Context

Tidal turbines will be deployed in extremely energetic environments that may induce an intense sediment transport. This process threatens the proper functioning of the turbines and may shorten their useful life-span. The lack of knowledge on the sediment transport processes occurring at tidal energy sites must be reduced to allow optimal turbine design and to reduce the tidal energy industry LCOE.

Objectives

To improve hydro-sedimentary modelling through measurement campaigns.

Main achievements

• Definition of the data acquisition strategy including the choice of measuring instruments and the design of their supports
• In-situ measurement campaign in the Alderney Race and recovery of the deployed instrumentation
• Development of a regional hydrosedimentary model of the Alderney Race covering the real conditions of the area and based on in-situ observations as well as micro-scale simulations

Conclusion

PHYSIC has established recommendations for the deployment of equipment for field data acquisition in areas of strong currents. Databases dealing with sediment transport in the Alderney Race have also been set up. They are useful tools for the actors of the tidal sector.

Resources

Fact sheet (PDF)

Partners and funding

This project was led by SHOM and France Energies Marines.

The total project budget was €1,313K.

This project received funding from France Energies Marines and its members and partners, as well as French State funding managed by the National Research Agency under the Investments for the Future Programme (ANR-10-IEED-0006-10).

Photo credit: France Energies Marines