An optimal control model of tidal power

generation
S. C. Ryrie

Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of the West of England, Frenchay, Bristol, UK

An idealized model of tidal power generation is presented. Power is generated by the head across a barrage,
with machinery characteristics capable of being represented by elementary functions. The energy produced
depends on the manner in which the flow through the barrage is controlled: the energy is maximized using
dynamic programming. Results are presented for machinery whose eficiency is constant and for machinery
whose eficiency depends only on JIow rate.

Keywords: tidal power, energy maximization, optimal control, dynamic programming

1. Introduction machinery characteristics capable of being represented

by elementary mathematical functions) and it makes no
During recent years there has been considerable interest
attempt to model the interaction between the operation
in the mathematical modelling of tidal power schemes,
of the barrage and the tidal regime of the estuary.
both because of the importance of such models in the
However, and unlike a number of more complex models,
planning of tidal barrages across the Severn Estuary, the
it does explicitly demonstrate how the operation of a
Mersey Estuary, and elsewhere and because of the in-
teresting challenges that such models pose to mathemati- barrage may be controlled so as to generate the greatest
amount of power. It uses methods of state-space control
cians. Such models differ in the extent to which they
describe the hydrodynamics of the tidal regime, the theory to find optimal solutions to the equations of
characteristics of the generating machinery in the bar- motion, within a “zero-dimensional” model of estuarine
rage, and the interaction between these two features. hydrodynamics. In these respects it is similar to the
Typically, models have fallen into one of two categor- model of Bickley,’ but the latter involves a much more
ies. Some involve detailed numerical calculations, using detailed and realistic numerical description of machinery
either finite difference or finite element representations characteristics.
of estuary topography, with equations of motion that The model of water motion used here resembles that
include representations of as many physical effects as is of Mosetti,’ who used this model to show how water
feasible and desirable, with detailed numerical models of levels in a tidal basin may be controlled to follow a
the characteristics of barrage machinery, and with some- predetermined pattern. However, Mosetti uses Pontrya-
times complex time-stepping procedures. Models in this gin’s Maximum Principle to optimize the flow, whereas
category, such as those of Proctor,’ Bickley,’ Suckling the present model uses instead Bellman’s dynamic pro-
et a1.,3 and Binnie and Partners4 can be presumed to gramming to find solutions that maximize the energy
represent physical reality with reasonable degrees of generated over a period of time.
accuracy.
A second set of models have been presented in the 2. A mathematical model of power generation in a
spirit of demonstrating the primary features of tidal tidal barrage
power schemes, using relatively elementary mathematics
and in idealized circumstances. Such models include We suppose that a tidal barrage is to be constructed that
those of Robinson5 and Ryrie,6 which despite their encloses a basin of area A and that immediately adjoins
simplicity can give interesting and valuable insights into the open sea, whose level rises and falls with the tide.
underlying processes. Power is generated by allowing water to pass through the
The model presented here falls into the second cate- barrage in either direction, thereby alternately raising
gory, in that it describes an idealized barrage (with and lowering the level in the basin. The barrage is
presumed to contain hydroelectric machinery driven by
Address reprint requests to Dr. Ryrie at Department of Mathematical
the water flow through it, and we presume that the
Sciences, University of the West of England, Coldharbour Lane, instantaneous rate of flow through the barrage can be
Frenchay, Bristol BS16 lQY, UK. controlled. We aim to determine the pattern of control
Received 30 November 1993; revised 28 March 1994; accepted 8 June of this flow which will maximize the energy generated
1994 during one tidal period.

Appl. Math. Modelling 1995, Vol. 19, February

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Tidal power generation model: S. C. Ryrie

