1st Annual MREC Technical Conference

Effects Of Hydrokinetic Turbines On Aquatic Life: TURBINE PASSAGE AND FISH BEAHVIOR

Lucid Energy Technologies

Steve Amaral, Greg Allen, and George Hecker

ALDEN Research Laboratory, Inc.

Effects of Hydrokinetic Turbines on Aquatic Life Turbine Passage and Fish Behavior
What have we learned from conventional hydro?

Theoretical estimation of strike probability and mortality using established models adapted to hydrokinetic devices

Laboratory studies: rigorous data and definitive answers

What have we learned from conventional hydro? Turbine passage biocriteria

Cada et al. 1997

What have we learned from conventional hydro? Turbine passage biocriteria CAVITATION
Formation of gas bubbles caused by reduction in pressure at or below vapor pressure. Gas bubbles collapse when they enter regions of higher pressure.
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Pressure waves from the violent collapse of gas bubbles can injure fish. If water pressure does not drop below 60% of ambient pressure, cavitation will not occur. May be a potential source of injury/mortality to fish passing through hydrokinetic turbines (DOE 2009).

What have we learned from conventional hydro? Turbine passage biocriteria SHEAR
Shear stresses sufficient to injure fish may occur near turbine rotors/blades (Cada et al. 2007). Biocriteria for damaging levels of shear have been identified for conventional hydro turbines. These data are applicable to hydrokinetic turbines; information on shear levels (magnitude and extent) needs to be developed for each turbine design.

Guensch et al. (2002); Nietzel et al. (2000)

What have we learned from conventional hydro? Turbine passage biocriteria PRESSURE
Hydrokinetic turbines do not experience extensive and rapid changes in pressure which have been shown to damage fish during passage through conventional hydro turbines. If pressurerelated injury and mortality occur, they likely will be associated with cavitation areas.
Abernethy et al. (2001)

What have we learned from conventional hydro? Turbine passage biocriteria BLADE STRIKE
Primary mechanism of fish injury and mortality at many hydro projects. Strike probability depends on blade spacing, rotational speed, relative velocity of fish to blade, and fish length. Little difference in mortality rates among typical teleost (boney) fishes. Recent studies have demonstrated that blade strike survival can be greater than 90% at strike speeds up to 40 ft/s (12.1 m/s).

What have we learned from conventional hydro? Turbine passage biocriteria BLADE STRIKE
Blade strike survival is affected by: Blade shape Blade thickness Impact speed Fish length Numerical modeling has been used to evaluate effects of leading edge shapes on flow patterns and fish impact (EPRI 2008). Semicircular shape provided optimal fish deflection.

EPRI (2008)

What have we learned from conventional hydro? Turbine passage biocriteria BLADE STRIKE
Fish L = 10 inches; Blade t = 0.38 inches; V = 24 ft/s

Fish L = 6 inches; Blade t = 6 inches; V = 24 ft/s

EPRI (2008)

What have we learned from conventional hydro?

Turbine passage biocriteria BLADE STRIKE
100

90

Adjusted Total Survival (%)

80

70

Approximate L/t Ratio

60

TOTAL (96hr) SURVIVAL

50

0.75 1.00 1.75 4.00 9.60 25.00

40 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Strike Speed (m/s)

EPRI (2008)

Theoretical estimation of blade strike probability and mortality

Theoretical models for predicting strike probability are well established for conventional hydro turbines (Von
Rabon 1957; Monten 1985; Solomon 1988; Bell 1991; Turnpenny 1992, 2000; Ploskey and Carlson 2003; Hecker and Allen 2005)

The more recent studies have incorporated strike mortality rates to predict turbine passage survival (assuming other sources of mortality are inconsequential) NOAA Fisheries has accepted the results of a predictive approach for an endangered species at a conventional hydro project. These models can be modified and applied to hydrokinetic turbines to predict strike probability and survival rates.

