Water wave energy harvester
AssigneeFOI Group, LLC
InventorsDavid M. Munson, Jr., David S. Flatt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wave energy harvester includes an elongated coupler that extends horizontally above a body of water. The coupler includes a conveyor that translates along its length. Disposed on the conveyor a plurality of vanes that, when between the coupler and the water, are contacted by the peaks of waves passing beneath the coupler, resulting in the translation of the vanes and the conveyor. Translation of the conveyor rotates an output that performs work to store the harvested kinetic energy to stored energy and/or to use it for other purposes, such as in power generation.
Claims20
An apparatus for harvesting kinetic energy from wave peaks comprising:
- a wave coupler;
- a support frame for positioning the wave coupler above a body of water to permit water waves to propagate beneath the wave coupler;
- and
- a plate coupled to the support frame below the wave coupler, the plate including a front plate end proximate a front end of the wave coupler and a back plate end proximate a back end of the wave coupler,
- wherein the wave coupler comprises:
- a closed-loop conveyor mounted to the support frame, the conveyor configured for translating along a front-to-back path on an underside of the wave coupler from the front end of the wave coupler to the back end of the wave coupler and returning to the front end of the wave coupler along a back-to-front path on a top side of the wave coupler;
- a plurality of spaced-apart wave contacting surfaces connected for movement with the conveyor that are positioned below the conveyor as it translates along the front-to-back path to contact with water waves passing beneath the wave coupler, a force of impact from water waves on the wave contacting surfaces being transmitted to the conveyor;
- a rotational output coupled with the conveyor that rotates in response to movement of the conveyor
- wherein the plate slopes toward the wave coupler as it extends from the front plate end to the back plate end.
An apparatus for harvesting kinetic energy from wave peaks comprising:
- a wave coupler;
- a support frame for positioning the wave coupler above a body of water to permit water waves to propagate beneath the wave coupler;
- a converter configured to convert kinetic energy of the wave to potential energy;
- and
- an energy store capable of storing the potential energy:
- wherein the wave coupler comprises:
- a closed-loop conveyor mounted to the support frame, the conveyor configured for translating along a front-to-back path on an underside of the wave coupler from a front end of the wave coupler to a back end of the wave coupler and returning to the front the end of the wave coupler along a back-to-front path on a top side of the wave coupler;
- and
- a plurality of spaced-apart wave contacting surfaces connected for movement with the conveyor that are positioned below the conveyor as it translates along the front-to-back path to contact with water waves passing beneath the wave coupler, a force of impact from water waves on the wave contacting surfaces being transmitted to the conveyor;
- and
- a rotational output coupled with the conveyor that rotates in response to movement of the conveyor, the rotational output coupled to the converter.
A method of harvesting energy from kinetic energy of waves on a body of water with a wave coupler, comprising:
- supporting with one or more frames, at least one elongated, closed-loop conveyor in a generally horizontal orientation above a body of water to permit waves on the body of water to pass beneath it;
- coupling movement of the conveyor with at least one rotational output and a converter configured to convert kinetic energy of the wave to potential energy;
- performing work with the rotation of the at least one rotational output to convert kinetic energy of the wave to potential energy;
- storing the potential energy in an energy store,
- wherein the conveyor is configured for translating along a front-to-back path on an underside of the wave coupler from a front end of the wave coupler to a back end of the wave coupler and returning to the front end of the wave coupler along a back-to-front path on a top side of the wave coupler;
- and
- wherein the wave coupler further comprises a plurality of spaced-apart vanes connected with the conveyor for movement with the conveyor when translating along the front-to-back path, the plurality of vanes extending downwardly from beneath the conveyor for contact with water waves passing beneath the coupler and transmit a force of impact of the water waves on the vanes to the conveyor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.