Udupi: Plans to Generate power from sea waves

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Sep 24, 2015: Vijay Kumar Hegde, an engineer and head of Susi Global Research Centre, said on Wednesday that he had developed a third pilot tune-up mini tidal power plant, in which power could be generated from sea waves. The working of the plant would be demonstrated on the coast at Kemmannu village near Udupi at the end of October, he said.

 

Addressing presspersons here, Mr. Hegde said that he expected the mini tidal plant to generate 5 kVA of power. On the working of the plant, he said in the first stage of energy-synchronizing system, the mechanical energy of the gang of long lever floats moving up and down is converted into continuous rotary motion by using ratchet and gear mechanism. The low speed rotary motion is converted to high speed through a step up gear box.

In the second stage, the mechanical energy is converted into pneumatic energy by connecting the rotary drive to the compressors (movement of pistons inside cylinders). The compressed air is stored in an air tank. In the third stage, the pneumatic equipment is coupled to the alternator to produce the electric energy. The purpose of converting mechanical energy to pneumatic energy is to maintain constant speed of alternator irrespective of the variation in the tidal waves.

The purpose of converting mechanical energy to pneumatic energy is to maintain constant speed of the alternator irrespective of variation in the tidal waves. The alternator produces electrical power by receiving the mechanical energy from air.

His tidal power plant uses float-type mechanism, generating power on a continuous basis irrespective of height of waves lifting the floats in the sea. Since the whole energy conversion process is based on tidal waves, there is no other raw material needed for the process. It uses environment friendly technology and there is no pollution. Such tidal power plants can be located on the coastline, Mr. Hegde said.

T. Narayana Shanubhougue, retired principal of Canara Engineering College, said that the plant was a practical working model. He was certain of its success, he said.

 

Courtesy: The hindu