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Energy without end: Stream power plants 03: stream buoys as power buoys 01

Stream buoy, before transport
Stream buoy, before transport [1]

by Michael Palomino (2014 / 2022)

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Energy without end: stream buoys 01


The ingenious and environmentally friendly stream buoy (inventor is Mr. Fritz Mondl, Austria).

This stream buoy is interesting for all those places where there is a river with a depth of about 2-3 m with a medium to strong current.

Stream buoy before transport
Stream buoy before transport [1]

There are different models.
Stream buoy in a river
Stream buoy in a river [2]

The stream buoy is a relatively new invention from 2006 and comes from Lower Austria from the company "Aqua Libre Energy Development GmbH" (orig. German: Aqua Libre Energieentwicklungs GmbH" [web08]. The inventor Mr. Fritz Mondl comes from Vienna. During a construction project in the location of Joching between Spitz and Dürnstein on the Danube before Vienna in the Wachau region, he recognized the current during rowing and at buoys and developed the stream buoy together with technical institutions [web13].

Map of Austria with the
                                      landscape "Wachau" at
                                      the Danube before Vienna, Austria
Map of Austria with the landscape "Wachau" at the Danube before Vienna, Austria [3]

Another video thinks Mondl had his "flash of inspiration" while canoeing [web14, 0-2min.]. It is already an art to paddle against the current, in order not to be driven back [web14, 6'40-60'']. The slash of inspiration of Mr. Mondl is ingenious. Small but nice, this is renewable energy at its best from Austria:


Joching, view from the Danube
Joching, view from the Danube [4]

Fritz Mondl (with beard), the
                                  inventor of the power buoy, graphic
                                  artist, and industrial designer
Fritz Mondl (with beard), the inventor of the power buoy, graphic artist, and industrial designer [5].
When rowing on the Danube you
                                  feel the stream resistance
When rowing on the Danube you feel the stream resistance [6]
At a buoy in the Danube near
                                  Joching you can see the stream
                                  resistance
At a buoy in the Danube near Joching you can see the stream resistance [7]

Video: Stream buoy (R) - report for EnergyGlobe Award (1080p)
(orig. German: Strom-Boje (R) - Bericht für EnergyGlobe Award (1080p) (2min.)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmdXFILgJpo)


Video: Stream buoy on Servus TV Oct.2011 (7'30'')
(orig. German: Strom-Boje auf Servus TV 10.2011)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Rec8UlPdS0)


The stream buoy at a television
                                  broadcast of Servus TV from 2011
The stream buoy at a television broadcast of Servus TV from 2011
[8]

Fritz Mondl in the Servus TV
                                  movie, the inventor of the stream buoy
                                  on the Danube
Fritz Mondl in the Servus TV movie, the inventor of the stream buoy on the Danube [9]
For checks and repairs on stream buoys a catamaran is used. The buoy itself is fixed with a chain on the floor of the river - with a pole. When streaming is doubled, the performance of electricity is 8 times as much. The electric cable is fixed on the anchor chain and goes on the river's floor to the coast and then can be installed under ground. LIttle models of stream boys deliver 30 kW per day (for about 30 households), big stream buoys deliver 75 kW per day (about 75 households) [web14, 1-5min.]. Stream buoys win energy are winning the energy which a canoe or rower has to invest for fighting the stream for not being driven away with this stream [web14, 6-30''-7'15''].

Catamaran is coming for a buoy
                                  check
Catamaran is coming for a buoy check [10]

A stream buoy in the Danube
                                  River
A stream buoy in the Danube River [11]

From the video: Video: Stream buoy (R) - report for the Austrian climate protection award 2010
(orig. German: Strom-Boje® - Bericht für österreichischen Klimaschutzpreis 2010)

Stream buoy half in the stream
                                    with the catamaran
Stream buoy half in the stream with the catamaran [12] [web15]

Stream buoy half in the stream
                                    with the catamaran 02
Stream buoy half in the stream with the catamaran 02 [13] [web15]


Video: Stream buoy (R) - report for the Austrian climate protection award 2010
(orig. German: Strom-Boje® - Bericht für österreichischen Klimaschutzpreis 2010)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0FqCJJURFU)

9 meters long, 3 meters wide. The stream buoy is fixed at an anchor chain [web09].

