Evaluation of motion compensated ADV measurements for quantifying velocity fluctuations

This study assesses the viability of using a towfish mounted ADV for quantifying water velocity fluctuations in the Florida Current relevant to ocean current turbine performance. For this study a motion compensated ADV is operated in a test flume. Water velocity fluctuations are generated by a 1.3 cm pipe suspended in front of the ADV at relative current speeds of 0.9 m/s and 0.15 m/s, giving Reynolds numbers on the order of 1000. ADV pitching motion of +/- 2.5 [degree] at 0.3 Hz and a heave motion of 0.3 m amplitude at 0.2 Hz are utilized to evaluate the motion compensation approach. The results show correction for motion provides up to an order of magnitude reduction in turbulent kinetic energy at frequencies of motion while the IMU is found to generate 2% error at 1/30 Hz and 9% error at 1/60 Hz in turbulence intensity.