Feasibility assessment of using a fiber reinforced polymer composite rotor shaft for a vertical axis hydrokinetic turbine

溪流能源系统公司是一家加拿大公司，活跃于潮汐流和内陆应用的流体动力系统领域。考虑到对环境的影响最小，使用水动力系统已成为中小型内燃机发电机的一个有吸引力的替代方案。该公司的垂直轴水动力涡轮机以可持续的方式将流动的水的动能转化为电能。在这个项目中，将研究用纤维增强聚合物复合材料（FRPC）轴代替水动力涡轮不锈钢转子轴的可行性。在工业合作伙伴目前的水动力涡轮机设计中，不锈钢用于垂直涡轮转子轴，该轴从顶部悬臂起，连接到水上发电机系统。轴携带涡轮叶片，所有叶片都浸没在水流中。与这种安排相关的缺点包括高材料和制造成本以及系统的重量。在拟议的研究中，该大学的研究人员将贡献他们在设计、模拟和建模方面的专业知识，以提高成本效益和轻质FRPC组件，以改进水动力涡轮机的轴设计。为了研究设计方案，将研究和分析现有的FRPC轴技术，以评估目标应用的能力和未来的研究需求。技术规格将通过调查现有的流体动力涡轮轴和类似的FRPC结构来制定，例如用于工业和运输设备的FRPC驱动轴以及风力涡轮机系统。由于工业合作伙伴在设计和开发水动力发电系统领域的观点和专业知识，他们在这一过程中发挥了重要作用。通过结合工业合作伙伴和大学研究人员的专业知识和能力，从而创建了一个专家团队，从而实现有效和及时的研究。在参与阶段之后，预计未来的合作工作将导致详细的研究，以优化设计和原型开发适合的FRPC轴解决方案。

Instream Energy Systems Corp. is a Canadian based company active in the field of hydrokinetic systems for tidal streams and inland applications. Given the minimal environmental impact, the use of hydrokinetic systems has become an attractive alternative to small and midsize internal combustion power generators. The company's vertical axis hydrokinetic turbines convert the kinetic energy of flowing water into electricity in a sustainable fashion. In this project the feasibility of replacing a stainless steel rotor shaft in a hydrokinetic turbine with a fiber reinforced polymer composite (FRPC) shaft will be examined. In the industrial partner's current hydrokinetic turbine design, stainless steel is used for the vertical turbine rotor shaft, which is cantilevered from the top end where it attaches to the above-water generator system. The shaft carries the turbine blades, all of which are immersed in the water flow. Drawbacks associated with this arrangement include high material and manufacturing costs and the heavy weight of the system. In the proposed study, the university researchers will contribute their expertise in design, simulation and modeling of cost-effective and lightweight FRPC components toward an improved shaft design for the hydrokinetic turbine. To investigate design solutions, existing FRPC shaft technologies will be researched and analyzed to assess capabilities and future research needs for the target applications. Technical specifications will be developed by investigating the existing hydrokinetic turbine shaft and comparable FRPC structures, e.g. FRPC drive shafts for industrial and transportation equipment as well as wind turbine systems. The industrial partner is instrumental in this process due to their perspective and expertise in the field of designing and developing hydrokinetic power generation systems. By combining the expertise and capabilities of the industrial partner and the university researchers an expert team is thus created enabling effective and timely research. Following the engagement phase, it is anticipated that future collaborative work will lead to detailed research toward an optimized design and prototype development for a suitable FRPC shaft solution.