The Oyster is a device that uses the motion of ocean waves to generate. It is made up of a Power Connector Frame (PCF), which is bolted to the seabed, and a Power Capture Unit (PCU). The PCU is a hinged buoyant flap that moves back and forth with movement of the waves. The movement of the flap drives two hydraulic pistons that feed high-pressured water to an onshore hydro-electric turbine, which drives a generator to make electricity. Oyster is stationed at the (EMEC) at its Billia Croo site in, Scotland. Aquamarine Power installed Oyster at the EMEC in August 2009. On 20 November 2009, Oyster was officially launched and connected to the by the,. Current developments are underway to build a more efficient and powerful second-generation device, Oyster 2. Contents • • • • • • • • History [ ] Oyster was developed by Edinburgh-based, a company that focuses on wave energy. The concept originated from research at, led by professor Trevor Whittaker, Head of the Wave Power Research Centre at Queen's. Oyster 2 Wave Energy Project Environmental Statement. Report by Aquamarine Power Ltd and Xodus Group. Oyster 2b and Oyster 2c wave energy converter flaps. Aquamarine Power also teamed up with Renewable Technology Ventures Ltd (STVL), a subsidiary of (SEE), to fund the Oyster project. Aquamarine Power was able to secure a £6.3m investment from Scottish Enterprise. In addition, Scottish Enterprises awarded Aquamarine Power a £3.15 million grant from the Wave and Tidal Energy: Research, Development and Demonstration Support fund (WATERS). Aquamarine Power also received £1.5m from Sigma Capital Group plc. USERGUIDE CABLE TV • INTERNET • HOME PHONE LEARN. Rogers.com/myStartup Inside: • My Rogers • Cable TV • Internet • Home Phone. Rogers nextbox user manual. Altogether, Aquamarine Power was able to raise £11 million to stage this project. In June 2009, Aquamarine Power signed a £2.5 million contract with Fugro Seacore to install the Oyster device at the test site at Billia Croo. Oyster was installed 400 metres offshore, west of the Orkney mainland, in 12 metre-deep water. Oyster was installed in August 2009; however it was officially launched on 20 November 2009 by the,. That same day, Oyster was connected the and began generating electricity. Aquamarine Power hopes to commercialize Oyster and has already signed an agreement with Scottish and Southern Energy to develop up to 1000MW of wave farms by 2020. Operation [ ] Oyster harnesses the energy of near-shore ocean waves; it was designed to operate in water 10 to 12 metres deep. The Oyster is made up of a Power Connector Frame (PCF) and a Power Capture Unit (PCU). The 36-ton PCF is bolted to the by 1-by-4 meter that are drilled 14 metres deep into the seabed. The PCF requires careful and accurate positioning and leveling to compensate for the uneven, rocky seabed. The PCU is a 200-ton, 18-by-12-by-4 metre buoyant flap that is hinged to the PCF. In order to lower the PCU into the water to hinge it to the PCF, 120 tons of seawater must be pumped into ballast tanks within the PCU to provide sufficient negative buoyancy to aid its descent into the water. The PCU is almost entirely submerged underwater; only 2 metres of the device poke above the water. The PCU sways back and forth with the movement of the waves, and this movement of the flap drives two that pump high-pressured water through three sub-sea pipeline to an onshore. The turbine then drives a 315 kW, which converts the wave energy into electricity. The classifies Oyster as an Oscillating Wave Surge Converter: This device extracts the energy caused by wave surges and the movement of water particles within them. The arm oscillates as a pendulum mounted on a pivoted joint in response to the movement of water in the waves. Potential [ ] There are several advantages to using a device like the Oyster: • Oyster itself has few moving parts underwater. Its simplicity allows for survivability: in extreme weather conditions, Oyster’s hinged flap can simply move and duck under large waves. • Because all of Oyster’s electrical components are located onshore, the hydro-electric generator is accessible for maintenance 24/7. The actual Oyster device is near shore, making it easily accessible, as well. • Oyster uses renewable energy from ocean waves to generates clean, zero-emission electricity. This minimizes the environmental risks involved compared to electricity that is produced from fossil fuels. The Carbon Trust estimates that each Oyster device can avoid over 500 tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere annually. • Aquamarine Power estimates that a farm of 20 Oyster units could produce enough energy to power 9,000 homes. • According to the Aquamarine Power's CEO Martin McAdam: 'A successful Oyster project would unlock £3-4 million of capital expenditure per MW installed, of which a significant proportion would be invested in the Orkney economy. A commercial wave farm could therefore represent a significant boost to the local economy and would provide long-term skilled jobs for local residents. Ongoing operations and maintenance would generate a further £150,000 per annum to the local economy.'
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |