Design of a recirculating water channel for the development of a hydrokinetic turbine

Abstract

This study presents the design, construction, and operational details of an experimental recirculating water channel dedicated to the assessment of hydrokinetic turbines, including a propeller-type turbine and a H-Darrieus turbine, since it offers a controlled testing environment. The recirculating water channel had overall dimensions of 5 m in length, 0.35 m in width, and 0.5 m in depth, it allows for the replication of various water flow conditions and permits a maximum achievable flow velocity of 0.6 m/s, which closely resembles real-world scenarios. Afterwards, a propeller-type turbine and a H-Darrieus turbine underwent characterization within the channel, and a performance curve constructed through the coefficient versus the blade tip speed ratio (TSR) revealed a peak efficiency of 0.2129 at a TSR of 2.952 for the propeller turbine, and a higher peak efficiency of 0.3076 at a TSR of 0.38 for the H-Darrieus turbine. The versatility of this experimental setup makes it a valuable platform for in-depth performance studies of hydrokinetic turbines. This water channel and its systematic characterization process represent a vital resource for conducting efficiency and behavior analyses across a wide range of operational parameters related to hydrokinetic turbine technologies.