FLOWLIGHT is a renewable energy product, which sources its energy from the flow of a tidal river to create a quayside street lighting product.  For the example of this concept project FLOWLIGHT, all data collected and presented on this design is based on a tidal river called the River Suir which passes through the old Viking city of Waterford in the south east of Ireland.  Using Waterford as the location of this concept also demonstrates how old and new can complement each other.  The outer shell of the product is made from a Carbon Fibre material, which expresses an element of marine design.  Part of the product consists of uniquely designed Water Turbine Blades, which are mounted on an outer rim.  The Turbine Blades are protected by a Sub-Floatation Housing Unit which also protects the Blades from hitting the river bed and being damaged.  The FLOWLIGHT is designed with a Tidal Drop Extension Arm which constantly keeps the Sub-Floatation Housing Unit at the correct depth under the water.  This arm continuously extends and contracts depending on the level of the water in the river. The FLOWLIGHT generates mechanical energy from the Water Turbine Blades and from this, the generator creates electrical power.  This energy is stored in the product’s Battery Unit, which can be used when required to illuminate the LED Strip Lighting.  Once daylight levels fall below a particular level, the Light Sensor switches the FLOWLIGHT LED Strip Light on.  The light from FLOWLIGHT can light an area of 15 metres radius.

FLOWLIGHT is a conceptual vision of how a quayside cities and towns could illuminate their quaysides in an innovative and unique way in the future.  The River Suir has thousands of litres of water flowing up and down river, passing our city quayside every day of the year.  This is an incredible amount of flowing energy waiting to be harnessed.

This computer generated model indicates the key parts of theFLOWLIGHT

Between High Tide and Low Tide the flow of the water can reach up to 4 knots in the River Suir.  This Flow makes the turbine blades turn in an anticlockwise direction.

Between Low Tide and High Tide the flow of the water makes the turbine blades turn in a clockwise direction.

FLOWLIGHT demonstrates above how the Water Turbine Blades are designed to operate clockwise and anticlockwise with the flow of the river and continue to generate electrical power for the Battery Unit.

Diagram above illustrates high and low tide on a tidal river

FLOWLIGHT mounted to the Quay wall in the foreground with the historic Waterford Tower behind.