Hydrokinetic turbine and array performance optimization by dynamic tuning

Abstract

A hydrokinetic turbine system with dynamic tuning capabilities is disclosed. Individual hydrokinetic turbine units are dynamically tuned to accommodate changes in height and flow velocity corresponding to water in a waterway. Dynamically tuning the turbine units to accommodate waterway changes optimizes power generation output. Dynamically tuning a turbine system includes raising or lowering turbine blade height, extending or retracting turbine blade length, and narrowing or widening a turbine mouth, channel, and exit through which water flows. The hydrokinetic turbines may be arranged in an array along a waterway, and each hydrokinetic turbine in the array is connected over a controls system configured to adjust turbine characteristics at each turbine unit in the array for optimizing power generation output for the waterway in which the turbine array is installed.