Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Engineering (Research)

Department

Cork Institute of Technology

First Advisor

Mr. Chris Gibbons

Second Advisor

Dr. Gerard Kelly

Abstract

This project examines current technology for the production of energy from wave and tidal sources and the pros and cons of the different types of technology available. It also looks at the possibility of producing energy from tidal streams on a micro scale for local use. It identifies some of the barriers to this and attempts to solve one of those barriers by developing a low cost instrument which would be capable of assisting in the surveying of possible sites for micro tidal energy production in a cost effective way.

As part of this process an off the shelf marine grade instrument is identified which if adapted and deployed correctly could carry out the required function. A deployment device was designed with the use of computational fluid dynamics that was capable of housing the instrument and its ancillary electronics while at the same time not interfering excessively with the flows that are to be measured. A design was eventually arrived at which produced an error of less than 3% while still giving a resolution of 0.05m/s. The CFD model which was developed was then verified with the use of a wind tunnel.

Systems for the mooring of the device and for adjusting the buoyancy of the device, so that flow measurement could be taken at pre-determined depths are also proposed. A system of powering the device for use over prolonged periods is also proposed.

Access Level

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

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