Investigation of Energy Production from Tidal Potential in Experimental Scale (Doragh estuary Case study)

Developed countries are using renewable energy in order to minimize emission of harmful gases, and many countries are studied new designs. Which uses of the later is increasing rapidly. One of the cleanest renewable ocean energy is using the potential of tidal energy. Studies show that the best place for obtaining tidal energy in the Persian Gulf and is the Doragh Estuary, which is located in the northern part of the Persian Gulf. This estuary is the unique area in the Persian Gulf with more than 5 meters tidal range which has the potential to produces maximum tidal energy in this region.In this study, a physical model of Doragh estuary is constructed and employed a pumping system as well as a source of water to create tide in the model. Also two dams are made somehow in the model to reserve water behind these dams during ebb and flood. A propeller which is connected to a turbine is fixed to one of the dams, and works during both ebb and flood in which transfers movement of propeller into electricity. Electrical current is connected to an instrument which show the amount of produced electricity in the model. The results of the model show that by increasing tidal range, electricity increases electricity exponentially. In this experiment the model run with different scenarios to get maximum efficiency which is recorded to 15% during flood and producing of electrical power can increased by 30 to 50 percent during both ebb and flood.