基于UDF的水平轴潮流能水轮机被动旋转水动力性能研究

针对水平轴潮流能水轮机被动旋转问题,基于Fluent 17.0,运用UDF(User Defined Function)控制滑移网格对网格进行动态调整,仿真研究水轮机在不同安放角下被动旋转的水动力特性。通过仿真分析,结果表明:潮流能水轮机随着叶片安放角度的增加,尖速比、输出功率、捕能系数都是先增大后减小,叶片安放角为6°时,叶轮前后速度差最大,对潮流能利用充分,且各项性能均达到最佳;通过分析叶片受力,叶尖叶素在安放角为2°时阻力最大,3°时升力最大,升阻比在6°时最大,此时叶尖叶素升阻比C_L/C_D=6.27、攻角α=3.06°。由仿真结果可知水平轴潮流能叶轮的自启动过程由5个阶段组成,即加速度增大的加速运动段—加速度减小的加速运动段—加速度反向增大的减速运动段—加速度反向减小的减速运动段—稳定运行段,这对潮流能水轮机的设计具有重要的指导意义。     

考虑转捩影响的潮流能水轮机翼型水动力学性能数值模拟

为了更准确地模拟潮流能水轮机的水动力学性能并研究边界层转捩对水轮机翼型水动力学特性的影响,本文采用κ-ε湍流模型以及γ-Re_θ转捩模型对水轮机翼型水动力学性能进行了考虑转捩的数值模拟。在进行转捩模拟时通过CFD软件的UDF接口将转捩经验关系式导入求解器中,在-5°～25°攻角范围内对水轮机翼型的水动力学性能进行了数值模拟。比较湍流模拟与转捩模拟下水轮机翼型的升阻力系数以及流场特征,结果表明:对水轮机翼型水动力学性能进行全湍流模拟时在小攻角范围内忽略了转捩前的层流状态,导致湍流模拟所得到的升力系数小于使用γ-Re_θ转捩模型的转捩模拟所得的升力系数;阻力系数则大于转捩模拟所得的结果;相比于全湍流模拟,转捩模拟时会更早的进入深失速状态。     

水平轴潮流能发电装置结构对其水动力性能的影响

为研究水平轴潮流能发电装置结构对其水动力性能的影响,运用格子玻尔兹曼(LBM)方法,建立水平轴潮流能发电装置的数值模拟分析模型,对水轮机在不同尖速比工况下的水动力性能进行模拟。将模拟结果与同工况水池拖曳实验得到的数据相对比,二者捕获能系数误差在2%左右,验证了LBM方法的可行性和准确性。在此基础上利用LBM方法研究机舱和立柱结构对水轮机特性的影响,得到其对水轮机捕获效率的影响规律。     

潮流能水轮机水动力分析方法

潮流水轮机是潮流能转换装置的核心装备,潮流水轮机水动力性能和载荷则是潮流能转换装置总体设计和结构设计的基本依据。到目前为止,流动分离、流固耦合、空化以及复杂环境条件等强非线性因素对潮流水轮机水动力的影响仍然是一个值得研究的问题。本文基于哈尔滨工程大学在潮流能利用技术领域多年的研究成果,对潮流水轮机在均匀流水动力分析和流固耦合分析的不同数值方法及相关计算结果进行了回顾和对比分析,并提出了一种水轮机波浪载荷的计算模型。     

潮流能发电装置支撑结构对水轮机水动力学性能影响研究

水平轴潮流能水轮机在工作过程中,由于支撑结构的存在,会使水轮机周围流场中的潮流流向、流速等参数发生不同程度的改变,进而影响水轮机的性能和发电装置的稳定性。为了研究支撑结构对水轮机水动力学性能的影响规律,以某100 k W单立柱座底式潮流能发电装置的支撑结构为研究对象,采用CFD方法,分别在正、反向来流时采用不同支撑结构的共六种工况下,对潮流能水轮机模型的获能和受力进行数值模拟。通过水槽模型试验,验证数值模拟的可靠性。研究结果表明:支撑结构对水轮机的水动力学性能的影响不容忽视,针对所研究的支撑结构,在正向来流时水轮机的获能系数降幅约30%,轴向力系数降幅约28%;反向来流时的降幅更大,分别约为63%和41%。     

