The experimental test campaign of a two-dimensional model of the LiftWEC concept, with one or two foils, was carried out in June and July 2021. The 2D model was designed, built, assembled and commissioned by Ecole Centrale de Nantes (ECN). The model allows testing of configurations with one or two foils, with adjustments before each test of the foil angle of attack and of the rotor diameter.

The model was tested in the ECN wave and towing tank, in a narrow “sub-channel” made of partition walls, which reduced the flume width locally. The idea behind this approach was to use a tank capable of generating large waves while keeping the width of the device and hence loads on the device more manageable, thus reducing complexity and costs. The sub-channel was composed of two parallel walls at 0.49m distance and the foils have a constant shape across the channel so that the water motions are in two dimensions.

The motion of the rotor was controlled using a power take-off (PTO) system consisting of an electrical machine which can be operated in fixed position, speed or torque control. The quantities measured are the PTO torque, radial and tangential loads on the axis of each foil, absolute angular position of the rotor and wave elevation upstream and downstream of the model. From those measured quantities, rotor velocity and acceleration as well as captured power can be inferred.

The present document describes in detail the test campaign carried out in June and July 2021. It gives details on the model setup, testing carried out, data processing and validation.

The data and the full test matrix were published in Zenodo under DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5596066 and are now free to access. This dataset replaces the initial dataset, published under DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5534471, which does not include processed data described in this document.