Design and Structural Testing of Blades for a 2MW Floating Tidal Energy Conversion Device

The floating tidal energy is increasingly recognised to have the potential of delivering a step-change cost reduction to the tidal energy sector, by extracting energy from deeper water sites through energy conversion devices. To ensure the normal operation of a tidal energy convertor within its service life, the device should be designed properly and evaluated through a series of strength and durability testing. The Large Structures Research Group at NUI Galway is working closely with, renewable energy company, Orbital Marine Power and, blade manufacture, ÉireComposites Teo, to design and test the next generation of SR2000 tidal turbine blade, with aims to increase the turbine power production rate and to refine the design for low cost. This paper presents a brief description of the structural design and testing of a blade for the O2-2000 tidal turbine, one of the largest tidal turbines in the world. NUI Galway will utilise their in-house software, BladeComp, to find a blade laminates design that balances both blade strength and material cost. The structural performance of the designed blade will be assessed by conducting static and fatigue testing. To achieve this objective, a support frame to fix the blade is designed, a load application device is introduced and the methodology for design tidal loading conversion is proposed in order to complete the testing at NUI Galway.