A TECHNICAL SEMINAR REPORT

ON

“TIDAL ENERGY’’
Submitted to

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

ANANTAPURAMU (JNTUA)
In partial fulfillment of the requirementsfor the award of the degree of

BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
IN
CIVIL ENGINEERING
(During the academic year 2015-2019)

Submitted By
M.CHANDRAKANTH 15HR1A0123

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

MOTHER THERESA INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
(Affiliated to JNTUA, ANANTAPURAMU& Approved by AICTE, New Delhi)
Melumoi (P), Palamaner, Chittoor (Dist.)-517408
 Department of civil Engineering
MOTHER THERESA INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
AFFILIATED TO J.N.T.U.A., ANANTAPURAMU, APPROVED BY AICTE,
NEWDELHI
Melumoi (P), Palamaner, Chittoor (Dist.)-517408

Certificate
This is to certify that the mini project report entitled

AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY

is the bonafide work done and

Submitted
by

M.CHANDRAKANTH (15HR1A0123)

In the Department Of Civil Engineering,Mother Theresa

Institute of Engineering and Technology, Palamaner, affiliated to J.N.T.U.
Anantapur, Anantapuramu in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award
of Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering during 2015-2019.
Submitted on:

SEMINAR COORDINATOR HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Any achievement is it scholastic or otherwise does not depend solely on the
individual effort but on the guidance, encouragement and cooperation of
intellectuals, elders and friends. We would like to take this opportunity to thank
them all.
We feel ourselves honored to place our warm salutation to
THEMANAGEMENT of Mother Theresa Institute Of Engineering & Technology,
Palamaner which gave us the opportunity to obtain a strong base in B.Tech and
profound knowledge.
We express our sincere thanks to Dr. M. LAKSHMIKANTHA REDDY
M.Tech, ( Ph.D ), Our beloved principal for his encouragement and suggestions
during our course of study.
With deep sense of gratitude we acknowledge Mr.B.B.C.O.PRASAD
M.Tech,( Ph.D ) , Head of the Dept. Civil Engineering, for his valuable support and
help in completing the project review work successfully.
We express our sincere thanks to project co-coordinators Assistant Professor Mr.
VENKATESH M.Tech., assistant professor in Department of Civil Engineering for
his valuable suggestions and guidance in completing the project review work
successfully.
We whole heartedly express our gratitude and esteemed regards to our project
guide Mr.B.B.C.O.PRASADM.Tech,(Ph.D),Assistant Professor in Department of
Civil Engineering, for providing us invaluable gratitude and inspiration in carrying
out our project studies. Her constant support and encouragement enable us to
complete its work successfully.
Finally we would like to express our sincere thanks to Faculty Members of
Civil Engineering Department and Lab technicians, friends, family members one
and all, who have helped us to complete this work successfully.

M.CHANDRAKANTH (15HR1A0123)
TITLE PAGE NO
LIST OF FIGURES i
LIST OF TABLES ii
TERMINOLOGY iii
ABSTRACT iv
CHAPTER-1 INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 General 1
1.2 scope 2
1.3 History 3-4

CHAPTER-2 RENEWABLE ENERGY 5

2.1 Renewable energy 5
2.2 Tidal enegy 5
2.3 Principle 6
CHAPTER-3 GENERATION OF TIDAL ENEGY 7
3.1 Tidal stream generator 8
3.1.1 Similarity to wind energy 8
3.1.2 Horizantal axis turbines 8-9
3.1.3 Vertical axis turbines 10
3.1.4 Oscillating devices 10
3.1.5 Working 11
3.1.6 Design and challenges 12
3.1.7 Operation 12
3.2 Tidal barrage 13
3.3 Tidal lagoon 14
CHAPTER-4 POTENTIAL ASSESMENT OF TIDALS IN INDIA 15
4.1 Tidal levels along Indian coastline 15
4.2 Feasible sites for tidal energy in india 15-16
CHAPTER-5 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES 17
 5.1 Advantages 17
5.2 Disadvantages 18
CHAPTER-6 EFFECT ON ENVIRONMENT 19
CHAPTER-6 CONCLUSION 20-21
CHAPTER-6 REFERENCE 22
 LIST OF FIGURES
PAGE NO
Fig 1.1: Tidal power building 4

