The system, international patent pending, is composed of a structure which is placed on the land (in the proximity of the costal area) and connected to the sea by a long transmission shaft. The device uses an innovative solution of kinetic turbines characterised by a multidirectional axis that guarantees effectiveness and reliability.
This configuration has been designed with the objective of reducing the complexity, associated installation costs and environmental impact issues found in current off-shore tidal systems.
Due to its particular design, the solution has the property of being self-stabilizing and self-regulating. It is able to intercept both tidal and river currents frontally using several regulation mechanisms. Regarding tidal installations, the turbine operates with identical performance values in both current directions. The System also consider the waves motion and the effect of the sea level having specific mechanisms to avoid and resist them. Regarding fauna and flora compatibility, the system will allow the passage of fish and other species through a central aperture located in the inner surface of the turbine.

The structure is equipped with two drive shafts able to transfer the rotational motion of the turbine into the electrical generation devices and transformers away from the aquatic environment. In order to provide a constant electricity flow to the grid in low production periods (or to accumulate the energy excess), an auxiliary energy storage system is also installed, based on compressed air and consisting of an autoclave working with NACA 0012 technology.

In addition, the system will count with an especially-designed wing-like hydrodynamic development, able to balance the enormous loads that common turbines have to cope with when subjected to the action of the currents (5Tm with a 5 m turbine under a 5 kn current speed). As a result, the overall loads (and momentums) on the whole system are transformed into a single tensile stress born by the telescopic frame, which is connected to the on-shore foundation. This characteristic has important implications regarding structural efficiency and global control over the direction of the frame. Therefore, the system can obtain high production rates depending on the number and respective diameters of the turbines installed.

Innovative Aspects:
The state of the art of the technologies using sea and river currents to generate electrical energy comprises two main way to keep the turbines into the water:
1) structures placed on the dephs;
2) floating structures.

Unlike the systems available on the market, the new solution is composed of a structure placed on the land (in the proximity of the costal area) and connected to the sea by a long transmission shaft.

As a result, the main differential characteristics of the system are its potential production rates, the on-shore location of critical devices and foundations, the associated energy storage system, the self-regulation mechanisms and finally, the wave resistance and sea level adjustment.

In comparison with the state of the art the main advantages of the system are:
- It does not require to realise constructions on the sea and to immerse in the water generators and cables;
- It allows to realize also small scale plants;
- It is constituted of a machine located on the costal area (outside of the aquatic environment);
- It has an high environmental and landscape compatibility;
- It is not offensive for the sea fauna.

 

Patents/Rights: Patent(s) applied for but not yet granted

Type of Organisation: