Test results of a 30 kW self-rectifying biradial air turbine-generator prototype

A 30 kW fixed-guide-vanes biradial turbine-generator set was designed by Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) and manufactured by Kymaner, within the framework of the H2020 European project OPERA, for open sea testing at the Mutriku breakwater oscillating water column (OWC) power plant and at the IDOM MARMOK-A-5 OWC spar-buoy, deployed at BiMEP, Basque Country, Spain. The paper reports the design and construction of the prototype, and its dry testing at IST, in a variable-flow test rig, simulating the oscillating flow induced by irregular waves. Results show that the turbine exhibits a peak efficiency of 70% under steady-state conditions and an average efficiency of 56% for the control laws tested.