TIDAL POWER
INTRODUCTION
Tidal power, also called TIDAL ENERGY, is a form of
HYDROPOWER which converts the energy of tides into the
useful form of power, mainly in electricity.
Tides are the waves caused due to gravitational pull of the
moon and sun.
Ocean tides are the periodic rise and fall of ocean water level
occurs twice in each lunar day.
During one lunar day the ocean water level rises twice and
falls twice.
CONTD….
Time interval between a consecutive low tide and high tide is
6.207 hrs.
Tidal range is the difference between the consecutive high tide
and low tide.
During high tide, the water flow into the dam and during low
tide water flow out which result in moving the turbine.
Although not yet widely used, tidal power has potential for
future electricity generation. Tides are more predictable
than wind energy and solar power.
HOW THE TIDES COME AND GO ?
The gravitational force of the moon causes the oceans to
bulge along an axis pointing directly at the moon. The
magnitude of this attraction depends on the mass of the
object and its distance away .
SPRING TIDES
When the sun and moon are in a line their gravitational
attraction on the earth combine and cause a “spring” tides.
NEAP TIDES
When they are as positioned in 90° from each other, their
gravitational attraction each pulls water in different directions,
causing a “neap” tides.
TIDAL STREAM GENERATOR
• Tidal stream generators are very similar to wind turbines
except they are below the water surface instead of above
or on land.
• The turbine and generator converts the movement of
water coming from change in tide, the kinetic energy, into
electricity.
• Water is 830 times denser than air and therefore can
generate electricity at lower speeds than wind turbines.
POWER OUTPUT FROM TIDAL STREAM
GENERATOR
Single Basin Scheme: This scheme has one barrage and one
water storage basin, one way system, the incoming tide is
allowed to fill the basin through sluice ways during the tide.
The impounded water is used to generate electricity by letting
the water flow from basin to the sea through the turbines.
Single basin schemes suffer intermittent generation power.
Advantages of Tidal Energy
• It is an inexhaustible source of energy.
•Tidal energy is environment friendly energy and doesn't
produce greenhouse gases.
•As 71% of Earth’s surface is covered by water, there is
scope to generate this energy on large scale.
•Efficiency of tidal power is far greater as compared to coal,
solar or wind energy. Its efficiency is around 80%.
• Tidal Energy doesn’t require any kind of fuel to run.
• The life of tidal energy power plant is very long.
•The large density of water, almost 1000 times greater than in
air, results in very large amounts of energy to get out of the
tidal currents even if the speed is low.
Disadvantages of Tidal Energy
• Cost of construction of tidal power plant is high.
• There are very few ideal locations for construction of plant
and they too are localized to coastal regions only.
•Intensity of sea waves is unpredictable and there can be
damage to power generation units.
•Influences aquatic life adversely and can disrupt migration
of fish.
•The actual generation is for a short period of time. The
tides only happen twice a day so electricity can be produced
only for that time.
•Usually the places where tidal energy is produced are far
away from the places where it is consumed. This transmission
is expensive and difficult.
