A Comparison of Predictions by ANSYS CFX and OPENFOAM with Experimental Data of a Horizontal Axis Tidal Turbine

Ellis, R., Bowman, J. L., O'Doherty, T., O'Doherty, D., Mason-Jones, A., Bhushan, S., & Thompson, D. (2019). A Comparison of Predictions by ANSYS CFX and OPENFOAM with Experimental Data of a Horizontal Axis Tidal Turbine. EWTEC 2019 – 13th European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference. Naples, Italy.

Abstract

This paper aims to look at comparing the prediction of a tidal stream turbine using the commercial code ANSYS CFX and the open source code openFOAM. Alongside producing repeatable results, the implementation of the desired boundary conditions was compared. The results were to be compared to the experimental results obtained during testing conducted at the INSEAN tow tank facility in Rome. The dimensions of the tank and the turbine used were replicated in the CFD models. Further details of the turbine and the measurement systems used to obtain the results can be found in (REF). As well as using the experimental models for validation the two numerical sets of data were also compared and analysed to see how and if they differed based on the program being used.