A Study on the Performance of an 100 kW Class Tidal Current Turbine

As the problems of global warming are brought up recently, many skillful solutions for developing new renewable energy are suggested. One of the most remarkable things is ocean energy. Korea has abundant ocean energy resources owing to geographical characteristics surrounded by sea on three sides, thus the technology of commercialization about tidal current power, wave power is demanded. Especially, Tidal energy conversion system is a means of maintaining environment naturally. Tidal current generation is a form to produce electricity by installing rotors, generators to convert a horizontal flow generated by tidal current into rotating movement. According to rotor direction, a tidal current turbine is largely distinguished between horizontal and vertical axis shape. Power capacity depends on the section size crossing a rotor and tidal current speed. We therefore investigated three dimensional flow analysis and performance evaluation using commercial ANSYS-CFX code for an 100 kW class horizontal axis turbine for low water level. Then We also studied three dimensional flow characteristics of a rotating rotor and blade surface streamlines around a rotor. As a result, We found that torque increased with TSR, the maximum torque occurred at TSR 3.77 and torque decreased even though TSR increased. Moreover we could get power coefficient 0.38 at designed flow velocity.