Is tidal energy a renewable energy source? What influences tides?

Water rotates with the rotation of the earth, and rotating objects are affected by a force. In ancient times, the surge of water in rivers and seas during the day was called tide, and the surge at night was called tide. It is customary to call the vertical rise and fall of the sea surface as tide. It is a natural phenomenon in coastal areas. Is tidal energy a renewable energy source? You can open the article below to find out!

Contents of this article

1. Is tidal energy a renewable energy source?

2. What influences tides?

3. What causes tides on Earth?

Is tidal energy a renewable energy source?

Tidal energy is a renewable energy source. Tidal energy is the energy in the periodic rise and fall of seawater. The water level difference is expressed as potential energy, and the speed of the tide is expressed as kinetic energy. Both of these energies can be used, making it a renewable energy source. Among various marine energy sources, the development and utilization of tidal energy is the most realistic and simple. Tidal energy is a renewable energy source that does not consume fuel, has no pollution, is not affected by floods or droughts, and is inexhaustible.

The main way to utilize tidal energy is to generate electricity. The working principle of tidal power generation is similar to that of conventional hydropower generation. It uses the potential energy of the water level difference generated by the rise and fall of the tide to generate electricity. The difference is that seawater is different from river water. The accumulated seawater has a small drop, but the flow is large and intermittent. Therefore, the structure of the tidal power turbine should be suitable for the characteristics of low head and large flow. Specifically, it is to build dams, gates and powerhouses in bays or tidal estuaries with conditions, separate the bay (or estuary) from the open sea to form a reservoir, and install a hydro-turbine generator set in the dam or power station plant. The periodic rise and fall process curve of the ocean tide is similar to a sine wave. A certain height difference (i.e. working head) drives the hydro-turbine generator set to generate electricity. From the perspective of energy, it is the process of converting the potential energy and kinetic energy of seawater into electrical energy through the hydro-turbine generator set.

What affects tides?

Tides are affected by the gravitational pull of the moon on the earth. Most of the water is seawater. Seawater is affected by the gravitational pull of the sun and the moon, causing it to rise and fall. Since the earth and the moon are constantly moving, the relative positions of the earth, the moon and the sun are changing periodically, so the tidal force is also changing periodically.

Water rotates with the rotation of the earth, and rotating objects are affected by a force. In ancient times, the surge of water in rivers and seas during the day was called tide, and the surge at night was called tide. It is customary to call the vertical rise and fall of the sea surface tide, which is a natural phenomenon in coastal areas.

Tides have huge energy, which can be used to generate electricity. In the process of using tidal power generation, the kinetic energy of seawater is transferred to the generator and converted into electrical energy through the generator, and it is pollution-free. However, tides can cause red tides, which is a harmful ecological phenomenon that may occur under certain environmental conditions. Tidal power stations are a form of power generation with low head and large flow. The directions of rising and falling tides are opposite, and the structures of inlet and outlet buildings are complex, which causes seawater and marine organisms to corrode and contaminate metal structures.

What causes tides on Earth?

The sea water also rotates with the rotation of the earth, and rotating objects are affected by a force that makes them tend to move away from the center of rotation, just like when an open umbrella is rotated, the water droplets on the umbrella will be thrown away.

At the same time, the seawater is also attracted by the moon, the sun and other celestial bodies. Because the moon is closest to the earth, its attraction is greater. In this way, the seawater forms tidal force under the combined action of these two forces. Since the earth and the moon are constantly moving, the relative positions of the earth, the moon and the sun are changing periodically, so the tidal force is also changing periodically, which makes the tidal phenomenon occur periodically.