Many marine schemes fail because they are impractical or uneconomic to maintain. In the Triton scheme, ease of maintenance has been one of the key drivers for the whole design concept.

While in its operating mode, access can be gained to the control room at the top of one of the spars - see above and opposite.

Maintenance

Fouling

One task that will be inevitable is to de-foul rotor blades to ensure performance does not degrade too far. Colonisation of surfaces by macroalgae, diatoms, and hydroids will take place and will reduce the hydrodynamic efficiency of the turbine surfaces. It will also lead to large encrustations of operating mechanisms, access panels and mooring systems. If not left too long, these growths can be removed by high pressure washing once or twice a year with the rotors brought to the surface as shown above. 

A device installed at Race Rocks by Pearson College in Vancouver suffered significant fouling after about 6 months deployment. For example, the picture on the right shows  fouling of blading.

The water temperatures at that site are similar to those found around the UK including Scotland, so it can be assumed fouling would occur at a similar rate.
 

Access can be gained to the 1100 tonne Triton twin hull body from a service vessel, see opposite. Once 'on board', maintenance staff can gain access to the electrical /control room (left hand end in the image below) and each machinery pod via hatchways and cross arms. Access to the seabed hinge would be by hoisting up the swing-arm in reversal of the initial deployment routine.

For more major maintenance or repair, the Triton can be brought to the surface by blowing the ballast water. Still hinged from the seabed, the Triton is in effect a tethered catamaran with considerable stability as a platform for access and effective work.

TidalStream TRITON

The enabling technology for tidal turbine deployment

Provides the most cost effective and  efficient turbine deployment system

Up to 10MW from a single installation

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