TIDAL POWER TIDAL POWER Proceedings of an International Conference on the Utilization of Tidal Power held May 24-29, 1970, at the Atlantic Industrial Research Institute, Nova Scotia Technical College, Halifax, Nova Scotia Edited by T. J. Gray Director, Atlantic Industrial Research Institute Nova Scotia Technical College Halifax, Nova Scotia and O.K.Gashus Head, Electrical Engineering Department Nova Scotia Technical College Halifax, Nova Scotia ~ PLENUM PRESS • NEW YORK-LONDON • 1972 First Printing -February 1972 Second Printing -January 1973 Third Printing -July 1977 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 70-179031 ISBN-13: 978-1-4613-4594-7 e-ISBN-13: 978-1-4613-4592-3 001: 10.1007/978-1-4613-4592-3 © 1972 Plenum Press, New York Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1s t edition 1972 A Division of Plenum Publishing Corporation 227 West 17th Street, New York, N.Y. 10011 All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher FOREWORD At a time when public attention is focused on the environment, while simultaneously society is increasing at an ever-accelerating rate its demand for electrical power, the possibility of utilizing the power of the oceans by pollution free tidal power generation is most attractive. Tidal power has been used to a limited extent over several centuries but only recently has any sig nificant effort been dedicated to realizing some of the vast potential. The first pilot project at La Rance has now been operating successfully for several years and the second experimental station using up-dated construc tion techniques has been in operation at Kislaya Guba since 1969. These projects have contributed valuable experience and establish the technical feasibility of this important source of electrical power, while providing guid ance in those areas requiring further development to realize economic viability. More than fifty sites can be readily identified around the world where tidal power schemes could realistically be developed. With improvements in technology, this number might well be extended by utilization of a large number of river estuaries. Such developments must be considered not only on the basis of the production of electrical power but also in respect of associated benefits. Considerable bodies of water would be partially confined, thereby improving recreational facilities as has already been experienced at La Rance. The reduction in tidal extremes can improve land utilization in the vicinity by the elimination of flooding, while the tidal basin itself enhances the possibility of fish farming . Transportation systems can use with advantage highways con structed above the tidal barrage and secondary industry can be confidently anticipated as developing both during the development and construction of the tidal power installation and subsequently. These many advantages can result from a power generating system essentially free of environmental hazard. Tidal power has significantly less effect on the ecology than even conventional hydro-electric systems, where the flooding of large areas has a profound effect. Inherently tidal power schemes leave the tidal regimen controlled but essentially unchanged. The penalty for this in the past has been higher cost but this has now been entirely changed by improvements in the technology, rising cost of conventional systems, sharply rising cost and projected shortages of fuel and the cost of pollution control. v vi FOREWORD This International Conference has brought together world experts in an overall consideration of the many complexities involved in the realization of large tidal power projects. The Conference provided a forum for extended discussions, which have been embodied in the revised articles from the partic ipating authors. It has been effective in no small measure in stimulating renewed interest in Tidal Power in general and the Bay of Fundy scheme in particular. The Editors wish to express their sincere appreciation for a supporting grant from the Federal Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, Ottawa, the use of the facilities of Nova Scotia Technical College and of the Atlantic Industrial Research Institute, and for the assistance of many members of their staff. Particular acknowledgment is made to Mr. C. Maclennan (Harza Eng ineering), Mr. l. Kirkpatrick (Nova Scotia Power Commission), and to the Board of Trustees of the Atlantic Industrial Research Institute for their sus taining interest and assistance during the planning period. The sincere appreciation of the Editors and Conferees is extended to the Province of Nova Scotia, to the Voluntary Economic Planning Board of Nova Scotia, to the Royal Bank of Canada, and to the Halifax Herald Limited, for entertainment during the Conference, and to the numerous organizations who contributed in many ways to its success. A very special acknowledgment is due to Linda Flanders, who prepared the preprint manuscripts and acted in so many important ways as general secretary for the Conference. The preprints, which contributed notably to the success of the Conference, were produced with the personal assistance of Mr. George Baker of the Kentville Advertiser, many at the eleventh hour. A final acknowledgment is due to Shirley Tutt, who completed the arduous pre paration of the manuscript of these Proceedings. T. J. Gray O. K. Gashus Halifax, Nova Scotia June, 1971 CONTRIBUTORS L. B. Bernshtein, Institute Hydroproject, The Ministry of Power and Electrification of the U.S.S.R., Moscow, U.S.S.R. M. Braikevitch, English Electric-AEI Turbine Generators, Ltd., G. E. C. Power Engineering Ltd., Liverpool, England H. A. Erith, The Shawinigan Engineering Company, Ltd., Montreal, Quebec, Canada H. E. Fentzloff, Hochtief AG, Essen, West Germany J. D. Gwynn, Engineering and Power Development Consultants, Kent, England R. V. L. Hall, Olin Corporation, Metals Research Laboratories, New Haven, Connecticut N. S. Heaps, Institute of Coastal Oceanography and Tides, Bidston Observatory, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England F. L. Lawton, Atlantic Tidal Power Programming Board, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Georges Mauboussin, ancien Directeur de la d'Equipement R~gion