GB2473430A

GB2473430A - Test tank for marine energy generator

Info

Publication number: GB2473430A
Application number: GB0915704A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Hales
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-09-09
Filing date: 2009-09-09
Publication date: 2011-03-16
Also published as: GB0915704D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a water tank for testing apparatus for the generation of renewable energy. The apparatus may comprise models or prototypes of water or wave turbines. The tank is annular in shape to allow water for flow continuously around it with the flow being provided by propellers or a paddle wheel. A device for provided waves is also included. The apparatus under test may be held stationary so that water may flow past it. Alternatively the apparatus under tested may be suspended from a moving carriage so that it passes through the water. A key feature of the invention is that it can be easily assembled and dis-assembled and therefore used at different locations.

Description

BACK GROUND

THE FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION COMPRISES RESEARCH

AND DEVELOPMENT APPARATUS AM) EQUIPMENT FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY COLLECTION DEVICES, MORE SPECIFICALLY, MARINE RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES, NAMELY TIDAL AND OCEAN CURRENT FLOWS AND WAVE ACTIONS.

THE WORLD'S REQUIREMENT FOR ENERGY IS WITHOUT QUESTION AND THE SEARCH FOR ALTERNATiVE AND RENEWABLE SOURCES HAS BECOME WIDE SPREAD AND VERY URGENT.

ONE OF THE LARGEST AREAS OF KNOWN RENEWABLE POWER

RESOURCES IS THE LARGE MOVEMENTS OF WATER AROUND THE

GLOBE.

MOST COUNTRIES THAT HAVE ACCESS TO THESE RENEWABLE

RESOURCES ARE CONDUCTING MANY FORMS OF RESEARCH AND

DEVELOPMENT INTO THE VARIOUS FORMS OF ENERGY

COLLECTION DEVICES POSSIBLE SUCH AS WAVE GENERATORS AND

TIDAL STREAM TURBINES.

WHILE MANY IDEAS CAN BE FORMULATED IN THIS MODERN AGE BY

USING COMPUTER MODELLING PROGRAMMES AND THE LIKE, AT

SOME STAGE THE WATER POWER TURBINE OR GENERATOR HAS TO

BE TESTED IN ITS TRUE ENVIRONMENT OR IN A CLOSE PROXIMATY

TO IT, NOT ONLY TO CONFIRM IT'S OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES

BUT TO UNDERSTAND ITS EFFICIENCY AND SURVIVABILITY IN ITS

PROBLEMS TO OVERCOME

WITH WiND DRIVEN ENERGY COLLECTING DEVICES IT IS PRETTY

SIMPLE TO CONSTRUCT A SCALED MODEL OR PROTOTYPE AND

TRANSPORT SAME TO A SUITABLE LOCATION SUCH AS A HILL TOP

ON A WINDY DAY AND OBSERVING THE PERFORMANCE, REPEATING

THIS ACTION ON SELECTED DAYS AS THE WIND FORCES VARY AND

WITH SUITABLE TESTING AND RECORDING INSTRUMENTS, A CLEAR

UNDERSTANDING OF THE POTENTIAL OR OTHERWISE OF THE

DEVICE CAN THEN BE MADE.

TO CARRY OUT THE SAME PRIMARY MODEL OR PROTOTYPE

TESTING WITH WATER DRiVEN ENERGY COLLECTING DEVICES, THE CHANCES OF FINDING A SUITABLE LOCATION THAT GiVE THE RANGE OF WATER FLOW SPEEDS, DEPTHS OF WATER, EASY ACCESS, SAFE AND COST FREE ARE REMOTE, THE SAME WITH WAVE PA1TERNS AND SIZES, EVEN WHEN ACCESSING THESE ENERGY SOURCES BY BOAT, THE CRAFI' HAS TO BE LARGE ENOUGH TO PROVIDE A STABLE TESTING PLATFORM.

