Triaxis Energy

The Falkirk Wheel is a great example of a low impact piece of machinery that is not only functional but really great looking too.

The Falkirk Wheel is a lock which connects the Union and the Forth and Clyde canals near the town of Falkirk Scotland.  These canals were previously joined by a series of eleven locks.  They were filled in back in the 1930’s due to their poor shape.  This new lock system was opened on May 24 2002 by Queen Elizabeth II.

The operation is pretty simple.  When lined up vertically like in the picture boats enter the ends of the caissons which hold them floating in water and then the doors close and are sealed water tight.  The whole apparatus then rotates 180 degrees and stops.  The doors open and then the boats move on and the process continues. It’s a really cool piece of equipment that is a well designed and works excellent.  On top of that it blends into the surroundings well and isn’t just another concrete eye sore.

It uses very little power to operate this lock system. It is said it only uses about the same amount of energy as boiling 8 kettles of water.  The two electric motors are only just over 30hp.  Much of the work is done just by balancing the two caissons and then rotating them which is why so little power is required.  Smart design!

The system is bolted together for a particular reason: Welds could shear over time with all of the rotating force.

It’s a very cool engineering marvel which is absolutely genius.  It’s pretty electrically efficient and pleasing to see in operation.  I wish we had one of these over here in Canada.