Seminar: Hydrokinetic Turbines - Hydrodynamic Discussion and Current Industrial Developments

A hydrokinetic turbine can be best described as a set of hydrofoil blades that are arranged such that, when the water flow passes them, the blades rotate about a shaft and produce electricity. Though the hydrokinetic turbine industry can partially build on experience gained in the wind energy industry, there is a considerable difference between the maturity of these applications. The hydrodynamic study of hydrokinetic turbines deals with the understanding of the fluid flow through and around a tidal or river turbine. I present a numerical investigation of ducted tidal turbines, employing three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes fluid dynamic simulations. These ducted design concepts proposed by the industry have in the past received much attention and financial support without the supporting scientific data through independent scientific evaluations.

As part of my role within Smart Hydro Power GmbH I gained the opportunity to lead the development of a new hydrokinetic turbine design for low river velocities. At the same time, through access to full-scale and model-scale turbines, I was able to perform experimental research and validation on questions such as rotor design, ducted turbine effects, as well as turbine wake characteristics. This product focused R&D work has also exposed me to a range of topics, such as the selection of materials for riverine use, anchoring, or manufacturing, ultimately expanding my experience in the technologies required for industrialization. In this talk I will present both research results from my numerical investigation as well as some of my experience working in the industry.

About the Speaker

Dr. Clarissa Belloni has been awarded a PhD in Engineering Science from the University of Oxford, UK, and a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Technical University of Munich, Germany. Aside from her academic research experience, she brings 4 years of industrial R&D experience, from her time at GE’s corporate research facility, as well as in her role as Head of R&D for the German start-up Smart Hydro Power. Since 2015, Clarissa Has been an Assistant Professor Educator for the University of Cincinnati, teaching undergraduate courses in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

Hosted by Professor Herman Shen