TILE NORMAL MANNER TO CONDUCT TillS TYPE OF TESTING IS TO

USE ONE OF TILE SPECIAL TOW OR WATER FLOW TANKS LOCATED

AROUND THE WORLD.

NORMAL TOW TANKS ARE SPECIALLY CONSTRUCTED ITEMS, RANGING FROM 30 METRES IN LENGTH UP TO 100 METRES AND BEYOND. THEIR APPEARANCE IS AS A LONG CHANNEL OR TROUGH, CONSTRUCTED NORMALLY WITH CONCRETE, CLOSED OFF EACH END AND FILLED WITH WATER. EITHER SIDE OF TillS TROUGH OR

CHANNEL WOULD BE A TRACK OR RAIL RUNNING THE FULL

LENGTH TO ALLOW A FORM OF MOVABLE CARRIAGE TO TRAVEL

ITS LENGTH.

MODELS OR PROTOTYPES ARE THEN SUSPENDED BELOW THE

CARRIAGE INTO THE WATER, AND BY MOVING THE CARRIAGE

ALONG TILE TRACK AT VARIOUS SPEEDS A SIMILATION OF WATER

FLOWING PAST THE MODEL OR PROTOTYPE CAN BE ACHIEVED.

THE WATER WITIHN THE TOW TANK WILL BE STILL AND

TIJRBIJLANCE FREE.

ANOTHER FORM OF WATER TESTING TANK IS CALLED A FLOW

TANK, THESE CAN BE VARIOUS SHAPES BUT NORMALLY CIRCULAR

AND HAVE A SYSTEM BY WHICH THE WATER CONTAINED WITHIN IS

CIRCULATED AT VARIOUS FLOW RATES AND DEVICES TO BE

TESTED ARE SUSPENDED INTO THE FLOW FROM ABOVE ETC, AGAIN

THESE FLOW TANKS ARE NORMALLY CONSTRUCTED WITH

CONCRETE WALLS TO CONTAIN THE HEAVY WEIGHT OF WATER

WITHIN.

ANOTHER FORM OF WATER TESTING TANK IS CALLED A WATER

FLUME. THIS FORM OF WATER TESTING TANK IS NORMALLY

CONSTRUCTED AS AN OBLONG TANK SUSPENDED WITHIN ANOTHER

LARGER OBLONG TANK. TO OPERATE, WATER IS PUMPED INTO ONE END OF THE INNER OBLONG TANK, WHICH MAY HAVE A

SLIGHT SLOPE TO INDUCE FLOW TO THE OTHER END WHERE IT IS

ALLOWED TO ESCAPE INTO THE OUTER OBLONG TANK WHERE IT IS

RECIRCULATED BACK. A FLUME TEST TANK IS NORMALLY

SHALLOW AND TURBULANT AND SMALL EN COMPARISION TO TOW

AND FLOW TANKS.

ALL THESE FORMS OF TANK ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO CONSTRUCT

AND MAINTAIN. BECAUSE OF ThIS VERY FEW HAVE BEEN

CONSTRUCTED AND AVAILABILTY FOR HIRE OR RESEARCH IS VERY

LIMITED AND COSTLY.

ADVANTAGES

BEING ABLE TO TEST WATER FLOW OR WAVE ENERGY RENEWABLE

DEVICES IN A SIMPLE, LOW CONSTRUCTION COSTING BUT MULTI

FUNCTIONAL WATER TESTING TANK WOULD BE A GREAT

ADVANTAGE, ALLOWING A VAST NUMBER OF POTENTIAL DESIGNS

AND DEVICES TO BE SIMPLY TESTED AT THE PRIMARY STAGE IN

THEIR TRUE ENVIRONMENT BEFORE GOING FORWARD TO THE

NEXT STAGES OF SITE TRIALS IN TRUE OPERATING CONDITIONS

WhICH ABE COMPLICATED AND COSTLY.

