A Gigantic Underwater Turbine Will Harness 'Limitless' Electricity: Here's How
IHI Corporation and New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) have created a 330-ton prototype called "Kairyu" that translates into "ocean current."
Is limitless energy possible? If engineers from Japan are to be trusted, it's already here - just waiting to be harnessed. To this end, IHI Corporation and New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) have created a 330-ton prototype called "Kairyu" that translates into "ocean current."
The giant turbine will not only be able to withstand strong ocean currents, but it'll use this resilience to provide a limitless supply of electricity.
IHI Corp./NEDO
How will Kairyu generate power?
Kairyu consists of a 20 metre-long fuselage supported by a pair of similar-sized cylinders. Each cylinder is home to a power generation system that is connected to an 11 metre-long turbine blade.
It's operation is simple and fascinating. When Kairyu is tethered to the ocean bed using an anchor line and power cables, it can find the best position for energy generation on its own, all through the action in deep-water currents, Science Alert reported.
IHI Corp./NEDO
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The prototype is designed to operate 50 metres below the ocean waves "as it floats towards the surface, the drag created provides the necessary torque on the turbines."
Why Japan needs this
The North Pacific gyre has a strong flow called the Kuroshio current, and scientists wanted to take advantage of this. According to IHI estimates, the current can help Japan meet its electricity needs, generating about 205 gigawatts of electricity.
Unsplash
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In the wake of dwindling support for nuclear energy in Japan in the wake of the Fukushima disaster in 2011, Japanese scientists wanted to take advantage of the vast coastal lines that make up the country. If it all works out, we could see a new era in power generation - all underwater!
What do you think about this experimental programme to use water's natural energy-producing capabilities? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.
References
McRae, M. (2022). Japan Is Dropping a Gargantuan Turbine Into The Ocean to Harness ¡°Limitless¡± Energy. ScienceAlert.
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