A submersible platform 107 e.g. for mounting an underwater turbine, maintains its anchoring system 145 under tension by buoyancy. The buoyancy is reduced before releasing the anchoring system 145 to reduce the loads on a winch as the platform is raised. The anchoring system may comprise two mooring lines 145a, 145b, which are each coupled to the platform by two tethers to four spaced couplings. The platform may include an orientation sensor, and controls tension in the tethers to control the attitude of the platform. A turbine 132 may be orientated out of the flow stream to inhibit generation when flow speed is too low, or when a fault is detected. The turbine may be orientated out of the flow at high speeds to permit continued generation. A power deriver (generator) may be activated only when flow speed is within the desired range. Also disclosed is a remotely controllable surface vessel which controls a submersible, and which moves itself to keep within communication range of the submersible.
A flowing-water driveable turbine assembly
2015-09-30
Patent
Electronic Resource
English