Conceptual Design for Tidal Energy Power Plant: A Supplementary Power Generation Plant for

Residential Use in Neighboring Areas of

Sarangani Bay

Presented to
the Mechanical Engineering Department of
School of Engineering and Architecture
Ateneo de Davao University
E. Jacinto St. Davao City

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for ME 520: Power Plant Design Lab

Submitter by:

Lowell Delima
Levi Deo Batuigas
Alexis Diagbel
Kiefer Manacap

Submitted to:
Engr. Geoffrey L. Rodriguez

MARCH 2018

CHAPTER 1
 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The advancement of technology led to the steady rise on energy consumption and depletion of
global energy resources specifically on non-renewable energy resources such as natural gas, oil, and
coal. Referring on to a handful of forecasts that is available, it is estimated that the global non-
renewable energy resources will be exhausted within the next 50 years or maybe less. The
advancement of technology not only brought upon us this current dilemma but also it lighted the way
to addressing this problem. Thus, the development of technology had also made way to the use of
sustainable and renewable energy resources such as geothermal, wind, solar etc.

Several countries have already stared to adapt in the usage of renewable energy because it
reduces the people’s reliance on non-renewable energy which mostly affects Earth’s ecological
condition. Take for example, China which contributed the greatest carbon dioxide emission globally on
2015. With the adaptation to renewable energy sources such as hydro, solar and wind power and
environment-concerning disciplines, China meets 2020 carbon target three years ahead of schedule
[ CITATION Uni18 \l 1033 ]. As the trend to the adaptation of using renewable energy resources rapidly
increases, so as the advancement to the technology concerning this matter. Numerous renewable
energy sources have been industrialized to a certain degree. However, some are still on the process
of development [ CITATION Ste \l 1033 ] such as tidal energy, which is, the focal subject of the
conceptual design of this document.

Tidal energy is a clean and renewable green energy and is non-polluting, reliable, and
predictable. Sir Isaac Newton explained that the ocean tides result from the gravitational attraction of
the Sun and the moon on the oceans of the Earth, specifically his Newton’s Law of universal
gravitation. Tidal energy goes way back in 1920 where an engineer by the name of Dexter Cooper
came up with the idea of creating power from tides. Energy from tide is being produced due to the
difference in tide levels, and tidal stream. These tidal levels and streams cause turbines to rotate
which in turn produces electricity. Currently, there are three tidal technologies that are commonly
being used, namely the tidal barrage, tidal fences, and tidal turbines. Among these three, tidal barrage
is the most efficient and mostly being used. However, tidal energy plants face problems such as high
capital cost, environmental issues, and location restrictions. These are the reason why only a handful
of tidal energy plants are erected worldwide.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

 The main problem of this conceptual design paper is to the determine the feasibility of the
implementation and construction of tidal energy power plant specifically to the Mindanao areas.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The following are the objectives that will be achieved at the end of the research.

a) To create a conceptual design intended for power generation in nearby area of Sarangani Bay
using tidal energy resource.
b) To arrive at a reasonable plant capacity intended for supplementing renewable energy
resource intended for residential use.
c) To determine the applicability and feasibility of establishing tidal energy power plant to
Mindanao areas.

1.4 Significance of the Study

Generally, this manuscript is intended to provide information in the applicability and feasibility
of establishing a tidal energy power generation plant in the areas of Sarangani Bay.

1.5 Scope and Limitations

This study will only be conducted within the nearby areas of Sarangani Bay. The focus of the
conceptual design is to determine the practicality of constructing a power generation plant using tidal
energy resource in supplementing electricity for residential use.

1.6 Definition of Terms

Renewable Energy - energy that is collected from renewable resources, which are naturally
replenished on a human timescale, such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat.

Non-Renewable Energy - energy comes from sources that will run out or will not be replenished in our
lifetimes—or even in many, many lifetimes. Most non-renewable energy sources are fossil fuels: coal,
petroleum, and natural gas. Carbon is the main element in fossil fuels.
Tidal power - a form of hydropower that converts the energy obtained from tides into useful forms
of power, mainly electricity. Although not yet widely used, tidal energy has potential for future
electricity generation.