Fig 2.1: Spring and neap tides 6

Fig 3.1: Horizantal axis turbine 9

Fig 3.2: Open centre turbine 10

Fig 3.3: Open centre turbine cross section 10

Fig 3.3: Vertical axis turbine 10
Fig 3.3: Contrast between H.D and O.D 11
Fig 3.6: The rance power station 13
Fig 3.6: Potential areas for immediate pilot studies 16

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 LIST OF GRAPHS
PAGE NO

Graph 2.1: Variation of tidal over a day 7

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 ABSTRACT
We are living in a world where almost 80% of energy in demand is supplied by sources such
as natural gas, coal or oil, which are quickly waning. International treaties for the climate control
have boosted the research in the field of Renewable energy from oceans. Thus alternative source of
energy will prove to be highly efficient with high energy density, provided economical and
technical problems are solved.
Tidal stream turbines play a major role in generation of energy by renewable sources. They are
driven by the kinetic energy of moving water, the generator is placed in moving water that
typically result when water being flowing underwater currents around the world to make this form
of marine renewable energy worth pursuing. Therefore, several demonstration projects in tidal
power are scheduled to capture the tidal generated coastal currents.
New energy technologies (not dams) that generate electricity as largest hydroelectric dams or
nuclear and fossil fuel generating stations, without producing greenhouse gases or harming of
environment. This paper focus on need of renewable energy sources, tidal power superiority over
other types of renewable energy sources, also gives brief information of construction, basic
components and types of tidal power plants.
Information regarding the turbines used in tidal plants also given, advantages and
disadvantages of tidal power plant also discussed.
KEYWORDS: tidal stream turbines, renewable energy, generator

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MTIET,DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING. iv
TIDAL ENERGY

CHAPTER - 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 GENERAL
Tidal power or tidal energy is a form of hydropower that converts the energy obtained from
tides into useful forms of power, mainly electricity. Although not yet widely used, tidal energy has
potential for future electricity generation. Tides are more predictable than the wind and the sun.
Among sources of renewable energy, tidal energy has traditionally suffered from relatively high
cost and limited availability of sites with sufficiently high tidal ranges or flow velocities, thus
constricting its total availability. However, many recent technological developments and
improvements, both in design (e.g. dynamic tidal power, tidal lagoons) and turbine technology
(e.g. new axial turbines, cross flow turbines), indicate that the total availability of tidal power may
be much higher than previously assumed, and that economic and environmental costs may be
brought down to competitive levels.
Historically, tide mills have been used both in Europe and on the Atlantic coast of North
America. The incoming water was contained in large storage ponds, and as the tide went out, it
turned waterwheels that used the mechanical power it produced to mill grain. The earliest
occurrences date from the Middle Ages, or even from Roman times. The process of using falling
water and spinning turbines to create electricity was introduced in the U.S. and Europe in the 19th
century.
The world's first large-scale tidal power plant was the Rance Tidal Power Station in France,
which became operational in 1966. It was the largest tidal power station in terms of output until
Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Station opened in South Korea in August 2011. The Sihwa station uses
sea wall defense barriers complete with 10 turbines generating 254 MW.
Every day, enough water flows down through rivers and streams to power tons of millions of
homes. With the era of big dams halted by the lack of suitable sites as much as environmental
concerns, the time for hydrokinetic energy may just be dawning. The ideas of using turbines, or
other mechanical devices, to capture the energy of moving water are not a new one. Yet the
technology for such hydrokinetic energy has met serious resistance from conditions below the
surface.
We build ordinary windmills to extract useful power from wind energy. We put turbines in
rivers (usually accompanied by dams) to extract useful power from downhill water flow. The
second is more "energy intensive" than the first, which is why we all know that dams are great
sources of electrical power, while electric-generator windmills spent decades in the economic
doldrums (return on investment --ROI-- is relatively tiny, and only recently proved viable on a
large scale).
Anyway, putting the equivalent of a windmill in a steady ocean current, say the Gulf
Stream, should have an automatically-viable ROI that is intermediate between windmills and
ordinary hydropower. This is because water is something like a thousand times denser than air, so

