Abstract
This paper presents the nature of turbulence parameters produced from 3-dimensional numerical simulations using an ocean scale wave-tidal current model applied to tidal energy sites in the Orkney waters in the United Kingdom. The MIKE 21/3 coupled wave-current model is chosen for this study. The numerical modelling study is conducted in two stages. First, a North Atlantic Ocean large-scale wave model is employed to simulate wave parameters. Spatial and temporal wind speeds extracted from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) is utilised to drive the North Atlantic wave model. Secondly, the wave parameters produced from the North Atlantic model are used as boundary conditions to run a coupled wave-tidal current model. A turbulence model representing the turbulence and eddy viscosity within the coupled model is chosen and the turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) due to wave-current interactions are computed. The coupled model is calibrated with Acoustic Doppler and Current Profiler (ADCP) measurements deployed close to a tidal energy site in the Inner Sound of the Pentland Firth.
The model output parameters such as the current speed, TKE, horizontal and vertical eddy viscosities, significant wave height, peak wave period and wave directions are presented, and, their characteristics are discussed in detail.
