SUBMERGED WATERWHEEL FOR OCEANIC POWER

摘要

A power generation system (10, Fig. 14) including a fully submergible waterwheel ( 14) mounting a plurality of hydrofoil assemblies (38A) that project wing-like from each side of the rim (30) of the waterwheel. Each hydrofoil assembly (38A) has an onboard servocontrol system (SC) that includes sensor means (60/62)) for sensing the direction of the apparent current (AC) near the leading edge of the assembly (38 A) and generating a local output signal (100) indicative of the angle of attack (AOA) that is fed (on line 100) to actuator (63) together with a reference signal (on line 102) from a central controller (CC) that indicates a target or desired AOA. The actuator (63) then adjusts a trailing flap (68) accordingly. The power generation system (10) may also include detent means (84, 90, 94) that locks each hydrofoil assembly against rotation relative to the nm of waterwheel (14) as it passes through the segment of its travel with the waterwheel (14) in which the hydrofoil assembly (38 A) is moving with the ocean current (OC).