Back to results
US 4,421,461 AGranted
Wave-powered desalination of seawater
AssigneeUniversity of Delaware
InventorsDouglas C. Hicks, Charles M. Pleass
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention provides efficient and cost effective water wave-powered piston pumps. Utility of such pumps is demonstrated in the reverse osmosis desalination of seawater.
Claims4
A wave-powered pumping device useful under trade wind conditions for producing pressures of about 800 psi, said device comprising:
- (a) a non-Archimedean wave follower connected in sequence from top to bottom with
- (b) a piston pump having a cylinder within which is mounted a reciprocatory piston;
- (c) attachment means connecting one of the pair consisting of said cylinder and said reciprocatory piston with said wave follower and the other of said pair with mooring means selected from anchors, alone or in combination with a reaction unit;
- wherein the ratio of the wave follower effective waterline plane area to the piston cross sectional area is within the limits of 1000 and 6500.
1 more element
The process of pumping seawater employing a wave-powered pumping device comprising:
- (a) a non-Archimedean wave follower connected in sequence from top to bottom with
- (b) a piston pump having a cylinder within which is mounted a reciprocatory piston;
- (c) attachment means connecting one of the pair consisting of said cylinder and said reciprocatory piston with said wave follower and the other of said pair with mooring selected from anchors, alone or in combination with a reaction unit;
- wherein the product of the effective waterline plane area and the wave height divided by the product of the piston area and the required pressure is between 50 and 200.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.