The Influence Of Blade Roughness On The Performance Of A Vertical Axis Tidal Turbine

This paper reports the findings of an experimental study investigating the influence of blade roughness on the performance of a vertical axis tidal turbine. Due to their design, vertical axis turbines undergo periods of stall, i.e. flow separation from the blade, during each revolution. It is hypothesised that roughening turbine blades delays flow separation (in analogy to flows over rough bluff bodies) and hence diminishes turbine stall which in turn should result in an increase in turbine performance. Laboratory experiments were undertaken in Cardiff University’s hydraulics laboratory, testing vertical axis turbines with rotors comprising smooth and rough blades.