Abstract
A simplified model or Actuator disc (AD) model is often used to simulate a river hydrokinetic turbine instead of using geometry-resolved simulations to reduce computing resources and time requirements. However, it is crucial to specify accurate momentum source terms in the simplified model to accurately produce the drag force and power performance of a turbine, and to produce the proper wake characteristics. Although the AD model works on axial-flow turbines, it is not readily to be applied to crossflow turbines to accurately predict the wake structure. This paper presents the validation of the effective performance turbine model (EPTM), which is a method to simplify numerical representation of cross-flow turbines. The implementation of the EPTM is discussed and comparisons to laboratory results are presented. In addition, the effects of various array configurations and blockage ratios on the wake and power performance were investigated with the goal of providing guidance in laying out hydrokinetic turbine projects in rivers.