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TIDAL ENERGY

a volume of flowing water contains a thousand times the energy of an equal volume of
equally-flowing air.
The ocean has different currents at different depths. Near the seafloor underneath the Gulf
Stream is another current going the opposite direction. If true, then we can build towers on the
seafloor, just like ordinary windmills, to extract power. Being so deep will protect them from
ships, and most sea life is found at other depths, so they won't be bothered. Also, another thing that
protects sea life is the fact that underwater windmills will have a slow rotation rate, due to that
same greater density of water over air. This means we can also put windmills in the rich-life upper
ocean currents; animals will have time to dodge the blades.
Tidal currents are being recognized as a resource to be exploited for the sustainable
generation of electrical power. The high load factors resulting from the fluid proper- ties and the
predictable resource characteristics make marine currents particularly attractive for power
generation. These two factors makes electricity generation from marine currents much more
appealing when compared to other renewables. Marine current turbine (MCT) installations could
also provide base grid power especially if two separate arrays had offset peak flow periods. This
characteristic dispels the myth that renewable energy generation is unsuitable on a large scale.The
global strive to combat global warming will necessitate more reliance on clean energy production.
Marine currents have the potential to supply a significant fraction of future electricity needs. In
spite of the advantages offered by MCTs, it is rather surprising that such technology has not
received much attention in terms of research and development. There are many fundamental issues
of research and various key aspects of system design that would require investigation.
1.2 SCOPE
The focus of the symposium spans the following topics:
 Ocean energy resource estimates
 Wave Energy Devices
 Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion
 Tidal Energy devices
 Salinity gradient Energy technology
 Model testing
 Prototype deployment
 Device development and testing

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TIDAL ENERGY

 Platform and device hydrodynamics

 Mooring Systems
 Energy Transmission and storage system
 Environmental impact of Ocean
 Energy systems
 Institutional Policy and legislation
 Socio-economics considerations
 Economic and Financial aspects
 Ocean Renewable Energy policy
1.3 HISTORY
Believe it or not, tidal power is nothing new. In fact, most of what we use today to generate
electricity, be it coal, solar, wind, or tide, was conceived of in the later part of the nineteenth
century. In Europe, 'tide mills' that date back to the Middle Ages can still be found, indicating that
this is a very old technology indeed. In Suffolk, England, there is a tide mill that dates back to
1170. The oldest known reference to a tide mill dates back to 787.
These original tide mills work much like the concepts of today with the only difference being
that they did not generate electricity in 1170. The mill at Suffolk is a good example of how the
concept worked. Basically, a dam was built to contain the tide when it was high. Once the tide fell,
the contained water was directed into a sluice where it pushed a wood water wheel that was then
used to turn machinery of varying sorts (mostly stones for grinding grain). The concept today is
basically the same except that the water wheel is replaced with a steel turbine (similar enough to a
water wheel) and rather than turn stones to grind grain, the turbine spins a generator to produce
electricity.
The concept of the tide mill was brought to North America with the settlers. Maine, in
particular, has witnessed almost continual use of tide mills since the eighteenth century. In the
latter part of the nineteenth century, the concept of tidal power was turned to the generation of
electricity. In 1921, a book was published in London entitled Tidal Power by A. M. A. Struben.
The book outlined several methods for capturing energy from the tides. In 1920, an engineer by the
name of Dexter Cooper came up with the idea of creating power from tides, a plan that he intended
to implement in Cobscook and Passamaquoddy bays. Early funding was robust, the stock market
crash of 1929 quickly put an end to work.A few years later, Franklin D. Roosevelt, an early

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TIDAL ENERGY

supporter of Cooper, became President of the United States and the federal government undertook
a study of the tidal power plant proposed by Cooper.

Fig 1.1:Tidal power buildings

Unfortunately, they decide that the project would be too expensive and handed over authority
to a committee in the state of Maine. The committee decided the project could only proceed if
federal funds were allocated and Roosevelt himself commissioned seven million dollars (the
maximum possible without congressional approval) for the project through the Public Works
Administration.