For a profitable use of the stream buoy, a minimum water depth of 2 to 3 meters and a medium current velocity is the precondition [web08]. At the same time, current buoys are absolutely environmentally friendly, are "soft power plants" [web11].
Das Logo der Firma "Aqua
                                    Libre", Produktion der
                                    Stromboje von Fritz Mondl
[14]
Production of stream buoys is in Vienna. Contact:

Aqua Libre Energieentwicklungs Gmbh | Bäckerstraße 1 | A-2433 Margarethen am Moos | Austria |  Tel.: +43(1)865 42 63-25 | E-Mail:  f.mondl@aqualibre.at   |   web site: http://www.aqualibre.at


Translation:

<The stream buoy is placed in a special way, so it is floating a little bit under the water surface when the river has low or medium levels. And the buoy is fixed with an anchor chain and apole in siets with favorable stream positions. Construction work in the river is a pole drilled into the river's floor and the energy transmission cable.> [web08]

High water: Even more power!
While old river power plants have to be shut down or are damaged during floods, the stream buoy survives a flood unscathed and trees and other objects on the river are passing the buoy passing over it [web08]. During floods, the stream is very strong and the power of the stream buoy can even double, from 13 to 30 kW per day [web10], electricity for 30 households [web12].

Finding the most favorable stream locations
The stream buoys are installed outside the navigation channels. To find the best flow sites, a special GPS probe was constructed to drift through the Danube, recording position and speed [web14, 5-6min].

No injuries
The rotor of the stream buoy is shaped in a way so that fish will not be injured if they happen to swim through the inside of the buoy  [web14, 6min.0-40sec].

World record during the flood of 2010
Such a stream buoy was installed in the Danube before Vienna in the region of "Wachau". During the flood of the Danube of 2010 in the Wachau a new world record was set: Translation: <The world record for hydropower in free flow of 3 kW /m² was far exceeded: on 10 kW /m² rotor area at 3m/s [10.8 km/h].> [web10].

500 power buoys for 35,000 households

Data from the video: Video: stream buoy ® - Report for Austrian Climate Protection Award 2010 [web15]:
(orig. German: Strom-Boje® - Bericht für österreichischen Klimaschutzpreis 2010)

With 500 stream buoys, the whole region of "Wachau" could be supplied with electricity and a self-sufficiency for 35.000 households could be reached for electricity (1'0-33''). The buoys survive all floods, even if all other power plants have to be shut down already (1' 35-48''). Even 4 meters per second [14.4 km/h] is no problem (1'50''-2'12''). The buoy adjusts to the level instead of changing the level. Fish and swimmers cannot hurt themselves on the buoy, everything has been tested. The invisibility of the buoy is well received by the public, and even the fishermen are satisfied that the fish are not harmed (2'12-51''). In 2010, a bigger buoy and a higher efficiency were on the plan. The principle is simple and straightforward: "Define a place - anchor - plug in. And the comes pure green electricity." (2'51''-3'6'').




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Sources
[web01] http://www.konstruktion.de/allgemein/hydraulik-buendelt-das-potenzial-von-wellenkraftwerken/
[web02] http://www.hornonline.com/frontpage/denmark/destination-denmark/wave-star
[web03] http://mhk.pnnl.gov/wiki/index.php/Wave_Star
[web04] Wells-Turbine, Erfindung von Allan Wells in Belfast Ende der 1980er Jahre: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells-Turbine
[web05] Voith Siemens: http://www.solarserver.de/news/news-5179.html
[web06] Power-Bojen: http://www.oceanpowertechnologies.com/PDF/PowerSystem.pdf
[web07] OPT: http://www.oceanpowertechnologies.com/stage/mark3.html
[web08] http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strom-Boje
[web09] http://tube.7s-b.com/Strom-Boje/
[web10] http://www.oekonews.com/index.php?mdoc_id=1051362

