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In-Situ Blade Strain Measurements of a Crossflow Turbine Operating in a Tidal Flow

Published by National Renewable Energy Laboratory | Department of Energy | Metadata Last Checked: January 27, 2026 | Last Modified: 2025-01-01T07:00:01Z
This data was collected between October 25 and December 12 of 2022 at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and Atlantic Marine Energy Center (AMEC) turbine deployment platform (TDP). The goal was to collect blade strain data from a crossflow turbine operating in a tidal flow. A table in ('Deployment Schedule.PNG') outlines the various dates when each instrument was operational, and more details can be found via literature listed in 'Related Publications'.txt. This dataset includes zipped folders for each instrument containing data in .csv files for the relevant duration specific to each instrument, along with separate README file for each measurement. Some instrument files are quite large and can pose a challenge for a visual spreadsheet editor to open. A processing software like MATLAB or Python is recommended. All data contained in this submission is unfiltered/unprocessed data unless otherwise noted in the README file. Blade strain was measured using 8 foil-based strain gauges along the span of a single turbine blade. Water currents were measured using Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP's) and Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters (ADV's) both upstream and downstream of the turbine for inflow, wake and turbulence measurements. Electrical power output was measured using the Voltsys rectifier. Shaft speed was calculated based on the Voltsys measurements of the permanent magnet three phase generator AC generation frequency, coupled directly to the cross flow turbine under test (i.e., no gear box). Platform motions were captured using a Yost IMU (inertial measurement unit). Turbine thrust loading was measured using a reaction arm about the turbine deployment platform spanning beam, where two bi-directional load cells were connected to the system via a pinned connection. The TDP is a floating structure moored on the Portsmouth facing side of Memorial Bridge pier #2, which spans the Piscataqua River between Portsmouth, NH and Kittery, ME. The Piscataqua River connects the Great Bay Estuary to the Gulf of Maine and the river currents are dominated by tidal flow with water velocities exceeding 2.5 m/s during spring ebb tides at this site which were previously characterized by Chancey 2019. The turbine under test was a modified New Energy Corporation (Calgary, CA) model EVG-025 4-blade H-Darrius type vertical axis cross flow turbine that rotates in the clockwise direction with a rotor diameter of 3.2m and blade length of 1.7m. The hydro-foil profile was a NACA 0021 with a 10 inch chord length and a blade preset pitch angle of +4deg with a positive angle corresponding with the toe in direction. The standard EVG-025 has a rotor diameter of 3.4m and its rated power output is 25kW at 3 m/s. The rotor diameter was reduced to accommodate the size of the existing TDP moon-pool. A single blade of this turbine was further modified to accommodate 8 full-bridge strain gauges (Bharath et al 2023, Bichanich et al 2024). For power performance and other relevant details on the turbine and its characteristics, see O'Byrne 2022.

