GIRDER FOR SUPPORTING A TIDAL TURBINE FAIRING AND TIDAL TURBINE COMPRISING SUCH A GIRDER

• US 20120082544A1
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alstom Renewable Technologies
• Original Assignee: Alstom SA
• Inventors: POT, NICOLAS, THOUVENIN, THIBAULT
• Granted Patent: US 8,834,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/213.1
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 17/061 with rotation axis substantially in flow direction
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 3/18 Stator blades; Guide conduits or vanes, e.g. adjustable conduits in dams or the like F03B13/08; arrangement of valves F03B11/004
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/97 on a submerged structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/20 Hydro energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Abstract

This girder (8) for supporting a tidal turbine fairing has a parallelogram-shaped cross-section (S), taken perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis (A8) of the girder (8). It comprises at least one slot (86a, 86b) extending generally parallel with the longitudinal axis (A8) of the girder (8). a cross-section (S) taken perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (A8) of the girder (8), the traces of the surfaces bordering the slot (86a, 86b) extend from one of the long sides (801, 803) of the cross-section (S) to an adjacent short side (802, 804) of the cross-section (S).

Claims

1. Girder for supporting a fairing of a tidal turbine having a parallelogram-shaped cross-section, taken perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the girder, wherein

it comprises at least one slot extending generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the girder,

in a cross-section taken perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the girder, the traces of the surfaces bordering the slot extend from one of the long sides of the cross-section to an adjacent short side of the cross-section.

2. Supporting girder according to claim 1, wherein the short side of the cross-section forms an acute angle with the adjacent long side of the cross-section.

3. Supporting girder according to claim 1, wherein, in a perpendicular plane to the longitudinal axis of the girder, an angle, situated outside the girder, on the side of a joining edge between the short side of the cross-section and the long side of the cross-section with respect to the slot, and defined between a portion of the long side, situated on the side of the edge with respect to the slot, and a median or mean axis of the slot, is greater than 90°

.

4. Supporting girder according to claim 3, wherein, in a perpendicular plane to the longitudinal axis of the girder, the angle, situated outside the girder is greater than 120°

, preferably between 130° and

160°

, more preferably in the region of 150°

.

5. Girder according to claim 1, wherein, in a perpendicular plane to the longitudinal girder axis, an angle, situated inside the girder, and defined by a long side of the parallelogram and by a short side of the parallelogram forming an obtuse angle with the long side, is greater than 90°

, preferably greater than 120°

, more preferably in the region of 150°

.

6. Girder according to claim 1, wherein at least two slots extend from the same long side of the parallelogram.

7. Girder according to claim 6, wherein the slots extending from the same long side of the parallelogram are parallel.

8. Girder according to claim 1, wherein at least one slot extends from each long side.

9. Girder according to claim 1, wherein the girder is equipped with fixing means for assembling two parts of the girder situated on either side of the same slot.

10. Girder according to claim 1, wherein at least one part of the girder, situated on the side of a joining edge between the short side of the cross-section and the long side of the cross-section with respect to the slot, is made of a material having a greater mechanical strength than that of the material forming a part of the girder situated opposite the edge with respect to the slot.

11. Tidal turbine comprising a rotatable wheel about an axis, a fixed fairing encasing the wheel and at least one girder for supporting the fairing connecting the fairing to a central water turbine supporting member, wherein the supporting girder is according to claim 1.