Tow-out

The advantage of buoyant designs is that they can be floated into place, removing the need for craneage and barges which are impractical in the tidal flows found in waters such as the Pentland Firth. With the Triton platform no cranes, barges, jack-up rigs or divers are required for any part of the operation - only a workboat with moderate lift capabilities.

A workboat tows a Triton 6 into position into the prevailing current

For transportation, the tether arm of the platform is stowed between the main spar buoys so that the turbine can be towed into position with minimum draft. The spar buoys comprising the main body of the Triton platform are at full buoyancy for float-out. The gravity base in the images below has been pre-installed on the seabed and is marked by a guide wire and buoy.

Triton 6 Deployment Sequence

The base has been pre-installed with electrical cables in place. This base can be either a pinned structure or, if as in the Pentland Firth the seabed is too rocky to allow this, a gravity base consisting of a flooded steel shell caisson or a tray that is filled with rock ballast once in position. The base is equipped with a guide wire and stabbing pin to accept the swivel ring at the end of the tether arm.

The gravity base or alternative seabed fixing is put into position with a guide wire marker.

Electrical cabling is connected, then the tether arm is lowered down the guide wire.

The  swinging arm is locked and the cable connections completed. The platform is now in its maintenance position.

The platform is towed to site and into position over the base.

Triton 3 Deployment Sequence

The Triton 3 has a slightly different deployment action due to the shallower water configuration.

Note:

The platform spars are always clear of the seabed and the turbines aligned to the prevailing flow direction.Once installed, the platforms can be switched between the floating maintenance mode and the operating mode (and vice-versa) by remote control of the ballast system.

Deployment and Operation

Ballast water is pumped in and the platform starts to roll and sink.

Ballast is added until the platform completes rotation.

The platform now is in the operating mode and can generate power..

Ballasting the spar buoys with water causes the Triton 6 to roll down and adopt a vertical mode.

TidalStream TRITON

The enabling technology for tidal turbine deployment

Up to 10MW from a single installation

Float-out installation and recovery

Safe and efficient on-board maintenance

Developing concepts for harvesting tidal energy