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Complete Metadata
@type dcat:Dataset
accessLevel public
bureauCode 
                                            [
  "019:20"
]
contactPoint 
                                            {
  "fn": "Aidan Bharath",
  "@type": "vcard:Contact",
  "hasEmail": "mailto:aidan.bharath@nrel.gov"
}
dataQuality 
                                            true
description This data was collected between October 25 and December 12 of 2022 at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and Atlantic Marine Energy Center (AMEC) turbine deployment platform (TDP). The goal was to collect blade strain data from a crossflow turbine operating in a tidal flow. A table in ('Deployment Schedule.PNG') outlines the various dates when each instrument was operational, and more details can be found via literature listed in 'Related Publications'.txt. This dataset includes zipped folders for each instrument containing data in .csv files for the relevant duration specific to each instrument, along with separate README file for each measurement. Some instrument files are quite large and can pose a challenge for a visual spreadsheet editor to open. A processing software like MATLAB or Python is recommended. All data contained in this submission is unfiltered/unprocessed data unless otherwise noted in the README file. Blade strain was measured using 8 foil-based strain gauges along the span of a single turbine blade. Water currents were measured using Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP's) and Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters (ADV's) both upstream and downstream of the turbine for inflow, wake and turbulence measurements. Electrical power output was measured using the Voltsys rectifier. Shaft speed was calculated based on the Voltsys measurements of the permanent magnet three phase generator AC generation frequency, coupled directly to the cross flow turbine under test (i.e., no gear box). Platform motions were captured using a Yost IMU (inertial measurement unit). Turbine thrust loading was measured using a reaction arm about the turbine deployment platform spanning beam, where two bi-directional load cells were connected to the system via a pinned connection. The TDP is a floating structure moored on the Portsmouth facing side of Memorial Bridge pier #2, which spans the Piscataqua River between Portsmouth, NH and Kittery, ME. The Piscataqua River connects the Great Bay Estuary to the Gulf of Maine and the river currents are dominated by tidal flow with water velocities exceeding 2.5 m/s during spring ebb tides at this site which were previously characterized by Chancey 2019. The turbine under test was a modified New Energy Corporation (Calgary, CA) model EVG-025 4-blade H-Darrius type vertical axis cross flow turbine that rotates in the clockwise direction with a rotor diameter of 3.2m and blade length of 1.7m. The hydro-foil profile was a NACA 0021 with a 10 inch chord length and a blade preset pitch angle of +4deg with a positive angle corresponding with the toe in direction. The standard EVG-025 has a rotor diameter of 3.4m and its rated power output is 25kW at 3 m/s. The rotor diameter was reduced to accommodate the size of the existing TDP moon-pool. A single blade of this turbine was further modified to accommodate 8 full-bridge strain gauges (Bharath et al 2023, Bichanich et al 2024). For power performance and other relevant details on the turbine and its characteristics, see O'Byrne 2022.
distribution 
                                            [
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "2024 Manuscript - Data Analysis",
    "format": "121977",
    "accessURL": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2024.121977",
    "mediaType": "application/octet-stream",
    "description": "The data in this archive was analyzed and used to produce this manuscript submitted to Renewable Energy. The paper is called "In-situ blade strain measurements and fatigue analysis of a cross-flow turbine operating in a tidal flow" by Bichanich et al."
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "ADCP_README.txt",
    "format": "txt",
    "accessURL": "https://mhkdr.openei.org/files/569/ADCP_READ_ME.txt",
    "mediaType": "text/plain",
    "description": "Description of data gathered by the Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs)."
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "ADCP Data.zip",
    "format": "zip",
    "accessURL": "https://mhkdr.openei.org/files/569/ADCPs.zip",
    "mediaType": "application/zip",
    "description": "This folder contains inflow and wake measurements taken by Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) on the bow and stern of the turbine deployment platform (TDP)."
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "ADV_README.txt",
    "format": "txt",
    "accessURL": "https://mhkdr.openei.org/files/569/ADV_READ_ME.txt",
    "mediaType": "text/plain",
    "description": "Description of data gathered by the Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters (ADVs)."
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "ADV Data.zip",
    "format": "zip",
    "accessURL": "https://mhkdr.openei.org/files/569/ADVs.zip",
    "mediaType": "application/zip",
    "description": "This folder contains point velocity measurements, inertial measurements, and system data as recorder by both Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters (ADVs) used in this campaign."
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Deployment Schedule.PNG",
    "format": "PNG",
    "accessURL": "https://mhkdr.openei.org/files/569/Deployment_schedule.PNG",
    "mediaType": "image/png",
    "description": "Illustration of instrumentation operational windows"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "IMU Data.zip",
    "format": "zip",
    "accessURL": "https://mhkdr.openei.org/files/569/IMU.zip",
    "mediaType": "application/zip",
    "description": "This folder contains measurement of platform motion as captured by the Yost inertial measurement unit (IMU)."
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Strain_README.txt",
    "format": "txt",
    "accessURL": "https://mhkdr.openei.org/files/569/STRAIN_READ_ME.txt",
    "mediaType": "text/plain",
    "description": "Description of the data gathered by the strain gauges"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Strain Data.zip",
    "format": "zip",
    "accessURL": "https://mhkdr.openei.org/files/569/Strain.zip",
    "mediaType": "application/zip",
    "description": "This folder contains blade strain measurements taken by 8 foil-based strain gauges."