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TIDAL ENERGY

CHAPTER 2
RENEWABLE ENERGY
2.1 RENEWABLE ENERGY
We can divide renewable energy sources into two main categories: traditional renewable
energy sources like biomass and large hydropower installations, and the "new renewable energy
sources" like solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, etc. Renewable energy sources
provide 18% of overall world energy , but most of this energy is energy from traditional use of
biomass for cooking and heating - 13 of 18%. In large hydropower installations is another three
percent. So, when we exclude conventional biomass and large hydropower installations it is easy
to calculate that so called "new renewable energy sources" produce only 2.4% of overall world
energy. 1.3% are water heating solutions, 0.8% are different power generation methods, and 0.3%
are biofuels. In the future this portion should be significantly increased because the availability of
non-renewable sources is decreasing with time, and their damaging influence has significantly
increased in the last couple of decades. Sun delivers 15 thousand times more energy to Earth than
humanity really needs in this stage, but despite this some people on Earth are still freezing. This
fact shows us that we should exploit renewable sources much more and that we do not have to
worry about the energy after fossil fuels cease to exist. Development of renewable energy sources
(especially from wind, water, sun and biomass) is important because a couple of reasons:
 Renewable energy sources have major role in decreasing of emissions of the carbon
dioxide (CO2) into atmosphere.
 Increased proportion of renewable energy sources enhances energetic viability of the
energy system. It also helps to enhance energy delivery security by decreasing dependency
on importing energetic raw materials and electrical energy.
 It is expected that renewable energy sources will become economically competitive to
conventional energy sources in middle till longer period.
2.2 TIDAL ENERGY
Tidal power is a consequence of Sun's and Moon's gravity forces. For now, there is no
major commercial exploitation of this energy, despite of its big potential. This energy can be
gained in places where sea changes are extremely emphasized (for instance some places have
difference between high tide and low tide bigger than 10 meters).

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TIDAL ENERGY

Fig 2.1: Spring and Neap tides

2.3 PRINCIPLE
The principle is quite simple and very similar to the one of the water power plant. On the
entrance to some gulf, escarpment is built and when the level of the water rises, water leaks across
the turbine in to a gulf. When gulf is filled with the water escarpment is sealed and after the level of
the water falls the same principle is being used to direct water out of the gulf. In more simple case
water leaks through turbines in only one direction, and in this case turbines are less complicated
(unilateral, not bilateral). The biggest problems of this use of energy are vicissitude of tidal power
(wait the sufficient level of the water to rise enough, or to fall enough) and small number of places
suitable for using this energy source. Alternative method is by implementing underwater turbines
similar as the ones of the wind power plants would be used as the generator machinery. The most
famous power plant is the one on the river Rance delta in France (picture) built in 1960 and still
functional. Russia has build small power plant near city of Murmansk, Canada in gulf Fundy,
China small number of them, but neither of this countries has made any significant progress.
Alternative method of use relates to the location of power plants in sea ravines where due
to a canalizing tidal wave, its energy increases, and underwater turbines similar as the ones of the
wind power plants would be used as the generator machinery. Energy of the sea currents is also
planned to be used in the same way, but this technology is still in very early phase. Fig. 10 most
famous tidal power plant is the one on the river Rance delta in France built in 1960 and still
function.

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TIDAL ENERGY

CHAPTER 3
GENERATION OF TIDAL ENERGY
Tidal power is extracted from the Earth's oceanic tides; tidal forces are periodic variations in
gravitational attraction exerted by celestial bodies. These forces create corresponding motions or
currents in the world's oceans.. The magnitude and character of this motion reflects the changing
positions of the Moon and Sun relative to the Earth, the effects of Earth's rotation, and local
geography of the sea floor and coastlines
Tidal power is the only technology that draws on energy inherent in the orbital characteristics
of the Earth–Moon system, and to a lesser extent in the Earth–Sun system. Other natural energies
exploited by human technology originate directly or indirectly with the Sun, including fossil fuel,
conventional hydroelectric, wind, biofuel, wave and solar energy. Nuclear energy makes use of
Earth's mineral deposits of fissionable elements, while geothermal power taps the Earth's internal
heat, which comes from a combination of residual heat from planetary accretion (about 20%) and
heat produced through radioactive decay (80%).