潮流能水平轴水轮机叶片扭角与弦长分布研究

叶片是潮流能水轮机的关键部件,为获取综合性能良好的潮流能水平轴水轮机,采用解析计算与CFD仿真结合的方法研究叶片扭角与弦长分布。以叶素效率最大原则,推导叶片扭角与弦长的理想分布计算模型,并研究尖速比对叶片扭角与弦长分布的影响;综合考虑水轮机获能效率、可靠性、安全性及叶片加工制造等因素,提出对叶片扭角与弦长修正分布模型;运用Fluent软件对20kW水轮机设计实例性能分析,结果显示修正模型水轮机转矩满足获能要求,轴向力明显减小,有利于工程应用中水轮机的稳定运行。     

潮流能水平轴水轮机湍流模型研究初探

借助计算流体力学(CFD)方法研究潮流能水平轴水轮机水动力学性能,选择合适的湍流模型至关重要。为此,本文采用计算流体力学软件Fluent,将Spalart-Allmaras湍流模型、标准k-ε湍流模型、RNGk-ε湍流模型、标准k-ω湍流模型和SSTk-ω湍流模型分别应用到水平轴水轮机数值模拟当中。对数值模拟结果进行分析比较,并与模型试验数据进行对比,得出应用SSTk-ω湍流模型可以更好的模拟潮流能水平轴水轮机的水动力学性能。     

共水平轴双叶轮海流机水动力学性能的实验研究

针对水平轴单叶轮海流机在低流速时启动性能差、获能少的缺点,采用共水平轴同向旋转双叶轮水轮机进行了水动力学性能的水槽试验.由实验结果研究了共水平轴单叶轮和双叶轮水轮机的功率特性和启动特性,分析了不同上、下游叶轮安装角和叶轮轴向间距对叶轮启动水流速度以及发电机获得功率的影响,并对单叶轮和双叶轮水轮机的运行情况进行了比较.结果表明,共水平轴双叶轮水轮机的启动水流速度较单叶轮低很多,而且能从水流中获得更多的能量.因此,共水平轴双叶轮水轮机能改进一般水平轴单叶轮水轮机难以启动和获能少的不足,更适合于我国低海流流速的实际海况.     

水平轴海流能发电机叶片设计与性能分析

全球海洋蕴藏着丰富的海流能,合理利用海流能可以有效缓解能源危机。以额定工况下获能系数达到最大值为目标,利用叶素-动量理论设计了150 kW水平轴海流能发电机的叶片。使用叶素-动量理论结合普朗特修正和葛劳渥修正的方法,预测了海流机在不同尖速比以及不同桨距角下的水动力性能,分析了攻角和载荷沿着叶片径向的分布规律。使用CFD方法计算了海流机在不同尖速比下的水动力性能,并与理论方法的计算结果进行了比较。理论方法和CFD方法的结果均表明,所设计的海流机最大获能系数位于设计尖速比处,证明基于叶素-动量理论的水平轴海流机叶片设计方法是有效的。     

漂浮式立轴潮流水轮机波浪载荷分析

波浪对漂浮式潮流能水轮机的水动力性能具有重要的影响,论文采用切片理论建立和三维水轮机无辐射运动时立轴潮流水轮机水动力载荷近似计算公式,计算分析了浪流同向条件下,海能1号2×150 k W漂浮式潮流电站两叶片固定偏角立轴水轮机在波浪中的水动力载荷。计算结果表明,波浪中潮流水轮机水动力具有双频特性;水轮机工作工况下,每增加1 m波高,水轮机极限载荷增加27%,在相同波高条件下,主轴极限载荷随波长的增加而增大。     

