One key step of the industrial deve

One key step of the industrial development of a tidal energy device
is the testing of scale prototype devices within a controlled laboratory
environment. At present, there is no available experimental
protocol which addresses in a quantitative manner the differences
which can be expected between results obtained from the different
types of facilities currently employed for this type of testing. As a
consequence, where differences between results are found it has
been difficult to confirm the extent to which these differences
relate to the device performance or to the test facility type.
In the present study, a comparative ‘‘Round Robin’’ testing programme
has been conducted as part of the EC FP VII MaRINET program
in order to evaluate the impact of different experimental
facilities on the test results. The aim of the trials was to test the
same model tidal turbine in four different test facilities to explore
the sensitivity of the results to the choice of facility. The facilities
comprised two towing tanks, of very different size, and two circulating
water channels.
Performance assessments in terms of torque, drag and inflow
speed showed very similar results in all facilities. However