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Virginia Tech

Ocean Current Energy Harvesting System for Arctic Monitoring

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Arctic Ocean monitoring with near-real-time data transfer is urgently needed. The harsh and remote conditions constraining year-round observation sites present significant logistical challenges and energy needs for sustained Arctic observations. The Arctic project group is attempting to design a mechanical structure to harvest energy from low-speed current in the Arctic Ocean. An Arctic energy harvesting system that consists of a transverse flux generator, boosted by a nozzle-diffuser-duct, and an American multiblade turbine that drives the generator, are designed in this study. The transverse flux generator is then optimized based on its design parameters and the optimization successfully improves the torque performance of the generator while maintaining the largest power output. The American turbine fits the extreme low-speed current condition (<0.2m/s) well and could support the rotation of the generator. Finally, the article compares the energy harvesting system is compared with the existing ones in the market and demonstrates its superior performance.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Mechanical Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Mechanical Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2024

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Zhang, Jiajun
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Zuo, Lei
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Yang, Yaling
  • Sandu, Corina
  • Tafti, Danesh K.

Subjects

dc:subject × 5

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
vt_gsexam:38622
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/117284

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Zhang, Jiajun. Ocean Current Energy Harvesting System for Arctic Monitoring. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2024. https://hdl.handle.net/10919/117284