Fabrication, testing and performance enhancement of a small scale tidal current turbine / Ng Kai Wern
The working concept of a horizontal-axis tidal current turbine (HATCT) is similar to that of wind turbines. The technology used in wind turbine can be readily transferred to tidal current turbines. This is exactly what is going on at the moment in HATCTs industry. Malaysia is a country that can b...
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Format: | Thesis |
Published: |
2018
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Online Access: | http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/9363/1/NG_KAI_WERN.jpg http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/9363/8/Fabrication%252C_Testing_and_Performance_Enhancement_of_A_Small_Scale_Tidal_Current_Turbine.pdf http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/9363/ |
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Summary: | The working concept of a horizontal-axis tidal current turbine (HATCT) is similar to
that of wind turbines. The technology used in wind turbine can be readily transferred to
tidal current turbines. This is exactly what is going on at the moment in HATCTs
industry. Malaysia is a country that can benefit from tidal current turbine, especially in
the Straits of Malacca. The current flow in the Straits of Malacca varies from 0.5m/s to
1.5m/s, and reaches 2.0m/s or above at some localities. Considering the benchmark of
economic power generation for tidal current turbines to be around 1.5m/s, harnessing
tidal current energy looks promising for Malaysia. However, to-date, no study on
creating a workable turbine has been reported for Malaysia. Therefore, it is the aim of
the current research to study workability and performance of an operational tidal current
turbine for Malaysia. The testing and modification of turbine were done with the
sponsor and help of Laison Engineering Sdn. Bhd. A 800mm five-bladed turbine was
tested at Pangkor Island. The original setting of the prototype turbine was not able to
produce steady power output. But after a few modifications on the generator and shaft, a
power coefficient of approximately 0.32 was achieved with current velocity of 0.25m/s.
Besides the fabrication and testing of the turbine, an innovative method to improve the
efficiency of tidal current turbine has also been studied. The innovative method was the
use of hydrophobic antifouling paint. Antifouling paint is an important protection
measure for tidal current turbine to against marine bio-fouling. Marine bio-fouling has
deteriorating effects on the performance of tidal current turbine once they are attached
on the turbine blades. Hydrophobic anti-fouling paint is one of the common types of
anti-fouling paint that is used. Interestingly, its hydrophobicity has the ability to reduce
friction drag over a surface. As such, hydrophobic anti-fouling can potentially provide
performance enhancement for a tidal current turbine, meanwhile protects turbine blades from marine bio-fouling. Two commercial hydrophobic antifouling coatings, Biocyl and
a normal hydrophobic coating, Always Dry were used. Experiment has been conducted
to understand the effects of hydrophobic coating on hydrofoils and a 350mm diameter
three-bladed turbine. It was found that both Biocyl and Always Dry lower the drag
coefficient of NACA 63418 by an average of 3% and 3.5%. Biocyl has improved the
revolution per minute of the turbine by an average of 1.3%, whereas Always Dry has
improved the revolution per minute of the turbine by an average of 2.5%. Last but not
least, two commercial antifouling paints, namely Bioycl and Palccoat, have been tested
to understand their ability to protect tidal current turbine from marine bio-fouling
activities in Pangkor Island. The field test results show that with these anti-fouling
paints, the development of thin film on turbine blade can be postponed to 3~4weeks. Up
to this stage, the thin film can still be cleaned. However, when barnacles started to grow
on the blade, it is difficult to remove the barnacle by simple cleaning. |
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