Assessment of arrays of in-stream tidal turbines in the Bay of Fundy

Abstract

Theories of in-stream turbines are adapted to analyse the potential electricity generation and impact of turbine arrays deployed in Minas Passage, Bay of Fundy. Linear momentum actuator disc theory (LMADT) is combined with a theory that calculates the flux through the passage to determine both the turbine power and the impact of rows of turbine fences. For realistically small blockage ratios, the theory predicts that extracting 2000-2500 MW of turbine power will result in a reduction in the flow of less than 5 per cent. The theory also suggests that there is little reason to tune the turbines if the blockage ratio remains small. A turbine array model is derived that extends LMADT by using the velocity field from a numerical simulation of the flow through Minas Passage and modelling the turbine wakes. The model calculates the resulting speed of the flow through and around a turbine array, allowing for the sequential positioning of turbines in regions of strongest flow. The model estimates that over 2000 MW of power is possible with only a 2.5 per cent reduction in the flow. If turbines are restricted to depths less than 50 m, the potential power generation is reduced substantially, down to 300 MW. For large turbine arrays, the blockage ratios remain small and the turbines can produce maximum power with a drag coefficient equal to the Betz-limit value.

Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus surfacing behaviour

“…5 km wide, 15 km long and up to 150 m deep, that connects Minas Basin to the Bay of Fundy. On each rise and fall of the tide, approximately 14 billion tonnes of seawater flow through Minas Passage attaining current speeds >5 m s −1 (Karsten et al., ).…”

Marine Renewable Energy

“…The 3-D coastal hydrodynamic model used in the present study was based on a previously validated Puget Sound model (Yang and Khangaonkar 2010), which was further refined by to estimate the practical extractable power with a relatively small number of turbines (<100) and evaluate the effects of TECs on the flow field and bottom shear stress in Tacoma Narrows. Karsten et al (2013) combined LMADT with volume flux to assess the extractable tidal energy and effect of turbine fence blockage ratios in Minas Passage, in the Bay of Fundy. Tidal turbines were uniformly distributed in the entire central deep region of Tacoma Narrows (Fig.…”

“…During the past decade, numerous studies have investigated the upper limit of theoretical extractable energy and exploited the tidal energy resource in coastal waters around the world using analytical methods and numerical models Myers and Bahaj 2005;Karsten et al 2013;Venugopal and Nemalidinne 2014;Evans et al 2015;Lo Brutto et al 2016;). Rapid development of tidal stream device technologies has occurred to maximize energy extraction.…”

A Tidal Hydrodynamic Model for Cook Inlet, Alaska, to Support Tidal Energy Resource Characterization

“…Coastal circulation models have been widely used to support earlier-stage tidal energy development by providing a large-scale assessment of theoretically and practically available tidal energy resources, as well as the potential physical impact of energy extraction [5,6,8,11,[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. In these studies, both structured-grid and unstructured-grid coastal circulation models have been used.…”