Next Project

Amplitude - Option 3

Part 2 Project 2008
Cathal Curtin
 University College Dublin | Ireland
The project resolves the coastal condition between Ireland and its greatest power resource through facilitating access and regulating the energy it produces.
The proposition is an instigating system that regulates the target output of the ocean; it demonstrates how Ireland could be independent of hydrocarbon, nuclear and hydrogen energy systems/sources. It is a manifestation of a macro supporting system that is a function of both us and the territory the project rests on, describing in space, time and light the scale the flux of our daily fundamental needs. It has the ability to offset and expand to increasing demand of power output. Absolute necessity could create a temple if so chosen.



This project derives from a study of the possible physical consequences of supplying energy needs from Ireland’s un-harnessed wave-power.

The project is a rhetorical, salutary proposition, a manifesto and an embodiment of the scale of generation required, to supplant our oil dependence and feed our centralizing grid.

The research into current and future power needs and the potential provided by wave-power is diligently explored. The result is a visionary, speculative proposal, sublimating the periodic power provided by the waves into a fantastic infrastructure formed of dilated pumped storage vessels, resting on stone pylons extracted from the bedrock.















Tutor(s)
Dr Hugh Campbell
Mr Marcus Donaghy
2008
Existing on the shore that powers a nation
Energy crisis, energy solution - Amplitude. Context and outline of operational territory
The wattage of Irish water, glass model, contours are in Kw per meter
Experiment into the physical nature of multiple anchored units in a dynamic fluid environment. Based on ocean energy capturing devices in current commercial operation – research into properties
Shifting light pattern resonant with swell directionality- an exploration of the effects of future large-scale harvesting of ocean energy, finding possibilities for these events to be a heightened part of our perception
The Belmullet peninsula- Ireland's current wave energy test site and area for future industry expansion
Using lake water at land fall of power cables to store energy. 2 exploratory images that dealt with using fresh lake water at the site of the land fall of power cables to perform the task of the regulation of power
Diagramming of final proposal – head height for storage and road access to deep water. A road tunnel with seawater channel, the diagrams show how extracted cut stone is used to form towers to second datum of 280meters from tunnel/ sea level
Achieving the diagram - The use of loose slate pieces and bike cable to understand post stressing of dry stone towards forming stone pylons and work on methods of fluid suspension. Exploring how hold large quantities of water at a head from a turbine
Proposal context – a 500mw array at sea. This is the quantity sought after from this site by the Irish Government The proposed structure makes this energy commercially usable by means of pumped storage.
The structure is 3km x .06km long and is designed to hold three million ton of water 280m from sea / pump / road level .In 6 sections, each section comprises of 2 large seasonal storage sacs. The sacs all act as one and contain equal amounts of water
Relationship of structure on the landscape to the array. Siting on the highest point of the peninsula. The line reaches from a prime road through this rise to deep water at the cliff. It takes the optimum economic route direct to deep water at the cliff.
Each column is designed with 4 sub columns. A 2 and 2 formation post stressed cut stone is used. Staggered to suggest universal space and define enclosed space. One is habitable and the other carries a daily storage pipe, wrapped in public + private stair
Made from the same amount of stone, but reaching different heights depending on their position in the topography, the structures must be assembled to their respective heights unstressed the dual columns are spaced according to stability in construction.
The daily sacs are filled by pump from sea level on the line of water below each column. This lays the infrastructure for expansion laterally. With future increase in power production, the system used to meet the needs of 2020, can increase in proportion
• Page Hits: 7260         • Entry Date: 12 September 2008         • Last Update: 16 September 2008