Marine thermal and electrical battery
AssigneeLone Gull Holdings, Ltd.
InventorGarth Alexander Sheldon-Coulson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments disclosed herein comprise a wave energy converter (WEC) that includes a buoyant chamber with a tube depending from the buoyant chamber. In an embodiment, a battery is coupled to the WEC. In an embodiment, the battery includes a first tank for storing an oxidizing gas and a precursor fluid, and a second tank for storing a fuel. In an embodiment the battery further includes a fuel cell fluidically coupled to the first tank and the second tank, and a reaction pipe fluidically coupled to the first tank and the second tank.
Claims25
A wave energy converter (WEC), comprising:
- a buoyant chamber;
- a tube depending from the buoyant chamber;
- and
- a battery coupled to the WEC, wherein the battery comprises:
- a first tank for storing an oxidizing gas and a precursor fluid;
- a second tank for storing a fuel;
- a fuel cell fluidically coupled to the first tank and the second tank;
- a reaction pipe fluidically coupled to the first tank and the second tank;
- and
- a return line coupled to the reaction pipe and to the first tank, the return line to replenish the precursor fluid in the first tank.
A thermal and electric battery, comprising:
- a first tank that is configured to store an oxidizing gas and a precursor fluid;
- a second tank that is configured to store a fuel, wherein the oxidizing gas and the fuel react exothermically to produce thermal energy within a reaction pipe that is fluidically coupled to the first tank and the second tank;
- a fuel cell fluidically coupled to the first tank and the second tank, wherein the fuel is cell is configured to generate electricity in response to a flow of the oxidizing gas and the fuel through the fuel cell;
- and
- a return line coupled to the reaction pipe and to the first tank, the return line to replenish the precursor fluid in the first tank.
A buoyant wave energy apparatus that floats adjacent to an upper surface of a body of water over which waves pass, the buoyant wave energy apparatus comprising:
- a buoyant chamber with an attached inertial tube that extends down into the body of water, wherein the buoyant chamber and the attached inertial tube are configured to generate energy from a motion of waves that pass over and/or through the body of water, and wherein the buoyant wave energy apparatus further comprises a thermal and electric battery that is coupled to the buoyant chamber and/or the inertial tube, wherein a thermal portion of the thermal and electric battery is configured to warm the buoyant wave energy apparatus so that one or more components of the buoyant wave energy apparatus are at a suitable temperature in order to allow for operation in a cold environment, wherein an electrical portion of the thermal and electric battery is configured to provide power to one or more components of the buoyant wave energy apparatus, and wherein the thermal and electric battery comprises a first tank that is configured to store an oxidizing gas and a precursor fluid, a second tank that is configured to store a fuel that can react with the oxidizing gas to produce thermal energy within a reaction pipe that is fluidically coupled to the first tank and the second tank, a fuel cell that is fluidically coupled to the first tank and the second tank, and wherein the fuel is cell is configured to generate electricity in response to a flow of the oxidizing gas and the fuel through the fuel cell, and the thermal and electric battery comprising a return line coupled to the reaction pipe and to the first tank, the return line to replenish the precursor fluid in the first tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.