Rotary valves for wave generator caissons

A valve assembly for controlling the movement of a fluid between a caisson and the atmosphere, comprising:

• a drum assembly having an upper port communicating with the atmosphere, and a lower port communicating with said caisson, wherein said drum assembly comprises an inner drum adapted to rotate inside an outer drum;
• two side ports located on said inner drum, and two side ports located on said outer drum, wherein said two side ports on said outer drum comprise an inflow port and an outflow port, and said two side ports on said inner drum are adapted to be aligned with said inflow port and said outflow port on said outer drum, to allow the fluid to flow into and out of said drum assembly;
• a baffle extended within said drum assembly, wherein said baffle divides said drum assembly into upper and lower compartments;
• a duct connected to said drum assembly and extended around in a loop, wherein a blower or pump is provided in association with said duct to cause the fluid to flow in a single direction around said duct, and said duct is adapted to enable the fluid to flow into and out of said drum assembly through said duct;
• wherein by rotating said inner drum relative to said outer drum, the drum assembly can be operated in at least three different positions, comprising:
• a first position with said baffle oriented such that in said upper compartment said inflow port communicates with said upper port, and in said lower compartment said lower port communicates with said outflow port;
• a second position with said baffle oriented such that in said upper compartment said upper port communicates with said outflow port, and in said lower compartment said inflow port communicates with said lower port;
• and
• a third shut-off position wherein said inflow and outflow ports are closed, thus preventing the fluid from flowing into and out of said drum assembly;
• wherein said valve is adapted to be used in connection with a wave pool and the fluid is air, wherein by operating said blower or pump with said valve in said first position, said baffle causes the air to flow out of said caisson and into said drum assembly, and then, out of said drum assembly and around said duct and back into said drum assembly, and then, out of said drum assembly and into the atmosphere, wherein the pressure in said caisson can be decreased, thereby causing water in said wave pool to be drawn into said caisson;
• and
• by operating said blower or pump with said valve in said second position, said baffle causes the air to flow from the atmosphere and into said drum assembly, and then, out of said drum assembly and around said duct and back into said drum assembly, and then, out of said drum assembly and into said caisson, wherein the pressure in said caisson can be increased, thereby causing water in said caisson to flow down and forward into said wave pool to create a wave.

A valve assembly for controlling the movement of a fluid between a first area and a second area, comprising:

• a drum assembly having an inner drum coaxially aligned with an outer drum, wherein said inner drum is adapted to rotate inside said outer drum;
• at least two side openings on said inner drum and at least two side openings on said outer drum, wherein said at least two side openings on said inner drum are adapted to be aligned with said at least two side openings on said outer drum, wherein the alignment of said side openings allows the fluid to flow into and out of said drum assembly;
• a baffle extended in said drum assembly and a duct communicating with said drum assembly, wherein a blower or pump communicates with said duct to cause the fluid to flow in a single direction around said duct;
• wherein said drum assembly can be operated in at least two positions, comprising a first position wherein said baffle causes the fluid to flow out of said first area and into said second area, and a second position wherein said baffle causes the fluid to flow out of said second area and into said first area;
• and
• wherein the rotation of said inner drum relative to said outer drum can be controlled by a programmable servo motor, so that said drum assembly can be switched between said first and second positions, and vice versa, and wherein the flow of the fluid within said drum assembly relative to said first and second areas can be reversed, while at the same time, said blower or pump can continue to cause the fluid to flow in said single direction around said duct.