Counter-Rotating Type Tidal-Stream Power Unit Playing Favorable Features in Various Ocean Circumstances

The authors have invented the unique counter-rotating type tidal-stream power unit, which is composed of the tandem propellers and the double rotational armature type peculiar generator without the traditional stator. In the unit of the downstream type, the front and the rear propellers counter-drive the outer and the inner armatures of the peculiar generator respectively, in keeping the rotational torque counter-balanced between both propellers/armatures.This paper discusses and verifies experimentally the almighty features of the power unit. The axial force acting on the pillar increases naturally with the increase of not only the stream velocity but also the drag of the tandem propellers. Besides, the tandem propellers bring the symmetrical vertical force from side to side though the single propeller brings the force in one direction. The counter-balanced torque makes it possible to moor the power unit with only one cable/wire/rope, and the behavior of the submerged unit was confirmed experimentally.Copyright © 2013 by ASME