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "TDP Coordinates.txt",
    "format": "txt",
    "accessURL": "https://mhkdr.openei.org/files/569/TDP_COORDINATES.txt",
    "mediaType": "text/plain",
    "description": "Location of the Turbine Deployment Platform. The GPS coordinate of each platform corner is provided."
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Thrust_README.txt",
    "format": "txt",
    "accessURL": "https://mhkdr.openei.org/files/569/THRUST_READ_ME.txt",
    "mediaType": "text/plain",
    "description": "Description of thrust data gathered by the loadcells."
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Thrust Data.zip",
    "format": "zip",
    "accessURL": "https://mhkdr.openei.org/files/569/Thrust.zip",
    "mediaType": "application/zip",
    "description": "This folder contains turbine thrust data as measured by two-axis loadcells."
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Voltsys_README.txt",
    "format": "txt",
    "accessURL": "https://mhkdr.openei.org/files/569/VOLTSYS_READ_ME.txt",
    "mediaType": "text/plain",
    "description": "Description of the power data measured by the Voltsys rectifier."
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Voltsys Data.zip",
    "format": "zip",
    "accessURL": "https://mhkdr.openei.org/files/569/Voltsys%20%281%29.zip",
    "mediaType": "application/zip",
    "description": "This folder includes various turbine metrics, such as rotational frequency and power output.  Raw data was collected using Voltsys rectifier."
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "IMU_README.txt",
    "format": "txt",
    "accessURL": "https://mhkdr.openei.org/files/569/YOST_IMU_READ_ME.txt",
    "mediaType": "text/plain",
    "description": "Description of the data gathered by the Yost inertial measurement unit (IMU)."
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Related Publications.txt",
    "format": "txt",
    "accessURL": "https://mhkdr.openei.org/files/569/relataded_pubs.txt",
    "mediaType": "text/plain",
    "description": "This file provides a list of publications related to this measurement campaign that contain more information."
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Strain Gauge Turbine Location.PNG",
    "format": "PNG",
    "accessURL": "https://mhkdr.openei.org/files/569/strain%20gauge%20location%20on%20turbine.PNG",
    "mediaType": "image/png",
    "description": "Image of strain gauge locations on the crossflow turbine blade."
  }
]
DOI 10.15473/2481243
identifier https://data.openei.org/submissions/8102
issued 2022-12-16T07:00:00Z
keyword 
                                            [
  "ADCP",
  "ADV",
  "Excel",
  "Hydrokinetic",
  "MATLAB",
  "MHK",
  "Marine",
  "New Hampshire",
  "Piscataqua River",
  "Portsmouth",
  "Python",
  "TDP",
  "acoustic doppler current profiler",
  "acoustic doppler velocimeter",
  "blade strain",
  "crossflow",
  "crossflow turbine",
  "energy",
  "field data",
  "power",
  "power output",
  "power performance",
  "processed data",
  "raw data",
  "strain",
  "thrust",
  "tidal flow",
  "tidal turbine",
  "turbine deployment platform"
]
landingPage https://mhkdr.openei.org/submissions/569
license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
modified 2025-01-01T07:00:01Z
programCode 
                                            [
  "019:009"
]
projectLead Lauren Ruedy
projectNumber FY23 AOP 2.2.3.404
projectTitle Lab and University Collaboration for MHK Instrumentation and Data Processing Tools
publisher 
                                            {
  "name": "National Renewable Energy Laboratory",
  "@type": "org:Organization"
}
spatial 
                                            "{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[-70.93930006027222,43.079018019817504],[-70.7527898214671,43.079018019817504],[-70.7527898214671,43.13564486263823],[-70.93930006027222,43.13564486263823],[-70.93930006027222,43.079018019817504]]]}"
title In-Situ Blade Strain Measurements of a Crossflow Turbine Operating in a Tidal Flow

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