Part 3: Predictions of Design Parameters

In this section we present figures showing predictions, using formulae (48)-(55) from the previous section, of various design parameters when the gravity ram is used in a tidal situation. The parameters are the required mass of capula and conrod (MT ), the diameters of the inner cylinder and of the floats (B and BT) and the volumes of the inner cylinder (V) and of the floats (VF)- Also shown is the predicted power output. These are all plotted as functions of required flow rate from the pump in tons/day. Figures are presented for working pressures of 500 and 1000 p.s.i. and for available tidal ranges of h = 5m and h = 10m. The graphs shown are for the case when the floats provide a maximum possible upthrust four times the necessary minimum (Q = 4). With this choice of θ the ram makes use, by equation (16), of 80% of the available tidal range: i.e. the corresponding values of H (travel of ram) are 4m and 8m, respectively.
Figures 6-17 show the predictions for a working pressure of 500 p.s.i., and Figures 18-29 for a working pressure of 1000 p.s.i. Within these groupings the first six graphs (6-11 and 18-23) are for a tidal range of 5m, the remainder for a tidal range of 10m.

Figures
For Tidal Range = 5m   Working Pressure = 500p.s.i.
Figure 6   Mass of Capula and Conrod against Output Flow Rate
Figure 7   Diameter of Inner Cylinder against Output Flow Rate
Figure 8   Diameter of Float against Output Flow Rate
Figure 9   Volume of Inner Cylinder against Output Flow Rate
Figure 10   Volume of Float against Output Flow Rate
Figure 11   Power Output against Output Flow Rate
For Tidal Range = 10m   Working Pressure = 500p.s.i.
Figure 12   Mass of Capula and Conrod against Output Flow Rate
Figure 13   Diameter of Inner Cylinder against Output Flow Rate
Figure 14   Diameter of Float against Output Flow Rate
Figure 15   Volume of Inner Cylinder against Output Flow Rate
Figure 16   Volume of Float against Output Flow Rate
Figure 17   Power Output against Output Flow Rate
For Tidal Range = 5m   Working Pressure = 1000p.s.i.
Figure 18   Mass of Capula and Conrod against Output Flow Rate
Figure 19   Diameter of Inner Cylinder against Output Flow Rate
Figure 20   Diameter of Float against Output Flow Rate
Figure 21   Volume of Inner Cylinder against Output Flow Rate
Figure 22   Volume of Float against Output Flow Rate
Figure 23   Power Output against Output Flow Rate
For Tidal Range = 10m   Working Pressure = 1000p.s.i.
Figure 24   Mass of Capula and Conrod against Output Flow Rate
Figure 25   Diameter of Inner Cylinder against Output Flow Rate
Figure 26   Diameter of Float against Output Flow Rate
Figure 27   Volume of Inner Cylinder against Output Flow Rate
Figure 28   Volume of Float against Output Flow Rate
Figure 29   Power Output against Output Flow Rate