Graph 2.1: Variation of tide over a day

GENERATING METHODS

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TIDAL ENERGY

 Tidal stream generator

 Tidal barrage
 Tidal lagoons
3.1 TIDAL STREAM GENERATOR
A tidal stream generator, often referred to as a tidal energy converter (TEC) is a machine that
extracts energy from moving masses of water, in particular tides, although the term is often used in
reference to machines designed to extract energy from run of river or tidal estuarine sites. Certain
types of these machines function. Very much like underwater wind turbines, and are thus often
referred to as tidal turbines. They were first conceived in the 1970s during the oil crisis. Tidal
stream generators are the cheapest and the least ecologically damaging among the three main
forms of tidal power generation.
3.1.1 SIMILARITY TO WIND TURBINES
Tidal stream generators draw energy from water currents in much the same way as wind
turbines draw energy from air currents. However, the potential for power generation by an
individual tidal turbine can be greater than that of similarly rated wind energy turbine. The higher
density of water relative to air (water is about 800 times the density of air) means that a single
generator can provide significant power at low tidal flow velocities compared with similar wind
speed. Given that power varies with the density of medium and the cube of velocity, it is simple to
see that water speeds of nearly one-tenth of the speed of wind provide the same power for the same
size of turbine system; however this limits the application in practice to places where the tide
moves at speeds of at least 2 knots (1 m/s) even close to neap tides. Furthermore, at higher speeds
in a flow between 2 to 3 metres per second in seawater a tidal turbine can typically access four
times as much energy per rotor swept area as a similarly rated power wind turbine
The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) have distinguished that there are four types of tidal
energy convertors:
 Horizontal axis turbines
 Vertical axis turbines
 Oscillating hydrofoil
3.1.2 HORIZONTAL AXIS TURBINES:

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TIDAL ENERGY

In some cases these group of energy convertors have turbines mounted on horizontal drive
shafts which are connected to electrical generators. These blades are variable pitch which can
allow for the most advantageous angle for water flow to be most efficient. (SEI, 2004)

Fig 3.1: Horizontal axis turbine

From observing the figure above, this device uses two horizontal axial turbines connected to
the structure which is connected with the seabed with a piled foundation. This is the type of turbine
currently in operation at Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland. It was developed by Marine
Current Turbines and was installed in 2008.
In a different case of a different type of horizontal axis turbine, the company Open Hydro use
an „Open-Centre Turbine‟, this design is very simplistic and a very effective solution with just one
slow moving rotor and lubricant free operation which reduces the risk for marine wildlife. This
type of turbine is directly mounted to the seabed (OpenHydro, 2010)
Duct: the duct has a shaped inlet which improves turbine efficiency, with its simplistic design it
minimises the chance of entanglement of sea life in the duct.
Generator: the generator is a highly efficient integrated permanent magnet
Rotor: the rotor is a single piece and is the only moving part of the turbine
Open Centre: the open centre turbine increases efficiency as well as providing an exit route for
marine life.(Open Hydro)

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TIDAL ENERGY

Fig 3.2: Open Centre Turbine(Open Hydro, 2010)

3.1.3 VERTICAL AXIS TURBINE:
In the vertical axis turbine the blades rotate eccentrically around an axis. This type of turbine
differs from the horizontal turbine because it is the vertical turbine.
Vertical axis turbines can generate power from any direction and can be more efficient than
horizontal axis turbines in low flow conditions. The vertical axis turbine is less common than the
horizontal axis turbine.

Fig 3.3: Open Centre Turbine Cross Section Fig 3.4: Vertical axis turbine
3.1.4 OSCILLATING DEVICES

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TIDAL ENERGY

The Tidal Pulse approach uses oscillating hydrofoils. These oscillating hydrofoils will lye
horizontally into the water and will be swept up and down by the passing currents.
(http://pulsetidal.com/)
According to Tidal Pulse, they believe that the use of oscillating hydrofoils can generate four
times as much power as opposed to other horizontal axis turbines. The reason they believe this is
because they span a long, low rectangle and they are able to generate power compared to a
horizontal turbine which rotates around in a circle. (http://pulsetidal.com/)
They don‟t require the same depths as horizontal axis turbines, so these devices can be placed
in shallower areas therefore it will be made easier for installation and maintenance. The contrast
between horizontal and oscillating devices can be seen in Fig 5 (http://pulsetidal.com/)

Fig 3.5: Contrast between horizontal devices and oscillating devices in water depths

3.1.5 WORKING
Underwater turbines rely on tides to push water against angled blades, causing them to spin.
These turbines can be placed in natural bodies of water, such as harbors and lagoons that naturally
feature fast-moving flows of water. These turbines must be able to swivel 180 degrees to
accommodate the ebb and flow of tides, as demonstrated by the SeaGen prototype turbine in
Ireland. As the blades spin, a gearbox turns an induction generator, which produces an electric
current.
Tidal power typically uses underwater spinning blades to turn a generator, similar to how a
wind turbine works. Because water is far denser than air, spinning blades can potentially be more
productive than off-shore wind turbines for the same amount of space. Although they can't
generate power on-demand like a coal-fired plant, the tides and wave movements are well
understood, giving planners a good idea of energy production over the course of year.