Tidal barrage - A tidal barrage is a dam-like structure used to capture the energy from masses of
water moving in and out of a bay or river due to tidal forces.

Tidal fence - A Tidal Fence is another form of tidal stream technology, which directly exploits fast
flowing underwater ocean currents for energy generation. In many ways, a tidal fence installation is a
cross between a tidal barrage and a tidal turbine stream system.

CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE:

This chapter will discuss the important literatures related to the conceptual design of this study.

Tidal energy, a term that is used to describe energy which is artificially extracted from tidal
motions in the sea. It is recorded historically that tidal mills were constructed in Roman Imperial times
to grind cereal in regions where more conventional water wheels were inappropriate, due to low river
speeds and relatively flat terrain, such as southern Britain. More recently, there have been proposals
to construct artificial barrages across tidal estuaries and utilize the head difference between the sea
and the resultant artificial lake to generate electricity. The first commercial construction was in La
Rance in Brittany, northern France. This system, which is rated at 240MW, was constructed in the
1960s and incorporates a road link across the estuary. The system has been the subject of a major
refurbishment which will extend its operating lifetime for many years. Other tidal barrage systems have
been constructed but none are as large as La Rance.

Most recent attention has been directed at the development of systems to extract energy from
tidal currents. The technology in many cases has a superficial resemblance to wind turbines but
designed to extract energy from moving water rather than air. In principle, tidal current systems, often
called tidal stream systems, can be constructed in a modular fashion, which means that the resource
can be exploited incrementally, unlike tidal barrages where the entire system needs to be constructed
before any energy can be extracted.

The turbines in a tidal power station must operate under a variable, low head of water. The
highest global tidal reach, in the Bay of Fundy in Canada, is 15.8 m and the mean tidal reach probably
half of this range; most plants would have to operate with much lower heads than this. Such low heads
necessitate the use of a propeller turbine, the turbine type best suited for low-head operation. The fact
that the head varies appreciably during the tidal cycle means that a fixed-blade turbine will not be
operating under its most efficient conditions during the majority of the tidal flow; consequently, a
variable-blade Kaplan turbine is usually employed. As is the case with most low-head hydropower
plants, tidal power plants usually employ a series of small turbines running along the barrage since
these can exploit the available energy more effectively than a small number of large turbines.

The most compact and efficient design of propeller turbine for low-head applications are the
bulb turbine in which the generator attached to the turbine shaft is housed in a watertight pod, or bulb,
directly behind the turbine runner. The whole turbine–generator assembly is then hung inside a
chamber that channels the water flow through the turbine blades to extract the maximum energy
possible. The La Rance tidal plant employs 24 bulb turbines, each fitted with a Kaplan runner and a 10
MW generator. Bulb turbines were new when La Rance was built and construction of the plant
involved some experimental work; of the 24 turbines, 12 had steel runners and 12 had aluminum
bronze runners. Experience has led the operators to prefer the steel variety.
The turbines at La Rance were designed to pump water from the sea into the reservoir behind
the barrage at high tide to increase efficiency. This was found to cause severe strain on parts of the
generator and the design had to be modified. Work was carried out between 1975 and 1982. Since
then the plant has operated smoothly and with high availability. The more recent Sihwa tidal plant in
South Korea also uses bulb turbines. In this case the plant is equipped with ten 26 MW bulb turbines
with variable-blade propeller units. This power plant is built into a sea wall erected in 1994 to create an
inland lagoon where water was collected for irrigation. Since then industrial pollution of the lagoon has
made the water unusable. The tidal plant forms part of a scheme intended to flush the lagoon to
reduce pollution levels. Unlike most other tidal barrage plants, it generates on the flow tide.
Construction of a barrage across a tidal river is bound to affect the conditions on both sides of
the structure. Water movement patterns will be changed, sedimentation movement will be affected,
and the conditions at the margins of the estuary on both the landward and seaward side of the barrage
will be altered. For a barrage across an estuary, the movement of marine animals is likely to be
restricted too. This could have a dramatic effect on both marine and avian life.
 The major effect of the barrage will be on water levels and water movement. Water levels will
be altered on both sides of the barrage and the tidal reach may change behind the barrage, although
the effect will be reduced as the distance from the barrage increases. Some areas that were regularly
exposed at low tide will be continuously under water after the barrage is constructed. Though the
volume of water flowing down the river should remain the same, patterns of movement will be
changed. Sedimentation will be affected in complex ways. The tidal waters of an estuary frequently
bear a great deal of sediment. Some is brought in from the sea, some carried downstream by the river.
Changes in current speeds and patterns caused by the interpolation of a barrage will affect the
amount of sediment carried by the water and the pattern of its deposition. This will, in turn, affect the
ecosystems that depend on the sediment.

