized single-wavelength laser emission at 718.5 nm was achieved, with a maximum output power of 1.45 W and a slope efficiency of approximately 17.8%. This is the first time that we have achieved the σ-polarized laser emission at 718.5 nm generated by Pr3+:YLF lasers.


Author(s):  
James F. Walton ◽  
Andrew Hunsberger ◽  
Hooshang Heshmat

In this paper the authors will present the design and preliminary test results for a distributed electric generating system that uses renewable energy source for economical load-following and peak-shaving capability in an oil-free, high-speed micro-turboalternator system using compliant foil bearings and a permanent magnet alternator. Test results achieved with the prototype system operating to full speed and under power generating mode will be presented. A comparison between predicted and measured electrical output will also be presented up to a power generating level of 25 kWe at approximately 55,000 rpm. The excellent correlation between design and test provides the basis for scale up to larger power levels. Based upon the turboalternator test results a thermodynamic cycle analysis of a system using low grade waste heat water at approximately 100 C will be reviewed. The tradeoff study results for a series of environmentally friendly refrigerant working fluids will also be presented including sensitivity to vaporization and condensing temperatures. Based on the cycle and pinch point analyses predicted maximum output power was determined. Finally a preliminary turbine design for the selected R134a working fluid was completed. The results of this study show that a net output power level of greater than 40 kW is possible for approximately 240 l/m flow of water at 100C is possible.


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