Power Coefficient Analysis of Double-blade Half-rotating Impeller Tidal Turbine Operating at Yaw

Abstract

The double-blade half-rotating impeller tidal turbine (DHITT) is a new type of vertical shaft tidal current turbine with lift and resistance performance. The power coefficient of the DHITT is affected by the flow direction. In order to research the power coefficient (CP) of the DHITT under different flow direction, the optimal attack flow angle of a half-impeller turbine was explored, and the fluctuation of power coefficient of the DHITT operating at yaw was analyzed based on the optimal attack flow angle. The unsteady flow of the turbine was simulated by overlapping grid technique, and the fluctuation of the turbine’s power coefficient under different flow directions was analyzed, which was verified by experiments. The results have demonstrated that the power coefficient at the optimal angle of attack is 0.53. As the yaw angle greater than 30º, the power reduction is nearly 40%, but the average efficiency loss is only 3.7% in the range of -3º to 3º.