Floating Turbine Vertical Buoyancy Control Deep Water
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing underwater tidal energy generation technologies are limited to coastal areas with significant natural currents and lack a viable solution for deep-water deployments, where kinetic energy from water currents is not sufficient to generate electricity efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A floatable turbine system with adjustable buoyancy, capable of moving vertically along a guide, utilizing compressed air to impart positive buoyancy and generate artificial currents for electricity production, allowing operation in deep water without natural currents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If underwater turbines are deployed in coastal areas with natural tidal currents, then kinetic energy conversion efficiency is improved (43%), but deployment is limited to specific coastal locations with suitable currents and cannot be applied in deep water or offshore areas
Solution Approach 1:
The turbine system dynamically changes its operational mode by switching between natural current-driven operation and artificial current generation. The turbine can operate passively when natural currents are available and actively generate artificial currents using buoyancy-driven vertical movement when deployed in deep water without significant natural currents, thus adapting to different deployment environments while maintaining energy generation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the fundamental operating parameter from relying on horizontal water current velocity to utilizing vertical buoyancy-driven movement. By introducing adjustable buoyancy means that can impart positive buoyancy to the turbine assembly, the system transforms the energy source from kinetic energy of natural currents to potential energy conversion through vertical displacement, enabling deployment in deep water locations previously unsuitable for tidal current turbines
2Adaptability or versatility
If turbine equipment is made negatively buoyant to enable sinking for artificial current generation, then deep water deployment capability is improved, but the system loses the ability to float back up without additional buoyancy mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The buoyancy of the turbine equipment is made dynamically adjustable rather than fixed. The system uses adjustable buoyancy means that can transition the turbine from negative buoyancy (for sinking) to positive buoyancy (for floating back up). This dynamic buoyancy control enables the turbine to complete full vertical cycles in deep water, facilitating artificial current generation while maintaining the ability to return to the surface for maintenance and monitoring
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs pneumatic or hydraulic buoyancy adjustment mechanisms to control the turbine's vertical movement. By introducing compressed air or gas into buoyancy chambers or ballast tanks, the system can impart positive buoyancy to counteract the negative buoyancy required for sinking, enabling controlled ascent without requiring physical retrieval operations
3Productivity
If multiple turbine units are deployed as a farm with staggered duty cycles, then overall electricity generation is improved, but compressed air supply timing and coordination becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The turbine farm operates with periodic duty cycles where multiple turbine units are staggered in time. Each turbine follows a cyclic pattern of sinking (generating electricity), surfacing (receiving compressed air to adjust buoyancy), and sinking again. This periodic operation allows a single compressor to service multiple turbines sequentially rather than simultaneously, reducing the required compressor capacity and simplifying coordination while maintaining high overall productivity through continuous operation across the farm
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary buoyancy adjustment at the surface before each sinking cycle. Compressed air is supplied to adjust the buoyancy of turbines that are about to commence their generation cycle, ensuring they are properly configured before deployment. This preliminary action optimizes the timing of compressor operation and ensures each turbine is ready for its duty cycle without requiring complex real-time coordination during generation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient electricity generation in deep water by leveraging gravitational and buoyant forces, achieving a power output exceeding 70kW with a conservative efficiency of 30%, and up to 100kW with 43% efficiency, overcoming the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
the turbine may move downwards along the guide under gravitational force
Implementation Method 2
an effective artificial current is generated by the relative movement of water through the turbine blades, turning the blades which in turn cause a generator to produce electricity
Implementation Method 3
a compressor is provided that supplies compressed air at a suitable pressure to docking ports provided at the lower end of the guide
Data Source
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AI summary
A floatable turbine (10) is described, which is movable on a substantially vertically oriented guide (20) so that the turbine (10) may move downwards along the guide (20) under gravitational force. The turbine equipment (10) is of negative buoyancy to facilitate it sinking, but is further provided with adjustable buoyancy means to allow the turbine arrangement to be imparted with a positive buoyancy when required. When imparted with a positive buoyancy the turbine equipment (10) floats back up the vertically oriented guide (20) under the buoyancy force. When moving down the guide (20) under gravity, and back up the guide (20) under buoyancy force an effective artificial current is generated by the movement through the turbine blades, turning the blades which in turn cause a generator to produce electricity, typically by suitable gearing.