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Exceeding the Betz limit with tidal turbines

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  • Vennell, Ross

Abstract

The Betz limit sets a theoretical upper limit for the power production by turbines expressed as a maximum power coefficient of 16/27. While power production by wind turbines falls short of the Betz limit, tidal turbines in a channel can theoretically have a power coefficient several times larger than 16/27. However, power extraction by turbines in large tidal farms also reduces the flow along the channel, limiting their maximum output. Despite this flow reduction, turbines in tidal farms can produce enough power to meet a stricter definition of what it means to exceed the Betz limit, one where the maximum power output of a turbine at the reduced flow exceeds the maximum output from a single Betz turbine operating in the unreduced flow. While having a power coefficient >16/27 is easily achieved by turbines in a channel, generating enough power to meet this stricter definition of exceedance is much more difficult. Whether turbines meet this stricter definition depends on their number, how they are arranged and tuned, and the dynamical balance of the channel. Arranging a tidal turbine farm so that the turbines within it exceed the stricter Betz limit would give tidal turbine farms an economic advantage over similarly sized wind farms. However, exceeding the stricter limit comes at a cost of both higher structural loads on the tidal turbines and the need to produce power from weaker flows. Farms in a channel loosely based on the Pentland Firth are used to discuss exceedance and structural loads.

Suggested Citation

  • Vennell, Ross, 2013. "Exceeding the Betz limit with tidal turbines," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 277-285.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:55:y:2013:i:c:p:277-285
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2012.12.016
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    8. Smeaton, Malcolm & Vennell, Ross & Harang, Alice, 2016. "The effect of channel constriction on the potential for tidal stream power," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 45-56.
    9. Nachtane, M. & Tarfaoui, M. & Goda, I. & Rouway, M., 2020. "A review on the technologies, design considerations and numerical models of tidal current turbines," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 1274-1288.
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    14. Calise, Francesco & Cappiello, Francesco Liberato & Dentice d’Accadia, Massimo & Vicidomini, Maria, 2020. "Dynamic simulation, energy and economic comparison between BIPV and BIPVT collectors coupled with micro-wind turbines," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
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    16. Divett, Tim & Vennell, Ross & Stevens, Craig, 2016. "Channel-scale optimisation and tuning of large tidal turbine arrays using LES with adaptive mesh," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 1394-1405.
    17. He, Kai & Vinod, Ashwin & Banerjee, Arindam, 2022. "Enhancement of energy capture by flow induced motion of a circular cylinder using passive turbulence control: Decoupling strip thickness and roughness effects," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 283-293.
    18. Stephen Nash & Agnieszka I. Olbert & Michael Hartnett, 2015. "Towards a Low-Cost Modelling System for Optimising the Layout of Tidal Turbine Arrays," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-19, November.
    19. Ahmed Gharib-Yosry & Eduardo Blanco-Marigorta & Aitor Fernández-Jiménez & Rodolfo Espina-Valdés & Eduardo Álvarez-Álvarez, 2021. "Wind–Water Experimental Analysis of Small SC-Darrieus Turbine: An Approach for Energy Production in Urban Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-15, May.
    20. Chen, Yaling & Lin, Binliang & Lin, Jie & Wang, Shujie, 2017. "Experimental study of wake structure behind a horizontal axis tidal stream turbine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 82-96.
    21. Vennell, Ross & Major, Robert & Zyngfogel, Remy & Beamsley, Brett & Smeaton, Malcolm & Scheel, Max & Unwin, Heni, 2020. "Rapid initial assessment of the number of turbines required for large-scale power generation by tidal currents," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 1890-1905.
    22. Widén, Joakim & Carpman, Nicole & Castellucci, Valeria & Lingfors, David & Olauson, Jon & Remouit, Flore & Bergkvist, Mikael & Grabbe, Mårten & Waters, Rafael, 2015. "Variability assessment and forecasting of renewables: A review for solar, wind, wave and tidal resources," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 356-375.
    23. Patel, Vimal & Eldho, T.I. & Prabhu, S.V., 2019. "Velocity and performance correction methodology for hydrokinetic turbines experimented with different geometry of the channel," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 1300-1317.
    24. González-Gorbeña, Eduardo & Qassim, Raad Y. & Rosman, Paulo C.C., 2016. "Optimisation of hydrokinetic turbine array layouts via surrogate modelling," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 45-57.

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