2002–2012: 10 Years of Research Progress in Horizontal-Axis Marine Current Turbines

• Main Authors: Kai-Wern Ng, Khai-Ching Ng, Wei-Haur Lam
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2013-03-01
• Series: Energies
• Subjects: marine renewable energy; horizontal-axis marine current turbine; marine current energy assessment; marine current turbine wake; generator
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/6/3/1497

Research in marine current energy, including tidal and ocean currents, has undergone significant growth in the past decade. The horizontal-axis marine current turbine is one of the machines used to harness marine current energy, which appears to be the most technologically and economically viable one at this stage. A number of large-scale marine current turbines rated at more than 1 MW have been deployed around the World. Parallel to the development of industry, academic research on horizontal-axis marine current turbines has also shown positive growth. This paper reviews previous research on horizontal-axis marine current turbines and provides a concise overview for future researchers who might be interested in horizontal-axis marine current turbines. The review covers several main aspects, such as: energy assessment, turbine design, wakes, generators, novel modifications and environmental impact. Future trends for research on horizontal-axis marine current turbines are also discussed.