Wasp Cumbria News Update October 2020

October 12, 2020
Approaching the final quarter of 2020 we are now assembling both the two and three bladed prototype underwater Turbines with a view to preliminary testing in mid December.

 Initial tests will be to determine which of the two Designs returns the most favourable results during the trials. Both Designs feature the same individual blade shape with the three bladed version having a slightly larger swept area. The Turbines will be suspended on a Test Rig below the water from our support vessel and moored in a 4 – 5 knot tidal stream. Initially the Turbines will be free running and mounted on a fixed shaft to give an indication of rpm for each Turbine. We will also film the Turbines underwater to give us the opportunity to study flow characteristics and turbulence.

Once the early tests have been analysed we will start the process of adding further components to the drive train to monitor additional information. Subject to the data gathered we will formulate a programme to start Design work on a larger version of the selected Turbine along with our ideas for transferring the power transmitted by the Turbine into driving a suitable generator.

Alan Newton, C Eng, MRINA.

Wasp Cumbria News Update June 2015

June 30, 2015

Taking the decision not to attempt a second set of Trials for our tidal Turbine in 2014 has allowed WASP to concentrate more effort and resources into refining in more detail the modifications that we believe will make the improvements to our original design that we are aiming for. It will also give us the opportunity to test several other interesting ideas and concepts, albeit at a smaller scale, that we have been developing alongside our current tidal Turbine project.

Whilst preliminary modifications on our first tidal Turbine have been ongoing, through 2014 to date, there are still several areas that we would like to improve before further Trials. Areas that we are looking at such as the change to a Hydraulic drive system and an innovative method of driving the generator using the hydraulic power will take some time and costs to complete. With one of our main aims being the simplicity of the systems that we are working on, adopting a minimum of moving parts, making the systems as reliable as possible and also offering economical and speedy manufacture we need to ensure that we maintain a robust control of our finances in order to meet our design objectives. As a small Company Funding will play an important role in the timescale to further Trials and indeed to the scale of the Prototypes that we are developing. Certainly the Grants that Wasp has benefited from to date have been extremely useful and attracting further funding is another area that we are actively pursuing as we move forward.

It is worth noting that a number of major Tidal and Wave power projects have unfortunately run into difficulties recently despite having high levels of funding and moving into larger scale manufacture. This would indicate that even systems showing positive and viable levels of return, in early stages of development, can suffer from perhaps being over complicated in what is an extremely harsh and unforgiving environment especially when scaling up in size and in the selection of the location of trials.

Alan Newton, C Eng, MRINA.

 

Wasp Cumbria News Update February 2014

February 3, 2014

Design improvements to help reduce the efficiency losses, highlighted in our trials in 2013, are now complete and component modifications are currently being carried out in order to facilitate a second series of Trials in 2014. In addition we have been developing a novel horizontal axis Tidal Turbine which we hope to test in 2014 to make full use of our existing Floatation unit and other components.

A complete redesign of our Tidal range project is also nearing completion and again in order to maximize resources we will carry out Trials of this system following completion of our Tidal Flow Trials. This will then allow WASP to compare results and identify the next phase of development towards commercialization and provide guidance regarding what additional level of funding will be required.

Alan Newton, C Eng, MRINA.

Wasp Cumbria News Update August 2013

September 19, 2013

The first series of trials for our larger scale Prototype completed between the 12th and 17th June. Floatation Unit, approximately 6M x 5M x 2M, and Turbine safely moored in Walney Channel ready for the Trials of our larger scale Tidal Turbine Project. Assembly of the Floatation Unit, which supported the Turbine, Generator and all […]

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Wasp Cumbria News Update March 2013

March 25, 2013

Having secured Grant Aid from the ‘Innovation in Business’ scheme for our Tidal Flow System the most important step then was to discuss the development further with LUREG to determine how the project could best proceed within the funds available. A Team of eight final year Students have now been working on the development since […]

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Wasp Cumbria News Update August 2012

September 3, 2012

Applications were submitted for Grant funding to both the Carbon Trust and the ‘Innovation in Business’ Grant supported by our local Furness Enterprise and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Although our application progressed through three of the five ‘Gates’ to secure the Carbon Trust Grant we were advised to apply again at a later date and […]

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Wasp Cumbria News Update December 2011

December 20, 2011

Latest News Having completed construction of the major components of our two 1:40 scale Tidal Flow system ‘Prototypes’ it was decided to proceed to testing of the second version only as we believed this to be the more advanced hydrodynamically and would provide us with the best results. Initial ‘proof of Concept’ testing took place […]

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Wasp Cumbria News Update March 2011

March 20, 2011

Following assessment of the Innovation Voucher Report we are now modifying the layout and orientation of our first System. Our original intention was to convert the Tidal Range into a Wind Power force. Whilst this was shown to be possible when testing our small scale prototype the power output of a full size system, indicated […]

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Is The Tide Turning

September 3, 2010

With recorded wind at a 180 year low, and two Major European Utilities Companies involved in the Offshore Wind sector seeking Construction Debt finance from the Banks, now could be the ideal opportunity for Wave and Tidal Power Companies to gain a foothold in the race for a more economical and sustainable Renewable Energy Supply. […]

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Wasp Cumbria News Update August 2010

August 18, 2010

Innovation Voucher Progress Innovation Voucher and Environmental studies for our Renewable Energy idea are progressing well with reports near to ‘draft’ status. Hopefully these can be reviewed over the next month in order to put the final reports together. This will allow us to put together a Business Plan and Proposal that will enable WASP […]

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Innovation Voucher Progress

May 12, 2010

The Academic support for our Sustainable Renewable Energy idea was scheduled to start at the beginning of May and will be spread over several months. As the report and details are developed we will gradually be able to prepare a Presentation that will add significant value to our preliminary ‘Proof of Concept’ prototype. In addition […]

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