Theoretical estimation of blade strike probability and mortality

Strike Probability
PS = n (Lsin) N / (60Vr) Where: n = rpm N = number of blades L = Fish Length Vr = Radial Velocity

Hecker and Allen (2005)

Strike Mortality
PMS = KM n (Lsin) N / (60Vr) Where: KM is % mortality from strike

Theoretical estimation of blade strike probability and mortality

Hecker and Allen (2005)

Laboratory studies: providing rigorous data and definitive answers

Conduct highlycontrolled flume studies to calculate estimates of turbine survival and injury rates for multiple species and size groups and turbine operating conditions.

Observe fish behavior as they approach and interact with operating turbines.

Laboratory studies: rigorous data and definitive answers

Determining Turbine Passage Survival

Release marked fish directly upstream of operating turbine and force them to pass through blade sweep. Known release and recovery numbers for multiple replicate trials. Record video of release and fish behavior as they approach operating turbine.

Laboratory studies: rigorous data and definitive answers

Determining Turbine Passage Survival

Collect fish downstream with minimal stress and handlingrelated injury. Examine for immediate mortality, injuries, and scale loss. Hold live fish for 96hrs after turbine passage to assess latent mortality.

Laboratory studies: rigorous data and definitive answers

Determining Turbine Passage Survival

ACT Pilot-Scale Turbine Survival Data

Test multiple species and size classes. Use control groups to determine handling and test related injury and mortality. Calculate precise and accurate estimates of turbine passage survival for selected turbine designs.

Species Smallmouth Bass

Mean Length (mm) 69 155 249

Immediate Survival (1 hr; %) 98.2 92.6 100.0 100.0 98.3 95.4 97.6 95.3 90.9 95.4

Total Survival (96 hr; %) 97.3 89.6 99.6 98.2 97.0 93.7 96.7 94.7 89.3 93.3

American eel 431 Sturgeon Alewife 103 76 38 Rainbow trout 85 172 Coho salmon 102

Alden Research Laboratory (2003)

Laboratory studies: rigorous data and definitive answers

Determining Turbine Passage Survival

ACT Pilot-Scale Turbine Survival Data
100.0
40 ft/240 rpm RBTrout at BEP

98.0 96.0

80 ft/345 rpm RBTrout at BEP 40 ft/240 rpm RBTrout off BEP 40 ft/240 rpm Sturgeon at BEP 40 ft/240 rpm Coho Salmon at BEP 40 ft/240 rpm SMBass at BEP 40 ft/240 rpm Alewife at BEP Strike Eq. with Ka (40 ft/240 rpm) Strike Eq. with Ka (80 ft/345 rpm)

Immediate Survival (%)

94.0 92.0 90.0 88.0 86.0 84.0 82.0 80.0 0.0 25.0 50.0 75.0 100.0 125.0 150.0 175.0 200.0

Fish Length (mm)

Laboratory studies: rigorous data and definitive answers

Determining Turbine Passage Survival

40 ft head; 175 mm rainbow trout

Normal-speed Video

High-speed Video

Laboratory studies: rigorous data and definitive answers

Determining Turbine Passage Survival

Effects on fish behavior
Avoidance or attraction? Ability to escape passage through blade sweep.

Development of Hydrokinetic Turbines Alleviating Concerns and Moving Forward

Benefits of Literature Review, Blade Strike and Mortality Prediction Models, and Biological Flume Studies:

Avoid conducting redundant studies by using information available from conventional hydro research. Eliminate or significantly reduce the need and cost of labor intensive and logistically difficult field studies. Resource and regulatory agencies provided with data and information they need to make informed decisions on aquatic resource impacts.

Development of Hydrokinetic Turbines Alleviating Concerns and Moving Forward

EPRI -led team has received DOE funding for desktop studies and flume evaluations with at least two hydrokinetic turbine designs

EPRI Alden Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory New Energy (Encurrent vertical axis turbine) Lucid Energy Technologies (Gorlovtype turbine) Canada Department of Fisheries & Ocean Alaska Energy Authority Alaska Power & Telephone Northwest Territories Power Corporation Government of the Northwest Territories Aurora Research Institute Indian and Northern Affairs Canada

New Energy Corporation

Lucid Energy Technologies