Abstract: In order to ensure the sustainable character of any tidal energy extraction project, the assessment of its potential hydrodynamic impact is required.
Sustainable implementation of Tidal Current Turbine (TCT) arrays would provide optimum power extraction with minimum impacts on the environment. The goal of the project is to create a numerical decision-making tool for use in planning such TCT projects. A numerical approach is suggested to perform such work. The tool is built around an existing regional modelling framework which is being modified to enable the user to account for the effects of TCTs.
This article presents experimental measurement comparisons showing that, in such a framework where farm layout optimization is significantly driven by TCT interactions, the hydrodynamic induced effects of a single TCT cannot be accounted for solely on considerations of momentum.
Consequently, additional effort has been made to parameterize the turbulence effects induced by such devices.
Experimental measurement comparisons highlight improvements in the accuracy of simulations using a turbulence correction parameterization.
