The Barnacle: A low-cost marine turbulence sensor

The Barnacle is a new form of marine sensor, which offers a low-cost alternative to the Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV) for turbulence measurements in oceanographic applications, including tidal power sites. This new device measures flow velocity from pressure differences between slanted faces, and is estimated to cost five to ten times less than an ADV. The Barnacle is of interest to tidal turbine developers because accurate quantification of the unsteady inflow is vital for determining fatigue loads.