[web11] https://www.evn.at/EVN-Group/Energie-Zukunft/Zukunftsprojekte/Strombojen.aspx
[web12] Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmdXFILgJpo, 1min.10-18sek.
[web13] Video: Strom-Boje® - Bericht für EnergyGlobe Award (1080p): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmdXFILgJpo, 0-55sek.
[web14] Video: Strom-Boje auf Servus TV 10.2011: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Rec8UlPdS0
[web15] Video: Strom-Boje® - Bericht für österreichischen Klimaschutzpreis 2010: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-YyGUFGj0k
[web16] http://www.dexawave.com/media.html
[web17] Danish Dexawave has begun a wave energy project at Malta (word-Document); In: http://www.dexawave.com/media.html
[web18] http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110605/local/uk-firm-launches-wave-energy-project-in-malta.369062#.UvmbRkgcZ0o
[web19] St. Urban: Erdgasblase getroffen: http://www.20min.com/schweiz/zentralschweiz/story/26058554
[web20] Solarkraftwerk Teller-Stirling-Systeme:
http://www.bine.info/themen/erneuerbare-energien/solare-waerme/publikation/solarthermische-kraftwerke/dish-stirling-systeme/

[web21] Stirling-Motor: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirlingmotor
[web22] Windpark Totoral: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SN_Power
[web23] Windpark Totoral: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totoral_Wind_Farm
[web24] Windpark Totoral: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vestas
[web25] SN Power: http://www.snpower.com/about-us/our-offices/
[web26] Vestas: http://www.vestas.com/en/about/find_vestas#!sales-and-service
[web27] Windturm in Dübendorf bei Zürich: http://www.tagesanzeiger.com/zuerich/oberland/Vertikale-Windraeder-Ein-alter-Ingenieurstraum/story/14490530
[web28] Windturm in Dübendorf bei Zürich: http://www.suedostschweiz.com/wirtschaft/windturm-soll-strommarkt-revolutionieren
[web29] Windturm in Dübendorf bei Zürich: http://www.agilewindpower.com/de
[web30] Windrail aus Zürich: http://www.20min.com/schweiz/zuerich/story/27313443

[web31] Windrail aus Zurich: http://startup.com/index.cfm?page=129382&profil_id=6102&backpage=129573
[web32] Wellenkammerkraftwerk in Mutriku: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_undimotriz_de_Motrico
[web33] Mutriku: http://voith.com/en/products-services/hydro-power/ocean-energies/wave-power-plants-590.html
[web34] Wavegen Voith Siemens: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-21657133
[web35] Pelamis: http://www.pelamiswave.com/
[web36] Aqyuamarine Power (Auster-Wellenkraftwerk): http://www.aquamarinepower.com/contact-us/
[web37] Hammerfest Strom (Andritz Hydro Hammerfest), Gezeitenturbinen: http://www.hammerfeststrom.com/about-us/contact-us/

Photo sources

Genious stream buoy by Mr. Fritz Mondl, Wachau, Austria
[1] Stromboje, Strömungsboje vor dem Transport: http://projekt-arche-noah.jimdo.com/erneuerbare-energien/
[2] Stromboje im Fluss: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schwimmenden_Strom-Boje.JPG
[3] Karte mit der Landschaft "Wachau" vor Wien, Österreich: http://www.velociped.de/alle-radtouren/europa/oesterreich/wachau-sternradtour.html
[4,5,6,7] Video: Strom-Boje® - Bericht für EnergyGlobe Award (1080p): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmdXFILgJpo
[8,9,10,11] Video: Strom-Boje auf Servus TV 10.2011: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Rec8UlPdS0
[12,13] Video: Strom-Boje® - Bericht für österreichischen Klimaschutzpreis 2010: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0FqCJJURFU
[14] Logo von Aqualibre, Webseite: http://www.aqualibre.at



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