Abstract
The results of a detailed experimental investigation of the near-wake (up to seven turbine diameters downstream) of a model horizontal axis tidal turbine (HATT) device in a large-scale recirculating water channel facility are reported. An Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter is used to provide detailed threedimensional mean and turbulent flow field information at five different depths across the full width of the channel downstream of the turbine, giving the most complete three-dimensional velocities and Reynolds normal and shear stress data set yet available. In addition the Reynolds-stress anisotropy tensor is used to illustrate the degree of anisotropy of the Reynolds stress within the turbine’s wake. These results reveal the strongly anisotropic nature of the near-wake turbulence suggesting isotropic turbulence models should not be used to model near-wake dynamics. Finally the power-law decay rates of the maximum normalised turbulent kinetic energy differ significantly from those found downstream of grids, meshes or perforated disks, suggesting that previous modelling approaches, which neglected swirl effects and modelled the turbine by absorption discs, may significantly over predict the turbulent kinetic energy decay rate of HATT wakes.