Tidal generator

An apparatus for generating electrical energy from the tidal movements of a body of water having tides and a floor comprising:

• an enclosure securely fixed to the floor of the body of water, the enclosure being formed by substantially vertical walls and a substantially horizontal bottom wherein the walls extend above the extreme high tide level and below the extreme low tide level of the body of water, and the walls are adapted with means for selectively directing water to flow in an out of the enclosure through turbines operatively associated with the walls;
• at least one stationary tank that is positioned completely below the extreme low tide level of the body of water;
• at least one bellows tank including expandable and compressible side walls and a lid positioned atop the stationary tank wherein the lid of the bellows tank does not extend above the extreme low tide level of the body of water;
• a means for selectively allowing water to travel between the bellows tank and the stationary tank so that the bellows tank is substantially expanded and filled with water at low tide and substantially compressed and empty at high tide and the stationary tank is substantially filled with water at high tide and substantially filled with air at low tide;
• a turbine positioned between the bellows tank and the stationary tank that generates power as water is moved from the bellows tank to the stationary tank;
• and
• a means for supplying air to the stationary tank so that the pressure of the air maintained within the stationary tank is substantially equal to atmospheric air pressure.

An apparatus for generating electrical energy from the tidal movements of a body of water having tides and a floor comprising:

• at least one substantially hollow moveable tank adapted with means for selectively allowing water and air to flow in and out of the tank;
• a support means including a rigid frame and a hydraulic cylinder operatively associated with the tank to allow for vertical movement of the tank wherein the hydraulic cylinder is in fluid communication with hydraulic fluid that is pressurized in response to the upward and downward vertical movements of the tank;
• a means for storing pressurized hydraulic fluid;
• a locking means operatively associated with the support means for selectively retaining the tank at specific positions in the vertical plane relative to the tide level of the body of water;
• a turbine associated with the means for storing pressurized hydraulic fluid that generates power as the pressurized hydraulic fluid is released into the turbine;
• at least one stationary tank that is positioned completely below the extreme low tide level of the body of water;
• at least one bellows tank including expandable and compressible side walls and a lid positioned atop the stationary tank wherein the lid of the bellows tank does not extend above the extreme low tide level of the body of water;
• a means for selectively allowing water to travel between the bellows tank and the stationary tank so that the bellows tank is substantially expanded and filled with water at low tide and substantially compressed and empty at high tide and the stationary tank is substantially filled with water at high tide and substantially filled with air at low tide;
• a turbine positioned between the bellows tank and the stationary tank that generates power as water is moved from the bellows tank to the stationary tank;
• and
• a means for supplying air to the stationary tank so that the pressure of the air maintained within the stationary tank is substantially equal to atmospheric air pressure.