AHERC at Work: Tanana River Hydrokinetic Test Site Update

Project Description:

AHERC’s Tanana River Hydrokinetic Test Site just outside of Nenana, Alaska, is playing host to a dramatic build out in the summer season of 2014.  The site has been upgraded with land clearing, storage units, office facilities in the form of ATCO trailer units, and a pontoon barge will be onsite to give hydrokinetic turbines a platform on which to be tested in the river.  This effort is all taking place to support a busy testing season which will feature a hydrokinetic device owned by Oceana Energy Company being deployed into the Tanana River in early September and AHERC’s prototype debris diversion system.

Project Update:

8/25/2014-8/31/2014

On Monday August 25th, AHERC’s pontoon barge was successfully launched into the Tanana River at the test site. The barge was briefly attached behind the River Debris Diversion Platform (RDDP) to observe how well it maintained its line behind the RDDP and the mooring buoy. After observing this, the barge was detached and anchored to the shore. Additional equipment, including the turbine still need to be loaded and installed on the barge before it is deployed for testing in the center of the river. The equipment and the turbine are both scheduled to arrive at the test site in the coming week.

On Wednesday, August 27th, the hydraulic power unit for the barge was picked up from Jon’s Machine Shop in Fox and delivered to the test site. Installation is set to take place on August 28th and 29th.

Photo: Research Engineer Jack Schmid, instructs the loader operator as the barge is pushed down the bank of the Tanana River.  Photo courtesy of NKonefal, ACEP/UAF.