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Title: Multi-mode evaluation of power-maximizing cross-flow turbine controllers

Abstract

A general method for predicting and evaluating the performance of three candidate cross-flow turbine power-maximizing controllers is presented in this paper using low-order dynamic simulation, scaled laboratory experiments, and full-scale field testing. For each testing mode and candidate controller, performance metrics quantifying energy capture (ability of a controller to maximize power), variation in torque and rotation rate (related to drive train fatigue), and variation in thrust loads (related to structural fatigue) are quantified for two purposes. First, for metrics that could be evaluated across all testing modes, we considered the accuracy with which simulation or laboratory experiments could predict performance at full scale. Second, we explored the utility of these metrics to contrast candidate controller performance. For these turbines and set of candidate controllers, energy capture was found to only differentiate controller performance in simulation, while the other explored metrics were able to predict performance of the full-scale turbine in the field with various degrees of success. Finally, effects of scale between laboratory and full-scale testing are considered, along with recommendations for future improvements to dynamic simulations and controller evaluation.

Authors:
 [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [2];  [2];  [1]
  1. Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)
  2. Ocean Renewable Power Company, Portland, ME (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States); Ocean Renewable Power Company, Portland, ME (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Water Power Technologies Office
OSTI Identifier:
1395897
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1549202
Grant/Contract Number:  
EE0003697
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
International Journal of Marine Energy
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 20; Journal ID: ISSN 2214-1669
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
13 HYDRO ENERGY; hydrokinetics; cross-flow; controls; simulation; experiment; field-testing

Citation Formats

Forbush, Dominic, Cavagnaro, Robert J., Donegan, James, McEntee, Jarlath, and Polagye, Brian. Multi-mode evaluation of power-maximizing cross-flow turbine controllers. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1016/j.ijome.2017.09.001.
Forbush, Dominic, Cavagnaro, Robert J., Donegan, James, McEntee, Jarlath, & Polagye, Brian. Multi-mode evaluation of power-maximizing cross-flow turbine controllers. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijome.2017.09.001
Forbush, Dominic, Cavagnaro, Robert J., Donegan, James, McEntee, Jarlath, and Polagye, Brian. 2017. "Multi-mode evaluation of power-maximizing cross-flow turbine controllers". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijome.2017.09.001. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1395897.
@article{osti_1395897,
title = {Multi-mode evaluation of power-maximizing cross-flow turbine controllers},
author = {Forbush, Dominic and Cavagnaro, Robert J. and Donegan, James and McEntee, Jarlath and Polagye, Brian},
abstractNote = {A general method for predicting and evaluating the performance of three candidate cross-flow turbine power-maximizing controllers is presented in this paper using low-order dynamic simulation, scaled laboratory experiments, and full-scale field testing. For each testing mode and candidate controller, performance metrics quantifying energy capture (ability of a controller to maximize power), variation in torque and rotation rate (related to drive train fatigue), and variation in thrust loads (related to structural fatigue) are quantified for two purposes. First, for metrics that could be evaluated across all testing modes, we considered the accuracy with which simulation or laboratory experiments could predict performance at full scale. Second, we explored the utility of these metrics to contrast candidate controller performance. For these turbines and set of candidate controllers, energy capture was found to only differentiate controller performance in simulation, while the other explored metrics were able to predict performance of the full-scale turbine in the field with various degrees of success. Finally, effects of scale between laboratory and full-scale testing are considered, along with recommendations for future improvements to dynamic simulations and controller evaluation.},
doi = {10.1016/j.ijome.2017.09.001},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1395897}, journal = {International Journal of Marine Energy},
issn = {2214-1669},
number = ,
volume = 20,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Sep 21 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Thu Sep 21 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Power-tracking control for cross-flow turbines
journal, January 2019