Water and its (Renewable!) Energy

June 8, 2010 Water and its Energy - Presentation by Prof. S.A. Kinnas 1

Presented by Prof. Spyros A. Kinnas Dept. of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering

Dams

June 8, 2010 Water and its Energy - Presentation by Prof. S.A. Kinnas 2

Still water with high potential energy

Moving water with high speed and high kinetic energy

What happens under the surface of a wave?

June 8, 2010 Water and its Energy - Presentation by Prof. S.A. Kinnas 3

Tides

June 8, 2010 Water and its Energy - Presentation by Prof. S.A. Kinnas 4

East River, NY

Currents

June 8, 2010 Water and its Energy - Presentation by Prof. S.A. Kinnas 5

Some numbers:

June 8, 2010 Water and its Energy - Presentation by Prof. S.A. Kinnas 6

A household in the US requires an average electrical power of 1-2 kW (kiloWatts)

A power plant that produces 1 MW (MegaWatt) = 1,000 kW can supply about 500-1,000 households

A power plant that produces 1 GW (GigaWatt) = 1,000MW = 1,000,000 kW can supply about 500,000 -1,000,000 households

Hydro-electic Power – How it works

June 8, 2010 Water and its Energy - Presentation by Prof.

S.A. Kinnas 7

Harnessing wave power Some innovative solutions

June 8, 2010 Water and its Energy - Presentation by Prof.

S.A. Kinnas 8

The “Oscillating Water Column” (OCW)

June 8, 2010 Water and its Energy - Presentation by Prof.

S.A. Kinnas 9

The “Sea-snake” (Pelamis)

June 8, 2010 Water and its Energy - Presentation by Prof.

S.A. Kinnas 10

A buoy Wave Energy Converter (WEC)

June 8, 2010 Water and its Energy - Presentation by Prof.

S.A. Kinnas 11

Harnessing ocean current/tidal power with marine turbines

June 8, 2010 Water and its Energy - Presentation by Prof.

S.A. Kinnas 12

Harnessing ocean current/tidal power with a kite and a turbine!

June 8, 2010 Water and its Energy - Presentation by Prof.

S.A. Kinnas 13

All innovative solutions to harvest the immense energy of water require

knowledge of fluid mechanics, obtained through basics (theory),

numerical, and experimental methods

June 8, 2010 Water and its Energy - Presentation by Prof.

S.A. Kinnas 14