Archived Projects

 

  • Testing of New Energy Corporation 5kW and 25kW turbines

      Testing of New Energy Corporation 5kW and 25kW turbines

    • The CHTTC has worked extensively with New Energy Corporation in different stages of their turbine design. The CHTTC has worked with them to deploy and retrieve different designs of turbines, and has assisted them with monitoring and data collection of deployed units. New Energy Corporation is currently still working with the CHTTC on multiple projects as a result of the collaborative success.

  • Flow studies in collaboration with Caen University

    • The CHTTC has formed a collaboration with Caen University in France. The CHTTC has sent researchers over to perform flow studies in Normandy. This area has a large tidal hydrokinetic resource, and researchers at Caen have done simulations of the area. Using the flow measurement expertise of CHTTC researchers, flow data was taken and can now be compared with the numerical work already performed by researchers at Caen University.

  • A numerical examination of positioning and rotation on the performance of two vertical-axis hydrokinetic turbines

    • Numerical simulation allows investigation into the influence of separation distance and rotation on the performance of two vertical-axis hydrokinetic turbines. To understand the effect of separation distance, large-eddy simulation of the flow around side-by-side and staggered cylinders and airfoils is performed. Based upon the simulations, a drag reduction is determined for the downstream cylinder and airfoil. The Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes method is applied to investigate the influence of separation distance and rotation on two vertical axis hydrokinetic turbines. The numerical simulations showed significant drag reductions for staggered tuebine configurations as the spanwise and streamwise separation distances decreased.

  • Testing of Mavi Innovations hydrokinetic turbine

      Testing of Mavi Innovations hydrokinetic turbine

    • Mavi Innovations is a Canadian company who specializes in hydrokinetic turbine design. They have developed a turbine unit and brought it to test at the CHTTC. Over the course of two years, the CHTTC have assisted in the deployment, testing, resource characterization, data collection and retrieval of the turbine. Winter testing has been performed with this unit with the help of the CHTTC. Currently, Mavi has moved their turbine back to their base of operations in Vancouver and is working with the CHTTC and blind channel to install a hydrokinetic turbine and demonstrate the possibilities of hydrokinetic technology.

  • Examination of the impacts of hydrokinetic turbines on fish

      Impact on fish

    • In order to be a sustainable and environmentally friendly technology, hydrokinetics must not greatly impact the natural ecosystem. As a renewable energy technology testing faciltiy, the CHTTC is conscious of the environment and thus we are interested in how hydrokinetic turbines may impact the environment. Researchers came to the CHTTC from the University of Carleton to study the interaction between aquatic life and hydrokinetic turbines. Fish of multiple species were caught and tracking devices were installed in the fish. Once returned to the river, it was possible to track their location and how they reacted to the installment and operation of a hydrokinetic turbine. This research is one of a number of studies being done on the environmental impacts of hydrokinetic turbines.

  • Testing of Jupiter Hydro screw type hydrokinetic turbine

      Testing of Jupiter Hydro screw type hydrokinetic turbine

    • Jupiter Hydro is one of the turbine manufacturers who has tested a hydrokinetic turbine at the CHTTC. They were able to build a turbine, and with the help of CHTTC personnel, installed and tested the turbine in the Winnipeg River. Their unique turbine design created new challenges for the CHTTC, and a news spotlight was aired on the collaborative work at the centre. They have completed their work at the CHTTC for the moment, but may be returning in future.

  • Investigation into the effect of shrouds on horizontal axis hydrokinetic turbines

      Effects on shrouds on horizontal axis hydrokinetic turbines

    • This project investigated the impact of placing a shroud around a horizontal-axis hydrokinetic turbine. A model turbine was designed and built to be tested in the University of Manitoba water tunnel facility. The project looked at the power and torque levels of the turbine with and without the shroud. The reason for this project was that there were some theories relating to placing a shroud around the diameter of the turbine to accelerate the flow into the blades of the turbine. In the course of this project, a full power curve was created for the designed turbine, using torque measurement software, taking data from the model turbine. This research is applicable to horizontal axis hydrokinetic turbines.

  • Testing of Clean Current bottom mounted turbine

      Testing of Clean Current bottom mounted turbine

    • Clean Current is a company who spent two years working with the CHTTC. Their design was unique in that it was a bottom-mounted structure, which required rigorous design work. The turbine was installed and retrieved at the CHTTC using collaboratively developed deployment procedures. Using the data they collected, they were able to retrieve the design, modify and re-deploy it. Clean Current was able to generate power from their turbine and use it to power equipment at the CHTTC. Clean Current has completed their testing with the CHTTC, however, the turbine is still installed at the CHTTC but will likely be removed in 2017.

  • Examination of the effect of flow and fluid structures on the performance of vertical axis hydrokinetic turbines

    • This project provides detailed information on how different fluid mechanics affect hydrokinetic devices. A model turbine is made and tested in a laboratory water tunnel, as well as field measurements around an operating hydrokinetic turbine. The measurement device of choice is an ADV which samples at high frequency. Special despiking methods are devised to handle noisy ADV data. Turbulence, energy spectra and length scales are all investigated as well. This project provided some of the first insights into the effects of fluid mechanics on operating hydrokinetic turbines.

  • Adaptation and application of predicitive numerical tools for hydrokinetic turbines

    • The focus of this project is on adapting and applying numerical modelling techniques to hydrokinetic turbines to further the designs of the emerging technology. The performance benefits of enclosing the turbine in a shroud are quantified numerically and an optimized shroud design is developed. The optimum performing model is then used to study river kinetic turbines, including different anchoring systems to enhance performance. Two different turbine numerical models are studied to simulate the rotor. Four different CFD turbulence models are compared against a series of particle image velocimetry experiments involving highly-separated diffuser-flow and nozzle-flow conditions.

  • Testing of a Darrieus hydrokinetic turbine in cold climate conditions

    • In the early stages of the CHTTC, work was done near Pointe du Bois, Manitoba. Here, flow measurement instruments, such as the ADV, were used to test hydrokinetic turbines. Real turbines were installed at Pointe du Bois and ADV data was collected around the turbines while they were operating. The cold climate did not affect power production as long as the free stream and turbine remained unobstructed by ice cover, however, ice was a major concern for northern operations because it reduces the output power of larger hydro installations and can adversely impact kinetic turbine installations. In 2008, during the coldest days of the winter, the entire research vessel would be encased in ice within a week's time. This project created a baseline for future flow measurement work at the CHTTC, as well as identifying physical flow features which were previously unknown to turbine developers. This groundbreaking work allowed for development of the hydrokinetic industry.