The Design Context of a Tidal Power Plant Using Helical Turbines

Tidal power is a form of renewable energy from the ocean that can be exploited for electrical power generation. Several countries have implemented the techniques of harnessing tidal power through tidal barrages and tidal streams. A substantial amount of the electricity consumed in South Africa is generated from the combustion of fossil fuel, which is known to have huge consequences on the environment. Hence, the establishment of a tidal power plant would reduce greenhouse gasses and also minimize the huge reliance on fossil fuels. This paper presents the concepts of the design elements for a tidal plant that employs helical turbines. A case study of Esikhawini is presented which is the optimum site that was selected for the establishment of the tidal plant proposed in this study. The significance of this study mainly focused on the design considerations of the helical turbine. The tidal velocity at Esikhawini was modelled the results show an average velocity of 1.5 m/s. The tidal velocity was used as an input into the analytical model of the turbine which implements the blade element momentum theory (BEMT). The power generated from a single tidal turbine unit was 23.75 kW, and the overall power generated from the proposed tidal plant was 1.4 MW.