Mar~motrice, d'Electricit~ de France J. F. McGurn, The International Nickel Company of Canada Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada R. M. McMullen, Atlantic Oceanographic Laboratory, Bedford Institute, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada V. M. Odd, Ministry of Technology, Hydraulics Research Station, Wallingford, England M. W. Owen, Ministry of Technology, Hydraulics Research Station, Wallingford, England viii CONTRIBUTORS F. E. Parkinson, laSalle Hydraulic Laboratory, laSalle, Quebec, Canada B. R. Pelletier, Atlantic Oceanographic Laboratory, Bedford Institute, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada M. J. Pryor, Olin Corporation, Metals Research Laboratories, New Haven, Connecticut E. Ruus, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada B. Severn, Balfour, Beatty and Company, Limited, Croydon, England T. L. Shaw, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, England T. J. Sluymer, H. G. Acres Limited, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada K. E. Sorenson, Harza Engineering Company, Chicago, Illinois F. Spaargaren, Waterloopkundige Afdeling van de Deltadienst, The Hague, Netherlands M. C. Swales, Montreal Engineering Company, Montreal, Quebec, Canada P. R. Tozer, H. G. Acres Limited, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada A. N. T. Varzeliotis, Engineering Division, Inland Waters Branch, Department of Energy, Mines, and Resources, Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada D. H. Waller, Atlantic Industrial Research Institute, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada J. G. Warnock, Acres Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada C. R. Wilder, Portland Cement Association, Public Works and Transportation Section, Skokie, Illinois E. M. Wilson, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salford, Lancashire, England J. A. M. Wilson, H. G. Acres Limited, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada A. J. Woestenenk, Bitumarin, Zaltbomm.el, Netherlands CONTENTS Keynote Address: Tidal Power in the Bay of Fundy by F. L. Lawton Economics of Tidal Power 105 by F. L. Lawton Mathematical Model of Tidal Regimes in the Bay of Fundy 131 by F. E. Parkinson Sedimentation Patterns in the Bay of Fundy and Minas Basin 153 by B. R. Pelletier and R. M. McMullen L'Usine Maremotrice de la Rance 189 by G. Mauboussin Kislaya Guba Experimental Tidal Power Plant and Problem 215 of the Use of Tidal Energy by L. B. Bernshtein Tidal Power from Cook Inlet, Alaska 239 by E. M. Wilson and M. C. Swales The Tidal Power Plant "San Jose" Argentine 257 by H. E. Fentzloff Some Considerations of a Possible New Role for Tidal Power 267 by T. L. Shaw Pumped-Storage Tidal Power 277 by K. E. Sorensen 295 The Total Contribution of Tidal Energy to the System by J. G. Warnock and J. A. M. Wilson Integration of Tidal Energy into Public Electricity Supply 307 by E. M. Wi Ison and B. Severn ix x CONTENTS Some Electrical Design and Operational Aspects of a Large 323 Tidal Power Development by H. A. Erith Modern Techniques for Barrage Construction 337 by J. D. Gwynn, F. Spaargaren and A. J. Woestenenk Precast Floated in Construction as Applied to Tidal Power 365 Developments by P. R. Tozer and T. J. Sluymer Power Unit and Sluice Gate Design for Tidal Installations 379 by E. Ruus Tidal Power: Research Subjects and Some Ideas for 395 Consideration by A. N. T. Varzeliotis Straight Flow Turbine 415 by Mr. Braikevitch Tidal Effects Due to Water Power Generation in the 435 Bristol Channel by N. S. Heaps A Mathematical Model of the Effect of a Tidal Barrier 457 on Siltation in an Estuary by M. W. Owen and N. V. M. Odd Corrosion Characteristics of Non-Ferrous Metals in 487 Marine Applications by M. J. Pryor and R. V. L. Hall Corrosion Behavior of Ferrous Alloys in Marine Environments 529 by J. F. McGurn Performance of Concrete in a Marine Environment 577 by C. R. Wilder Some Neglected Economic Aspects of Power Production 601 with Reference to Tidal Power by A. N. T. Varzeliotis Environmental Effects of Tidal Power Development 611 by D. H. Waller INDEX 627 TIDAL POWER IN THE BAY OF FUNDY F. L. Lawton* INTRODUCTION It is a distinct honour to have the opportunity of discussing with you a few of the many engineering and economic aspects involved in the utilization of tidal power, as exemplified by the Bay of Fundy investigations. It is singularly appropriate that this International Conference on the Utilization of Tidal Power should be held under the auspices of the Atlantic Industrial Research Institute and Nova Scotia Technical College for the latter is not only the inspiration of the Institute but, more significantly, the heart of engineering in the Atlantic Provinces of Canada. It is unusually appropriate that this Conference should be held in this historic seaport and City of Halifax which has seen so much of engineering and economi"c change since the days of the water, wood and wind technology. Now we are seeing the advent of a closely integrated high-speed air-water land containerized transport. Both technologies rely on the utilization of energy, originally wood, wind and waterpower, later coal and petroleum derivatives. This Conference deals with another major source of energy. It is most appropriate that this Conference should be held in Halifax which, with its sister city across the Bedford Basin and the harbour, is the centre of a shining galaxy of research, development and educational centres in the form of the Atlantic Oceanographic Laboratory of the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, the National Research Council of Canada, the Nova Scotia Research Foundation, the Atlantic Industrial Research Institute, the Nova Scotia Technical College, Dalhousie University and several others. The recently completed investigation of the technical and economic feasibility of development of the large tidal power resources in the Bay of Fundy was not a matter of accident. It was based on the deliberate convic tion that the resources existed. Could they be put to use economically? To answer this question, it is worth recalling a few facts. Canada stems *formerly Study Director, Atlantic Tidal Power Programming Board, Halifax, Nova Scoti a .