This project looks at whether winglets could provide enhanced performance for tidal turbines. They have been successfully used in non-rotating applications such as passenger aircraft but only limited use in rotating applications, most notably on Enercon wind turbines.
The projects aim is to study the effect of adding winglets to a 1/20th scaled tidal turbine, and measure their impact on the Power and Thrust coefficients (CP and CT). In theory, an increase in the CP would be a result of the reduction of any tip losses. Previous CFD simulations and experiments carried out on wind turbines suggest that a winglet facing the suction side with a height of around 4% and a 25% radius would be optimal for this purpose.
Professor AbuBakr Bahaj, head of the Energy and Climate Change Division contributed towards the 13th International Tidal Energy Summit, which took place on the 11th November 2019 in London, UK.
The Energy and Climate Change Division presented at the 13th European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference (EWTEC 2019) held between the 1st and 6th of September 2019 in Napoli, Italy.