ORIGINALLY, TOW TANKS WHERE DESIGNED TO TEST HULL FORMS OF SHIPS AND SUCH VESSELS TO RESEARCH BETItR HULL FORMS AND THEREFORE IMPROVE SPEED OR SEAKEEPING ETC.

TillS IS WHY TOW TANKS HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED LONG AND NARROW IN THE PAST WHICH WOULD ALSO THEN SHOW THE SHIP'S BOW WAVE AND WAKE PAITERNS TO THE DESIGNERS.

TIDAL STREAM TURBINES AND MOST WAVE GENERATORS

REQUIRE THE SAME WATER FLOWS PAST THEM BUT ARE COMPACT

IN FORM AS AGAINST A LONG SLIM SHIP'S HuLL FORM AN]) CAN BE

EASILY TESTED IN A TANK WITH CURVED WALLS PROVIDED THE

WATER FLOWS PAST THE DEVICE BEING TESTED ARE SUITABLE.

THE MANY ADVANTAGES OF THIS NEW FORM OF WATER

TESTING TANK CAN BE LISTED: 1. SIMPLER AND EASIER TO CONSTRUCT.

2. TAKE liP SOME MUCH LESS SPACE.

3. MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE MATERIALS IN CONSTRUCTION.

4. NOT A PERMANENT STRUCTURE, CAN BE DISMANTLED AND MOVED.

5. SECTIONAL CONSTRUCT, CAN BE CONTAINERISED AND SHIPPED 6. WITH VARIOUS FORMS OF ATTAChMENTS CAN BE OPERATED IN MANY ALTERNATIVE WAYS, TOW, FLOW, OR WAVE TANK MODE ETC.

7. A CIRCULAR TEST TANK WILL ALLOW LONGER TESTING PERIODS INSTEAD OF SINGLE LENGTH SOLO RUNS.

8. AS A MOVEABLE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, THE TANK COULD BE SHARED BY ORGANISATIONS AND MOVED TO OTHER SiTES OR HIRED OUT.

9. AS A FREE STANDING TANK AT GROUND LEVEL THE TANK IS EASY TO DRAIN OUT AND DISMANTLE.

10. SIMPLE TO CHANGE ATFACHMENTS FOR ALTERNATIVE TESTING METHODS.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG 1 A PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION (WITH REDUCED NUMBER OF ASSEMBLY SECTIONS SHOWN FOR CLARITY).

FIG 2 SIDE VIEW OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT.

FIG 3 CUT THROUGH SIDE VIEW OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT.

FIG 4 TOP PLAN VIEW OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT SHOWING OPTIONAL WATER FLOW RESTICTION DOOR ASSEMBLIES, OPTIONAL TRAVELLING TEST EQUIPMENT CARRIAGE ETC, (WITH REDUCED NUMBER OF ASSEMBLY PARTS SHOWN FOR CLARITY) FIG 5 VIEW OF MULTI-SECTIONAL WATER TANK SECTION JOiNTiNG.

FIG 6 CUT THROUGH SIDE VIEW (SINGLE SECTION) OF PREFERRED

EMBODIMENT SHOWING OPTIONAL WAVE MAKING DEVICE AND

ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

FIG 7 CUT THROUGH SIDE VIEW (SINGLE SECTION) OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT SHOWING OPTIONAL WATER BAFFLE.

FIGS CUT THROUGH SIDE VIEW (SINGLE SECTION) OF PREFERRED

EBODIMENT SHOWING OPTIONAL STATIC TEST EQUIPMENT CARRIAGE

AND SUPPORT FOR TURBINE PROTOTYPE VERTICAL POWER TAKE OFF

SHAFT.

FIG 9 CUT THROUGH SIDE VIEW (SINGLE SECTION) OF PREFERRED

EMBODIMENT SHOWING OPTIONAL TRAVELLING TEST EQUIPMENT

CARRIAGE AND SUPPORT FOR TURBiNE PROTOTYPE VERTICAL POWER TAKE OFF SHAFT.

