The most powerful tidal streams are on the surface.
Conventional propeller (or turbine) blades are great for 'delivering' power but not so great for 'collecting' power.
Bob Jones June 2022.
11th August 2022
Proposal No. 2.
This simple, seemingly unique proposal captures the inertia of the tidal stream (or wind). The 'V' section blade requires much less depth than the conventional rotating horizontal axis lift/drag aerofoil section (turbine).
It has a swept diameter of 6 metres and a blade width of 1 metre which would produce an estimated output of between 12kW and 40kW depending on a number of variables which will be determined by trials.
In comparison with most other wind and tide generating devices this is a far simpler unsophisticated but effective design, simple to make, simple to maintain, simple to scale up, requires less depth (or height), does not need to be 'rotated' (turned towards the wind or tide) and less of a hazard to marine wildlife.
Thanks for visiting,
Bob Jones.
I am a retired engineer with some sailing experience living in Surrey UK.
VERTICAL (OR HORIZONTAL) AXIS GENERATOR FOR WIND OR TIDE
(Inshore waters and tidal rivers)
Swept diameter = 6 x blade width (approx)
Captures wind or tidal stream energy from any direction. The slight reduction in efficiency caused by the returning blade will be far outweighed by the advantages listed.
Rotation
Re-cycled ships prop shaft
Bolted flange
connection
3 or 4 blade rotor.
Vertical Axis
'V' section
blade
3 or 4 blade rotor.
Horizontal Axis
Semi-submerged multiple rotors driving a single shaft supported between the two hulls of an anchored catamaran = mW!
The above units are designed to operate just below the surface where the speed of the tidal stream is at a maximum.
Positioning the units near to a bridge support or The Thames Barrier for instance, would significantly increase the speed of the tidal stream and therefore the generator output.
Prototypes made from uPVC.
Tidal pontoons at Cowes Marina.
Suitable for supporting multiple units as per above sketch providing megawatts of power.
The writer on the tidal Thames at Chiswick.
CV
Robert C Jones
1944 Royal Kent School, Oxshott
1950 St Andrew's School, Cobham
1952 Kingston Junior Technical School
1955 Engineering Apprenticeship
Kingston Technical College H.N.C. Mech
1960 - 2004 Engineering Design and Draughting
(Drawing Board and CAD)
in the General Engineering, Electro-Mechanical,
Aircraft, Petro-Chemical and Offshore Industries.
Work experience in UK, USA and New Zealand.
Interests. Private Pilot's Licence UK (1967)
Private Pilot's Licence USA (1968)
RYA Yacht Day Skipper (2003)
Designer of 'The Oxshott Village Sign' (2019)
Dreaming, Creating, Writing, Walking and Working.
And Jiving occasionally!