AU2007200888B1 - Electricity generation device - Google Patents

Description

28/02/2007 16:05 61397290046 CHRYSILIOULAWMELB PAGE 03/22 Australian Patents Act 1990 Complete Specification Subject to the provisions of the Patents Act, information provided on this form may be made publicly available, including on the internet Name of Applicant: MICHAEL DILEO Date: 12 167 Invention title: Power Generation Plant COMS ID No: SBMI-06429534 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:16 Date 2007-02-28 2e/02/2007 16:05 61397290046 CHRYSILIOULAWMELB PAGE 04/22 Spec-310107 Ci Title: Electricity Generation Device C FIELD OF INVENTION 00 This invention relates to an electricity generation device. More particularly, this invention relates a tidal electricity generation drevice.

00 5 BACKGROUND ART AND DISCUSSION 00o 00 o The following references to and descriptions of prior proposals or products are not o intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the following prior art discussion does not o relate to what is commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to ameliorate the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art or to at least provide a useful alternative thereto.

Electricity power generation using renewal energy resources is highly desirable in the context of the inevitable exhaustion of non-renewal energy resources such as oil, coal and natural gas. Hydroelectricity generation plants utilising the potential energy from elevated catchments of water to drive turbines has been demonstrated to be a reliable, if limited, method of generating electrical power. Hydroelectricity schemes in Australia include the Snowy River Scheme and the Tasmanian Hydroelectricity plants, for example at Lake Pedder. However, such schemes are entirely reliant on the availability of large bodies or volumes of high altitude water subject to significant altitude drops to create the potential energy required and are therefore reliant on the exploitation of limited natural geographic formations.

By contrast, tidal power is more widely available on many coastlines, particularly those with a high potential head or difference in water levels between low and high tides.

Although the nature of tidal flows means that most tidal powered generations schemes can produce only intermittent power due to "downtime" on the turning of the tides, technologies have been described that alleviate this problem to deliver a continuous supply.

However, take up of tidal electricity generation technology has been slow and there has generally been less acceptance of tidal technologies, compared to wind farm technology which is not only intermittent, but unreliable. This is primarily due to two factors: 1. The large and expensive infrastructure including caissons, sluices and ship locks COMS ID No: SBMI-06429534 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:16 Date 2007-02-28 05/09/2007 14:48 61397290046 CHRYSILIOULAWMELB PAGE 04/07 0 0 Swhere barrages are used to close off a bay; and 2. The relevantly low yields of energy available from the slow moving and massive ln volumes of water typically involved.

0 STATEMENT OF INVENTION Accordingly, the invention provides in one aspect an electricity generation device to 00 generate electricity from both incoming and outgoing tidal flows of water, said device Sincluding: O power translation means at a centralised location, said power translation means displaceable by water flow to move a transmission means operably connected to a electricity generator; and C water flow guidance means having at least one wall made from substantially inflexible material and inclined towards said centralised location, and a ceiling generally aligned in nonparallel relationship to at least one wall of the water flow guidance means, said water flow guidance means operable to corral the water approaching said device at an approach velocity towards said power trainslation means at said centralised location, wherein the water immediately preceding said power translation means has increased velocity relative to the approach velocity and an increased water pressure relative to that of the approaching water.

The power translation means may be adapted to translate the linear motion of the flowing water into rotational motion. The power translation means is preferably a turbine means.

The water may be part of a large body of water, such as ocean, bay, estuary or lagoon.

Preferably, the body of water is a bay opening to the sea through a narrow gap and having a large potential head, i.e. large tidal drop from high to low tide. Heads of 8- 10m are preferred.

In any case, the present invention is also applicable to any reasonably large body of water that can provide intermittent or permanent fast running water, such as may be found in rivers and dam outlets.

The device may be a portable, movable or fixed structure or installation and may be in the form of a plant. The plant may be a fixed installation permanently built in situ. The plant may be built using prefabricated structures, such as concrete slabs and may include a steel or other metal alloy frame structure. Preferably the steel material is marine grade steel and/or is augmented with oxygenation sacrifice materials to resist the effects of corrosion, particularly in a marine or brackish environment. Preferably, the plant is a stand alone unit that may be relocatable once assembled. The stand alone unit may be fixed to a particular location by flexible lengths, such as rope, chain or cable.

