Potential hydrodynamic performance enhancement of hydrokinetic turbine with hydrophobic coatings

• Main Authors: Long, Chen, Kai-Wern, Ng
• Format: Article
• Published: China Ocean Press 2021
• Subjects: TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/27567/

Hydrokinetic energy is a promising technology to harness predictable renewable energy from free-flowing water, tides and ocean currents. Many studies have been conducted by researchers and engineers to find out ways to enhance the performance of the hydrokinetic turbine. The current paper reports the experimental study of using hydrophobic coating as an alternative way to improve the performance of hydrokinetic turbine. A hydrophobic coating can lower the friction drag of a surface that is in contact with liquid. For hydrokinetic turbine blade, reduction in friction drag may allow a blade section to have a better lift/drag ratio and have its efficiency improved. In this study, a formula to predict the pattern of drag reduction over a hydrophobic surface has been derived. Two hydrophobic coatings were applied on NACA 63418 hydrofoils and their performances were tested. It was found that NACA 63418 hydrofoil with the hydrophobic coatings had its drag reduced by an average of 3%-4.0%. When the coatings were applied on a 350 mm diameter three-bladed turbine, the maximum increment of rotational speed of the turbine was found to be 2.5%. The performance of the two coatings against marine fouling was also investigated. The weight of plate with and without the coatings increased by 10% and 100%, respectively.