Other areas of concern involve animal species. The effect on fish, particularly migratory
species, is significant. Fish gates can be built to permit species to cross the barrage. Many can also
pass through the sluice gates. However, there is a danger that fish will pass through the turbines too,
being injured in the process. Various methods have been explored to discourage fish from the vicinity
of the turbines, with patchy success. Many species of birds live on mud flats in estuaries. There is a
possibility that such mud flats would disappear after a barrage had been built, and with them the birds
whose habitat they formed. Salt marshes adjacent to estuaries are also likely to be affected. Studies
have been conducted at potential U.K. barrage sites to try and estimate the scale of such effects, but
much work remains to be done in this area.

The effects of a tidal lagoon or bunded reservoir are likely to be less dramatic than those
associated with a coastal barrage. Since none has yet been built, the range of effects is currently
unknown. Elsewhere, global experience with tidal power plants is limited. What evidence there is
suggests that such projects have no major detrimental effect on the environment. The evidence from
La Rance, in particular, has provided no serious cause for alarm. Even so, it would be dangerous to
make any assumptions. An extremely careful environmental impact assessment would form a vital
part of any future tidal project.

Currently, there are no existing tidal energy power plants in the Philippines. However, as of
November 24, 2017, plans are being discussed by Philippine company San Bernardino Ocean Power
Corporation (SBOPC) and are looking to source through official development assistance (ODA) a
portion of the funds needed for its $25-million tidal energy project within the San Bernardino Strait. If
this project were to be realized, it could provide energy to the residents in Samar. This paper would
not be focusing on the San Bernardino Strait Project but rather on the conceptual design study
 CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research Locale

The research design was conducted to Sarangani Bay. The area of interest is chosen for its
good tidal range, relative to other locations in Mindanao. Aside from a decent tidal range, an identified
location in the coasts of Sarangani Bay and beside the South Cotabato – Sarangani Road which
shows no tenancy nor buildings developed. Thus, it is ideal to construct a tidal lagoon in the specified
area. In addition, the area is beside a national highway which means transporting materials and
equipment can be made convenient in such location. Furthermore, the area is part of the municipality
of Maasim.

Figure 1. (from left to right) A. Sarangani Bay geographic area, B. Area of Interest [ CITATION Goo19 \l 1033 ]

3.2 Research Design and Concept

Tidal Energy, the same as any renewable energy sources, undergo critical planning and
evaluating in order to be feasible. Some of the general requirements that must be pre-review before
constructing a tidal energy power plant are listed as follows:

 A place with a tidal difference or range of at least 5 meters

 Does not hinder maritime travels
 Minimal impact on maritime lifeforms
 Not a storm prone area
 Gibrat’s Ratio (L/ annual energy production KWH)

Schematic Diagram
 Figure 2. Tidal
Energy Power
Plant Schematic
Diagram

Tidal Energy
utilizes the rise
and fall of the sea
to generate
electricity. There
are many systems
pertaining to the
application of tidal
energy. However,
in this conceptual
design, the group decided to adapt the tidal lagoon system which is ideal for shallow water areas.
Tidal lagoon systems consist of circular low head dams in open water [ CITATION Ste \l 1033 ]. The
schematic shows, in Figure 3, the mechanism of how a tidal lagoon system operate. The first figure
shows that high tide water is entrapped within the dam as ebb tide occurs. The gates are then opened,
and electricity is produced due to the power generating turbines. The gates are remained open until
the water inside the dam levels with the low tide of the open water and at such instant the gate is
again closed. Soon after, the water is in its flood tide state and the gates are again opened for power
generation. The gates are remained opened, until the water level inside the dam is the as high tide
level of the open water. And then, the gates are closed at such instant and the same process
continues.

