DOI:
AUTHOR(S)
Md. Mezbah Uddin, Kazi Rafi Rahaman, MD. Thanvir Islam, Tasmia Hoque, S M Ikhtiar Mahmud
ABSTRACT
Power generation from tidal currents is gaining attention because it is predictable and produces zero CO₂ emissions. A tidal turbine works similarly to a wind turbine, converting sea current energy into power. Turbines are classified by blade orientation: horizontal axis, vertical axis, and helical variants. Among these, horizontal axis tidal current turbines (HATCT) offer higher efficiency due to their lift-based design. This study uses numerical analysis to examine HATCT blades with different numbers of blades and varying angles of attack, applying Blade Element Momentum (BEM) theory and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Tidal turbine blade models were created in SOLIDWORKS and analyzed in ANSYS to evaluate torque and power output under different design conditions. In this investigation, the major design parameters considered include the angles of attack of 10°, 20°, and 30°, the number of blades from 2 to 4, and the tip speed ratio (TSR), all of which significantly influence the turbine’s hydrodynamic performance. Flow velocity and coefficient of power (CP) were also examined to assess the overall performance. The results revealed that the 3-bladed turbine at 30° angle of attack achieved the highest efficiency, producing 2.79 MW of power with a power coefficient of 0.47.
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