Energy from river, sea and tidal currents
Many of the advantages described in the applications in OWC systems characterize the GIAR technology also in applications for the exploitation of river, sea and tidal currents.
Especially in river applications, GIAR technology brings great technical advantages by virtue of the following characteristics.
It is composed of a single turbine body that can be divided by means of bulkheads and dividing plates, which create compartments increasing in percentage respect to the entire turbine body, in order to always guarantee the maximum Efficiency.
It is capable of developing high torques available to the axis of the turbine even with low rpm.
It is capable of delivering a high specific power.
It has low noise and low vibrations.
It ensures easy access to the maintenance of electrical components and it has low risks of corrosion, due to the fact that the alternator is located outside the duct.
It is provided with the Variable Displacement feature, which allows it to obtain very high and constant energy yields regardless of the water flow rates.
Again thanks to the Variable Displacement features, it can operate where other turbines cannot operate, that is to say even with low pressures.
Being a Reaction Turbine, it determines that the inlet speed and the outlet speed of the fluid – water – are very low.
This involves a reduced passage speed of the sediments that are suspended in the fluid crossing the system, which leads to minimum wear of the components of the system itself, both in its fix parts and in its moving parts (rotor).Again, by being a Reaction Turbine, in the river environment it guarantees greater efficiency than the Banki turbine (cross-flow turbine), whose Efficiency in river applications varies between 40% and 86% depending on the water flow rates.
Due to its design characteristics, it is the GIAR Turbine itself that “creates” the river jump.
The positioning of the GIAR Turbine determines the elevation of the fluid vein and therefore an altitude difference (∆ h), a difference in height between the fluid vein entering and the fluid vein exiting the system, leaving the fluid vein downstream of the system itself completely unaltered, just as if the system was not there. Precisely thanks to this peculiarity, in river applications the GIAR Turbine can bring specific complementary advantages, which are truly valuable in terms of environmental sustainability.
– By virtue of the ∆ h resulting from the positioning of the system, it allows to take full advantage of the height of the incoming fluid vein, always keeping it below the level of the existing containment embankments.
This way, it allows to take full advantage of the height of the river banks, without the need to carry out additional preparation works for the construction of the system, so as to combine low construction costs and environmental protection.
Therefore, for river systems with GIAR technology, the heights of the water jumps are proportional to the heights of the river banks: the higher the river banks are, the higher the exploitable water jumps are, with consequent greater production of electrical energy.
– It can allow the navigability of previously non-navigable waterways.
– It can improve the navigability of waterways which are already navigable.
– It can significantly contribute to the reduction of the phenomenon of marine intrusion (“saline wedge”) connected to the lowering of the fluid vein near the maritime river mouths, caused by climatic variations, which has the consequence of making vast land surfaces unproductive in proximity to such areas.
In correspondence with the river mouths, in fact, the further rise of the saline wedge due to the lack of pressure causes the unusability of the pumped water which rises upwards, as it is saline, therefore the pumping of water suitable for irrigation takes place at ever greater depths with ever greater costs.
The rise in the level of rivers determined by the positioning of the GIAR Turbine has the effect of easing water withdrawals for irrigation canals, so as to replenish the aquifers too.
– It can perform a relevant function from an urban perspective: the realization of sequenced installations gives life to the virtuous combination of renewable electricity generation and river crossing.
GIAR Energy S.r.l. Benefit Company
Innovative Start-Up; Business Register Special Section REA N. MC-275955
Tax Code and VAT Number 02064820430; S.C. € 250.000,00 fully paid-up
Registered office: Borgo Conce n. 29, 62027 San Severino Marche (MC)
Operational Headquarters: Via E. Mattei n. 27, 62027 San Severino Marche (MC)
Representative Office: Via Pomezia n. 8, 63074 San Benedetto del Tronto (AP)