CFD simulations of hydrofoils for tidal turbines

Tidal energy might be extracted in a very similar way as the wind one by using turbines. However, due to environmental conditions, unsteady nature of tidal currents and wave activity, tidal turbines have to fulfill very demanding requirements. Such turbines might be structurally similar to wind turbines, but due to a different medium, the key issue is extracting tidal energy in the most effective way. This paper presents a way in which CFD tools may be used for selecting hydrofoil for tidal turbines.