Abstract :
The Annapolis Tidal Generating Station, in service since August, 1984, was built to demonstrate commercial operation of a large-diameter straight-flow turbine. The paper reviews experience to date relating to performance, availability and reliability, hydraulic seals and auxiliaries, corrosion, marine fouling, and maintenance requirements. It is concluded that scale-up of the Straflo turbine has been successful and that satisfactory solutions to many of the problems involved in setting large machines in salt water have been attained. The paper also discusses implications of the Annapolis experience for large-scale tidal power development, including tidal regime effects, fish mortality, and the importance of environmental considerations.
