The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 20, 1983
Filed:
Aug. 30, 1982
Valentin Heuss, Uitikon/Waldegg, CH;
Helmut Miller, Bergdietikon, CH;
Escher Wyss Limited, Zurich, CH;
Abstract
A tidal power plant and method of operating the same are disclosed. In tidal power plants the turbines are arranged in channels between the sea and a storage reservoir. Heretofore known constructions of tidal power plants included relatively complex mechanisms for maintaining the turbine or turbines operating for the maximum amount of time, but generally they have failed to exceed a high overall operating efficiency. The present invention seeks to improve upon prior installations by designing a tidal power plant in which the or each turbine is disposed in a main channel between the sea and the storage reservoir. A connection channel is arranged above the main channel containing the turbine. A shutoff device is located at the reservoir side of the turbine and the connection channel to control and direct the flow of water. One of the described arrangements permits the use of a single shutoff device in the form of a sluice gate operable under pressure in order to open the connection channel and to cut-off the turbine, or vice-versa. A further possible arrangement contemplates total isolation of the working region of the tidal power plant to permit inspection and maintenance work when needed.