France: IFREMER Hosts “Round Robin” Testing Programme

A comparative “Round Robin” testing programme is being conducted by MARINET to test an identical tidal energy model at four different tidal test facilities to characterise and verify the performance behaviour of the test facilities.

The facilities involved are CNR-INSEAN (Rome), Strathclyde University (Glasgow), Edinburgh University and Ifremer (Boulogne sur mer). The findings of these tests will be used to establish normalisation factors to be applied to test results at specifc sites in order to benchmark device performance for comparison.

The model used for this comparison is a three blades horizontal-axis turbine designed by Ifremer. This same model will be used in each facility. Comparison will be based on results of the performance assessment of the device characterized by torque and drag measurements.

The first step of the “Round Robin” took place in the IFREMER wave/current circulation tank in June 2013. The testing protocol defined during this first leg of the Round Robin will be reproduced in the three other facilities. The same instrumentation will be used with the support of Ifremer staff so as to guaranty the repetitiveness of the measurement process.

[mappress]

Press release, July 15, 2013; Image: fp7-marinet