FIG 10 CUT THROUGH SIDE VIEW (SINGLE SECTION) OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT SHOWING OPTIONAL WATER CIRCULATING SOURCE. (A) (OUTBOARD MOTORS TYPE) FIG!! CUT THROUGH SIDE VIEW (SINGLE SECTION) OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT SHOWING OPTIONAL WATER CIRCULATING SOURCE (B) (PADDLE WHEEL TYPE)

LIST OF EMBODIMENT PARTS FOR EASIER REFERENCE

1 MULTI-SECTIONAL WATER TEST TANK 2 OUTER TEST TANK WALL SECTION 3 INNER TEST TANK WALL SECTION 4 CENTRAL SUPPORT POST

ADJUSTABLE INNER WALL SECTION SUPPORT

6 INNER CARRIAGE TRACK 7 OUTER CARRIAGE TRACK 8 OUTER TANK WALL SUPPORT CABLE/CHAIN 9 OUTER TANK WALL SUPPORT CABLE/CHA[N

TENSIONER

TEST TANK FLOOR SECTION

11 ANGLE STEEL SECTIONAL FRAMiNG 12 RUBBER INSERTION JOINTING 13 OBSERVATION WINDOW 14 FRAME ASSEMBLY NUTS & BOLTS

TEST TANK DRAIN GATE VALVE

16 VERTICAL AXIS TURBINE PROTOTYPE 17 TRAVELLING CARRIAGE ATFACHMENT 18 TRAVELLING CARRIAGE ATTACHMENT

STABILIZING EXTENSION ARM

19 TRAVELLING CARRIAGE ATTACHMENT BEARING

OPTIONAL FLOW CONTROL DOORS

21 OPTIONAL FLOW CONTROL DOOR TRIGGER

DEVICES

22 STATIC CARRIAGE ATTACHMENT 23 WATER CIRCULATING DEVICE (PADDLE WHEEL TYPE) 24 WATER BAFFLE DEVICE WATER CIRCULATING DEVICE \OUTBOARD MOTOR TYPE) 26 WAVE MAKING ATTACHMENT WITH COLLECTION TANK & PUMPS.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFFERED EMBODIMENT

THE PRESENT INVENTION GENERALLY COMPRISES A CIRCULAR,

SECTIONAL AND DEMOUNTABLE MULTI-FUNCTIONAL MARINE

ENERGY TESTING TANK IN A TOROIDAL SHAPE TO PROVIDE SIMPLE

BUT COMPREHENSIVE EFFICIENCY TESTING FUNCTIONS FOR WATER

FLOW TURBINE DEVICES AND WAVE GENERATION DEVICES IN AN

ECONOMICAL MANNER.

WITH REGARD TO FIGS 1,2,3 & 4, THE MULTI-SECTIONAL WATER TEST TANK 1 INCLUDES A NUMBER OF OUTER TANK WALL SECTIONS 2 AND A MATCHING NUMBER OF INNER TANK WALL SECTIONS 3 BOTH

ARRANGED CIRCULAR IN FORM WIIICH CREATES A TOROIDAL SHAPE

WHEN MATED TO TANK FLOOR SECTIONS 10 OF SIMILAR MATERIAL.

THIS SIMPLE CONSTRUCTION OF MULTI-SECTIONAL WATER TEST

TANK 1IS SUPPORTED INTERNALLY WITH EACH INNER TANK WALL SECTION 3 BRACED OUT FROM A CENTRE SUPPORT POST 4 WITH AN ADJUSTABLE INNER SECTION SUPPORT 5, THIS ADJUSTABLE INNER

SECTION SUPPORTS CAN BE SIMILAR IN DESIGN TO STEEL SCREWED

SUPPORT PROPS USED IN THE BUILDING INDUSTRY.

