SHOULD THE TURBINE BE LOCATED AT THE SURFACE OR ON THE SEA FLOOR ?

Where it is possible, it is better to use a floatting current converter, whith a turbine just below the surface.

Why?

• The surface technology is five times cheaper than underwater technology (development, construction, repair, maintenance and removal).
• The turbine will receive numerous operations all along its life: cleaning, small corrective maintenance, preventive maintenance, repairs, checks, installation or change of sensors and gauges, improvements, upgrades, refitting, and, at the end, removal. For subsea current converters set on the seabottom, these operations can be done only by getting the turbine out of the water which requires heavy means, hardly available and costly. The cost of repairing an underwater turbine can possibly exceed its value.
• The currents are generally stronger near the surface than in the bottom. Look at the well known ADCP record below showing how the current velocity decreases with depth:

By looking at this picture, you immediatly know where to settle the current converter

Good to know: A 15% current velocity loss results in a 50% power loss. (calculation made for a 2,3 m/s current velocity) The reason is quite simple: in the power formula the current velocity has a cubic factor: P=1/2 d Cp S V³

To know more about the Hydro-Gen technology, select: Features The 20 kW turbine Benefits Turbine at the surface or on the seafloor Taylor made solutions Price Environmental impact