Wave-powered generator
AssigneeGhazi Khan
InventorGhazi Khan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A machine and process to compress ambient air using natural swell of ocean waves to store energy. The devise is a bi-directional air pump operated by ocean wave power of water buoyancy as well as earth gravity in a pressure vessel using a piston. The machine uses a large surface area as float connected by a rod to a small area as piston, housed in a pressure vessel to multiply compression of air. The compression of air is directly proportional to the respective surface areas of float to the piston attached with a rod inside the pressure vessel. An array of similar machines can be employed to multiply potential energy output.
Claims18
A device for converting wave energy to compressed air comprising:
- a compression chamber comprising an upper end and a lower end at opposing ends of an axis, wherein the upper end comprises a one-way air inlet valve and a one-way compressed air outlet valve, and wherein the lower end comprises a one-way air inlet valve and a one-way compressed air outlet valve;
- a piston that divides the compression chamber into upper and lower variable-pressure sub-chambers, wherein the piston is operable within the compression chamber between the upper end and the lower end;
- a float external to the compression chamber;
- a shaft connected between the piston and the float;
- a compressed air storage tank connected to the one-way compressed air outlet valves;
- and
- an intelligent control comprising:
- a tidal sensor for capturing and/or monitoring tidal data associated with the ocean water;
- a data analytics module for storing, transmitting, and communicating said tidal data, and
- a calibration module for calibrating and/or re-calibrating the device so as to achieve a weightlessness effect at a crest position of a wave;
- wherein ocean water acting upon the float is used to create a weight for capturing force of gravity in the lower variable-pressure sub-chamber and said ocean water is mixed with ambient air in the float so as to achieve the weightlessness effect at the crest position of the wave;
- wherein the ambient air is used in the lower variable-pressure sub-chamber to utilize buoyancy so as to lift the float.
A method of harnessing tidal energy of a wave comprising:
- providing a device with a compression chamber comprising an upper end and a lower end at opposing ends of an axis, wherein the upper end comprises a one-way air inlet valve and a one-way compressed air outlet valve, and wherein the lower end comprises a one-way air inlet valve and a one-way compressed air outlet valve;
- dividing the compression chamber into upper and lower variable-pressure sub-chambers by a piston;
- determining, with the tidal sensor, a location of a float in relation to the wave, said float operatively connected to said piston;
- allowing the float to move buoyantly over the wave;
- constraining movement of the float to a direction parallel to the axis of the compression chamber when the float is acted upon by the wave;
- storing compressed air which passes through the one-way compressed air outlet valves as a result of the piston;
- using ocean water acting upon the float to create a weight for capturing force of gravity in the lower variable-pressure sub-chamber;
- mixing the ocean water with ambient air in the float so as to achieve a weightlessness effect at a crest position of the wave;
- and
- using the ambient air in the lower variable-pressure sub-chamber to capture a buoyant force and lift the float.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.