Alternatively, the plant may be anchored using inflexible lengths, such as metal, 2 COMS ID No: ARCS-159774 Received by IP Australia: Time 14:52 Date 2007-09-05 2B/02/2007 16:05 28/2/0071665 61397290046 CHRYSILIOULAWMELB PG 62 PAGE 06/22 Spec-310107 0 wooden, concrete or other rigid materials to set the plant in position. Preferably, flexible lengths are used to allow some play to permit the plant to orientate according to the water flow direction.

00 The plant may comprise a platform or frame from which depend the guidance means.

Ni The turbine means mray be installed as a fixed installation or may be adapted to swivel 00 or otherwise move to accommodate a change in water flow direction relative to the 00 platfonn. The electricity generation means may be located on or otherwise attached to o0 the platform. The guidance means may be adapted to increase the water pressure of the o approaching water as it approaches the turbine means. The guidance means may lo include a wide mouth remote from the turbine means. The guidance means may include o a narrow throat close to the turbine means. The wide month and narrow throat may Ci combine to form a large funnel directed to the turbine means. The guidance means may include at least one wall that extends towards the turbine means. At least one wall may be in the tormn of a baffle. Preferably, the guidance means includes at least two walls that converge towards the turbine means. Accordingly, the guidance means may have the effect of corralling or concentrating the approaching water from a wide catchmnent corresponding to the mouth and forcing it through a narrow region corresponding to the throat.

Accordingly, the guidance means may be funnel-shaped. The guidance means may be in the form of a truncated cone or, alternatively, in the form of a truncated open pyramid. The pyramid may have four walls. in one embodiment of the invention, the seafloor (or equivalent natural feature of the relevant water body) may constitute the floor of the funnel.

The internal surface of the guidance means facing the approaching water may include at least one wall that is convex and/or one wall that is planar. The throat section of the guidance means may extend at least partially over the turbine means. Accordingly, the throat may at least partially overlap the turbine means. The throat may terminate in region corresponding to the mid-point of the turbine means.- An opposed, mirror image, second guidance means may combine with the first guidance means to form a continuous corridor that is at its narrowest at their meeting point and diverges outward at each end remote from the turbine means. Alternatively, the throat may tenminate close to, but not overlapping with, the volume defined by the sweep of the turbine means. In such case, a second opposed guidance means may be spaced from the first guidance means, at least by the diameter of the turbine means.

Although water cannot be sigifficantly compressed, of course water can be pressurised.

The effect of a large body of water entering a wide catchment defined by the guidance 3 COMS ID No: SBMI-06429534 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:16 Date 2007-02-28 28/02/2007 16:05 28/2/007 1605 61397290046 CHRYSILIOULAWMELD AE 72 PAGE 07/22 o means and corralled through a narrow orifice, i.e. the throat, is to pressurise the water.

As it passes through the throat in to a lower pressure region of water, the flowing water may be accelerated as it comes into the region of the turbine means. The guidance means may include adjustable baffles or walls whereby to vary the torque and/or 00 cis rotational velocity of the turbine means. Depending on the available volume of water and speed of water flow, the guidance means may be adjustable to widen the mouth or 00 entrance and/or narrow or expand the throat to capture a greater or lesser volume of 00 water and/or to increase or reduce the pressurisation of the water as it approaches the 00 o throat. This may be advantageous where water flow is tidal and the current speed varies in1 periodically and predictably. The plant may include a current flow sensor linked to computer means to control the adjustment of the guidance means.

0 The turbine means may include any suitable turbine arrangement whereby to convert the linear water flow into rotational motion of the turbine. The turbine means may include a plurality of spaced impellers or blades. The impellers or blades may be evenly spaced.

is The impellers or blades may substantially radially extend from a turbine hub. The hub may be axially aligned with the direction of water flow in the same manner as a jet turbine, or may be adapted to rotate about an axis transverse to the direction of water flow. The impellers or blades may be configured to be N-directional, whereby they will effectively rotate in either direction, depending on the direction of the water flow.

Where the blades are hi-directional, typically the turbine means will be partially submerged, whereby only the lower half of the turbine means will be under water so that the blades are free to move through the low resistance air above on the return passage.

