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RM2: River Current Turbine

Project Summary

The Reference Model Project was a partnered effort to develop open-source marine hydrokinetic (MHK) point designs as reference models to benchmark MHK technology performance and costs, and an open-source methodology for design and analysis of MHK technologies, including models for estimating their capital costs, operational costs, and levelized costs of energy.

Reference Model 2

Reference Model 2 (RM2) is a variable speed dual-rotor cross-flow river turbine that is deployed at the water’s surface. It was designed for deployment at a reference site modeled after a reach in the Mississippi River near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The rotors are anchored to a two-pontoon vessel platform. Surface deployment of the turbine minimizes the handling requirements during deployment and recovery and reduces overall costs for all O&M activities, including allowing for easy access to the power conversion chain (PCC). The design (two rotors per platform) also reduces the environmental footprint and associated environmental compliance costs.

Plan dimensions of the pontoon are 28 m by 20 m. The diameter of each rotor is 6.45 m. The dual-rotors on each unit are offset by one and a half diameters (9.675 m) from each rotor centerline. The rotor centerlines are submerged one blade length (4.84 m) below the free surface to guard against cavitation. As compared to the RM1 tideway resource site, the water depth at the RM2 river resource site can vary greatly; this fact restricts the height of each rotor to 4.8 m. Even at shallow depths, which occur with reduced discharges, the rotors remain well above the riverbed (at least 5 m of clearance above the bottom). This reduces potential boundary layer effects that can cause velocity, turbulent shear, and loading asymmetries across the rotor.

Similar to the RM1 device, the structural design and materials specifications for all RM2 device components considered the maximum of two extreme load conditions along the horizontal direction. The rotor frame was designed with a pivot joint at the pontoon connection with a 90 degree stop to allow for the rotor frame to be lifted to the surface for maintenance and transportation. The rotor frame structure supports the rotors and the entire PCC. 

A wide channel is welded to the top of each pontoon to connect with the three cross-bridges. Each cross-bridge, which has eight cross-members, connects the two pontoons together and provides lateral rigidity to the platform. The mid cross-bridge will serve the additional purpose of providing an access walkway to the PCC units for service.The pontoons were sized to allow for approximately 50% submersion during operation. The central vertical support as well as the downstream lateral bracing is designed to reduce both vertical and downstream deflection of the frame due to loading. Thin sheet metal fairings are used on the main vertical members to reduce the drag on the rotor frame. Mooring attachment points for the device are located on the rotor frame at the vertical centerline of the rotor drag.

The overall arrangement of the PCC consists of the following key components:

  • Generator and gearbox in shovel mount
  • Shafts and bearings
  • Power conditioning electronics on platform
  • Drivetrain assembly, including rotor driveshaft, bearings and U-joint

The RM2 turbine pontoon is moored to the riverbed by attaching a mooring leg to each side of the turbine frame. Using two anchor legs ensures that the unit can maintain station if one leg fails. Mooring legs are stainless steel chains and are connected to a plate anchor at the riverbed.

This table lists documents associated with the RM2: River Current Turbine project, including reports written by the project team and/or papers that have used the project outputs or are closely associated with them. To find additional project outputs, including related papers, datasets, and codes, explore the RM2: River Current Turbine page on PRIMRE.

Associated Marine Energy Engineering Documents

Total results: 18
Title Author Date Type of Content Technology Collection Method Engineering
Performance characteristics of a cross-flow hydrokinetic turbine in current only and current and wave conditions Lust, E., Bailin, B., Flack, K. Journal Article Current, Cross Flow Turbine, Riverine Lab Data, Scale Device Performance
Experimental Study of a Reference Model Vertical-Axis Cross-Flow Turbine Bachant, P., Wosnik, M., Gunawan, B. Journal Article Current, Cross Flow Turbine, Riverine Lab Data, Modeling Hydrodynamics, Performance
Evaluation of Design & Analysis Code, CACTUS, for Predicting Crossflow Hydrokinetic Turbine Performance Wosnik, M., Bachant, P., Neary, V. Report Current, Cross Flow Turbine Lab Data, Modeling, Scale Device Performance
Levelized cost of energy for marine energy conversion (MEC) technologies Neary, V., Kobos, P., Jenne, D. Conference Paper Current, Wave Modeling
Physical and Numerical Modeling of Cross-Flow Turbines Bachant, P. Thesis Current, Cross Flow Turbine, Riverine Lab Data, Modeling, Scale Device Performance, Structural
Performance Evaluation, Emulation, and Control of Cross-Flow Hydrokinetic Turbines Cavagnaro, R. Thesis Current, Cross Flow Turbine Scale Device Control, Hydrodynamics, Performance, Power Take Off, Structural
Evaluation of Electromechanical Systems Dynamically Emulating a Candidate Hydrokinetic Turbine Cavagnaro, R., Neely, J., Fa, F. Journal Article Current, Cross Flow Turbine Modeling Performance, Power Take Off
U.S. Department of Energy Reference Model 1 & 2: Experimental Results on Performance & Wake Characteristics Hill, C., Neary, V., Gunawan, B. Conference Paper Current, Axial Flow Turbine, Cross Flow Turbine, Riverine, Tidal Lab Data, Modeling, Scale Device Performance
Performance measurements for a 1:6 scale model of the DOE reference model 2 (RM2) cross-flow hydrokinetic turbine Wosnik, M., Bachant, P., Gunawan, B. Conference Paper Current, Cross Flow Turbine Lab Data, Scale Device Performance
Levelized Cost of Energy Analysis of Marine and Hydrokinetic Reference Models Jenne, D., Yu, Y., Neary, V. Conference Paper Current, Wave Modeling
U.S. Department of Energy Reference Model Program RM2: Experimental Results Hill, C., Neary, V., Gunawan, B. Report Current, Axial Flow Turbine, Cross Flow Turbine, Riverine Lab Data, Full Scale, Scale Device Performance
Methodology for design and economic analysis of marine energy conversion (MEC) technologies Neary, V., Lawson, M., Previsic, M. Conference Paper Current, Wave
Methodology for Design and Economic Analysis of Marine Energy Conversion (MEC) Technologies Neary, V., Previsic, M., Jepsen, R. Report Current, Axial Flow Turbine, Cross Flow Turbine, Tidal, Ocean Current, Wave, Point Absorber, Oscillating Water Column, Oscillating Wave Surge Converter Lab Data, Full Scale, Scale Device Hydrodynamics, Mooring, Performance
US Department of Energy (DOE) National Lab Activities in Marine Hydrokinetics: Scaled Model Testing of DOE Reference Turbines Neary, V., Fontaine, A., Bachant, P. Conference Paper Current, Cross Flow Turbine Lab Data, Scale Device
Experimental Test Plan – DOE Tidal and River Reference Turbines Neary, V., Hill, C., Chamorro, L. Report Current, Axial Flow Turbine, Cross Flow Turbine, Tidal Lab Data, Full Scale Hydrodynamics, Performance
Reference Model 2: ‘Rev 0’ Rotor Design Barone, M., Griffith, T., Berg, J. Report Current, Riverine Modeling Performance, Structural
The Contribution of Environmental Siting and Permitting Requirements to the Cost of Energy for Marine and Hydrokinetic Devices Reference Models #1, #2 and #3 Copping, A., Geerlofs, S. Report Current, Cross Flow Turbine, Tidal, Riverine, Wave, Point Absorber Full Scale, Scale Device Hydrodynamics
Reference Inflow Characterization for River Resource Reference Model: Reference Model 2 (RM2) Neary, V. Report Current, Riverine Lab Data, Scale Device Hydrodynamics
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 results