First round of MaRINET 2 Tidal Energy Round Robin Tests: combined wave and current tests

This second Round Robin Test program aims to establish the influence of the combined wave and current effect on the power capture and performance of a generic tidal turbine prototype. In this paper, we present the results obtained in the first two selected facilities: the IFREMER wave and current circulating tank and the CNR-INM wave towing tank. These facilities were selected on the basis that their dimensions along with the rotor diameter of the turbine translate into low blockage ratio conditions and that both facilities can provide the same range of experimental conditions. The experimental campaigns uses the same setup, except from additional equipment to measure flow characteristics. The performance of the turbine is comparable between the tanks, but because some intrinsic differences in creating wave and current, it may be slightly different for the corresponding conditions. The blockage effect and, in some cases, the velocity disc-integrated averaging need to be accounted for a better agreement. The slight remaining differences observed on the power coefficient curves may be related to turbulence and wave-current interactions. A deeper analysis is required to process the other parameters in order to better understand this phenomena.