Alternatively, the turbine means may be movable as a discrete structure and may be reversible in direction, i.e. rotatable by 180 degrees about a vertical axis. For example, the turbine means may be mounted on a swivel table or ring to reverse the direction in which the impellers or blades are facing. Such an arrangement may be suitable for use where the plant is fully submerged and the turbine means is entirely surrounded by water. The face of each impeller or blade facing the approaching water flow may be generally concave to maximise the drive imparted to the turbine by the water flow.

so Conversely, the opposite side of the impeller or blade may be convex to limit the water resistance to which the impellers or blades are subjected on the return passage.

The plant may be partially submerged and buoyant to float at or near the surfacee of the water to allow the turbine means to be only partially submerged so that the plurality of impellers or blades are raised out of the water to permit return passage of the impellers or blades through air and driven passage of the impellers or blades through the water.

The plant may include ballast containers that may be filled with water to lower the plant or pumped with air to raise the plant, for example, for maintenance and repair. The ballast container may form part of the plant structure. optionally, at least one wall of at 4 COMS ID No: SBMI-06429534 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:16 Date 2007-02-28 28/02/2007 16:05 26/2/007 1605 61 397280046 CHRvSILIOULAWMELB PG 82 PAGE 08/22 Spec-310l07 0 least one of the ballast containers is shared with at least one wall of the guidance means.

Preferably, the plant includes four ballast containers formed in the recesses corresponding to the one or more narrow toat sections of the plant.

00 Where the plant is fully submerged, the approaching water immediately preceding the turbine means may, by the effect of the guidance means, have enhanced speed and/or 00 pressure relative to the water surrounding the upper region of the turbine means, 00 whereby there is a significant differential in force applied by the water flow, relative to 00 o the water surrounding the upper region. Accordingly, preferably the guidance means N directs the approaching water to the lower region of the turbine means, being forced to rapidly through the narrow gap of the guidance means proximal to the guidance means.

The turbine means may include reverse means to accommodate the periodic change in the direction of the current of the water. The reverse means may include reversible gears to permit the access of rotational of the turbine means to remain stationary. The reverse means may include the pivoting of the blades about radial axes and against bias isr for either the driven or the return passage by the action of a guide or deflection rail to reduce the resistance of the blades trough the return passage.

The plant may include second guidance means opposed to the guidance means on the opposite side of the turbine means whereby, on reversal of the direction of water flow to a second direction, the second guidance means is effective to direct the water approaching the plant from the second direction towards the turbine means. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the first and second guidance means form opposed funnel structures, either co-terminal with respect to each other or located round the outer sweep of the turbine means, i.e. spaced relative to each other by, for example, the diameter of the turbine means.

The transmission means may include any suitable structure or technology for transmitting the rotational mechanical motion of the turbine means to power the electricity generator for conversion to electrical energy. Typically, although not exclusively, the transmission means may include a rotatable shaft co-operable with the turbine hub whereby the shaft in turn drives the electricity generator.

3o The electricity generator includes available technologies for performing such functions and will typically be connected to a mains electricity grid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THlE DRAWINGS Preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the COMS ID No: SBMI-06429534 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:16 Date 2007-02-28 2e/02/2007 16:05 28/2/007 1S05 61397290046 GHRVSTLIOULAWNELB PG 92 PAGE 09/22 Spec-310107 0 features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention. in the drawings: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a power generator according to a first 00 embodiment of the invention; 2 is a front plan view of the first embodiment shown in Figr 1; 00 00 00 Figure 3 is a top plan view of the first embodiment shown in Figure 1; o Figure 4 is a schematic side view of a second embodiment of the present invention; 0 Figure 5 is a front plan view of the second embodiment shown in Figure 4; 110 Figure 6 is a schematic side view of a third embodiment of the present invention;, Figure 7 is a rear plan view of the third embodiment shown in Figure 6; and Figure 8 is a front plan view of the third embodiment shown in Figure 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Inter atia this invention relates to the production of electricity on a moderate to large is scale using sea, ocean or river currents. An additional use of the present invention is as a water pumping station using river currents. Without limiting the foregoing, preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to electricity generators driven by tidal flows. Typically tidal current ebb and flow on a 24.8 hour cycle including four phases, including two -incoming tidal phases and two out going tidal phases. In an area with a significant head, being the differential in depth of water between peak low and high tides, there should be a sufficiently strong current for hours of the 24.8 hour cycle. To some extent existing technology can be utilised, particularly wit regard to the use of a standard turbine used for windmills and other mechanical, fluid-driven, power generating devices. Obvious modifications may be 2z made for sealing against ingress of water in to component parts and the selection of corrosion/resistant component materials, particularly where the invention is to be employed in the marine environment. In installing a large tidal power plant of the type contemplated in the present invention, consideration should be made to the impact of the installation on the surrounding environment. For example, a power station built 3o near land may result in a small water level rise and an increase in shore erosion, for example where the installation is built near a sandy beach.

