Dresser-Rand Company Ltd to Join Forces with Orecon Ltd
PETERBOROUGH, UK, May. 14 - Dresser-Rand Company Ltd and Orecon Ltd have signed a memorandum of understanding to optimise the chamber and turbine design for their multi-resonant chamber (MRC) wave energy conversion device.
Orecon's MRC device combines oscillating water column (OWC) technology with Dresser-Rand's HydroAir(TM) bidirectional air impulse turbine technology. The OWC is the most successful and extensively studied device for extracting energy from ocean waves. It works on the following principle:
Approaching waves force the free water surface in the chamber to move up and down, which causes an oscillation of the air pressure inside the chamber. This forces the air backwards and forwards through an air turbine installed in a duct connecting the chamber to the atmosphere. The turbine converts this air movement into electrical energy by the direct coupling of the generator.
The simplicity of OWC technology (i.e., only one moving part) has long made it a favoured solution for wave energy conversion applications. However, the OWC's major weakness has been its low efficiency. Orecon has made a technological breakthrough with the MRC by combining multiple chambers to increase the bandwidth of energy capture and Dresser-Rand's highly efficient impulse turbine.
By sharing technologies, the companies will provide total OWC-based solutions backed by Dresser-Rand's global service network. Together they will be able to provide clients with a high level of confidence in the emerging wave energy market that is normally available only in long-established markets such as oil and gas.
In addition, anticipated technology collaboration marks a significant new phase in Dresser-Rand's long-term commitment to deepwater offshore, shoreline, and breakwater projects.
o Dresser-Rand - www.dresser-rand.com
o Orecon Ltd - www.orecon.com
About Dresser-Rand
Dresser-Rand is among the largest suppliers of rotating equipment solutions to the worldwide oil, gas, petrochemical, and process industries. The Company operates manufacturing facilities in the United States, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, India, and China, and maintains a network of 33 service and support centers covering more than 140 countries. The financial results of the new venture, Dresser-Rand Arabia, will be consolidated by Dresser-Rand.
About Orecon
Orecon is a wave energy device developer that has patented technology to overcome difficulties experienced by other wave energy projects. The MRC is the result of six years development work together based on more than 200 years of coastal and offshore experience. Orecon is committed to preserving the environment and its buoys pose very little risk to marine life.
Last year, a syndicate of international venture capitalists including Advent Ventures, Venrock, Wellington Partners, and Northzone Ventures invested a total of £12 million in Orecon. The investment will enable Orecon to build and deploy its first full-scale device before moving on to the commercial roll-out of its technology.
SOURCE Dresser-Rand Group Inc.
http://www.dresser-rand.com
Orecon contact:
Ken Street
Business Development Director
+44 (0)1208 261692
