HomeMy WebLinkAboutData Information Needs Hydrokinetic Energy Development ACEP JBJohnson UAF 08-24-2011-HData and Information Needs for
Hydrokinetic Energy Development
J. B. Johnson
Alaska Hydrokinetic Energy Research Center
University of Alaska Fairbanks
August 24, 2011
Outline
•AHERC projects in-progress and in-development
•Project activities and findings
•Information and data needs to facilitate development of
hydrokinetic energy in Alaska
•AHERC goals and objectives
AHERC Structure & Purpose
•Focused on developing technology, methods, and
information to facilitate the development of an
environmentally compatible hydrokinetic power industry in
Alaska
–Hydrokinetic power resource assessment
–Evaluation of interactions between aquatic environment and
hydrokinetic turbines.
–Develop technology and methods to mitigate challenges
–Develop and disseminate data and information needed by stakeholders
to make informed decisions
•Provide a statewide research and information resource
•Strategic plan developed and creating an advisory council
–Industry, resource agencies, regulatory agencies, utilities and power
advocates
•Resides within ACEP which reports to the INE director
AHERC Projects and Activities
•Projects in-progress
–Tanana River characterization at Nenana (AEA)
•The river environment & its potential impact on hydrokinetic devices
(hydrodynamics, debris, fish, sediment, ice, river bed morphology)
–Debris mitigations study and technology development
(AP&T/Denali Commission)
•Debris characterization and mitigation technology development
•Fish
•New Energy Turbine technology assessment (with ABS)
–Subsurface debris flow characterization in the Tanana River at
Nenana (ORPC/ Denali Commission)
•Projects in-development
–Hydrokinetic power generation device technology development,
assessment, and demonstration
•Vortex Hydro
•Pulse Tidal
•Boschma Engineering
•Baker Hughes
•Ice
Hydrokinetic Generation Devices
New Energy*: Encurrent
Cross-flow turbines
Ocean Renewable
Power Company*
*Turbine images used with permission
Pulse tidal* hydrofoil
VIVACE*: vortex
induced vibration
•Tanana River Test Site
Development (Nenana, AK)
–In collaboration with ORPC
•Goals: Assess river conditions
prior to -and after -installation of a
hydrokinetic turbine
–The river power resource: summer
& winter
–The river environment
–River debris conditions
–Fish behavior and mortality
–Turbine technology test site
Bathymetric, hydrodynamic, & sediment Surveys
MV Irish Eyes
o Multibeam
Echo sounder
o GPS –RTK
o ADCP
Conducted by Terrasond (Q = 1141 m3/s)
Study site
Sediment transport
0
5
10
15
20
25
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
0 1000 2000 3000 Bed Load (g/s)Susp. Sed. Conc. (g/l)Discharge (m3/s)
Susp. Sed. Bed load
Power density (numerical modeling)
Frazil ice accumulation Turbulence
Seasonal discharge variation
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
May-10 Aug-10Discharge (m3/s)Date
Fish Populations
0
500
1000
1500
2000
0
0.005
0.01
0.015
0.02
0.025
0.03
6/11/20107/1/20107/21/20108/10/20108/30/20109/19/201010/9/2010 Discharge (m3/s)Steepness ratio (D/l)Date
dune small dune discharge
Bed form stability
Factors Affecting the
Hydrokinetic Resource
•Current velocity [site location; economic viability]
–Power density
–Seasonal & temporal variation
–Bathymetric and channel effects
•Turbulence [engineering design & power recovery efficiency]
–Recoverable power
–Infrastructure stress
–Variation with current and bathymetry
•Suspended & bed load sediment transport [operation &
maintenance (O&M)]
–deposition and erosion
–Infrastructure abrasion and clogging
–Channel stability
–Infrastructure integrity –bed scour, foundation stability
Factors Affecting the
Hydrokinetic Resource
•Debris [Site location; O&M]
–Type, size and frequency of occurrence, spatial location (lateral
and depth)
•Ice [O&M]
–Frazil ice accumulation
–Depth & frequency of occurrence
–Solid ice conditions
•Fish [permit approval; site location; O&M]
–Seasonal populations and behavior
–Spatial distribution