Tide powered electrical generator - uses floating platform carrying flywheel driving separate gearing for ebb and flow tides

摘要

The electrical generator is powered by the normal tidal rise and fall of the sea. It consists of a platform mounted flywheel large enough to maintain smooth operation driving two series of gears. One series operates during the flood tide the second during the ebb, the gearing being chosen to provide the rpm required at the generator. The platform positioned at half max. tide height is typically 50M x 20M x 10M, 10M being the thickness, having a 5000 ton mass. A tidal change of 5M provides an output of 2000kWatt per hour at 50% efficiency. A 20M tide change over 24 hours provided 981 Mega Joules. During slack ride periods the generator may be driven by burning hydrogen derived by electrolysis using part of the power obtained during tidal operation.