Brian Polagye

Biography

Brian Polagye is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. His research focuses on marine renewable energy conversion and its environmental effects, with the ultimate goal of developing cost-effective, sustainable approaches. He is also an Affiliate Investigator with the Applied Physics Laboratory and holds a dual appointment with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.  

Education

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, 2009
• M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, 2005
• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Princeton University, 2000

Research Statement

Brian Polagye's research group focuses on the conversion of marine renewable energy resources (river, tidal, and ocean currents, as well as waves) to mechanical power. One thrust area is optimizing the hydrodynamics and control of current turbines and wave energy converters, primarily through laboratory experiments. A second thrust area is developing and applying instrumentation necessary to characterize marine energy sites, with emphasis on underwater sound. 

Current research topics include:

• Studying the hydrodynamics of cross-flow current turbines to increase individual turbine and array power yields
• Studying the hydrodynamics and control of wave energy converters, with an emphasis on the influence of geometry
• Measuring the acoustic characteristics of marine energy converters

Current projects

Wave Energy Converter Hull Geometry

The overall performance of wave energy converters (WECs) depends on the coupled response of the prime mover and incident wave field. While the influence of hull geometry has been explored through linear modeling methods, there is a limited experimental knowledge base. This project seeks to address this gap for surface-piercing and sub-surface WECs.

Effects of Inclined Inflow on Cross-flow Turbines

Cross-flow (or vertical-axis) turbines have the unique property of rotating in the same direction, regardless of current direction in the horizontal plane. However, unlike axial-flow turbines, there is not yet an empirical or analytical theory that describes how power production and structural loads change when currents have a significant out-of-plane component. This research, conducted in collaboration with Dr. Owen William's research group in AA, seeks to address this knowledge gap through experimental performance measurements and near-blade flow visualization.

Effects of Boundary Proximity on Cross-flow Turbines

When cross-flow turbines operate in relatively close proximity to a boundary - whether one associated with the free surface, the seabed, or the influence of another turbine - performance and structural loads can vary as a function of separation distance. In prior experiments, these interactions have been found to be detrimental or beneficial, but the underlying hydrodynamic mechanisms have not been established. This project, undertaken in conjunction with Dr. Owen Williams (AA) and Dr. Jennifer Franck (University of Wisconsin) seeks to establish a more complete understanding through experiments and simulations.

Select publications

1. Hunt, A., Polagye, B., Athair, A., and Williams, O. (2025) Experimental validation of a linear momentum and bluff-body model for high-blockage cross-flow turbine arrays. Physical Review Fluids, 10, 084802, doi: 10.1103/tpzz-df14
2. Polagye, B., Hunt, A., Mackey, L., and Bassett, C. (2025) Approaches to attributing underwater noise to a wave energy converter. JASA Express Letters, 5(5): doi: 10.1121/10.0036727
3. Snortland, A., Van Ness, K., Franck, J., Athair, A., Williams, O., and Polagye, B. (2025) Experimental identification of blade-level forces, torque, and pitching moment for cross-flow turbines. Journal of Fluids and Structures, 138, doi: 10.1016/j.jfluidstructs.2025.104403
4. Snortland, A., Hunt, A., Williams, O., & Polagye, B. (2025) Influence of the downstream blade sweep on cross-flow turbine performance. Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, 17 (1), doi: 10.1063/5.0230563
5. Polagye, B., Crisp, C., Jones, L., Murphy, P., Noe, J., Calandra, G., & Bassett, C. (2024) Performance of a Drifting Acoustic Instrumentation SYstem (DAISY) for characterizing radiated noise from marine energy converters. Journal of Ocean Engineering and Marine Energy, doi: 10.1007/s40722-024-00358-6
6. Hunt, A., Strom, B., Talpey, G., Ross, H., Scherl, I., Brunton, S., Wosnik, M., & Polagye, B. (2024) A parametric evaluation of the interplay between geometry and scale on cross-flow turbine performance. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 206, doi:10.1016/j.rser.2024.114848
7. Ross, H., & Polagye, B. (2022). Effects of dimensionless parameters on the performance of a cross-flow current turbine. Journal of Fluids and Structures, 114, 103726.
8. Strom, B., Polagye, B., & Brunton, S. L. (2022). Near-wake dynamics of a vertical-axis turbine. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 935.
9. Dillon, T., Maurer, B., Lawson, M., Jenne, D. S., Manalang, D., Baca, E., & Polagye, B. (2022). Cost-optimal wave-powered persistent oceanographic observation. Renewable Energy, 181, 504-521.
10. Cotter, E. & Polagye, B. (2020) Automatic classification of biological targets in a tidal channel using a multibeam sonar. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology. doi:10.1175/JTECH-D-19-0222.1
11. Polagye, B., Joslin, J., Murphy, P., Cotter, E., Scott, M., Gibbs, P., Bassett, C., & Stewart, A. (2020) Adaptable Monitoring Package development and deployment: Lessons learned for integrated instrumentation at marine energy sites. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 8, 553. doi:10.3390/jmse8080553
12. Ross, H. & Polagye, B. (2020) An experimental assessment of analytical blockage corrections for turbines. Renewable Energy, 152. doi: 10.1016/j.renene.2020.01.135
13. Polagye, B., Strom, B., Ross, H., Forbush, D., & Cavagnaro, R. (2019) Comparison of cross-flow turbine performance under torque-regulated and speed-regulated control, Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, 11(4). doi: 10.1063/1.5087476
14. Strom, B., Brunton, S., & Polagye, B. (2017). Intracycle angular velocity control of cross-flow turbines. Nature Energy, 2, doi: 10.1038/nenergy.2017.103.
15. Bassett, C., Thomson, J., Dahl, P. H., & Polagye, B. (2014). Flow-noise and turbulence in two tidal channels. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 135(4), 1764-1774. doi:10.1121/1.4867360.
16. Polagye, B., & Thomson, J. (2013). Tidal energy resource characterization: methodology and field study in Admiralty Inlet, Puget Sound, WA (USA). Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part A: Journal of Power and Energy, 227(3), 352-367. doi:10.1177/0957650912470081
17. Bassett, C., B. Polagye, M. Holt, & J. Thomson (2012). A vessel noise budget for Admiralty Inlet, Puget Sound, Washington (USA). J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 132(6), 3706-3719.
18. Thomson, J., B. Polagye, V. Durgesh, & M. Richmond (2012). Measurements of turbulence at two tidal energy sites in Puget Sound, WA (USA), IEEE J. Ocean. Eng., 37(3), 363-374.
19. Polagye, B., Kawase, M., & Malte, P. (2009). In-stream tidal energy potential of Puget Sound, Washington, Proc. IMechE, Part A: J. Power and Energy, 223(5).
20. Polagye, B., Malte, P., and Hodgson, K. (2007) An economic analysis of bio-energy options using thinnings from overstocked forests, Biomass and Bio-energy, 31(2-3)

Honors & awards

• College of Engineering Junior Faculty Award, 2015

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