Current Catcher Pontoon Barge High velocity marine currents are found in tidal areas and between land masses like the Cuba and Florida and between Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula. Up to 3 knot currents have been recorded in the Florida Straits. The highest current velocities are usually recorded near the water's surface. There are many concepts that have been patented and some developed to turn marine currents into power, but most of these concepts have underwater mechanical components that are very difficult and expense to maintain. The "Current Catcher Pontoon Barge" only has structural components below water and no mechanical components underwater. The paddles are underwater structural components that are not subject to wear and are designed to be very large and have very high drag coefficients so they can catch as much force as possible from the high velocity surface currents. The paddle wheels have easily replaceable bearings located above water. Keeping all mechanical equipment above water under a water tight dry enclosure allowing quick and safe maintenance and replacement of wear components and equipment preservation which is a major advantage of the "Current Catcher Pontoon Barges" resulting in maximum uptime and low OPEX. Another significant advantages of "Current Catcher Pontoon Barges" are that: 1) their pontoons are the lowest cost form of floating offshore structure; 2) they can be built in almost anywhere in the world; 3) they can be towed to site and attached to their pre-installed mooring lines and export power cable in less than a day; 4) are ready to start producing power immediately; 5) their 20m OD paddle wheels supply enough torque to power four 6 megawatt direct drive wind turbine type generators (located under the barge enclosure ) at their maximum capacity. "Current Catcher Pontoon Barges" can also support subsurface current generators (like Marine Energy Corporation’s Current Catcher Frames) for additional power generation capacity and provide surface maintenance facilities for the subsurface generators without the need to mobilize special underwater maintenance vessels. This "Current Catcher Pontoon Barge" presentation is available on the Marine Energy Corporation’s website, www.marineenergycorp.com for easy downloading. The US, Mexico and Cuba could jointly work together to develop the best technology for these shared high velocity current areas. “Current Catcher Pontoon Barges” should produce very low LCOE costs in high velocity marine current areas and possibly lower than new onshore wind power plants and new gas power plants. Current Catcher Barge 5/15/2016 1
Some of the Highest Velocity Marine Currents In the World Able to Supply Cuba, Mexico and Florida With The Lowest Cost Power Florida Some of the Highest Velocity Marine Currents In the World Cuba Yucatan Peninsula 5/15/2016 Current Catcher Barge 2
Current Catcher Pontoon Barge Design Principles of the Current Catcher Barge: 1) Provide the Lowest Cost per Megawatt of any other Marine Current Power Generating Device. 2) Convert significant amounts of marine current into power making the power farm projects worth the effort and time of the developers, designers, fabricators, installers and operators. 3) Use the lowest cost existing components like four existing 6 megawatt direct drive wind turbine type generators, steel box cross section pontoons. 4) Use the lowest cost floating support structure, a pontoon barge. 5) Shape the barge’s pontoons so they increase the current velocity across the paddles. 6) Locate all mechanical and electrical equipment are above water in a dry enclosure for safe and fast maintenance and for long term preservation. 7) Fly or boat maintenance crews in order to quickly access all mechanical and electrical equipment for maximum uptime. 8) Make the pontoon barges able to survive 100 year storms. 9) Make the pontoon barges so they minimize mooring systems and associated costs. 10)Uses only simple, proven, reliable and low components. 11)Uses large low cost, large area and high drag coefficient paddles. 12)Install the barge quickly, easily and for the lowest installation costs. 13)Make the barge quickly and easily removed for dry docking every 15 years at the lowest possible removal costs. Dry docking is required for repainting every 15 years because that is the maximum life expectancy so far for marine paint. 14)The hull can undergo underwater on site inspection every 5 years without barge removal. 15)Power generation can start immediately after installation. Current Catcher Barge 5/15/2016 3
Current Catcher Barge ISO View (Without Enclosures for Better Viewing) Current Catcher Barge 5/15/2016 4
Current Catcher Barge ISO View Two 20m OD Paddlewheels Four Power Belts Four 6m OD direct drive generators Four 12m OD Pulleys Paddle wheels place high torque on 12m OD pulleys and then 6m OD direct drive generators. 5/15/2016 Current Catcher Barge 5
Current Catcher Barge End View Paddles have very low turning resistance in air Low Cost High Drag Coefficient Paddles Simple flat plate box pontoons divert marine current to the fully submerged paddlewheels. Catches the highest current, the surface current, with the lowest cost and least hull drag. The shape of the barge’s pontoons increases the current velocity across the paddles. 5/15/2016 Current Catcher Barge 6
Current Catcher Barge Side View Simple flat plate box pontoons allow fully submerged paddlewheels to receive maximum exposure to marine currents. 5/15/2016 Current Catcher Barge 7
Current Catcher Barge Plan View 5/15/2016 Current Catcher Barge 8
Current Catcher Barge Bottom End View 5/15/2016 Current Catcher Barge 9
Current Catcher Barge Bottom Side View 5/15/2016 Current Catcher Barge 10
Current Catcher Barge Bottom ISO View Paddles Shown Extending 4 Meters Below Hull’s Baseline And Are Completely Submerged. 5/15/2016 Current Catcher Barge 11
Current Catcher Barge Paddlewheel View Paddlewheels are completely submerged, 20m OD, 17m wide and have high drag coefficients. 5/15/2016 Current Catcher Barge 12
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