Investigation on Wake Characteristics of Two Tidal Stream Turbines in Tandem Using a Mobile Submerged PIV System

Understanding wake interactions between multiple tidal stream turbines is essential for optimizing the performance and layout of tidal energy farms. This study investigates the hydrodynamic behavior of two horizontal-axis tidal turbines arranged in tandem under simplified inflow conditions, where the incoming flow was dominated by the streamwise velocity component without imposed external disturbances. Wake measurements were conducted in a large circulating water tunnel using a mobile, submerged particle image velocimetry (PIV) system capable of long-range, high-resolution measurements. Performance tests showed that the downstream turbine experienced a decrease of approximately 9% in maximum power coefficient compared to the upstream turbine due to reduced inflow velocity and increased turbulence generated by the upstream wake. Phase-averaged PIV results revealed the detailed evolution of velocity deficit, turbulence intensity, turbulent kinetic energy, and tip vortex structures. The tip vortices shed from the upstream turbine persisted over a long downstream distance, remaining coherent up to 10D and merging with those generated by the downstream turbine. These merged vortex structures produced elevated turbulence and complex flow patterns that significantly influenced the downstream turbine’s operating conditions. The results provide experimentally validated insight into turbine-to-turbine wake interactions and highlight the need for high-fidelity wake data to support array optimization and numerical model development for tidal stream turbine array.