Back to results
US 2020/0164850 A1Published application
Anti-fouling docks and low density fluid displacement
OwnerEthan J. Novekinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to systems and methods for pumping or removing a fluid from a region within or on top of or in contact with a water or liquid body and applications for said systems and methods. Some embodiments may also relate to anti-fouling or reducing fouling structures like docks.
Claims22
A system comprising:
- a first storage reservoir near the surface of a body of liquid and configured to store a first fluid;
- a second storage reservoir located below the surface of the body of liquid and configured to store a second fluid which has a higher density than the first fluid and wherein the second fluid is substantially immiscible with said first fluid;
- a pump;
- and
- a generator;
- wherein the pump, generator, and the first and second reservoir are operatively connected such that electricity is stored by displacing at least a portion of the second fluid water in the second storage reservoir by pumping at least a portion of the first fluid in the first storage reservoir to the second storage reservoir and electricity is generated or discharged by allowing the at least a portion of the pumped first fluid in the second storage reservoir to return to the first storage reservoir;
- and,
- wherein the first fluid and the second fluid are both in liquid form.
5 more elements
A system comprising:
- a platform;
- a float located beneath said platform;
- wherein the float comprises downwardly extending walls on opposing sides of the float and wherein the float comprises a lower surface configured to face water wherein said surface is shaped such that a provided stationary volume of air maintains a substantially non-contiguous physical separation between water and a portion of the lower surface configured to face water;
- and
- wherein the float is configured such that more than 50% of said volume of air remains within said walls within a 30 second period to reduce fouling.
2 more elements
A reduced fouling system comprising:
- a dock comprising at least one concave surface exposed to water configured to maintain a substantially non-contiguous physical separation between water and said concave surface;
- and
- a volume between said concave surface and water which is configured to be occupied by a stationary gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.