The prototype of the PROCODAC-GESMEY project. (Credit: Universidad Politécnica de Madrid)Researchers at the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), as a part of the PROCODAC-GESMEY project, have constructed and tested a prototype ocean energy generator. The test results were very positive, confirming that this prototype can produce the expected energy and be operated by remote control.
In collaboration with the Astilleros Balenciaga company and the Fundación Centro Tecnológico Soermar, a non-profit Spanish private research organization, researchers at Polytechnic University of Madrid have successfully tested an experimental ten-to-one scaled down prototype of an industrial ocean energy turbine that should be able to provide 1MW of electricity. This prototype is complemented by an underwater buoy that was designed to operate at 40 meters (131 feet) depth.
The first generation of the ocean energy systems was only feasible at maximum depth of 100-160 feet and was expensive to maintain. Consequently, second-generation systems came out: anchoring systems with diverse solutions that allowed the turbines to operate underwater while being able to emerge on the surface for maintenance. The device that has been tested belongs to the second generation of ocean energy systems.
The main unit of the prototype includes a structure of stainless steel with a central body and three peripheral parts joined by arms. The generator, the multiplier, and the instrumentation system are inside, while the rotor that captures ocean currents is outside. The generator was extensively tested; in addition to the experimental stages, the study also included mathematical modeling and computer simulations.
The results of the study confirm that the prototype functions normally and within specifications. The researchers have concluded that the development and construction of the ocean energy turbines based on this prototype would be affordable for a medium sized shipyard.
