Advanced measuring techniques for tidal turbine blades during structural testing

Tidal energy is one of the most predictable and reliable renewable energy sources, capable of generating significant amounts of electricity in the coming decades. Scientists, researchers, and technology developers are working tirelessly to propel the industry forward, employing next-generation innovative design strategies to achieve future milestones in affordable and sustainable power generation. In this context, the validation of novel tidal turbine systems offers significant advantages to developers, enabling them to deploy the devices at various tidal potential sites worldwide with confidence that their designs will be able to withstand loading conditions during operation. A method used to help achieve this is to conduct a structural testing program of their tidal turbine blades, in accordance with DNV-ST-0164 and IEC DTS 62600-3 standards. Within this scope, developers are demanding accelerated, efficient, and reliable testing programs to de-risk innovative designs while traditional instrumentation methods have considerable disadvantages. Therefore, this study addresses these challenges by investigating the use of modern advanced measurement tools and offering recommendations to enhance the structural testing process of tidal turbine blades, aiming to improve testing effectiveness and deliver high-quality results within a shorter time frame. Within this study, laser scanning vibrometer, digital image correlation systems, infrared thermal imaging camera, fibre Bragg grating sensors, and laser displacement measuring sensors were employed, in parallel with the traditionally used sensors, to assess the structural testing program of a helical shape tidal turbine foil and studied the results. This study yields promising outcomes, highlighting the potential use of advanced measurement techniques to enhance the structural testing paradigm for tidal turbine blades for future accelerated testing programs. More importantly, it supports the developers in de-risking their technologies, while establishing a new knowledge base for the effective use of modern measurement tools, ultimately contributing to the reduction of the levelised cost of tidal stream energy devices.