Abstract
The first tidal turbine arrays have now been installed as the world strives to reach net zero carbon targets by 2050. Underwater noise emissions from single tidal turbine devices have caused some environmental concern in the past and therefore determining levels of noise emitted from these structures has become a crucial component of the consenting process. Ecological concerns include auditory masking for local fauna, presenting potential migration barriers and affecting predation. While some progress has been made in characterising noise emissions from individual tidal turbines in realistic field conditions, little is known about the noise field created by multiple turbines. This paper presents a first analysis of the variation of noise emissions of an array of two test turbines, deployed from a moored floating platform in the Strangford Narrows, Northern Ireland. Data was acquired using a drifting hydrophone for zero, one and two turbines operating under different control settings. Data analyses were complicated by the limited amount of data. Stopping the turbines completely does not necessarily result in minimum noise emissions, potentially due to flow separation from the stationary blades, turbulence and induced structural vibrations.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | The 14th European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference (EWTEC) 2021: Proceedings |
Pages | 2204-1-2204-4 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Publication status | Published - 01 Dec 2021 |
Event | 14th European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference, EWTEC 2021 - Virtual, Online Duration: 05 Sep 2021 → 09 Sep 2021 |
Publication series
Name | The European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference (EWTEC): Proceedings |
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ISSN (Print) | 2706-6940 |
ISSN (Electronic) | 2706-6932 |
Conference
Conference | 14th European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference, EWTEC 2021 |
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City | Virtual, Online |
Period | 05/09/2021 → 09/09/2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was funded by the Bryden Centre project, supported by the European Union’s INTERREG VA Programme, and managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). We would also like to thank Ian Benson and Dr Carwyn Frost for facilitating our measurements on the barge during their testing programme.
Publisher Copyright:
© European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference 2021.
Keywords
- Acoustics
- Hydrokinetics
- Renewable Energy
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Energy Engineering and Power Technology
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Ocean Engineering
- Water Science and Technology