Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

2010

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Abstract

The success of harnessing energy from ocean current will require a reliable structural design of turbine blade that is used for energy extraction. In this study we are particularly focusing on the fatigue life of a 3m length ocean current turbine blade. The blade consists of sandwich construction having polymeric foam as core, and carbon/epoxy as face sheet. Repetitive loads (Fatigue) on the blade have been formulated from the randomness of the ocean current associated with turbulence and also from velocity shear. These varying forces will cause a cyclic variation of bending and shear stresses subjecting to the blade to fatigue. Rainflow Counting algorithm has been used to count the number of cycles within a specific mean and amplitude that will act on the blade from random loading data. Finite Element code ANSYS has been used to develop an S-N diagram with a frequency of 1 Hz and loading ratio 0.1 Number of specific load cycles from Rainflow Counting in conjunction with S-N diagram from ANSYS has been utilized to calculate fatigue damage up to 30 years by Palmgren-Miner's linear hypothesis.

Extent

xiii, 93 p. : ill. (some col.)

Comments

by Mohammad Wasim Akram.|Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010.|Includes bibliography.|Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.|by Mohammad Wasim Akram.

Identifier

FADT2867332

Format

pdf

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