(A) (B)

(C) (D)
Figure 3. Power Generation Schematic [ CITATION Car19 \l 1033 ]

3.3 Collection of Data

Tidal Elevation

Tidal elevation of Sarangani Bay will be based from the data of online sources that broadcasts
tidal information of different locations globally such as TidesChart and Tides4fishing.

Plant Capacity

The plant capacity will be based on the objective of the conceptual design, which is for
residential use. With that said, the capacity of the plant will be coming from the data of the power
consumption of residential use for areas near the Sarangani Bay which would be the area of
distribution of SOCOTECO II – a non-stock, non-profit membership electric cooperative under the
provisions of the National Electrification Administration Act (RA 6038) as amended by Presidential
Decree 269. It became the 12th electric cooperative registered by NEA. [ CITATION SOC19 \l 1033 ]
 Since there are no available data regarding the power consumption distribution of SOCOTECO
II, the electricity consumption will be based by computing the power consumed per individual for the
whole Mindanao region. The power consumption for the Mindanao grid for residentials will be obtained
from Department of Energy 2017 Power Statistics [ CITATION Dep17 \l 1033 ]. After acquiring the electric
consumption per person, it will be multiplied by the population of the areas served by SOCOTECO II
which would be the entire Sarangani province and the municipalities of Tupi and Polomolok in South
Cotabato. [ CITATION GOV18 \l 1033 ]

Turbine Specifications

Large capacity turbines are designed and fabricated by certain companies. Since there is a
lack of knowledge on the technical designing of turbines, the data will be obtained from existing
turbine specifications of other known power plants, precisely, bulb turbines which are known to be
most compact and efficient design of propeller turbine for low-head applications in which the generator
attached to the turbine shaft is housed in a watertight pod, or bulb, directly behind the turbine runner.
[ CITATION Pau14 \l 1033 ]

Figure 4. Bulb Turbine Simplified Schematic

In addition, several tidal power stations also use similar type of turbine (bulb turbine). Some of
these power plants are the recent Sihwa tidal plant of South Korea that is equipped with ten 26 MW
bulb turbines and the La Rance tidal plant of France that employs 24 bulb turbines. (A more detailed
information in this section is written on Chapter 2 of this paper).

Formulas

For acquiring energy for tidal lagoon, the data will be derived from the computed plant
capacity.

Plant Capacity
ETidal = Equation 1
N Generator N Turbine
Where:
N = typical efficiencies for generator and turbine

For the energy available from the tidal lagoon refer to Equation 1.

1
ETidal = Aρg h2 Equation 2
2
Where:

A = the area of the tidal lagoon

ρ = density of seawater (about 1027 kg/m3)

g = acceleration due to Earth’s gravity (9.81 m/s2)

h = the vertical tidal range

For acquiring the wall length, the tidal lagoon will be presumed as a semi-circle shaped basin.
Thus, the formula to be used is given below. And the wall length would be equivalent to the
circumference of the semi-circle excluding the diameter and an estimated additional of 40 meters for
the distance from the shoreline.

1 π
A Lagoon =( ) D Lagoon2 Equation 3
2 4

1 Equation 4
Wall Length= π D Lagoon +( 40 meters)
2

For the number of turbines, refer to Equation 2.

