go to top scroll for more

Quantifying uncertainty in acoustic measurements of tidal flows using a “Virtual” Doppler Current Profiler


Citation Crossley, G., Alexandre, A., Parkinson, S., Day, A.H., Smith, H.C.M. and Ingram, D.M. Quantifying uncertainty in acoustic measurements of tidal flows using a “Virtual” Doppler Current Profiler, Ocean Engineering, 137: 404-416, 2017. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2017.04.015.
Cite this using DataCite
Author(s) Crossley, G., Alexandre, A., Parkinson, S., Day, A.H., Smith, H.C.M. and Ingram, D.M.
Project partner(s) DNV GL, University of Strathclyde, University of Exeter, University of Edinburgh
Publisher Ocean Engineering, 137: 404-416
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2017.04.015
Abstract Accurate characterisation of flows at tidal sites can enable the developers of tidal stream energy projects to design and model the loads on, and the performance of, tidal energy converters. Acoustic Doppler technology is versatile in the measurement of sea conditions; however, this technology can be limited in its effectiveness at measuring the small-scale kinematic fluctuations caused by waves and turbulence. A Virtual Doppler Current Profiler (VDCP) is used to sample a simulated tidal flow to understand the limitations of this type of measurement instrument whilst recording the small timescale kinematics of waves and turbulence in tidal currents. Results demonstrate the phase dependency of velocity measurements averaged between two acoustic beams and provide a theoretical error for wave and turbulence characteristics sampled under a range of conditions. Spectral moments of the subsurface longitudinal wave orbital velocities recorded by the VDCP can be between 0.1 and 9 times those measured at a point for certain turbulent current conditions, turbulence intensity measurements may vary between 0.2 and 1.5 times the inputted value in low wave conditions and turbulence length scale calculation can also vary hugely dependent on both current and wave conditions. The continuation of this work will enable effective comparison of a linear model for tidal flow kinematics against field measurements from UK tidal site data, and subsequently validate numerical models for the testing of tidal turbines.

This work was partly funded via IDCORE, the Industrial Doctorate Centre for Offshore Renewable Energy, which trains research engineers whose work in conjunction with sponsoring companies aims to accelerate the deployment of offshore wind, wave and tidal-current technologies
Associated Project(s) ETI-MA2003: Industrial Doctorate Centre for Offshore Renewable Energy (IDCORE)
Associated Dataset(s) No associated datasets
Associated Publication(s)

A model to map levelised cost of energy for wave energy projects

An Integrated Data Management Approach for Offshore Wind Turbine Failure Root Cause Analysis

An investigation of the effects of wind-induced inclination on floating wind turbine dynamics: heave plate excursion

Application of an offshore wind farm layout optimization methodology at Middelgrunden wind farm

Characterisation of current and turbulence in the FloWave Ocean Energy Research Facility

Characterization of the tidal resource in Rathlin Sound

Comparison of Offshore Wind Farm Layout Optimization Using a Genetic Algorithm and a Particle Swarm Optimizer

Component reliability test approaches for marine renewable energy

Constraints Implementation in the Application of Reinforcement Learning to the Reactive Control of a Point Absorber

Control of a Realistic Wave Energy Converter Model Using Least-Squares Policy Iteration

Cost Reduction to Encourage Commercialisation of Marine in the UK

Cumulative impact assessment of tidal stream energy extraction in the Irish Sea

Design diagrams for wavelength discrepancy in tank testing with inconsistently scaled intermediate water depth

Development of a Condition Monitoring System for an Articulated Wave Energy Converter

Dynamic mooring simulation with Code(-)Aster with application to a floating wind turbine

ETI Insights Report - Wave Energy

Environmental interactions of tidal lagoons: A comparison of industry perspectives

Exploring Marine Energy Potential in the UK Using a Whole Systems Modelling Approach

Hybrid, Multi-Megawatt HVDC Transformer Topology Comparison for Future Offshore Wind Farms

Hydrodynamic analysis of a ducted, open centre tidal stream turbine using blade element momentum theory

Offshore wind farm electrical cable layout optimization

Offshore wind installation vessels - A comparative assessment for UK offshore rounds 1 and 2

Optimisation of Offshore Wind Farms Using a Genetic Algorithm

Re-creation of site-specific multi-directional waves with non-collinear current

Reactive control of a two-body point absorber using reinforcement learning

Reactive control of a wave energy converter using artificial neural networks

Reliability and O & M sensitivity analysis as a consequence of site specific characteristics for wave energy converters

Reliability prediction for offshore renewable energy: Data driven insights

Resource characterization of sites in the vicinity of an island near a landmass

Review and application of Rainflow residue processing techniques for accurate fatigue damage estimation

Sensitivity analysis of offshore wind farm operation and maintenance cost and availability

Simulating Extreme Directional Wave Conditions

Testing Marine Renewable Energy Devices in an Advanced Multi-Directional Combined Wave-Current Environment

Testing the robustness of optimal access vessel fleet selection for operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms

The Industrial Doctorate Centre for Offshore Renewable Energy(IDCORE) - Case Studies

The SPAIR method: Isolating incident and reflected directional wave spectra in multidirectional wave basins

The effects of wind-induced inclination on the dynamics ofsemi-submersible floating wind turbines in the time domain

The power-capture of a nearshore, modular, flap-type wave energy converter in regular waves

UK offshore wind cost optimisation: top head mass (Presentation to All Energy, 10th May 2017)