New Osprey Turbine To Harvest Sea & River Power

A small team of engineers in Cornwall has made a breakthrough with the development of a turbine that they claim could solve the commercial viability of tidal power.

The Osprey turbine can be used to create electricity offshore at sea or in tidal rivers and inland waterways. Following successful testing of a model rotor, a reduced-scale model prototype  has been developed to assist in the design of a full-scale prototype.

It is the brainchild of Fowey-based FreeFlow 69 Ltd, research and development consultants in renewable energy, which is headed up by Pat Cooke.

The team conceived the unique turbine concept whilst working on design and development work for their offshore Ocean Hydro Electricity Generator (OHEG), a revolutionary concept using tidal energy to create electricity 24 hours a day.

The Osprey turbine is a vertical axis free flow device which produces power independently or as part of a larger system. Power output is expected to be from 1kW up to 5MW in a multiple system.

Parts for the prototype model were pre-fabricated in stainless steel by associate company Able Engineering of Swadlincote, Derbyshire and assembled in Fowey.

With the significant advantage that the gearbox and generator are above the water level, it operates effectively in variable depths to maximise the efficiency of the power available through the tidal cycle, or in differing river heights.

It is also environmentally friendly and will not interfere with marine or river life, can be mounted on the sea bed or suspended on pontoons, is bi-directional and will turn the same way in a flooding or ebbing tide.

Due to its modular design, a bank of Osprey turbines can be built up and added to in order to generate more power.

"We already have a patent application in place and plan to build a full size prototype by the Autumn," said Mr Cooke. "If this is successful, as we are confident it will be, we intend to manufacture a range of small units for river applications, followed by a range of cross flow turbines for conventional micro hydro plants."

A prototype for an Archimedes screw type version turbine will also be produced for rivers where a weir or leat is available, such as old mill sites.

"There is still some way to go before the Osprey is fully commissioned and starts to generate electricity for the national grid," said Mr Cooke. "But if, as we envisage it will, the Osprey performs successfully, it could play a key role in providing a simple 24-7 green power system - possibly in conjunction with a simplified version of our original OHEG concept."

Able Engineering will manufacture the river turbines and take on the project management of the larger river systems, whilst FreeFlow 69 will act as developer for the larger offshore systems.

Mr Cooke, who is Chairman of Able Engineering as well as leading the FreeFlow 69 team, believes that exploiting tidal power from the sea and rivers can play a significant role in achieving the government’s targets for renewable energy.

"It is estimated by the Carbon Trust that wave and tidal power can provide a fifth of the UK's electricity needs," he said.

"The benefits of ramping up investment in tidal power generation would be considerable, providing not only a reliable source of energy, but the opportunity for Britain to be at the forefront of the global market in the same way that Danish companies took an early lead in the wind turbine industry."

"The Osprey turbine could significantly aid the UK in achieving its renewable energy targets, as well as helping to create a lot of new jobs, whilst at the same time contributing to a new green growth in the economy."

Further information will be added to the company's website www.freeflow69.com as the project continues, or contact pat@freeflow69.com for more details and a progress report.

 
A high resolution photo image to accompany this release is available by clicking here.

Photo Caption:
An artist's impression of the original Ocean Hydro Electricity Generator (OHEG) concept, which can be extended across an estuary such as the Bristol Channel.

(NB - An additional/alternative photo of FreeFlow 69 Managing Director, Pat Cooke, is available on request to Bird & Moore Ltd).

ISSUED BY/ENQUIRIES TO:
Bird & Moore Ltd, Advertising,
Marketing and Public Relations,
The Old Vicarage, 26 Church Street,
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Tel: 01889 565111.
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Contact: Neil Moore, Managing Director

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF:                
FreeFlow 69 Ltd                       
Windmill Industrial Estate,                             
Windmill, Fowey,            
Cornwall, PL23 1HB.                   
Tel: 01726 833337.                       
Fax: 01726 833811.                        
Email: pat@freeflow69.com                                              
Web: www.freeflow69.com            
Contact:  Pat Cooke, Managing Director           

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