Patent 7851936 was granted and assigned to Anadarko Petroleum Corporation on December, 2010 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A water current power generation system is provided, including a plurality of flotation tubes joined by a body structure; a plurality of ballast chambers joined by a body structure; a plurality of induction type power generation units disposed within housings associated with one or more of the flotation chambers, ballast chambers and body structure; and a plurality of propellers disposed in mechanical communication with each of the induction type generator units. Methods and means of deploying, positioning, maintaining, controlling and operating the system are also provided, as are detailed descriptions of novel inductor type generators used to obtain power from fast moving water currents, flotation tanks for tensioning the system against a submerged anchoring system disposed on an associated seafloor, and fluid-filled ballast chambers equipped with multiple sub-chambers that lend precision control and continuous adjustability to the system.