Orientation device for water current power generating apparatus
AssigneeTidal Generation Limited
InventorPaul Vigars
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A water current generating device is provided that consists of a main body and a horizontal axis rotor attached by a mechanical connection to a fixed support structure. Under the action of one or more hydrodynamic thrusters, the main body of the turbine is rotated about a desired axis of rotation to face the oncoming current flow. The mechanical connection incorporates an appropriate degree of freedom to allow this re-orientation to take place.
Claims15
A device for orienting a water current generating device to face oncoming current flow comprising:
- a main body;
- a hydrodynamic thruster fitted in an appropriate location of the main body, the hydrodynamic thruster exerts a torque on the main body about an axis of rotation;
- and
- a mechanical connection between the main body and a rigid sea or river bed support structure, wherein the mechanical connection provides only a single degree of freedom about the axis of rotation.
A water current power generating device including:
- a substantially rigid support structure which is located on, and affixed to, a bed of a body of water;
- a main body including a rotor device affixed thereto which is operable to generate power from a water current, the main body being located on the support structure by way of a mechanical connection which is adapted for rotation of the main body with respect to the support structure about a single axis of rotation;
- and
- at least one hydrodynamic thruster, separate to the rotor device and mounted on the main body, the at least one hydrodynamic thruster being operable to exert a torque on the main body of the device, thereby to cause rotation of the main body about the axis of rotation, so as to orient the rotor device with respect to the support structure.
A method of re-orientating a water current generating device to face the oncoming current flow, the water current generating device including hydrodynamic thrusters and a mechanical connection between its main body and its support structure allowing a degree of freedom about the desired axis of rotation, the method including:
- waiting until the water current flow speed is sufficiently low that the hydrodynamic moment exerted by the current on the main body of the water current generating device about the desired axis of rotation is less than the moment that can be exerted by the thrusters on the same body about the same axis;
- and
- then under these current flow conditions powering the thrusters to provide sufficient net torque to re-orientate the main body of the water current generating device about the desired axis of rotation until it faces the new current flow direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.