Étude d'un modèle tournant de mer littorale application au problème de l'usine marémotrice des îles Chausey

Design of a rotating model of a coastal sea area Its application to the Chausey Islands tidal power plant

¹ E.D.F., Direction des Etudes et Recherches, 6, quai watier 78 - Chatou.
² Ingénieur au C.N.R.S., Chef de la Section d'Etude des marées du Laboratoire de Mécanique des Fluides de l'Université de Grenoble.

Résumé

The leading particulars of the hydraulic scale model of the Channel built on the Grenoble turntable are reviewed and a summary is presented of coastal tide reproduction data for ocean-induced periodic waves. The results are given for average spring tides, with wave height and phase errors of about 1 % and 10 mn respectively. The resulting current directions are fairly similar to those observed on the spot. The curves giving water level variation with time clearly show up the effect of shallow water, in spite of the very distorted model scale. The Le Havre tide curve is a good example. The main results of the Mont Saint-Michel tidal power project study are then stated, i.e. the effect of the dykes and power house operation on the tide ranges. This study considered the use of the power units to store and produce energy, for various installed output levels and tide coefficients. Backwater effects due to the structures are found to cause an appreciable loss of energy.