METHOD OF COUNTERACTING THE TENDENCY OF A TETHERED ELECTRICITY WATER CURRENT-DRIVEN TURBINE TO DIVE WHEN POWER IS PRODUCED

摘要

A method is described of controlling a tethered, underwater current driven turbine, power-generating device. The use of a wing to both offset the torque of the generators, and to control the tendency of the tethered device to dive when the generators produce power. Use in made of a tether (122,123) to the ocean floor to measure the tension on it so as to apply the appropriate wing flap angle. The turbine includes variable-pitch rotor blades (109,110). The pitch of the variable-pitch rotor blades (109,110) on the turbine in combination with the load on the anchor weight is adjusted such that the whole device does not create any slack on the tether cable (122,123) thereby counteracting the tendency of the device to dive.