OpenHydro tidal turbine, Bay of Fundy, Orkney Islands. The sea and the waves are very powerful forces of nature. If only there was a way we could harness its untapped energy for our own needs. Well, it turns out, we actually can, thanks to the amazing engineering behind tidal turbines. Intrigued? Let’s dive in. How do tidal turbines work? Tidal turbines are underwater, or partially underwater, electrical generators that work much like wind turbines except underwater. While in principle the same, the higher density of water, and differing pressure and temperature conditions at depth in a water column does mean that tidal turbines tend to smaller and more rugged in design. While this might sound very cutting edge, using tidal power to do work is actually nothing new. Tidal mills , for example, were a very common practice in many parts of the world since the middle ages. Mankind has been harnessing tidal power for many centuries. Source: One of the main benefits of tidal turbines is the fact that their energy source, the tide, is a consistent and reliable source of kinetic energy. This makes the technology a very attractive proposition as it doesn’t require backups from more […]
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