Design Feasibility Study for a Low Velocity Tidal Stream Turbine

该研究将以英国沃茨为例，调查从低速（< 2 m/s）潮汐流中提取能量的可行性。现有的研究和商业开发集中在从高速流（> 2 m/s）中提取能量，优先考虑优化潜在的可再生能源。然而，在这些高能量流中，与涡轮机的操作、可靠性、维护和生存能力相关的相关技术存在许多问题。因此，现在需要考虑低速潮流的潜在能量，其中一些问题将不是那么重要，并且由此产生的能量成本使该选择具有经济吸引力。考虑到不同的潮汐条件，必须首先进行可行性研究，以分析环境条件并确定潮汐流涡轮机在这种低速流动中运行所需的设计参数。因此，本研究将为潮汐涡轮机开发商提供有关低速潮汐流涡轮机设计要求的信息，包括叶片几何形状和传动系统，以及与现有技术进行比较的平准电力成本（LCOE）评估。

The research will investigate the feasibility of extracting energy from low velocity (< 2 m/s) tidal flows, using the UK waters as a case study. Existing research and commercial developments have focused on the energy extraction from high velocity flows (> 2 m/s), given the priority has been to optimise the potential renewable energy. However there are numerous issues associated with the associated technologies relating to the operation, reliability, maintenance and survivability of turbines in these high energy flows.Consequently, there is now a need to consider the potential energy from low velocity tidal currents, where some of these issues will not be so paramount and the resulting energy costs make this option economically attractive. Given the different tidal conditions, it is imperative that a feasibility study is first undertaken to analyse the environmental conditions and determine the design parametrics required for a tidal stream turbine to operate in such low velocity flows. The study will therefore provide information to the tidal turbine developers on the design requirements for a low velocity tidal stream turbine, including the blade geometry and the drive train system as well as a Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE) evaluation for comparison with existing technologies.