WP4 – Turbine/PTO Validation

In this task, a steel CR propeller RPT will be fabricated at TBR based on the preferred configuration from WP2, then physical integration with the 50kW PTO from WP3 into a single machine set will take place. The aspects to be considered are the mechanical work, the suitable instrumentation and the water-proofing of sensitive machine components for wet testing conditions. If WP2 decides the positive displacement design should be considered as well, a concrete device will be fabricated and integrated with an off the shelf 50kW motor, with identical design aspects in mind.

Experimental testing of the scaled machine set will be carried out in the hydraulic laboratory of Technische Universität Braunschweig, where its test facility will allow to use constant heads up to 10 m and flow rates up to 1.7 m3/s. The experimental programme includes measurements of the machine performance for both pump turbine and pump mode as well as switching time between operation modes.

During laboratory characterisation testing, additional measurements on structural response will be performed with the aim to calibrate and validate the developed numerical models WP 2 and on structural impact assessment from WP5.  Measurements such as accelerations, deflections, strains and temperatures at the machine adjacent structural parts/structures as well as water temperature and ion concentrations will be measured at the model scale test runs. (R,CO)

Mortality and physical injuries will be evaluated by installing grids of different mesh size along the 6 m-wide open channel of the Tidal Test Center to allow for size-classes specificity. Fish blood biological samples will be collected from the same nets-defined sub-environments from either single specimens or pools. Such an experimental design will be followed twice a year (spring and autumn) for replication and to assess the influence of seasonality on the modulation of natural physiological processes.