Abstract
This paper presents a preliminary experimental study investigating the potential benefits of foundation based flow acceleration structures for marine current energy converters. Foundations would provide multiple benefits, including; increased device power output, increased foundation footprint and scour hole protection.
Experiments, scaled from a shallow tidal flow site, provide evidence that these structures could give power benefits of 12-25% depending on ramp size and flow depth. An optimum ramp size was established based on the suitability of vertical velocity profiles for energy extraction.