THE OUTER TEST TANK WALL SECTIONS 2 ARE SUPPORTED FROM THE CONTAINED WATER PRESSURE BY SEVERAL CABLES/CHAINS 8 ENCIRCLING THE COMPLETE MULTI-SECTIONAL WATER TEST TANK 1, THESE CABLES/CHAINS 8 ARE TENSIONED EVENLY BY SUITABLE SCREW TYPE ADJUSTABLE TENSIONERS 9 COMMON FOR ThIS APPLICATION.

THE PRIMARY TEST TANK CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETED WITH AN

INNER CARRIAGE TRACK 6 AND AN OUTER CARRIAGE TRACK 7 FITIED TO THE TOP EDGES OF THE INNER WALL SECTIONS 3 AND OUTER WALL SECTIONS 2 RESPECTIVELY.

EACH SECTION OF THE MULTI-SECTIONAL WATER TEST TANK uS

MATED AND SEALED TO THE NEXT SECTION OF MULTI-SECTIONAL

WATER TEST TANK! BY STANDARD RUBBER INSERTION JOINTING 12 INSTALLED BETWEEN STEEL ANGLED FRAMING!! FITFED TO THE OUTER EDGES OF EACH WATER TEST TANK SECTION. THE WATER TANK

SECTIONS ARE COMPRESSED TOGETHER BY USE OF MULTIPLE

NUMBERS OF STANDARD NUTS AND BOLTS 14, T AS SHOWN IN FIG 5, TO MAKE THE COMPLETE ASSEMBLY WATER TIGHT.

A STANDARD GATE VALVE 15 IS F1TITED THROUGH THE WATER TEST

TANK WALL BY FLANGES AT LOW LEVEL FOR EASE OF DRAINING OUT

THE WATER.

THE PRESENT INVENTION CAN BE USED IN MULTIPLE WAYS, EACH

METHOD OF OPERATION ALLOWING DIFFERENT TYPES OF RENEWABLE

ENERGY DEVICES TO BE TESTED AND ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF

PERFORMANCE DATA RECORDED. THIS CAN BE ACHIEVED BY INSTALLING A VARIETY OF ATTACHMENTS THAT ARE FH lED TO OR

ARE PLACED ON THE CARRIAGE TRACK SYSTEM OF THE WATER TEST

TANK

IN FIG 9, THE MULTI-FUNCTIONAL WATER TEST TANK 1 IS

ARRANGED TO CARRY OUT TESTS ON A VERTICAL AXIS TURBINE

DEVICE USING A TRAVELLiNG CARRIAGE ATTACHMENT 17. THIS TRAVELLING CARRIAGE ATFACHMENT 17 WILL HAVE DRIVEN WHEELS

ANGLED AND DIMENSIONED TO TRAVEL SECURELY WITHIN THE INNER

CARRIAGE TRACK 6 AND OUTER CARRIAGE TRACK 7 FOR FULL ROTATIONS OF THE MULTI-SECTIONAL WATER TEST TANK!. THE TRAVELLING CARRIAGE ATTACHMENT 17 WILL CARRY ALL THE TESTING EQUIPMENT NEEDED INCLUDING A DYNAMOMETER ETC,

TOGETHER WITH THE TRAVELLING CARRIAGE DRIVE MOTORS AND

GEARS NEEDED TO DRIVE THE ATTACHMENT AT VARIOUS TRAVEL

SPEEDS ABOVE THE STATIC WATER CONTAINED WITHIN THE MULTI-

SECTIONAL WATER TEST TANK 1.

THE TRAVELLING CARRIAGE ATTACHMENT 17 IS STABILISED BY USING A RIDGED FRAMED EXTENSION 18 CONNECTED TO THE CENTRE SUPPORT POST 4 WITH A ROLLER BEARING 19 AS SEEN IN DRAWING FIG 4. WHILE ALLOWING FULL ROTATION.

