EE535: Renewable Energy:

Systems, Technology &

Economics
Tidal (1)
Nature of the Resource
Tidal energy is the result of the gravitational
pull of the moon, and to a lesser extent the sun
Tidal energy schemes rely on the twice daily
tides which produce the ebb and flow of large
volumes of water in estuaries and at sea
Other factors such as ocean depths, landmass
shapes etc, can accentuate tidal flow
Energy can be extracted from the tidal flow in 2
principal ways:
1. Tidal Barges
2. Tidal Streams
Lunar Induced Tide
Centrifugal Effect
Gravitational Effect
As the earth rotates
on its axis, 2 high
tides are drawn
around the globe as it
rotates - 2 high tides
every day (24.8 hour
period)
moon
moon
Influence of Solar Effects
The solar tide moves in and out
of phase with the lunar tide
Lunar and solar tides are in
phase when sun, earth and
moon are aligned
Produces tides of maximum
range
These are spring tides
Occur twice per month at full
and new moons
When sun/earth and
moon/earth directions are
perpendicular
Produces tides of minimum
range
These are neap tides
s e m s m e
or
s e
m
s e
m
Tidal Currents
(a) Tidal current over a 21-day period at a location where the maximum current at spring tide is
2.9 knots (1.5 m/s) and the maximum current at neap tide is 1.8 knots (0.9 m/s).

(b) The power per unit sea-floor area over a nine-day period extending from spring tides to neap tides.
The power peaks four times per day, and has a maximum of about 27 W/m2.

The average power of the tide farm is 6.4 W/m2.
http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/withouthotair/cG/page_315.shtml
Power density of tidal pools /
barges / Tidal Range Power
Tide pool filled rapidly at high
tide and emptied rapidly at low
tide
So, change in potential energy
every 6 hours is mgh (where h
is half the range)
The mass per unit area covered
by the tide pool = 2h
So, power per unit area
generated by a tide pool
P = 2 ghgh / 6 hours
Let h = 2meters, density of
water = 1000kg/m
3
, g =
9.81m/s/s
Power per unit area 3.6 W/ m
2
Assume 90% efficiency: 3W/m
2
sea
Tidepool
h
R
a
n
g
e

(
R
)

Low water
High water
turbine
Power = E/T = A R
2
g/2T
Tidal Streams / Tidal Flow Power
Near coastlines and between islands, tides may produce strong
water currents
Tidal flow power conversion is similar to wind power conversion,
Advantage of predictable velocity and greater fluid density
(x1000)
Disadvantage of low fluid velocity and an aquatic environment
Power density for in water = v
3
Only a fraction of the power available can realistically be
converted (typically about 40%)
Tidal current velocities vary with time approximately as :
V = V
o
sin (2t / ), where is the period of the natural tide
(12h 25min for semidiurnal tide), and V
o
is the maximum
velocity of the current
If is the efficiency of the conversion device, the electric
power per unit cross section = 0.25 V
o
3

Tidal Current Power Device
turbine
Electric generator
Tidal
Flow
seabed
Drawbacks of Tidal Energy
Mismatch of principal lunar driven periods of 12h
25mins and 24hrs50 mins with the human
(solar) period of 24hrs optimum generation not
in phase with demand
Tidal range changes over a 2 week period
producing changing power production
Large volume of water at low head necessitates
many specially constructed turbines in parallel
Very high capital costs of installations
Potential ecological harm to estuaries and
marine regions
Resonance Enhancement
Resonant enhancement on the
tides in estuaries and bays
occurs in the same manner as
the resonance of sound waves
in a closed pipe
Resonance with the open sea
tide occurs when L = j/4, j is
an odd integer
Natural frequency of the
resonance :
f
r
= 1/T
r
= c/
Wave of velocity c = (gh)
So, T
r
= /c = 4L /jc = 4L/j(gh)
L/h = (j/4) (g)T
f

/4
Open Sea
Land
River Severn Example
The River Severn estuary between Wales and England
has a length of about 200km and a depth of 30m.
So L/h = 200x10
3
m / (30m) = 36000m
1/2
The semidiurnal tidal period is about 12hrs 25mins.
So, resonance for j = 1 occurs when :
L/h = (45000s/4) (9.81ms
-2
) = 36000m
1/2
Hence there is a close matching of the estuarys
resonance frequency with the normal tide frequency.
Large amplitude tidal motions of 10 14m range occur
Open Hydro
http://www.openhydro.com/technology.html