Extension of UKCMER Core Research, Industry and International Engagement
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Sch of Engineering
Abstract
Wave and tidal energy devices are subjected to normal everyday loadings and abnormal extreme loadings. Extreme loadings are severe and less frequent. The repetitive loadings arising from wave-device interaction or current-blade-structure interaction are lower and occur very frequently in normal operation. Economic designs that will survive have to withstand, without structural failure, a combination of these types of loading over the design life of the device and its subsystems. Cumulative fatigue damage in the wave or turbulent-current environment could occur earlier than anticipated in the life of wave or tidal current technologies and needs to be better understood to predict wear-out or failure and ensure designs are robust without entailing excessive cost. This work will explore numerically through computer modelling, and physically through preliminary model- and sea-testing, the interaction of tidal and wave devices with their sea that surrounds them, one another, their moorings and the electricity network to understand the cyclic and irregular forces acting and the structural loadings arising, ultimately aiming to reduce fatigue effects and increase reliability.
Planned Impact
Tidal and wave energy converters are being demonstrated at full-scale in UK waters, supplying the electricity network. Meeting the 2020 and later targets for installed marine energy capacity mandates that single-device installations are up-scaled into arrays, farms and parks. Concurrently fledgling and new technologies must be systematically de-risked. With increased operational service and experience, it is now timely and necessary to explore cyclic loadings and consequent fatigue effects and their consequences for reliability to avoid early component or device failure.
The work proposed will model, predict and measure the repetitive cyclic and irregular forces on devices as the interact with the sea, one another, their moorings and the electricity network. The forecast loading regimes will be used to explore the cumulative fatigue damage and how this could affect wear out and failure of devices, structures, subsystems or components.
Device developers, manufacturers, installers, operating and maintenance companies, and marine energy farm owners will benefit by the findings of this research. Structures, subsystems or component parts, subject to repetitive loadings and stresses could be better designed, manufactured, installed, operated and maintained to avoid premature failure and costly downtime, or more expensive repair or replacement.
Standards and certification authorities will be advised by the findings for future evolution of design codes for the marine energy environment.
The wider sector will benefit by the prior avoidance of failure and associated reputational risk.
The work proposed will model, predict and measure the repetitive cyclic and irregular forces on devices as the interact with the sea, one another, their moorings and the electricity network. The forecast loading regimes will be used to explore the cumulative fatigue damage and how this could affect wear out and failure of devices, structures, subsystems or components.
Device developers, manufacturers, installers, operating and maintenance companies, and marine energy farm owners will benefit by the findings of this research. Structures, subsystems or component parts, subject to repetitive loadings and stresses could be better designed, manufactured, installed, operated and maintained to avoid premature failure and costly downtime, or more expensive repair or replacement.
Standards and certification authorities will be advised by the findings for future evolution of design codes for the marine energy environment.
The wider sector will benefit by the prior avoidance of failure and associated reputational risk.
Organisations
- University of Edinburgh (Lead Research Organisation)
- Swansea University (Project Partner)
- UNIVERSITY OF EXETER (Project Partner)
- RenewableUK (Project Partner)
- Queen's University Belfast (Project Partner)
- Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (Project Partner)
- University of Strathclyde (Project Partner)
Publications
Rinaldi G
(2016)
On the Analysis of a Wave Energy Farm with Focus on Maintenance Operations
in Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
De Andres A
(2017)
On the reversed LCOE calculation: Design constraints for wave energy commercialization
in International Journal of Marine Energy
McGilton B
(2017)
Optimisation procedure for designing a magnetic gear
in The Journal of Engineering
Schmitt P
(2016)
Optimising power take-off of an oscillating wave surge converter using high fidelity numerical simulations
in International Journal of Marine Energy
Nambiar A
(2016)
Optimising power transmission options for marine energy converter farms
in International Journal of Marine Energy
Bouferrouk A
(2016)
Quantifying turbulence from field measurements at a mixed low tidal energy site
in Renewable Energy
Crossley G
(2017)
Quantifying uncertainty in acoustic measurements of tidal flows using a 'Virtual' Doppler Current Profiler
in Ocean Engineering
Ransley E
(2017)
RANS-VOF modelling of the Wavestar point absorber
in Renewable Energy
Draycott S
(2017)
Re-Creating Waves in Large Currents for Tidal Energy Applications
in Energies
Draycott S
(2018)
Re-creation of site-specific multi-directional waves with non-collinear current
in Ocean Engineering
Anderlini E
(2017)
Reactive control of a wave energy converter using artificial neural networks
in International Journal of Marine Energy
Weller S
(2015)
Reducing Reliability Uncertainties for Marine Renewable Energy
in Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
Marsh G
(2016)
Review and application of Rainflow residue processing techniques for accurate fatigue damage estimation
in International Journal of Fatigue
Stratigaki V
(2015)
Sea-state modification and heaving float interaction factors from physical modelling of arrays of wave energy converters
in Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Martin R
(2016)
Sensitivity analysis of offshore wind farm operation and maintenance cost and availability
in Renewable Energy
Draycott S
(2017)
Simulating Extreme Directional Wave Conditions
in Energies
Fairley I
(2017)
Spatio-temporal variation in wave power and implications for electricity supply
in Renewable Energy
Ransley E
(2017)
Survivability of wave energy converters using CFD
in Renewable Energy
Weller S
(2015)
Synthetic mooring ropes for marine renewable energy applications
in Renewable Energy
Weller S
(2015)
Synthetic rope responses in the context of load history: The influence of aging
in Ocean Engineering
Schmitt P
(2017)
The application of Froude scaling to model tests of Oscillating Wave Surge Converters
in Ocean Engineering
Greenwood C
(2018)
The approximation of a sea surface using a shore mounted X-band radar with low grazing angle
in Remote Sensing of Environment
Antonutti R
(2016)
The effects of wind-induced inclination on the dynamics of semi-submersible floating wind turbines in the time domain
in Renewable Energy
Description | This project is now concluded. The research leading to and contributing to this grant application and our early work has shown that the effects of wave action on tidal current turbines in the water column can be as significant as incipient turbulence. This led to the objectives of testing 3 tidal turbines in an electrically and hydro-dynamically interconnected array under the action of waves and currents in the FloWave tank. It was first test programme of its type in the world. The outputs, findings, impact, collaborations and industry and policy interaction were reported at the 2018 Annual Assembly, available to download from the website. The associated publications are in press and are reported in the Phase 4 submission to Research Fish |
Exploitation Route | This will advise the tidal energy community on array layout and control strategies. |
Sectors | Energy |
URL | https://supergen-marine.org.uk/events/past-events/assembly-2018 |
Description | The work of this collaboration has influenced technology, policy, standards and practice in the marine energy sector. |
First Year Of Impact | 2015 |
Sector | Energy,Environment |
Description | Extension of UKCMER Core Research, Industry and International Engagement |
Amount | £1,517,202 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/P008682/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2016 |
End | 11/2018 |