AS THE TURBINE PROTOTYPES ARE BEING CARRIED FORWARDS

THROUGH THE WATER DURING THIS FORM OF TOW TEST, THE

TENDANCY WOULD BE FOR THE STATIC WATER FROM THE START OF

THE TEST TO BEGIN ROTATING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS THE

TURBINE PROTOTYPE BEING MOVED, THIS ACTION IS GREATLY REDUCED BY USING THE OPTIONAL FLOW CONTROL DOORS 20 WHICH

ARE LOCATED ON OPPOSITE SIDES TO EACH OTHER AT TWO

LOCATIONS WITHIN THE MULTI-SECTIONAL WATER TEST TANK'S INNER TANK WALL SECTIONS 3 AND OUTER TANK WALL SECTIONS 4.

THESE FLOW CONTROL DOORS 20 ARE MADE TO MOVE FORWARDS AND BACKWARDS BY ANY STANI)ARD HYDRAULIC ARM ANT) PUMP SYSTEM IN COMMON USE AND ACTUATED BY TRIGGERING DEVICES 21 AS THE TURBINE TEST PIECE 16 PASSES.LOCATED ON THE TRAVELLING CARRIAGE ATFACHEMENT 17. AS THE TRAVELLING CARRIAGE ATTACHMENT 17 MOVES AROUND THE MULTI-SECTIONAL WATER TEST TANK 1, ONE FLOW CONTROL DOOR 20 WiLL ALWAYS BE IN THE CLOSED POSITION, AND AS WATER IS NON COMPRESSIVE AN]) HEAVY, THE CIRCULATION OF WATER WITHIN THE WATER TEST TANK 55 WILL BE MINIMAL, ALLOWING TESTiNG PERIODS TO BE OF LONGER DURATION, MUCH LONGER THAN A STANDARD STRAIGHT TOW TEST

TANK WHERE THE MOVING CARRIAGE HAS TO BE STOPPED AND

RETURNED EACH TIME.

AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF TESTING POSSIBLE WITH THIS FORM

OF MULTI-SECTIONAL WATER TEST TANK! Is AS A FLOW TEST TANK, IN THIS CONFIGURATION, THE STATIC CARRIAGE ATTACHMENT 22 IS USED WHICH AGAIN LOCATES ON THE INNER CARRIAGE TRACK 6 AND OUTER CARRIAGE TRACK 7 BUT IS SECURED IN A STATIC POSITION

WITH BOLTS AS A STANDARD PRACTICE WHICH ALLOWS REMOVAL ON

COMPLETION OF TESTS.

THE TEST EQUIPMENT AND TURBINE PROTOTYPE PIECE ARE

CONFIGURED AS FOR THE TRAVELLING CARRIAGE ATTACHMENT 17

BUT THE CONTAINED WATER WITH THE MULTI-SECTIONAL WATER

TEST TANK 1IS MADE TO CIRCULATE.

THE OPTIONAL FLOW CONTROL DOORS 20 ARE NOT REQUIRED FOR THIS FORM OF TESTING AND REMAIN IN THE OPEN POSITION.

IF THIS FORM OF TESTING REQUIRES THE FLOWING WATER TO BE

SMOOTH AND NON TURBULANT THEN TWO FURTHER ATTACHMENTS

ARE USED. FIRST, A SIMPLE PADDLE WHEEL WATER CIRCULATING ATTACHMENT 23, SEE FIG 11, WHICH IS ATTACHED FIRMLY TO THE INNER CARRIAGE TRACK 6 AND OUTER CARRIAGE TRACK 7 FOR THE DURATION OF THE TEST PERIOD. ANY STANDARD FORM OF

ROTATORY ENGINE OR MOTOR CAN BE USED TO ROTATE THIS PADDLE

WHEEL WATER CIRCULATING ATTACHMENT 23.

