Tidal irrigation and electrical system (TIES)

Abstract

The purpose of this tidal irrigation and electrical system (TIES) is to harness the power of the tide to generate electricity, create sustainable aquaculture and generate hydrocarbons and/or ethonals and/or other products derived from biomass, all the while furnishing a CO2 sink.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] We are suffering from a shortage of sustainable energy. Many people have tried to use aspects of the potential energy of the ocean but have failed to come up with economically viable designs. In the past parts of the system such as OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion) which have used cold water to generate electricity have been plagued by storm damage as well as the fact that a substantial amount of the energy is used up in bringing the denser water from bellow up to the surface. The Biomass generation aspect of OTECs also have not been properly exploited because of the immense scale needed for containment. Tidal schemes have failed due to the ecological damage caused and the high cost and wave power represents only a tiny proportion of the energy of the ocean. Also, the world continues to harvest most of the fisheries in unsustainable ways, and modern aquaculture methods leave a lot to be desired because of problems with diseases, escapes and feeding.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The purpose of this system is to harness the power of the tide to generate electricity, create sustainable aquaculture and generate hydrocarbons and/or ethonals and/or other products derived from biomass, all the while furnishing a CO2 sink. TIES maximise the potential energy absorption and extraction in a give area of ocean by utilising all of the different methods by which solar energy is deposited there.

[0004] TIES operate on the understanding,

[0005] 1) that the tide is actually a gravitational bulge on the surface of the ocean.

[0006] 2) Tropical oceans lack nutrients and so are relatively lifeless compared to the amount of solar radiation that they receive.

[0007] 3) nutrients necessary to create extremely fertile oceans lies 1000 m below the surface. These nutrients are in the perfect proportion to support plankton blooms. This fertility could surpass the most fertile of land based growth.

[0008] 4) waters at 1000 m are cold if brought to the surface the difference between the temperatures can be exploited to make electricity.

[0009] 5) plankton can be filtered from seawater to make biomass.

[0010] 6) biomass can be converted in to alcohol, petrochemicals, fertilisers, protein and many other useful substances.

[0011] 7) in order to maximize and facilitate the tidal bulge in transporting the cold, nutrient rich water from where it resides to the surface a closed, impermeable/semimpermeable structure must be constructed with a tube which extends beyond the thermoclines.

[0012] 8) many attempts to construct OTECs have failed due to the need to connect a huge pipe to the surface.

[0013] 9) by creating an Artificial Atoll on the continental shelf, the pipe, which rests well bellow the surf is protected, and when it does come to the surface it can come inside the protection of the lagoon.

[0014] 10) a lagoon, if properly irrigated could be as it was drained a source of biomass

[0015] 11) tidal exchange in an irrigated lagoon would need some aquaculture to prevent eutrification

[0016] 12) if directed or channelled, the tidal flow can be harnessed on the inflow and outflow to generate electricity via a turbine.

[0017] 13) the greater the surface area of a lagoon, the greater the flow of a directed or channelled tide, and the lower ratio of circumference to area.

[0018] 14) most tropical continental shelves are composed of sand and shelf debris which can easily be dredged to form artificial islands

[0019] 15) with a base of sand and shell, industrial platforms can be placed without the great cost of a floating platform

[0020] 16) by creating a sandbar network much of the destructive power of the surf can be avoided by any island.

[0021] 17) wave power itself can be turned in to electricity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1 Overview of TIES

[0023] FIG. 2 Cross-section of one of the island walls of an Artificial Island

[0024] FIG. 3 Ariel view of one of the walls of an Artificial Atoll

[0025] FIG. 4 Flow chart showing the movement of water through the system

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] By creating an Artificial Atoll on the continental shelf with one pipe which opens to deep water (1000 m) and the cold, nutrient rich waters that lie there and another pipe which dumps the used water from the TIES in to the ocean surrounding the installation and closing off the pipes in this fashion: As the tide comes in the deep water inflow pipe is open and the outflow pipe is closed, and when the tide goes out the deep water inflow water pipe is closed and the outflow pipe is open (See FIG. 1). Although a TIES can be constructed out of an existing atoll, island or bay structure, it is not recommended as it will cause significant disruption to natural ecosystems.

[0027] The construction of a TIES involves several components:

[0028] 1) The inflow pipe. One end of which is connected to deep water (1000 m) down and the other which leads in to the system

[0029] 2) The outflow pipe. One end of which is connected to the TIES and the other which empties the used water from the system far enough away to prevent tidal destruction of the Artificial Atoll.

[0030] 3) The mail body of the Artificial Atoll (AA) is made up of sand and small amount of clay both of which can be dredged locally in most tropical and subtropical environments and possibly landfill at the very base of the island wall. (see construction)

[0031] 4) The inflow electrical plant (see inflow electrical plant)

[0032] 5) The inflow and outflow thermodynamic pipe (see inflow electrical plant, subsections 2 and 4

[0033] 6) The outflow electrical plant. (see outflow electrical plant)

[0034] 7) The biological processing plant. (see biological processing plant).

[0035] Plants

[0036] Inflow Electrical Plant

[0037] This complex can have any or all of these systems.

