69. Tidal Power Generation

Predicting the changes in tidal dynamics is a major aspect of the assessment of tidal power plant. These predictions can be based on either physical or numerical model studies and are required to predict the energy potential of the site. The use of mathematical modelling in planning and design of tidal power plant is established and accepted world over. The present study is applied to a small scale site available near Saphale village in the Thane district of Maharashtra state in India. The onedimensional model, which has been employed to model the tide flow, combines the principal gravity, inertia and friction forces with the shape of estuary. The incorporation of these effects is considerable advance over the flat estuary model, which is used for initial estimation of energy. This study is based on spring tidal ranges with operation in ebb generation mode only. It is assumed that the turbine starts and stops at the same minimum head. As there will be infinite number of possible alternatives, one of which for a given combination of variables, i.e., sluicing area, turbine discharge, etc., will give the maximum energy output, different combinations of parameters have been taken and analyzed accordingly.