Tidal turbine installation

#The invention relates to an apparatus for generating electric power in freely flowing rivers, comprising a housing consisting of an outside housing and an inside housing having an outlet formed as a suction pipe, with cavities being provided between the outside housing and the inside housing in order to stabilize the apparatus close beneath the water surface, and with at least one turbine arranged in the inside housing which is flowed through axially and is connected with a generator, and with a traction means for anchoring the apparatus.

#So-called power buoys are known which are suspended in freely flowing rivers in order to generate electric power from the energy of flow of the river. The advantage of such power buoys is that the production expense is very low in comparison with the power that can be generated because no fixed installations such as barrages, weirs or the like are required. Such an apparatus is merely anchored on the ground of the river and electrically connected with a supply point for the generated power.

#A relevant apparatus is known from GB 1 563 337 A which substantially consists of a raft or catamaran. Turbines are arranged on its bottom side. This arrangement ensures that the turbine body is always located slightly beneath the water surface, which is relevant for efficiency because the highest flow speed can be expected there. The disadvantageous aspect in this apparatus is the damage by flotsam. A similar apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,863 A. Turbines are shown here where the flow occurs transversally to the axial direction.

#FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention in a side view;

#FIG. 2 shows an embodiment from the front;

#FIG. 3 shows a sectional view along line III-III in FIG. 1, and

#FIG. 1 shows a river 100 in which the apparatus in accordance with the invention is installed. The water level is labeled with reference numeral 101 at normal water level, whereas the water level at high water is labeled with 102. The direction of flow is indicated by arrows 103.

#A heavy anchor 1 is inserted into the ground 104 of the river 100, to which the traction means is fastened which is generally designated with reference numeral 2 and which holds the apparatus at the place intended for its purpose. The traction means 2 consists in detail of two anchor cables 2a and a rise-limiting cable 2b. The rise-limiting cable 2b is held by a weight 4 on the ground 104 of the river and is used to limit the rising level of the apparatus. In order to simplify the anchoring, the rise-limiting cable 2b is guided by weight 4 further to the anchor 1 and is also anchored there.

#In the position of the apparatus which is shown in FIG. 1 with the unbroken line, the level of the apparatus is determined substantially by the buoyancy, so that the same is arranged directly beneath the water surface 101. The rise-limiting cable 2b comprises a loose section 3.