Review on Tidal Energy Technologies and Research Subjects

Tidal current power is one of the promising and reliable renewable energies with the advantage of continuous and predictable resource. It can make stable electricity regardless of weather conditions or seasons all year around. The required technologies for tidal current power in the ocean have been developed for years and now recognized that it could be commercialized after intensive field tests and successful demonstrations. There are several tidal farm development projects in the world, such as the MeyGen project in UK with its commercialization at hand. However, various research subjects in the tidal current energy field are seeking improvements and industrialization of tidal current power in terms of economy and technical reliability. This paper introduces the resource assessment procedure of tidal energy that has been applied in Korea coastal regions. The key research subjects for tidal current power together with the interaction effect of multi-arrangement is described. Also, this paper is to introduce the research output of each subject such as turbine design, experimental validation, turbine interaction and wake, multi-array module, FSI (fluid-structure interaction), and duct application.     

Design and Test of 1/5th Scale Horizontal Axis Tidal Current Turbine

Tidal current energy is prominent and renewable. Great progress has been made in the exploitation technology of tidal current energy all over the world in recent years, and the large scale device has become the trend of tidal current turbine (TCT) for its economies. Instead of the similarity to the wind turbine, the tidal turbine has the characteristics of high hydrodynamic efficiency, big thrust, reliable sealing system, tight power transmission structure, etc. In this paper, a 1/5th scale horizontal axis tidal current turbine has been designed, manufactured and tested before the full scale device design. Firstly, the three-blade horizontal axis rotor was designed based on traditional blade element momentum theory and its hydrodynamic performance was predicted in numerical model. Then the power train system and stand-alone electrical control unit of tidal current turbine, whose performances were accessed through the bench test carried out in workshop, were designed and presented. Finally, offshore tests were carried out and the power performance of the rotor was obtained and compared with the published literatures, and the results showed that the power coefficient was satisfactory, which agrees with the theoretical predictions.     

潮流发电帆翼式柔性叶片水轮机实验研究

潮流发电水轮机是海洋潮流能发电系统的核心组成部分.帆翼式柔性叶片水轮机是一种全新水流发电装置,叶片由柔性材料制成,在流体力作用下自动调节攻角,能充分利用流体的升力和阻力效应做功.以帆翼式柔性叶片水轮机获能系数为研究目标,采用因次分析法初步分析可能影响获能系数的因素,通过模型实验对叶片弧弦比、叶片边弦比、叶片密度与获能系数的关系进行研究.不同结构形式转子存在不同叶片弧弦比最佳值,叶片边弦比愈大,获能能力愈强;在一定范围内,叶片密度较小时,获能与起转能力强,转速波动性较大,适用于低流速工况;反之获能与起转能力弱,稳定性较好,电能质量较高,适用于高流速工况.最后提出优化方案,实验证实优化后水轮机在获能能力和发电能力上均有所提高.     

Experimentally validated numerical method for the hydrodynamic design of horizontal axis tidal turbines

Although a lot can be learnt from technology transfer from wind turbines and ship propellers, there have been a few experiments investigating marine current turbines. As a result, a study has been carried out on the power, thrust and cavitation characteristics of 1/20th scale model of a possible 16 m diameter horizontal axis tidal turbine. Cavitation tunnel experiments for different blade pitch settings have been compared with simulations based on a developed blade element-momentum theory. This theory has been shown to provide a satisfactory representation of the experimental turbine performance characteristics. As an example application, the developed theory has been used to design possible horizontal axis tidal turbines for the tidal flows around Portland Bill. The results show that there is a clear balance between design loads and optimisation of energy yields.     

Research on the unsteady hydrodynamic characteristics of vertical axis tidal turbine

The unsteady hydrodynamic characteristics of vertical axis tidal turbine are investigated by numerical simulation based on viscous CFD method. The starting mechanism of the turbine is revealed through analyzing the interaction of its motion and dynamics during starting process. The operating hydrodynamic characteristics of the turbine in wave-current condition are also explored by combining with the linear wave theory. According to possible magnification of the cyclic loads in the maximum power tracking control of vertical axis turbine, a novel torque control strategy is put forward, which can improve the structural characteristics significantly without effecting energy efficiency.     