The equation of motion for this problem is so that

dx E,i + E, + (zo - z)qf/ I 0 (4)
; = Q(WA (1)
with equality only if the control q is optimal. So to attain
where x(t) represents the water level in the basin and Q(t) optimality we need to find
represents the rate of flow into the basin. We assume that
max(s,i + a, + (zO - z)qq)
Q is limited by physical contraints so that
4
IQ15Qmx = max{Ch/~ + (z. - zhld
for some given value of Q,,,. The water level immedi- 4
ately outside the barrage is x,(t), which is presumed to + (terms not involving q)
be a predetermined periodic function of time, whose
period is T Thus at any moment we must choose the value of q that
In order to allow us to use dimensionless equations, maximizes
we define dimensionless variables as follows:
F(q) = C&,/l + (20 - zhlq (5)
Q(f)/Qmaxr
40) = sothat
141
s 1; subject to the constraint 141 I 1.
z(t)
= x(t)/H,
and The costate variable E is governed by the costate
equation derived as follows. When optimality is achieved,
a&) = x&)/H we find from expression (4) that
where H is a constant representing the scale of variations
in water level and is typically the amplitude of variations E,i + E, + (zo - z)qq = 0
in x,(t). By differentiating with respect to z, we find
Equation (1) now becomes
ai
i = A/q E,,i + E, - + Ezf- qtj = 0.
(2)
az
where ,J = AH/Q,,,, the only parameter controlling the
system. ;i represents a measure of the timescale on Thus,
which the basin level would decrease from its greatest BZ= 49 (6)
value to its mean value, or vice versa, if the machinery
were at maximum flow. since
The power produced by the barrage is P = pg(x, - 8, = E,, + E,,i
x)Qq where p represents the density of sea-water, g
represents gravitational acceleration, and r] represents and &/az = 0 from equation (2).
the efficiency of the machinery. The optimal control may now in principle be found
In a realistic model of turbine machinery, rl would by solving the two coupled ordinary differential equa-
vary with the flow Q and the head (x0 - x). However, tions (2) and (6) with q(t) being determined at any given
for the sake of simplicity in this model we shall assume
moment through determination of the maximum of ex-
that q varies only with Q, i.e., that ye = q(q).
pression (5).
The energy d generated over a complete tidal period
7: and its dimensionless equivalent E, are related by
T 4. Constant efficiency turbines
E = &lpsHQmax
= (zo
- z)w(W (3) The optimal control becomes particularly simple if q(q)
s0
is a constant function, i.e., if the turbine machinery
The state variable z(t) is related to the control variable operates at a constant efficiency that we may assume
q(t) through the state equation (2). We wish to find the without loss of generality to be 100%. Although this
optimal control for q(t) in the sense of maximizing produces results that clearly are not physically realizable,
expression (3). it does serve to demonstrate the energy that is theoretic-
ally available for a given scheme.
3. Derivation of optimal control On substituting q G 1 into equation (5), F(q) becomes
To find the optimal control, we use Bellman’s dynamic linear and the optimal control is given by
programming. We let E(Z, t) be the maximum energy
1 if &,/A + z. - z > 0
capable of being generated between the present moment 4= (7)
and the end of the period, so that - 1 if E,/;1 + zo - z < 0

&=

s
By the principle
L
T

(zo- z)qrl dt

of optimality,
The optimal control is thus “bang-bang,” with the tur-
bines operating at full capacity in either the forward or
the reverse direction.
Solutions to the system may now be found by solving
i: + (zo - z)qYj I 0 equations (2) and (6) with q given by equation (7). The

124 Appl. Math. Modelling, 1995, Vol. 19, February

 Tidal power generation model: S. C. Ryrie

solutions shown here are those for which z,(t) is sinusoi-

dal with amplitude 2, vis.
z,(t) = 2 sin wt
1.0
E/T
(set I)