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TIDAL ENERGY

There are only a few underwater turbines in operation today and they all operate like underwater
windmills, with their blades turning at right angles to the flow of the water.
3.1.6 DESIGN AND CHALLENGES
There are three factors that govern the energy capture by any water current kinetic energy
converter: the swept area of the rotor(s); the speed of the flow (kinetic energy is proportional to the
velocity cubed) and the overall efficiency of the system. There have been many challenges to make
tidal turbines commercially viable, among these has been the need to place the systems in the right
locations where the water depth, current flow patterns and distance to the grid make a project
economically viable, and to make units efficient and easy to maintain. Perhaps the greatest
challenge relates to creating an underwater structure with foundations capable of withstanding
extremely hostile conditions. The drag from a 4.5 m/s current such as MCT‟s SeaGen experiences
at the peak of a spring tide at Strangford is equivalent to designing a wind turbine to survive wind
speeds of 400 km/h (250 mph). MCT„s most recent turbine installation is located in Strangford
Narrows, Northern Ireland. Known as „SeaGen‟, it became operational in 2008 using twin 16 m
diameter rotors each sweeping over 200 m2 of flow that develop a rated power of 1.2 MW at a
current velocity of 2.4 m/s. It is accredited by Ofgem as a UK power station and is the largest and
most powerful water current turbine in the world, by a significant margin, with the capacity to
deliver about 10 MWh per tide, adding up to 6,000 MWh a year. Its distinctive shape and functions
have been developed by years of trials of locating and operating underwater systems.
3.1.7 OPERATION
The turbines are designed to operate in the open flow of water. In the Minas Passage, they
must operate in a range of speeds from zero to 8 knots, depending on where they are sited and how
deep they are positioned. Water speed is fastest at the surface and slowest near the sea
floor. Tidal power output is very sensitive to water speed, just as windmills are to wind
speed. For example, if the water speed doubles, the turbine will produce eight times more power!
The potential of electric power generation from marine tidal currents is enormous. Tidal
currents are being recognised as a resource to be exploited for the sustainable generation of
electrical power. The high load factors resulting from the fluid properties and the predictable
resource characteristics make marine currents particularly attractive for power generation and
advantageous when compared to other renewables.. Virtually no work has been done to determine
the characteristics of turbines running in water for kinetic energy conversion even though relevant

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TIDAL ENERGY

work has been carried out on ship’s propellers, wind turbines and on hydro turbines. None of these
three well established areas of technology completely overlap with this new field so that gaps
remain in the state of knowledge.
3.2 TIDAL BARRAGE
A tidal barrage is a dam-like structure used to capture the energy from masses of water moving
in and out of a bay or river due to tidal forces. Instead of damming water on one side like a
conventional dam, a tidal barrage first allows water to flow into a bay or river during high tide, and
releasing the water back during low tide. Turbines are then placed at these sluices to capture the
energy as the water flows in and out.
Tidal barrages are among the oldest methods of tidal power generation, with projects being
developed as early as the 1960s, such as the 1.7 megawatt Kislaya Guba Tidal Power Station in
Kislaya Guba, Russia.
Tidal barrage has gates that allow the water to flow through and these gates then will close
when the tide has stopped coming in. This will trap the enclosed water creating a hydrostatic head,
as the tide recedes outwards, the barrage gates are opened where the turbines are located therefore
allowing the water to flow through to drive the turbines and generate power. Power can be
generated from both directions but this can affect efficiency. (ACRE)

.
Fig 3.6:The Rance Tidal Power Station, a tidal barrage in France.

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TIDAL ENERGY

3.3 TIDAL LAGOONS

Tidal Lagoons are similar to barrages but have a much lower cost and impact on the
environment. They are self contained structures cut off from the rest of the sea. It works in pretty
much the same way as a tidal barrage as when the tide rises the lagoon fills and when it falls the
water is then released through the turbines.
The concept is relatively simple. A large enclosed structure is built in the estuary or anywhere
that tidal forces are adequate. As high tide comes in, the lagoon is filled. At low tide, the lagoon is
allowed to empty through a turbine to generate power. The diagrams below show the differences
and similarities between a tidal barrage and a tidal lagoon.