Plant Capacity
No .of turbines= Equation 5
Bulb Turbine Rating

Economic Evaluation

Cost Estimation

The cost estimates for the establishment of the Tidal Power Plant will be based from various
sources involving sea wall construction and turbine fabrication. For sea wall, the costs will
approximately be £7,500 or 513,174 php per linear meter [ CITATION Pev19 \l 1033 ]. And for Kaplan
turbines (bulb turbine type) with a power rating of 1,200 kw, the estimated cost will be £434,421 or
29,724,500 php [ CITATION Nor19 \l 1033 ].
 CHAPTER 4

RESULT OF DATA GATHERING

Tidal Elevation

The tidal range is referred to the highest and lowest tide of the day from the broadcast of
TidesChart.[ CITATION Tid19 \l 1033 ]

Highest Tide Lowest Tide Tidal Range

1.93 m -0.46 m 2.4 m
Table 1. Tidal Range

Plant Capacity

Population

The population of the residents in the Mindanao, the entire province of Sarangani and
municipalities of Tupi and Polomolok are tabulated below. These data are gathered from online
sources.[CITATION 19Ma \l 1033 ][ CITATION Phi19 \l 1033 ]

Population
Location Growth Rate (per
2015 2017 2018
year)
Mindanao 24,135,775 25,052,934 25,511,514
Sarangani 544,261 564,943 575,284
1.90%
Polomolok 152,589 158,387 161,287
Tupi 69,976 72,635 73,965
Table 2. Summary of Population for Mindanao, Sarangani Province, Tupi and Polomolok

Energy Consumption

The power consumption of residentials of the Mindanao grid is acquired from DOE and is
tabulated below. As well as, the power consumption per person.
 Energy Energy Consumption
Annual Energy Mindanao
Consumption, per Person (KW per
Consumption (MWh) Population
MW individual)
Year 2017
3,540,745 404 25,052,934 0.01613
Table 3. Residential power consumption for Mindanao and power consumption per person

Energy Demand

The theoretical energy demand computed for distribution of the power plant is about 13.08
MW. This data was derived based on the process proposed in this study.

Population
KWh per
2018 Energy Demand, MW
person
Sarangani Polomolok Tupi
0.01613 575,284 161,287 73,965 13.08
Table 4. Theoretical Energy Demand

Number of Turbines

The turbines to be used in the conceptual design is the same as the turbine of a tidal power
plant from Gstatterboden, Austria which has a rating of 1.2 MW and a runner diameter of 1950
mm [ CITATION And19 \l 1033 ]. Therefore, the number of turbines to be used in the 13.08 MW
nominal plant capacity are 11 turbines and 22 turbines for a two-way generation scheme.

Proposed Plant Capacity

Considering the number of turbine and its actual specification, the proposed plant capacity is
13.2 MW, approximately 13 MW.

Area of Lagoon Basin and Wall Length

The typical efficiency obtained for generator for tidal power application is 90% [ CITATION
Ele19 \l 1033 ]. Whereas, for Kaplan turbine have variable efficiency depending on the load conditions.
However, Kaplan turbines can achieve as high as 95% efficiency. [ CITATION KKu14 \l 1033 ] Thus,
using equations 1 and 2 from chapter 3 of this paper, the tidal energy available is 15.2 MW and the
area of lagoon basin is 524 m2. Whilst, for the wall length, the computed data is 98 m using equations
3 and 4.

Cost Estimation

The total estimated costs for the construction of sea wall is 50,291,052 php based on the price
per linear meter provided on chapter 3. And for the turbine costs, the total expenses would be
653,939,000 php. Thus, the overall costs would be approximately 845,076,062 php, considering 20%
additional costs for other expenses.

Summary of Technical Data

Plant Type Tidal Power Generation Plant: Tidal

Lagoon System
Location Municipality of Maasim, Coasts of
Sarangani Bay beside South
Cotabato – Sarangani Road.
Plant Capacity 13 MW
Turbine Output 11 X 2 X 1.2 MW
Tidal Range 2.4 m
Lagoon Area 524 m2
Wall Length 98 m
Project Cost Php 845 million

Load Analysis Model of Tidal Energy

Figure 5. Load Analysis Example for Tidal Energy (Photo courtesy of Department of Energy, 1981)
[ CITATION Ste \l 1033 ]

CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

 Upon reviewing the data gathered, the researchers conclude that the establishment of tidal
energy power plant in Sarangani Bay would not be feasible due to several reason. First of which is its
incapability of meeting the design requirement listed on chapter 3. Among the criteria listed, one of
which did not correspond to the conceptual designs of the tidal energy power plant proposed. First
was the tidal range of at least 5 meters. Upon research, there was clearly no coastal area within
Mindanao region that yields a tidal range of more than 5 meters. Another reason was the inefficiency
of Kaplan due to variable load conditions. A low tidal range would result to an immediate shift in the
load capacity of the turbine. Thus, having an inefficient power generation. And lastly would be the high
estimated cost due to length of lagoon sea wall. The tidal range of a certain area would greatly affect
the length of the wall to be constructed as noticed on the equations given on chapter 3. Thus, to
conclude, it is not feasibility to establish a tidal energy power plant for the very reason that the tidal
resource in Mindanao area is incompetent relative to other tidal resource globally. However, since
there is also lack of data available on online sources, it is possible that there is a potential tidal
resource within Mindanao area such as on the lower west part of the region. Also, we must consider
that Mindanao area is an ideal location in establishing tidal power plant because of its infrequent
calamity encounters. Thus, equipment regarding tidal power plant may sustain long life because it is
not prone to critical condition.

REFERENCES

[1] "United Nation: Climate Change," 28 March 2018. [Online]. Available: https://unfccc.int/news/china-
meets-2020-carbon-target-three-years-ahead-of-schedule. [Accessed 04 March 2019].

[2] S. Peake, Renewable Energy: Power For A Sustainable Future International Edition, OXFORD.

[3] "Google," [Online]. Available: https://www.google.com/maps?

safe=off&q=sarangani+bay&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi_g-
yvrujgAhUNE6YKHWPOBbcQ_AUIDygC. [Accessed 04 March 2019].
[4] "CarbonBrief: Clear on Climate," [Online]. Available: https://www.carbonbrief.org/a-rough-guide-to-
tidal-lagoons. [Accessed 08 March 2019].

[5] "SOCOTECO II," [Online]. Available: https://www.socoteco2.com/about-us/. [Accessed 04 March 2019].

[6] "Department of Energy," 2017. [Online]. Available:

https://www.doe.gov.ph/sites/default/files/pdf/energy_statistics/05_2017_power_statistics_as_of_30_
april_2018_electricity_consumption_05042018.pdf. [Accessed 04 March 2019].

[7] "GOV PH," 12 January 2018. [Online]. Available: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1021268. [Accessed 04

March 2019].

[8] P. Breeze, "ScienceDirect," 2014. [Online]. Available:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/bulb-turbines. [Accessed 04 March 2019].

[9] "Pevensey Coastel Defense Ltd," [Online]. Available: http://www.pevensey-bay.co.uk/feature.html.

[Accessed 08 March 2019].

[10] "North West Hydro Resource Model," Lancaster University, [Online]. Available:
http://www.engineering.lancs.ac.uk/lureg/nwhrm/engineering/turbine_costs.php. [Accessed 08 March
2019].

[11] "TidesChart," 2019. [Online]. Available:

https://www.tideschart.com/Philippines/Soccsksargen/Province-of-Sarangani/Sarangani-Bay/.
[Accessed 04 March 2019].

[12] "City Population," [Online]. Available: https://www.citypopulation.de/php/philippines-mindanao-

admin.php?adm1id=1280. [Accessed 04 March 2019].

[13] "PhilAtlas," [Online]. Available: https://www.philatlas.com/mindanao/r12/south-

cotabato/polomolok.html. [Accessed 04 March 2019].

[14] "Andritz," [Online]. Available: https://www.andritz.com/hydro-en/hydronews/hydro-news-29/hy-news-

hn29-13-bulb-turbines-hydro. [Accessed 06 March 2019].

[15] "Electropaedia," [Online]. Available: https://www.mpoweruk.com/energy_efficiency.htm. [Accessed 06

March 2019].

[16] K. L. D. L. K. Kuhl, 2014. [Online]. Available:

https://www.engr.colostate.edu/~pierre/ce_old/classes/CIVE%20401/Team%20reports/8%20-
%20Kaplan%20Kuhl%20Lai%20Lainel.pdf. [Accessed 06 March 2019].