0.75
C
-__
___---
./__--
I
where o is the radian frequency of the tides whose period 0.5
T is taken to be 12 hr. I

,I
The state variable z(t) and the costate variable s,(t)
0.25
should also be periodic in time with a period T Periodic
solutions were found by taking zero initial conditions for
z and E,, and integrating forward in time until periodicity I L I I I I
01 20 40 60 80 100'
was achieved. The well-known fourth-order Runge- Kut- i/lo3 (secsj
ta time-stepping procedure was used with a step of
200 sec. Figure 2. Mean power output, for constant efficiency turbines
versus 1.
Figure 1 shows a typical set of results for, in this case,
a parameter value of ,J = 25,000. The variations with
time of the sea level zO(t), the basin level z(t), and the flow
into the basin q(t) are superimposed. It is interesting to
note that for a small part of each period (e.g., from about 5. Variable efficiency turbines
c = 0.45 to about t = 0.6 in the first period) the flow takes
To illustrate the modelling of machinery whose efficiency
place against the head, implying that pumping is taking
is not constant, we have chosen the efficiency function
place. The effect of this is to increase the basin level,
thereby increasing the power available later in the cycle v](q) = 1 - q2 (8)
when the sea level has begun to fall.
This function has the advantage that the corresponding
Figure 2 shows E/T, the mean power output over a
F(q) from equation (5) is cubic and can readily be
single tidal period. for a range of values of 1. It shows
maximized by analytical means. In principle any function
that as A increases the available mean power also in-
q(q) may be used provided that a suitable one-dimen-
creases slowly, up to a limit of approximately E/T = 0.63.
sional maximization of F(q) is performed.
In terms of dimensional variables, this shows that the
Using equation (8) in equation (5) we find that
maximum available energy is 0.63 pgHQ,,,7:
F(q) = (c,l~ + zo - z)q - (zo - +I3
for which F’(q) = 0 if
q = Ik [{(&,/A + z() - z)/3(z, - z)]l’z (9)
The constrained maximum of F(q) is therefore at either
q = f 1 or at one of the two points given by equation
(9). The desired value of q may be determined by evalu-
ation of F(q) at each of these points in turn.
Solutions were found in the same manner as that
previously described, namely by integrating equations (2)
and (6) starting from zero initial conditions and continu-
ing time-stepping until either periodicity was achieved or
it became evident that periodicity would not be achieved.
Figure 3 shows a solution found for /1 = 50,000 sec. It
t/1 shows that over a large part of each cycle the machinery
operates at a constant output of q = f0.577 (a figure
that may be deduced from equation (9) in the limit of a
large value of 2). The switching of q between these two
values resemble that of the bang-bang control previously
described.
Inspection of the variation of z(t) in Figure 3 shows
-1
that superimposed on the periodicity with period T there
is a lower frequency influence causing the basin level to
return not quite to its initial value at the end of each
period. This effect becomes more marked as I is de-
creased, and sufficiently small values of i produce quite
-2 a complex picture. Here, periodicity of q(r) over a single
period of 12 hr is not quite achieved, and the resulting
Figure 1. Response of system with constant efficiency turbines
variation with time of z(t) is clearly not periodic.
over two tidal periods. -----, sea level z,,(t); -- -- --, volume flow A small value of I implies a relatively large value of
through barrage, q(t); ------, water level in basin, z(t). Q max, or in other words that the basin has little inertia:

Appl. Math. Modelling, 1995, Vol. 19, February 125

Tidal power generation model: S. C. Ryrie

machinery efficiency are independent of flow and in-

Figure 3. Response of system with variable efficiency turbines
over several tidal periods. - - - - -, sea level z,,(t); -- -- --, volume
flow through barrage, q(t); ---- --, water level in basin, z(t).
dependent of head machinery efficiency and of direction
of flow. Within these limitations, the control that gives
maximum energy output is found to be dependent on a
single parameter.
For machinery whose efficiency is constant, solutions
are found that are periodic and symmetric. For a system
in which efficiency depends on the flow rate, the solutions
found display a more complex pattern of switching and
attain periodicity only for values of the parameter that
are sufficiently large.

it can be rapidly filled or emptied. This reflects the

References
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values of this sensitivity may explain the complex nature Report No. WPTP (81)492, Inst. of Oceanographic Sci., Bidston
of Figure 3: although q(t) is nearly periodic, the resulting Lab., Merseyside UK, 1981
Bickley, D. T. Optimal control of a single-basin tidal power scheme
variation of z(t) is far from being so. Small variations in various operating models. J. Ciu. Eng. Sys. 1984, 1, 327-336
from periodicity in q(t) produce larger ones in z(t), Suckling, H., Bickley, D. T. and Ryrie, S. C. Interaction between
and periodicity of the complete system is never quite hydrodynamic effects and control policies in a tidal power scheme.
achieved. Appi. Mach. Modelling 1992, 16, 423-430
Binnie and Partners Report No. WPTP(80) 345, 1980
Robinson, 1. S. Tidal power from wedge-shaped streams-An
6. Conclusions analytica model with friction, applied to the Bristol Channel.
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126 Appl. Math. Modelling, 1995, Vol. 19, February