Evaluating Mechanical Strength in Vertical-Axis Tidal Turbines: A Comparative Study of Internal Blade Structure and Material Selection through CFD Simulation

Abstract

Due to the density of water, tidal turbine blades are subject to significantly greater stresses than wind turbine blades. Multiple blade failures occurred during prototype testing as a result of loading conditions and protracted exposure to seawater, which created a severe work environment. The structural integrity of tidal turbine blades is essential for long-term reliability and performance. Numerous investigations into structural performance have been conducted. However, previous research has centred on horizontal-axis tidal turbines, while research on small-scale vertical-axis tidal turbines is limited. This paper aims to compare the Vertical-Axis Tidal Turbine (VATT) structural performance of hollow and solid blade structures in an identical NACA profile using three distinct materials. Finite element analysis (FEA) is employed to construct a model and simulate the mechanical characteristics of VATT blades. The use of static analysis simulation is employed in order to evaluate many parameters, including stress distribution and deflection. Parametric studies are conducted to explore the impact of internal blade structure and materials on mechanical strength. The use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations is employed for the purpose of analyzing the interaction between blades of vertical axis tidal turbines (VATT) and tidal currents, thereby enabling the assessment of structural loading. According to the simulation results, the hollow profile is subject to significant deflections and stresses. Other data indicates that the utilization of stiffeners in porous structures improves material efficiency and results in lighter blades, although further analysis is needed to investigate fatigue life prediction in optimizing structural design.