Dr Chris Vogel on Challenges and Opportunities in Tidal Stream Energy

In this episode of the Fluid Mechanics 101 Podcast, I discuss challenges and opportunities in Tidal Stream Energy with Dr Chris Vogel. Dr Chris Vogel is a departmental lecturer at the University of Oxford in the Department of Engineering Science. His research focusses on Wind and Tidal Turbine energy extraction. 

Some useful timestamps for the discussion are: 

02:25 An Introduction to Dr. Chris Vogel and Tidal Stream Energy

06:50 What is tidal range / barrage technology? 

12:05 What are tidal stream turbines and what are some of the challenges with this technology? 

13:45 What are the different options for installation of tidal stream turbines? 

16:40 Some examples of sites where tidal stream turbines are already installed and operational.  

18:53 A discussion of challenges faced by tidal stream turbines. 

24:00 The effect of blockage on tidal turbine rotor loading and design. 

29:47 One of the challenges faces by tidal stream turbines: blade deformation 

35:17 Investigating tidal turbine blade deformation with a fluid-structure interaction analysis

41:49 Dr Chris Vogel's roles and resposibilities as a lecturer at the University of Oxford. 

46:20 The interface between research groups, academia and industry. How large is the tidal energy community?

54:37 What contribution can tidal stream energy make to a low-carbon electricity network and help to meet climate change targets? 

01:00:44 Closing thoughts

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 Links and Further Information

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The MeyGen Site in Scotland

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MeyGen

OpenFAST - An open source wind turbine simulation tool, developed by National Renewable Energy Laboratory

https://www.nrel.gov/wind/nwtc/openfast.html

Dr Chris Vogel's paper on Tidal Turbine Blade Deformation: 

F. Zilic, C. Vogel and R. Willden, 'Hydrodynamic analysis of turbine control through blade-deformation', Developments in Renewable Energies Offshore, September 2020. DOI: 10.1201/9781003134572-67

Dr Chris Vogel on Research Gate: 

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Christopher_Vogel5

Dr Chris Vogel's Doctoral thesis:

http://www2.eng.ox.ac.uk/civil/publications/theses/vogel