Numerical model of a tidal current acceleration structure

Abstract

Advancements in technology have led to a rapid rise in the use of renewable energy sources in the past 25 years. The current work focuses on the potential of a novel hydraulic technology to contribute toward sustainable energy production. The tidal current acceleration structure is a simple structure that uses the basic principle of the Venturi effect in low-speed tides and rivers to accelerate the flow and, in turn, extract energy using turbines. The primary aim of the present study is to understand to what extent this newly proposed tidal flow structure is suitable for real applications. The shear stress transport k– ω model was utilized, and the parametric analysis based on angle variation, Froude number, and bed roughness was undertaken to optimize the performance of the structure. The potential power that could be extracted by an in-stream turbine was then estimated using actuator disk theory. The performance of the structure significantly increased for the configuration having the ratio of the opening and contraction width of 2.66.