TO REDUCE ANY WATER EDDIES AND TURBULANCE FURTHER, A SET OF TUBULAR WATER BAFFLES 24, SEE FIG 7 AND FIG 4, ARE FIXED IN THE MULTI-SECTIONAL WATER TEST TANK! BETWEEN THE LOCATION OF THE PADDLE WHEEL WATER CIRCULATING ATTACHMENT 23 AND THE TURBINE PROTOTYPE BEING TESTED.

SHOULD THE TESTED TURBINE PROTOTYPE REQUIRE THE WATER

FLOWS TO BE MUCH FASTER AND TURBULANT THEN AN OUTBOARD

MOTOR POWERED WATER CIRCULATING ATFACHIvIENT 25 CAN BE USED WITHOUT ThE TUBULAR WATER BAFFLES 24 TO ACHIEVE THIS.

SEE FIG 10, ALSO ADDED OBJECTS CAN BE PLACED IN THE WATER

FLOW TO CREATE EXTRA TUIRBULANCE AND ADD TO THE AREA LOAD

TESTiNG ON THE DEVICES UNDER TEST.

SHOULD PRIMARY TESTING FOR WAVE GENERATOR DEVICE

PROTOTYPES WHICH REQUIRE A OSCILLATORY WAVE ACTION BE

REQUIRED, THEN THE WATER LEVEL WITHIN THE MULTI-SECTIONAL WATER TEST TANK! CAN BE REDUCED AND A WAVE FORMING ATFACHMENT 26, SEE FIG 6, BE ATFACHED FIRMLY TO THE INNER CARRIAGE TRACK 6 AND THE OUTER CARRIAGE TRACK 7 FOR THE DURATION OF THE TEST PERIOD ONLY. THIS WAVE FORMING ATTACHMENT 26 WHICH HAS A FLAT FRONTAL BLADE ASSEMBLY,

COMMON TO MANY WAVE MAKING DEVICES WHICH CAN BE

MOTIONED BY AN AIR OR HYDRAULIC RAM, AGAIN, COMMON EQUIPMENT FOR THIS PURPOSE.

THE REAR OF THE WAVE FORMING ATFACHMENT 26 WILL CONSIST OF

A COLLECTION WATER TANK AND SUBMERISABLE PUMP

ARRANGEMENT TO COLLECT TFIE RETURNING WAVE ACTION WATER

AND PUMP THIS COLLECTED WATER BACK INTO THE MAIN TEST TANK

BY REMOVING THE WAVE FORM AfTER if HAS PASSED THE WAVE GENERATOR PROTOTYPE, WHICH CAN BE MOORED IN ANY LOCATION SUITABLE WiTHIN THE TANK, A MUCH MORE CONSISTANT WAVE FORM CAN BE REPEATED.

THE MULTI-SECTIONAL WATER TEST TANK! CAN EASILY BE DRAIN AT ANY TIME BY OPENING THE DRAIN VALVE 15 LOCATED LOW DOWN ON THE TEST TANK WALL.

THE MULTI-SECTIONAL WATER TEST TANK! CAN THEN BE EASILY DISASSEMBLED AND PLACED WiTHIN A STANDARD SIZE SHIPPING

CONTAINER TYPE UNIT FOR MOVEMENT TO ANOTHER LOCATION OR

STORAGE.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION

THE PRESENT INVENTION GENERALLY COMPRISES A CIRCULAR, TOROII)AL SHAPED TANK TYPE STRUCTURE CAPABLE OF HOLDING A FLUID, IN THIS CASE WATER.

THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION IS BY REPEATED MODULAR

SECTIONS, MADE FROM ANY SUITABLE SHEET MATERIAL, JOINED TOGETHER WiTH STANDARD NUT AND BOLT FIXINGS AND SUITABLE WATERPROOF GASKET JOINTING.

TO COMPLETE THE TOROIDAL SHAPE, A EQUAL NUMBER OF OUTSIDE AND INSIDE WALL SECTIONS, COMBINE WITH THE SAME NUMBER OF

FLOOR SECTIONS ARE BOLTED TOGETHER TO MAKE UP THE COMPLETE

CIRCLE.

