Computational Study of a Utility-Scale Vertical-Axis MHK Turbine: A Coupled Approach for Flow–Sediment–Actuator Modeling

We present a coupled large-eddy simulation (LES) and bed morpho-dynamics study to investigate the influence of sediment dynamics on the performance of a utility-scale marine hydrokinetic vertical-axis turbine (VAT) parametrized by an actuator surface model. By resolving the interactions between turbine-induced flow structures and bed evolution, this study offers insights into the environmental implications of VAT deployment in riverine and marine settings. A range of tip speed ratios is examined to evaluate wake recovery, power production, and bed response. The actuator surface method (ASM) is implemented to capture the effects of rotating vertical blades on the flow, while the immersed boundary method accounts for fluid interactions with the channel walls and sediment layer. The results show that higher TSRs intensify turbulence, accelerate wake recovery over rigid beds, and enhance erosion and deposition patterns beneath and downstream of the turbine under live-bed conditions. Bed deformation under live-bed conditions induces asymmetrical wake structures through jet flows, further accelerating wake recovery and decreasing turbine performance by about 2%, compared to rigid-bed conditions. Considering the computational cost of the ASM framework, which is nearly 4% of the turbine-resolving approach, it provides an efficient yet robust tool for assessing flow–sediment–turbine interactions.