| Abstract: | ABSTRACT: This paper presents research conducted on tidal power generation utilizig atmospheric pressure or air recirculation. The proposed methods in this paper differ from conventional methods. That is, they require simple and relatively inexpensive power generating facilities that would convert the potential energy of the tides into kine tic energy of air for driving the air turbines in a power plant. The characteristics of the new methods are as follows: (1) in tidal power generation utilizing the atmospheric pressure, the air pressure exerted on an air turbine can be maintained at 1 atm regardless of the water head; (2) in tidal power generation utilizing the air recirculation, the air pressure exerted on an air turbine can be made twice as high as the available water head; (3) higher tidal energy conversion efficiency can be obtained by flowing larger quantities of water in a shorter time period; (4) the generating turbines can be located at a convenient place remote from the reservoir; and (5) equipment corrosion due to salt is minimized. |