Turning to Figure 1, there is shown a first embodiment of the present invention in the 6 COMS ID No: SBMI-06429534 Received by IP Australia: Time (I-tm) 17:16 Date 2007-02-28 28/02/2007 16:05 26/2/0071605 61397290046 CHRYSILIDULAWMELD AE 02 PAGE 10/22 Spec-3101 07 o form of a tidal power generator 10 including a floating platform 20, water flow guides a turbine 40 and an electricity generator The floating platform 20 and water flow guides 30 may be comprised of concrete and/or 00 marine grade stainless steel construction or other materials resistant to corrosion in a* marine environent. The platformn 20 is substantially planer along its length, but has a 00 slightly inclined, raised front ramp 21 defining a hollow structure. Conversely, the re ar 00 section of the platform 20 includes a rearwardly extending bulbous section 22, again 00 defining a hollow section. The front ramp 21 and rear bulbous section 22 define water o tight cavities for buoyancy of the entire structure 10. Intermediate the front ramp 21 and rear bulbous section 22 is a substantially planar section 23 having a non-slip surface o for the safety, maintenance and/or repair crews.

Fixed to the underside of the platform 20 are a pair of diverging guide walls 31 having leading edges 32 that are inclined downwardly and outwardly. Bridging the lower edge 33 of the guide walls 31 is a substantially triangular shaped floor 34, terminating at its isr truncated apex in an area corresponding to-the mid-point of the turbine Accordingly, the lower surface 24 of the platform 20, the leading edges 32 and the floor 34 combined to define an inlet mouth The walls 3 1, floor 34 and lower surface 24 converge to define a throat 36 through which water is forced under pressure directly to the turbine 40. The outlet on the other side of the throat 36 is open whereby water is forced to "squirt" through the throat 36, rapidly increasing in velocity as it exists the throat 36, whereby to engage downwardly depending turbine spikes or blades 4 1. The blades 41 form part of a plurality of circumferentially evenly spaced members radially extending from a central hub 42. As the water is collected from the wide mouth 35 and forced through the narrow throat 36, the blades 41 are forced to rotate in the clockwise direction 43 shown in Figure 1. As the horizontal plane of the platform 20 is aligned with the water surface, the blades 41 travel through a lower drive passage 4 through the water and an upper return passage through air, the latter being a low resistance passage relative to the drive passage 44.

As the water travels past the generator 40, it flows past a rear fixed rudder 37 adapted to 3o ensure that the generator structure 10 is aligned with the water flow. At the front of the platform 20, eyelets 25 are provided to enable the securement of heavy ropes, chains or cables 26 attached to an anchor point 27 that is fixed to sea floor. Accordingly, the combined action of the rudder 37, the outer surface 38 of the walls 31 and the securement of the chains 26 to the anchor point 27 causes the generator structure 10 to self-correct to always face the oncoming water flow. For example, when the tidal power generator 10 is placed in a tidal water flow environment, the structure 10 will tend to orient itself whereby the rear rudder 37 will be pushed sideways so that the 7 COMS ID No: SBMI-06429534 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:16 Date 2007-02-28 26/02/2007 16:05 61397290046 CHRYSILIOULAWMELE PAGE 11/22 Spe-3110107 0 generator 10 pivots about the anchor point 27. The mouth 35 inevitably always faces the oncoming water flow, whether the tide is going in or out. Accordingly, the* generator 10 for its effective operation requires a clear circular area having a radius 00 defined by the distance between the anchoring point 27 and the rear most tip 28 of the Ni 5 platform 00 Electricity generation is obtained by the driven rotation of the hub 42 which is 00 operatively connected by bevelled gears to a rotating shaft 5 1 using standard mechanical o0 gearing arrangements. Preferably, the rotating shaft 51 is enclosed for safety reasons o and to protect the machinery against environmental corrosive effects. The electricity generator 50 includes a stand alone cabin 52 that encloses an electricity generator using o technology well known in the art. The electricity may be optionally stored in battery Ci means in the cabin 52. However, preferably, generated electricity is delivered on shore via a heavy duty insulated cable 53 that may extend above water or below water according to security constraints and surrounding man-made and natural structures.

