Experimental Investigation of an Oscillating Flow Generatror

The objective of this project was to construct and test a device that can transform fluid flow into the continuous oscillatory linear motion of a hydro/airfoil. This device may be used to generate power from a renewable energy source such as tidal flow or wind power. The device was constructed in the NPS machine shop. It consisted of a flat plate that is mounted on two rail guides such that it can execute a linear back-and-forth motion. The blade oscillation is flow induced due to the lift and the moment generated on the flat plate in such a way that the plate reverses direction at the stroke endpoints without active control. Tests in two water channels and one towing tank showed that flow-induced blade oscillation could be achieved for certain combinations of flow speed, blade size and pitch axis location. It is concluded that additional testing is warranted to further develop and gain understanding of this technology and its possible application to renewable power generation.