Shutter for hydro-pneumatic current flow harnessing system

A system for harnessing the energy of current flow or tidal motion of a water body, comprising:

• two hydro-pneumatic chambers each having an inlet port for the ingress of water into the chamber below the water surface and an outlet port for the egress of water out of the chamber below the water surface;
• a water gate disposed at each of the ports and movable between open and closed positions in response to a water level differential on opposite sides of the gate, each water gate comprising:
• a door hingedly mounted within the port for rotation about a first horizontal axis at a vertical midsection of the port,
• each door having a window in an upper portion of the door, and
• a shutter mounted on the door for rotation about a second horizontal axis to open and close the window;
• a linkage between the inlet port water gate of each one of the chambers and the outlet port water gate of the other of the chambers such that an inlet and its linked outlet are either both opened or both closed simultaneously for alternately synchronized operation of the inlet and outlet water gates of each chamber;
• a channel connecting the chamber above the water surface and operative to permit air to move between the chambers in response to a change in water level in the chambers;
• and
• means for harnessing the energy of the air moving within the channel.

A water gate for opening and closing a water port in a system for harnessing energy from a water level differential, the water gate comprising:

• a door rotatably mounted within the port between a closed position, wherein the door is disposed vertically, and an open position, wherein an upper portion of the door extends upstream and a lower portion of the door extends downstream;
• a window disposed in the upper portion of the door;
• a shutter pivotably mounted to open and close the window;
• and
• a counterweight mounted to the downstream side of the shutter.

A system for harnessing the energy of tidal movement or current flow in a water body separated into a higher water level and a lower water level, comprising:

• a lower portion comprising:
• four vertical walls connected about a vertical axis, each containing a port below the water surface operative to permit passage of water;
• a water gate corresponding to each of said ports, each said water gate moveable between open and closed positions;
• two curved walls, each curved wall interconnecting a pair of adjacent walls of the four vertical walls to define a pair of lower chambers each configured as a portion of a cylinder;
• and
• a linkage between pairs of the water gates, one gate of each pair exposed to the higher water level and the other gate exposed to the lower water level, such that the opening and closing of each pair is alternately synchronized with the other pair to alternately allow water to enter one lower chamber while it exits the other lower chamber;
• an upper portion comprising:
• a pair of rectangularly configured upper chambers, each rectangular upper chamber vertically disposed above and in continuous spatial communication with a respective one of the cylindrical lower chambers of the lower portion to form a pair of air/water chambers;
• a channel connecting the pair of air/water chambers, the channel operative to permit the movement of air between the pair of air/water chambers in response to a change in water level in the chambers;
• and
• means for converting the movement of air in the channel into usable energy.

A system for harnessing the energy of current flow or tidal motion of a water body, comprising:

• two hydro-pneumatic chambers each having an upper portion of generally rectangular configuration and a lower portion having a configuration of a portion of a cylinder, the lower portion having an inlet port for the ingress of water into the chamber below the water surface and an outlet port for the egress of water out of the chamber below the water surface, the upper portion having a greater volume than the lower portion;
• a water gate disposed at each of said ports and rotatable between open and closed portions along a horizontal axis in response to a water level differential on opposite sides of the gate;
• a linkage between the inlet port water gate of each one of the chambers and the outlet port water gate of the other of the chambers such that an inlet and its linked outlet are either both opened or both closed simultaneously for alternately synchronized operation of the inlet and outlet water gates of each chamber;
• a channel connecting said chambers above the water surface and operative to permit air to move between said chambers in response to a change in water level in the chambers;
• and
• means for harnessing the energy of the air moving within said channel.