Tidal streams display an abundant
source of renewable energy around the west coast of England, while
throughout the whole UK, they have the potential to supply a large
percentage of the country's non fossil fuel energy requirements.
Tidal Turbines have developed
an innovative vertical axis turbine known as the Dual Vortex Control
(DVC) Turbine with specially designed cowlings which enhance the water
velocity around the turbine runner and greatly increase its efficiency.
Early studies were conducted in conjunction with the Department of
Engineering and Computer Studies at The University of Exeter using
mainly Computational Fluid Dynamics on the cowling design.
Following a request by Halcrow
Crouch to investigate the possibility of incorporating DVC turbines
into Angus Council's new bridge piers at Montrose, Tidal Turbines
(a subsidiary formed by Western Hydro) undertook a limited research
programme on its own account. The preliminary study was subsequently
extended to a fully comprehensive feasibility study with the aid of
a SMART award which was concluded in February 2003.
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This study involved
computational and physical modeling carried out in the Engineering
Department of the University of Exeter and also sea trials in
the Fal estuary using a model pushed through the water by a motor
catamaran to simulate the tide. This study demonstrated the great
potential of the design and enabled significant improvements to
be made. |
Applications for two UK patents
and a European patent covering novel aspects of the DVC concept are
in place.
