Inertial pneumatic wave energy device
AssigneeLone Gull Holdings, Ltd.
InventorsGarth Alexander Sheldon-Coulson, Brian Lee Moffat, Daniel William Place
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Abstract
A buoyant wave energy device is disclosed that incorporates an open-bottomed tube of substantial length in which is partially enclosed a first body of water that oscillates in response to wave action. The device incorporates a buoy to which an upper end of the tube is connected and inside of which is trapped a second body of water of substantial mass. A differential phase in the oscillations of the water trapped in the tube, and the oscillations of the buoy of augmented mass, result in the periodic compression of a pocket of air trapped at the top of the tube, and in the subsequent expulsion of pressurized air through a turbine, thereby generating electrical power.
Claims4
A sail-propelled wave energy converter, comprising:
- a bulbous upper hull;
- a tubular water channel descending from the bulbous upper hull;
- a pressurized gas accumulator in fluid communication with the tubular water channel;
- a turbine power-take-off system adapted to generate electricity from pressurized fluid;
- and
- a rigid sail mounted to the bulbous upper hull, the rigid sail configured to propel the wave energy converter;
- whereby water moving upwardly in the tubular water channel compresses gas in the pressurized gas accumulator;
- and
- whereby pressurized gas in the pressurized gas accumulator impels fluid through the turbine power-take-off system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.