Tidal Current Power Generation by a Darrieus Type Water Turbine at the Side of a Bridge Pier

There are several advantages to make use of a bridge pier for the tidal power generation. Current velocity increases near the pier, therefore the tidal power generation becomes more efficient because the power is proportional to the cubic of the current velocity. The pier is convenient for access and maintenance of the hydraulic turbine and the power unit. The project is now underway at the Ikitsuki Bridge in Tatsuno-Seto Strait of Nasasaki Prefecture, where the tidal current was measured by the bottom mount ADCP for almost one year. Model experiments for a Darrieus water turbine with two and three straight blades were carried out in the circulating water channel, in which the power coefficients of the turbine were obtained as a function of blade section and the attaching angle of a blade to the rotor. Those experimental results are discussed to obtain an optimum Darrieus turbine for tidal power generation.