21
01, 18
by kevin urquhart 0 comments
The Project
We are delighted to share that the end of 2017 our client Sustainable Marine Energy (SME) https://sustainablemarine.com/ successfully launched and commissioned a game changing floating tidal energy platform “PLAT-I” at Connel Sound, near Oban in Western Scotland.
PLAT-I is a multiple turbine floating tidal energy platform hosting four Schottel Instream Turbines (SITs) with a total output of 280kW, and an accessible power conversion system hosted in an on-board container.
Read more about the SIT here: https://www.schottel.de/schottel-hydro/sit-instream-turbine/
Featuring modular trimaran design, the platform is 32 meters long, with a beam of 27 meters.
PLAT-I is designed for inshore tidal sites to provide power at a community scale. According to SME, it proves that tidal energy is a viable clean energy alternative for coastal and island off-takers with limited infrastructure, who may traditionally use diesel power generation.
After the trials in Scotland, PLAT-I will be deployed in the Philippines as part of a grid-connected, first commercial demonstrator array project in the country.
What did we do?
As with our previous projects Orion Product Development fully integrated with the in-house engineering team, supporting the various stages of iterative concept design for the platform herself, as well as completing the concept and detail design, calculations and drafting of the SIT Deployment Module (SDM). The SDM is the modular structural member onto which each turbine is physically mounted and allows each of them to be quickly and safely lifted out of the water for maintenance and reduces the depth of water required for launching and tow-out.
Our “top-down”, or total system, approach helped to identify several opportunities for cost reductions and performance improvements during the project, adding significant value throughout.
For further information and to arrange a discussion about how we can similarly help your business, please contact us to arrange a free no-obligation consultation.
We have continued to use Kevin’s services based on the high quality of work he has produced for us on previous projects. He is always extremely innovative and capable, and we value his ability to convert our ideas into excellent engineering solutions, often under the added pressure of very compressed timescales and tight budget. He adds significant value to any project team and we would have no hesitation in continuing to engage his services or to recommend him to others.
Andrew Hunt, Engineering Manager, Sustainable Marine Energy Ltd
10
08, 17
by kevin urquhart 0 comments
Orion Product Development Case Study - Tidal Turbine Platform
We continued to work with UK based Sustainable Marine Energy Ltd, helping them to develop their second generation tidal energy platform, fitted with Schottel Hydro in-stream turbines (
https://www.schottel.de/schottel-hydro/sit-instream-turbine/), and also their floating turbine platform PLAT-I
It has been estimated that harnessing the UK tidal stream resource could supply up to 20% of UK electricity demand, and by doing so this could replace the equivalent coal fired generation, which would avoid 88 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. OPD Ltd. is extremely proud to be involved as part of our ongoing philosophy of social responsibility.
The buoyant tidal energy platform will be taut moored to the seabed using a world-first anchoring solution that we are also proud to have been involved with. The platform is unique in that it allows the turbines to be placed in the optimum position in the water column to harvest the maximum tidal power. Alongside an optimised deployment philosophy this provides significant reductions in the cost of tidal energy.
Fully integrating with their engineering team we developed innovative, reliable and low-cost mechanical design solutions for the platform structures, mooring system, hydraulic system, hydrodynamic performance, deployment and recovery technology, along with other key systems, and are continuing to work with the client on this and other projects, including a floating platform variant for a customer in Singapore.
Our “top-down”, or total system, approach helped to identify several opportunities for further cost reductions and performance improvements, adding significant value throughout the project. As a result we were also requested to continue to work with the client on their further projects.
For further information and to arrange a discussion about how we can similarly help your business, please contact us using the details below, or by
filling in the contact form.
We have continued to use Kevin’s services based on the high quality of work he has produced for us on previous projects. He is always extremely innovative and capable, and we value his ability to convert our ideas into excellent engineering solutions, often under the added pressure of very compressed timescales and tight budget. He adds significant value to any project team and we would have no hesitation in continuing to engage his services or to recommend him to others.
Andrew Hunt, Engineering Manager, Sustainable Marine Energy Ltd
All pictures in this article used by kind permission of Sustainable Marine Energy Ltd.