The effects of blade twist and nacelle shape on the performance of horizontal axis tidal current turbines

The paper presents the effects of blade twist and nacelle shape on the performance of horizontal axis tidal current turbines using both analytical and numerical methods. Firstly, in the hydrodynamic design procedure, the optimal profiles of untwisted and twisted blades and their predicted theoretical turbine performance are obtained using the genetic algorithm method. Although both blade profiles produce desired rated rotational speed, the twisted blade achieves higher power and thrust performance. Secondly, numerical simulation is performed using sliding mesh technique to mimic rotating turbine in ANSYS FLUENT to validate the analytical results. The Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) approximation of the turbulence parameters is applied to obtain the flow field around the turbine. It is found that power and axial thrust force from BEMT (Blade Element Momentum Theory) method are under-predicted by 2% and 8% respectively, compared with numerical results. Afterwards, the downstream wake field of the turbine is investigated with two different nacelle shapes. It is found that the rotor performance is not significantly affected by the different nacelle shapes. However, the structural turbulence caused by the conventional nacelle is stronger than that by the NACA-profiled shape, and the former can cause detrimental effect on the performance of the downstream turbines in tidal farms.     

Modeling of twin-turbine systems with vertical axis tidal current turbine: Part II—torque fluctuation

We recently showed the advantage of using a numerical system to extract energy from tidal currents by developing a new twin-turbine model (Li and Calisal, 2010a). Encouraged by this result, we decided to use this model to study another important characteristic of the turbine system, torque fluctuation. This effort is summarized in this paper. The torque fluctuation is expected to reduce the fatigue life of tidal current turbines, though potentially it also may deteriorate the power quality of tidal current turbines. In this paper, after reviewing the twin-turbine model, we use it to predict the torque fluctuation of the system with the same configurations as we used to study the power output in Li and Calisal (2010a). Specifically, we investigate the torque fluctuation of twin-turbine systems with various turbine parameters (e.g., relative distance between two turbines and incoming flow angle) and operational condition (e.g., tip speed ratio). The results suggest that the torque of an optimally configured twin-turbine system fluctuates much less than that of the corresponding stand-alone turbine, under the same operating conditions. We then extensively compare the hydrodynamic interaction’s impact on the torque fluctuation and the power output of the system. We conclude that the hydrodynamic interactions pose more constructive impacts on the torque fluctuation than on the power output. The findings indicate that the optimally configured counter-rotating system should be a side-by-side system, and that the optimally configured co-rotating system should have the downstream turbine partially in the wake of the upstream turbine depending on the detailed configuration of the turbines. Furthermore, one must balance the optimal torque fluctuation against the optimal power output.     

Numerical and Experimental Study of the 3D Effect on Connecting Arm of Vertical Axis Tidal Current Turbine

Vertical axis tidal current turbine is a promising device to extract energy from ocean current. One of the important components of the turbine is the connecting arm, which can bring about a significant effect on the pressure distribution along the span of the turbine blade, herein we call it 3D effect. However, so far the effect is rarely reported in the research, moreover, in numerical simulation. In the present study, a 3D numerical model of the turbine with the connecting arm was developed by using FLUENT software compiling the UDF (User Defined Function) command. The simulation results show that the pressure distribution along the span of blade with the connecting arm model is significantly different from those without the connecting arm. To facilitate the validation of numerical model, the laboratory experiment has been carried out by using three different types of NACA aerofoil connecting arm and circle section connecting arm. And results show that the turbine with NACA0012 connecting arm has the best start-up performance which is 0.346 m/s and the peak point of power conversion coefficient is around 0.33. A further study has been performed and a conclusion is drawn that the aerofoil and thickness of connecting arm are the most important factors on the power conversion coefficient of the vertical axis tidal current turbine.