Page 329 - Alternative Energy Systems in Building Design

SOME INTERESTING OCEANIC TECHNOLOGIES 303

Figure 9.10 Marine-current pile-mounted turbine installation. Courtesy of
Marine Current Technology, U.K.

Some Interesting Oceanic Technologies

OCEANIC WAVE POWER

These are technologies that harvest electric power from the dynamics of wave move-
ments. The operationing principles of these technologies are based on an oscillating
movement of water columns, as shown in Figs. 9.11 through 9.13. As waves enter the
lower chamber, the pressure resulting from air compression forces the propeller to
rotate, which, in turn, spins an electric generator shaft.
The impeller mechanism is avoids corrosion because the housing where the blades
are mounted does not get in contact with seawater.

THE SLATER DUCK
This technology is quite recent and is similar in function and principle to the two gen-
erators just described. These devices harness ocean wave energy by a pendulum mech-
anism that resembles a floating duck. The mechanism bobs when moved up and down
by waves and produces a pendulum movement that drives a turbine within each float-
ing unit. It is anchored to the sea bed and arranged in special patterns that take maxi-
mum advantage of wave movements.