Apparatus, System and Method for Raising Water Using a Container
AssigneeRe Systems Ltd.
InventorDouglas Edwards
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus, system, and method for raising water using containers is provided. The system includes a first frame ascendable and descendible within a body of water. At least one container is connected to an elongated cable, wherein the elongated cable is connected to the first frame, wherein two free ends of the elongated cable are connectable together when the first frame is in a descended position within the body of water. The system may include an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), Low-Temperature Thermal Desalination (LLTD), and/or Seawater Air Conditioning (SWAC) system, among others.
Claims21
1-4. (canceled)
A system for raising water using containers, the system comprising:
- a first frame ascendable and descendible within a body of water;
- and
- at least one container connected to an elongated cable, wherein the elongated cable is connected to the first frame, wherein two free ends of the elongated cable are connectable together when the first frame is in a descended position within the body of water.
The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one anchoring cable, wherein the first frame is ascendable and descendible within the body of water on the at least one anchoring cable.
The system of claim 1, wherein when the first frame is in an ascended position, the at least one container is positioned proximate to a surface of the body of water.
The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one buoyant insert within the at least one container, wherein the at least one buoyant insert controls a buoyancy of the at least one container.
The system of claim 1, further comprising a second frame positioned substantially vertical to the first frame, wherein the first frame is positioned proximate to the surface of the body of water.
The system of claim 1, wherein when the first frame is in the descended position within the body of water, the two free ends of the elongated cable are connectable together to form a loop of the at least one container on the elongated cable.
The system of claim 1, wherein the first frame is ascendable and descendible within the body of water using at least one of:
- a weight;
- and a pulley.
A method of installing containers in a system for raising water, the method comprising:
- connecting at least one container to an elongated cable;
- connecting the elongated cable to a first frame, wherein the first frame ascendable and descendible within a body of water;
- moving the first frame from an ascended position to a descended position, wherein the at least one container on the elongated cable is descended within the body of water;
- and
- connecting two free ends of the elongated cable together.
A method of installing containers in an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), Low-Temperature Thermal Desalination (LLTD), or Seawater Air Conditioning (SWAC) systems, the method comprising:
- connecting at least one container to an elongated cable;
- connecting the elongated cable to a first frame, wherein the first frame ascendable and descendible within a body of water;
- moving the first frame from an ascended position to a descended position, wherein the at least one container on the elongated cable is descended within the body of water;
- and
- connecting two free ends of the elongated cable together.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.