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TIDAL ENERGY

CHAPTER 4
POTENTIAL ASSESMENT OF TIDALS IN INDIA
4.1 TIDAL LEVELS ALONG INDIAN COASTLINE
The tidal level at various locations along the Indian coastline has been measured using the
National Institute of Oceanography tide table and by performing a harmonic analysis. The
predictions are valid for long term as tidal magnitudes are estimated using 37 species. In case of
many locations along the coastline, the first few components only determine tidal levels. Hence,
the predictions are valid for a very long term nature. The following table gives the details of spring
and neap tidal range for 46 locations along with details of latitude and longitude.
The results presented above clearly indicate that the maximum tidal ranges in India are
observed in the Gulf of Kutch and Gulf of Kambhat region with a range of 10 to 11m. The tidal
range observed along the Sundarbans area, which is about 5.5m in magnitude. The regions may be
categorized as
Class-I-Tidal-range. Apart from these, the regions south of Gujarat and West Bengal also
experience moderate tidal range of 3 to 5 m. These regions may be categorized as
Class-II-Tidal-range. Creating a tidal reservoir and generating during the ebb cycle is a good
option for these regions.
In the South, the tidal ranges are less. However, 1m tide can be stored in large backwater areas and
micro-tidal plants can be established after conducting a detailed feasibility analysis. Some
significant backwater areas are available in all the southern states. The regions may be categorized
as Class-III-Tidal-range.
The Pamban channel area also has a good potential with the Palk bay to the north and the Gulf
of Mannar to the south experiencing a tidal phase difference of about 6 hours as shown in the
figure below. A channel could be developed in this region to make use of this naturally available
advantage. Hydrodynamics of the channel could be designed in such a way as to create an assured
velocity so that turbines can operate for up to 20 hours in a day.
4.2 FEASIBLE SITES FOR TIDAL ENERGY IN INDIA
As detailed above, tidal energy can be harnessed using various technologies from several
potential locations of india. the critical parameters for assessing suitability of a certain
technology depend on two critical parameters – tidal range and tidal stream velocity. this could
be followed by a systematic approach to arrive at a suitable technological option (tidal barrage
or tidal stream turbine).

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Fig 4.1: Potential areas for Immediate Pilot Studies

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CHAPTER 5
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

5.1 ADVANTAGES:
 One of the most important and highly significant benefits of using the power of the tides is
that there are no fuel costs. Although initial construction costs are high, the overall
maintenance of the equipment and the return of power in the form of electricity can help
offset this expense.
 Tidal power is also an emission free source of power, providing clean energy by harnessing
this natural resource. It can be used to displace other electricity-producing methods that
rely on the burning of fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels like coal, contribute to the
greenhouse effect because they release poisons into the atmosphere like carbon dioxide
 And, unlike renewable resources such as wind power, the ebb and flow of the ocean tides
are entirely predictable and consistent and aren‟t affected by outside forces such as the
weather.
 Tides are predictable and go in and out twice a day, making it easy to manage positive
spikes.
 Its predictability makes it easy to integrate into existing power grids.
 Tidal energy is completely renewable.
 Tidal energy produces no emissions.
 Energy output is a 100 ℅ reliable , as tides are as sure as the moon.
 Hidden beneath the water.
 When the tides go out gravity sucks the water through the turbines to generate electricity
 Tidal energy reduces dependency on oil reserves from other countries.
 Dams built can double as protective cover for coastline during rough weather.
 While the use of tidal energy must be considered as a future source of energy,
environmental and cost concerns will have to be addressed. As technology advances, there
is no reason not to believe that engineers, scientists, biologists and other related
professionals will develop a way to harness the tide more effectively.

