A Bio-Inspired Renewable Energy Design for Highly-efficient Low-cost Riverine Hydrokinetics

Background

• A simple, resilient, and scalable solution, inspired by unsteady lift-based hydrodynamics observed in fish swimming, is proposed.

• The river flow causes the two foils to oscillate in opposite directions.

Innovation

• Separating the two hydrofoils will be a Mechanical Motion Rectifier (MMR) that converts the oscillatory linear motion of the foils to unidirectional rotary motion with high efficiency/reliability and minimal mass.

Approach

• Our approach for LCOE ($/kWhr) reduction is to reduce Capital Expense by reducing system mass.

• This BIRE device will maintain high efficiency from self-generated leading-edge vortices by means of controlling the amplitude and frequency of flapping for the current velocity.

Goals

• Tank tests conducted at UVA show that the hydrofoil can generate a lift force of 15 N at a water stream velocity of 0.5 m/s.

• The bio-inspired device will improve energy generation in riverine environments with ~60% lower cost in LCOE compared to current technologies.