TO ALLOW THIS FORM OF MODULAR WATER TEST TANK TO

CONTAIN AND SUPPORT THE VOLUME OF WATER WHEN FELLED AS

WELL AS ANY PRESSURES WHEN TESTING AND ADDING ANY WATER

CURCULATION ATFACHMENTS TO TILE TANK WALLS, A MULTIPLE OF

ADJUSTABLE BUT RIDGED SUPPORTS RADIATE OUT FROM A CENTRAL

SUPPORT POST TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE INNER WALL, WHILE IN ADDiTION THE OUTER WALL SECTIONS ARE ENCASED IN SEVERAL

RINGS OF CABLE OR CHAIN WITH TENSIONERS TO PREVENT OUF WARD

EXPANSION.

THE TOROIDAL SHAPED TANK IS FURTHER STRENGTHEN BY A

STRONG CARRIAGE TRACK ARRANGEMENT FWFED TO THE TOPS OF

THE INNER AND OUTER WALLS, WHICH AS WELL AS STRENGTHENING THE STRUCTURE, PROVIDES A GUIDE FOR THE TRAVELLING CARRIAGE

ATTACHMENT AND ALSO A SECURE FIXING POSITION FOR THE MANY

OTHER STATIC ATFACHMENTS AND EQUIPMENT.

A LARGE NUMBER OF WATER FLOWS AND WATER CONDITIONS

TOGETHER WITH VARIOUS WAVE SIZES ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE

RANGE OF ATTACHMENTS DESIGNED WITH THE WATER TEST TANK

THE FREE STANDING AND MODULAR CONSTRUCTION ALSO ALLOWS

RAPID ASSEMBLY AND DISMANTLING, ALSO ALL THE COMPONANTS CAN BE FITtED IN A STANDARD SHIPPING CONTAINER, MAKING IT

POSSIBLE TO RAPIDLY MOVE THE COMPLETE UNIT TO ANOTHER

LOCATION OR FOR STORAGE UNTIL NEEDED.

THE WIDE RANGE OF WATER FLOW SPEEDS AND CONDITIONS POSSIBLE

TO CREATE AND TO MODWY WITH THIS RANGE OF ATTACHMENTS

MAKE THIS INVENTION A GREAT ADVANCE IN MARINE ENERGY

RESEARCH

Claims

CLAIMS1. A DEVICE FOR PROVIDING REPEATABLE TESTING FOR WATER FLOW AN]) WAVE MOVEMENT RENEWABLE ENERGY COLLECTING DEVICES, THAT CAN BE ASSEMBLED AN]) DISMANTLED AT WILL FOR RELOCATION.
2. A DEVICE FOR PROVIDING REPEATABLE TESTING ACCORDING TO CLAIM!, IN WHICH A WATER TURBINE PROTOTYPE CAN BE MOVED THROUGH STATIC WATER CONTINUOUSLY.
3. A DEVICE FOR PROVIDING REPEATABLE TESTING ACCORDING TO CLAIM!, IN WHICH A WATER TURBINE PROTOTYPE CAN BEFIXED ABOVE SMOOTH FLOWING WATER FOR TESTINGCONTINUOUSLY.
4. A DEVICE FOR PROVIDING REPEATABLE TESTING ACCORDING TO CLAIM!, IN WHICH A WATER TURBINE PROTOTYPE CAN BEFIXED ABOVE FAST MOVING AND TURBULANT WATER FLOWSFOR TESTING CONTINUOUSLY.
5. A DEVICE FOR PROVIDING REPEATABLE TESTING ACCORDING TO CLAIM 1, IN, WHICH WAVE MOVEMENT GENERATOR PROTOTYPES CAN BE, TESTED CONTINUOUSLY WITH CONSISTANT WAVE FORMS.