Wave energy device with constricted tube and generator pod
AssigneeLone Gull Holdings, Ltd.
InventorsBrian Lee Moffat, Garth Alexander Sheldon-Coulson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wave energy converter utilizes a flotation module that rises and falls with the passage of waves, a submerged tube containing a constriction which multiplies the speed of the water passing therethrough, a turbine (or other hydrokinetic apparatus) positioned so as to extract energy from the accelerated flow of water within and/or through the tube, and a submerged gas- or liquid-filled chamber housing one or more energy conversion components (e.g. generators, transformers, rectifiers, inverters). By providing a chamber in proximity to the turbine, generators can be placed in closer proximity to the turbine that turns them, and the shared shaft can be shorter than if the generators were placed in the buoy adjacent to the surface.
Claims15
A positively buoyant wave energy converter, comprising:
- a water conducting tube having at least one constriction for accelerating water therein;
- a flotation module rigidly connected to the water conducting tube and having a horizontal cross-sectional area larger than a largest cross-sectional area of the water conducting tube;
- a submerged pod defining an interior volume with a non-corrosive environment;
- a water turbine disposed proximal to the submerged pod;
- a generator disposed within the interior of the submerged pod;
- a rotatable linkage transferring kinetic energy at the water turbine to the generator;
- and
- an electrical conduit linking the generator to an energy receptor unit on the flotation module for transferring electrical energy from the generator thereto.
A positively buoyant wave energy converter, comprising:
- a water conducting tube having at least one converging section for pressurizing water therein;
- a flotation module rigidly connected to the water conducting tube and having a horizontal cross-sectional area larger than a largest cross-sectional area of the water conducting tube;
- a water turbine adapted to be rotated by water pressurized by the water conducting tube;
- a generator;
- a rotatable linkage transferring kinetic energy at the water turbine to the generator;
- an energy receptor unit;
- an electrical conduit linking the generator to the energy receptor unit;
- an underwater pod for containing gas;
- and a gas replenishment unit for adding gas to the underwater pod.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.