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5.2 DISADVANTAGES:
 The major difficulties with this type of system is that the off shore turbines cost more
money than land / wind based turbines.
 They are also more expensive to maintain as they function under water. Furthermore, sea
water is corrosive to steel and other metals because of the salt content.
 Fishing has to be restricted in the areas of the power plant.
 Damages habitat up to 500km away

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CHAPTER 6
EFFECT ON ENVIRONMENT
It is the first of a kind SeaGen serves as a testbed for tidal power generation. To date, it has not
yet had a full year of operation unconstrained by other research considerations. From installation
until November 2009 the system could only be operated when two marine mammal observers were
on board, and able to look out for seals that might be in danger from the rotors (which rotate at
about 14 rpm).
Further seal monitoring restraints continued to reduce operation to daylight hours until
March 2010, so energy yield was significantly reduced. There is great concern to avoid
sanctioning anything that could cause negative environmental impact at the Strangford site.
After two years of independent environmental monitoring no sign of a detrimental effect has
so far been detected. At the time of writing, seal movements near the turbine still have to be
monitored in real time using sonar by an operator onshore who can shut the turbines down within
five seconds if they feel a seal might be in danger. It is expected that this requirement may soon
also be relaxed as there are no signs yet of seals having so far been harmed.
The environmental monitoring programme which will run for five years in total will cost some
£2 million by the time it concludes. It has been very useful in terms of environmental data
acquisition and giving new insights on the behaviour of seals and other marine wild-life endemic
to this environmentally significant location.
The common seal, which despite the name suggests, are in decline and need to be protected
from harm. This one at Strangford has a cell-phone frequency transponder attached to the back of
its head to allow it to be tracked. Its movements can be plotted by a computer as part of the major
environmental monitoring programme being conducted primarily by Queens University Belfast
and the Sea Mammal Research Unit of the University of St Andrews to ensure that SeaGen is not
causing any environmental harm.

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CHAPTER 7
CONCLUSION
Ocean energy can play a significant role in our nation‟s renewable energy portfolio. With the
right support, the ocean energy industry can be competitive internationally. With the right
encouragement, ocean renewable energy technologies can help us reduce our reliance on foreign
oil – fossil fuels, in general – and provide clean energy alternatives to conventional power
generating systems. And with the right public awareness, our coastline communities can use ocean
renewables as a springboard for coastal planning that reflects the principles of marine biodiversity.
In conclusion, we believe that the intense and predictable marine current resource offers
the possibility of clean energy at a cost that will ultimately be competitive not only with the other
renewables, but in the long run we believe we can compete head on with most forms of fossil
fuelled power generation at present-day costs. We think that, given appropriate government
support to help the technology through its early and immature stages, it can play a significant role
in producing clean energy.
Tidal energy has potential to become a viable option for large scale, base load generation in
Scotland. Tidal Streams are the most attractive method, having reduced environmental and
ecological impacts and being cheaper and quicker installed.
Development of a robust offshore renewables industry can:
 Reduce reliance on foreign oil.
 Rely upon ocean terrain for power generation as opposed to onshore land resources.
 Revitalize shipyards, coastal industrial parks and shuttered naval bases.
 Create jobs in coastal communities.
 Allow the US to transfer technology to other countries, just as a country like Scotland is
exporting its marine renewables.
 Provide low cost power for niche or distributed uses like desalination plants, aquaculture,
naval and military bases, powering stations for hybrid vehicles and for offshore oil and gas
platforms.
 Provide use for decommissioned oil platforms through "rigs to reefs program".
 Promote coastal planning that reflects the goals of bio-diversity, that maximize best
comprehensive use of resources and capitalizes on synergies between offshore industries

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 The resource is located near highly populated areas on the coast, placing fewer demands
on already taxed transmission infrastructure.
 Ocean renewables can help diversify our energy portfolio and improve our environment.
With the proper support, these resources will become a robust part of a reliable, affordable,
clean electric supply portfolio.

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CHAPTER 8
REFERENCES
Brian KIRKE and Leo LAZAUSKAZ (2008), “Variable Pitch Darrieus Water Turbine” vol.3,
No.3,430-436.
Shaikh Md. Rubayiat Tousif, Shaiyek Md. Buland Taslim,” Tidal Power: An Effective Method of
Generating Power”, International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 2, Issue
5,May-2011,1ISSN 2229-5518
Marine Current Turbines Ltd.
http://www.ifremer.fr/dtmsi/colloques/seatech04/mp/proceedings
pdf/presentations/4.%20courantsmarins/MCT.pdf
http://www.compositesworld.com/articles/tidal-turbines-to-mine-marine-megawatts
http://nptel.iitm.ac.in/courses/Webcourse-contents/IISc-BANG/Non-Conventional%20Energy%
20Systems/New_index1.html
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_power

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