Abstract
Background
• The development of tidal turbine technology is key to the capture of renewable energy, with an estimated 18TWh/year1 available from the UK’s tidal resource alone. • In the design and implementation of such devices environmental impact assessment is mandatory, including an investigation of the noise generated by the turbine and its likely effect on marine animals (summarised in Figure 1). • Modelling noise at the design stage will allow a better understanding of the mechanisms of generation, and save costs related to re-design and mitigation.
Aims
• Identify the key sources of flow-generated noise in a typical tidal turbine, such as that shown in Figure 2. • Model these sources using analytical and numerical techniques. • Estimate the propagation of the generated sound, and its effect on marine animals.