Alternatively, on land, the cable 53 receiving installation may be equipped with a cable recoiling device to ensure tbat the cable 53 is kept taut irrespective of the location of the pole 54 attached to the cable 53 relative to the land receiving installation. [Michael, please provide your input here as to your intended means of transferring the generated electricity from the tidal generator 10 to land].

The turbine 40 includes a semi circular guard 46 to minimise the hazard of the rotating blades 41 posed-to repair or maintenance crews.

The square-mouthed funnel of the first embodiment described with reference to generator 10 is but one configuration suitable to capture a flowing body of water and to concentrate and pressurise the water as it flows towards a constricted throat 36 and may o be rectangular, round, oval, triangular or any other suitable shape. For the purposes of the present embodiments, the mouth 35 is described as substantially square and this corresponds to structures that are generally easily fabricated using planar, prefabricated sheets of concrete or metal.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, there is shown a second embodiment in the fonn of a so completely submerged generator 100 having a ceiling 120 water flow guides 130, a floor 134, a turbine 140 and a cavity 150 adapted to house an electricity generator 155.

A central passage 156 through the cavity 150 is defined by a sealed cover 146, so that the cavity 150 is sealed against ingress of water whilst permitting the return passage of the blades 141. Because the return passage of the blades 141 is also through water, minimisation of the resistance through the return passage is achieved by providing a concave surface 147 facing oncoming water flow that is concave whereby to retard as 8 COMS ID No: SBMI-06429534 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:16 Date 2007-02-28 28/02/2007 16:05 20/2/007 1605 61397290046 CHRVSILIOULAWMELB PG 22 PAGE 12/22 Spao-3 10107 o large a volume of water as possible, whereas the reverse leeward face 148 of the blade 141 is convex to minimise resistance through the return passage as best seen in Figure The water flow guides 130 include converging side walls 131 and a front ceiling 121 00 that combine wit the floor 134 to forn an open mouth 135 adapted to capture a large c4i a volume of water and to concentrate its pressure as it progresses towards the tuirbine 140.

00 The generator 100 is axially bisymmetrical whereby the opposite end 22 of the generator 00 00 100 is identical but opposed, in shape and configuration relative to the front end 121Ia.

o Accordingly, this fixed installation 100 is aligned, at installation, with the tidal flows.

Ci The orientation of the blades 141 are adapted to be reversed with each change in water o 10 flow direction corresponding to in and out going tides and reverse gears are provided on o the hub 142 whereby to accommodate the reverse flow of water according to the tidal direction. Alternatively, rather than reversing the orientation of the blades 14 1, the hub 142 may be provided with two axially separated sections, each hub section supporting an independent set of blades, a first set adapted to operate with the incoming tide and is the second set adapted to operate with the outgoing tide, the unused set being permitted to rotate freely, disengaged from the gearing connected to the electricity generator 155.

Turning to Figures 6, 7 and 8, there is shown a third embodiment in the form of a tidal power generator 200 that is axially bisyminetrical in a manner similar to that of the second embodiment shown in Figure 4. However, rather than having a substantially ;2o planar floor 134, the power generator 200 includes a raised and inclined floor 234 that acts to increase the pressurisation of the volume of water moving through the mouth 235. By corollary, providing a diverging outgoing mouth 222 facilitates a reduction in pressure on the leeward end of the generator 200, whereby the speed of the water that is pressurised as it approaches the throat 23 6 is accelerated as it travels through the narrowest section of the throat 236 and out through the outgoing mouth 222 to provide fast travelling water as the water engages the spikes 241. Otherwise, the third embodiment is similar to that described in relation to the second embodiment.

