US 4,490,232 AGranted

Wave-powered electrolysis of water

AssigneeLaitram, L.L.C.

InventorJames M. Lapeyre

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Abstract

An offshore water electrolysis plant which produces pressurized gas by electrolysis of fresh water and wave power includes the combination of a wave-powered electric generator at the ocean surface, an electrolyzer and storage vessels located on the ocean bottom for providing gas under pressure, and a source of fresh water at the ocean surface forced down to the submerged electrolyzer through the use of a water-filled standpipe. In one embodiment, the electric power generating system includes a tethered floating helix coupled to an electric generator, in which the helix is automatically aligned with the wave propagation direction, while in another embodiment linear alternators are mounted for reciprocation on a column which extends through the air-sea interface, with each alternator provided with a donut-shaped float, such that electric power is generated as each float moves vertically up and down responsive to wave motion.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A system for the offshore generating of pressurized gas from wave power comprising:

a fresh water subsea electrolyzer;
wave-powered means for directly providing electric power to said subsea electrolyzer and not to any fresh water pumping system, such that maximum use is made of the wave power to electric power conversion;
a source of fresh water sufficiently above the sea surface to provide the required pressure at the subsea electrolyzer for proper operation thereof, said source being coupled to said subsea electrolyzer;
a subsea storage vessel having a bottom aperture adapted to admit sea water;
an inlet conduit from said electrolyzer to the interior of said vessel;
an outlet conduit from said vessel to an onshore location, said outlet conduit having an end positioned in said vessel, whereby pure gas under the pressure determined by the depth of said storage vessel is delivered onshore;
and
a water-filled standpipe between said source of fresh water and said subsea electrolyzer, said fresh water source including a reservoir of fresh water at a height above the sea surface sufficient to drive the fresh water to said subsea elecrolyzer without pumping such that no pump is used in the fresh water supply for said subsea electrolyzer.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.