Challenge / Goal
The main challenge was to design, construct and test a water-turbine that could withstand the high water velocity (up to 8 m/s) and pressure in the existing culverts, while maximizing the power output and minimizing the environmental impact. The main goals were to demonstrate the feasibility of tidal energy in the port, to contribute to PoA's sustainability and innovation agenda, and to explore the possibilities of integrating tidal energy with other renewable sources into a smart grid.
Solution
The solution was to use 3D design, Virtual Reality, Computised Fluid Dynamics and previous studies on water-flow and water household to develop a prototype model of a 3 bladed vertical axe waterturbine that could fit into the existing infrastructure of the lock at the left bank. The prototype was constructed by De Meyer and Water 2 Energy after a public tender procedure, and installed in December 2018. The prototype was then submitted to two reference tests combined with a duration test of 235 hours, collecting data on its performance, efficiency and reliability. The tests showed that the prototype exceeded the initial goal of 100 kW, reaching up to 150 kW of power generation.
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Log inTime period
Planning time
More than 5 years
Implementers
Port of Antwerp
Service providers
De Meyer and Water2Energy