Through-out the specification and claims the word "comprise"' and its derivatives is intended to have an inclusive rather than exclusive meaning unless the context requires no otherwise.

It will be appreciated by those skiled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the methods of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention can be described in terms of provisional claims that can assist the skilled reader in understanding the various aspects and preferments of the invention. However, 9 COMS ID No: SBMI-06429534 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:16 Date 2007-02-28 28/02/2007 16:05 61397290046 CHRYSILIOULAWMELB PAGE 13/22 Spec-310107 o these provisional claims are not to be construed as defining statements of the invention.

~It will be appreciated that other forms, aspects and preferred features of the invention Sand its embodiments described herein may'ultimately be included in the claims defining Sthe invention in the specifications of complete, international or national applications (or 00 s their subsequent corresponding patent grants) that may claim priority from the provisional application accompanying this specification. In this context, the following 00 non-limiting claims assist to better describe the invention: 00 00 01 0 0 0 COMS ID No: SBMI-06429534 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:16 Date 2007-02-28

Claims (13)

1. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the power translation means includes turbine.. means adapted to translate the generally linear motion of the flowing water into rotational motion.
2. 3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said guidance means has at least one second wall substantially opposed to at least one of said substantially inflexible walls, at least one of said substantially inflexible walls and at least one of said second opposed walls opposed to each other and converging towards said power translation means.
3. 4. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said guidance means is funnel shaped and the ceiling is continuous with the at least one substantially inflexible wall and the at least one non-parallel wall.
4. 5. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, further including at least one ballast container.
5. 6. The device accordingly to claim 5, wherein at least one wall of at least one said ballast container is shared with at least one wall of said guidance means. 11 COMS ID No: ARCS-159774 Received by IP Australia: Time 14:52 Date 2007-09-05 15/06/2007 13:51 15/B/207 13:1 1397290046 CHRVSILIOULAWMELB PG PAGE 08/09
6. 7- The device according to any one of the preceding claims, further including a framne or n platform on which or in which said electricity generator is located.
7. 8. The device according to claim 7, wherein said device includes said platform and at least one wall of said guidance means forms part of said platforma. 00 00 5 9. The device accordingly to any one of the previous claims, wherein said guidance means 00 o includes a wide mouth remote ftrm said power translation means and a narrow throat Nl close to said power translation means. o tO. The device According to claim 10, wherein said throat at least partially overlaps with said Cl power translation means.
8. 11. The device according to any one of claims 2-10, wherein said guidance means is adjustable relative to said turbine means to vary the torque and/or rotational velocity of said turbine means.
9. 12. The device according to any one of claims 2-1 1, wherein said turbine means includes a turbine having a plurality of evenly spaced impellers.
10. 13. The device according to claim 12, wherein said device is partially submerged and buoyant to float at or near the surface of the water, whereby the upper region of said turbine having said plurality of impellers is raised out of the water to permit return passage of said impellers through air and driven passage of said impellers through water.
11. 14. The device according to claim 12, wherein said device is fully submerged whereby the return passage of the upper region of said turbine is through the water and driven passage of said impellers is also through water, said guidance means directing the approaching water to the lower region of said turbine means. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said power translation means includes reverse means to accommodate the periodic change in the direction of the current of the water.
12. 16. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said guidance means is 12 COMS ID No: SBMI-07783748 Received by IP Australia: Time 13:56 Date 2007-06-15 15/06/2007 13:51 15//267.13:1 1397290646 CHRVSILIOULAWMELE AE 96 PAGE 09/09 in the form of a truncated cone. *17. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said guidance means is in the form of a truncated open pyramid. 00 18. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, further including second 00 5 guidance means opposed to said guidance means on the opposite side of said power 00 translation means whereby, on reversal of the direction of water flow to a second direction, said second guidance means is effective to direct the water approaching said device from said second direction towards said power translation means.
13. 19. The device according to any one of the previous claims further including a rudder on the opposite side of said power translation means to that of said guidance means to ensure that said device tends to align with the water flow. An electricity generation device for generating electricity from the flow of water substantially as herein before described with reference to the company drawings. 13 COMS ID No: SBMI-07783748 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:rn) 13:56 Date 2007-06-15