[0038] 1) Inflow turbine to generate electricity off of the incoming tide supplied by pipe from below.

[0039] 2) OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy conversion).

[0040] 3) Fresh water condensation from encapsulated water supplied by the deep water inflow pipe and the exterior air. 4) Warm water intake consisting of a pipe which takes water from the ocean outside the TIES for the OTEC system with a shunt to the main lagoon to increase planktonic breading stocks.

[0041] Outflow Electrical Plant

[0042] This complex can have any or all of these systems.

[0043] 1) Outflow turbine to generate electricity off of the outgoing tide from the Artificial Atoll's lagoon which has been channelled into the system via the out going tide pipe.

[0044] 2) Biomass filtration system.

[0045] Biomass Processing Plant

[0046] This complex can have any or all of these systems. The complex itself is optional as the biomass can be transported off site by whatever means are appropriate. 1) Fermentation and reduction tanks, specifically for the creation of traditional fuels based on anaerobic reactions.

[0047] 2) Electrical generation based on the products of fermentation and reduction.

[0048] 3) Bio-electric cells which consume biomass directly.

[0049] Construction

[0050] There is no maximum depth required for a TIES but a minimum depth should be at least one third of the tidal exchange. Of course there are many ways to construct the TIES but the following method will probably be the cheapest.

[0051] 1) Lay all pipes and electrical cables which connect the TIES to the surrounding area and resources.

[0052] 2) Construct all plants and installations off site.

[0053] 3) Dredge the Artificial Atoll from the surrounding the continental shelf. (see FIG. 2) Again, there are many ways to create the Artificial Atoll, from Seament® m(laying a wire mesh which Calcium Carbonate electrically bonds to landfill and cement.) to using mine tailings. It all depends on local conditions, cost and ensuring a biologically neutral barrier which prevents the tide from moving beyond the confines of the directed channel.

[0054] 4) Cover the Artificial Atoll in sand.

[0055] 5) Plant mangroves and dune stabilising plants on the Artificial Atoll. (see FIG. 3)

[0056] 6) Transport and install all plants connecting them to all pipes

[0057] Size

[0058] There is no upper or lower limit to the size of a TIES, however the proportion of volume to circumference goes up as circumference is increased.

[0059] So a TIES with a radius of 2 km has a circumference of 12.566 km and a surface area of 12.566 km2 and a TIES with a radius of 10 km has a circumference of 62.8318 km and a surface area of 31,415.926 km2. Based on rough projections 16.5 million m3 of material would need to be put in place at 20 m depth to construct an artificial atoll with a radius of 10 km and based on the rate of movement of material being being 1 m3/sec it would take 7 months of continuous placement.

[0060] Power Output

[0061] A TIES with a radius of 2 km with an average tidal exchange of 2 m has a daily volume exchange of 50,264 m3 and has a daily electrical output of around 12357 kW/hr off of tidal energy alone. (Figures are based on the hydroelectric formula POWER (kW)=5.9×FLOW×HEAD) A 10 km radius TIES puts out close to 31 gW/hr of tidal electricity. Power output from OTEC and biomass is dependant on too many factors to put in this format.

Claims

1) A system where by cold, nutrient rich water is brought to the surface of a by means of a pipe which extends down (1000 m).

2) The method for bringing this cold, nutrient rich water to the surface is by creating a lagoon with no direct access to the sea.

3) As the tidal bulge moves across the surface of the earth, the surface of the lagoon will rise in relation to the bottom.

4) If the only access to the surrounding water is via this pipe which extends down to 100 m, cold, nutrient rich water will flood in to the lagoon.

5) In order to facilitate Biomass filtration, maximum tidal exchange and electricity generation an outflow from the artificial atoll other than the cold water intake pipe. (See claim 6 for uses)

6) The cold, nutrient rich water and the tidal bulge can be used for all of the following uses:

Generation of Electricity:

Direct generation of electricity is possible from two sources in a TIES Tidal:

By placing turbines in the inflow and outflow pipe near constant power can be derived from the flow of the tide in to and out of the Artificial Atoll.

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC):

There are several different systems available for harnessing the temperature gradient between the cold, deep water and the warm surface water. Experimental plants have been constructed in Japan, Cuba and Hawaii

Generation of Biomass:

As the nutrient rich water interacts with sunlight plankton will reproduce in huge quantities, this biomass can be filtered and used to generate combustibles such as methane or alcohol. Other products likely from the biomass include acids, bases, aluminum, chlorine and fertilisers. Also, Biomass can be used to generate electricity via bio-electric cells. It is not necessary to process the biomass at the site of the TIES.

Aquaculture:

The nutrient rich water will be as productive as the most productive land on earth, if not more so. Even if only a biproduct of the TIES, it will be necessary to have some aquaculture. Clams, crabs and other bottom feeders will be necessary to prevent the system from silting up. Conversely the TIES can be used to generate vast quantities of cash crops like oysters and fish, not forgetting the protein from the phytoplankton itself.

Fresh Water

Drinking water in the ocean: Condensation from the cold water intake system and thermodynamic exchange can be utilised to generate fresh water.

7) Wave Power

It is possible to ring the TIES with transmuters which turn wave power in to electricity.