Surface gravity wave generator and wave pool
AssigneeKelly Slater Wave Company, LLC
InventorsKelly Slater, Adam Fincham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surface gravity wave generator and wave pool is disclosed. A wave pool is formed of opposing side walls and a center channel of water. The channel includes a bottom contour with a depth that runs from a deep end to a shoal or beach. One or more three-dimensional foils are vertically arranged along at least one side wall, and moved against the water in the channel. Each foil has a curvilinear cross-sectional geometry that defines a leading surface that is adapted to generate a wave in water moving past the leading surface, and a trailing surface configured for flow recovery to avoid separation of the flow of water in the wave and to mitigate drag from the foil from the water moving past the leading surface.
Claims14
A wave generator for a pool of water defined by a channel having a side wall, the wave generator comprising:
- one or more foils, each foil arranged vertically along at least a major part of the side wall and adapted for movement in a direction along a length of the side wall, each foil having a curvilinear cross-sectional geometry that defines a leading surface that is concave about a vertical axis to generate a primary wave in the water from the movement, and a trailing surface for flow recovery behind the primary wave to avoid separation of the flow of water along the foil and to mitigate drag on the foil from the movement, the trailing surface narrowing from a maximum width of the foil adjacent the leading surface to a point at an end of the foil;
- and
- a moving mechanism connected with the one or more foils for moving the one or more foils in the direction along the length of the side wall to generate a surface gravity wave by each of the one or more foils.
A wave pool comprising:
- a channel containing water and having a side wall having a height, and a bottom contour that slopes upward away from the side wall toward a shoal;
- one or more foils, each foil arranged vertically along at least a major part of the side wall and adapted for movement in a direction along a length of the side wall, each foil having a curvilinear cross-sectional geometry that defines a leading surface that is concave about a vertical axis to generate a primary wave in the water from the movement, and a trailing surface for flow recovery behind the primary wave to avoid separation of the flow of water along the foil and to mitigate drag on the foil from the movement, the trailing surface narrowing from a maximum width of the foil adjacent the leading surface to a point at an end of the foil.
A wave pool comprising:
- a circular channel containing water and having a side wall having a height, the circular channel further including a bottom contour that slopes upward away from the side wall toward a shoal;
- a plurality of foils, each foil arranged vertically along at least a major part of the side wall and adapted to move along the side wall around the circular channel, each foil having a curvilinear cross-sectional geometry that defines a leading surface that is concave about a vertical axis to generate a primary wave in the water from the movement, and a trailing surface for flow recovery behind the primary wave to avoid separation of the flow of water along the foil and to mitigate drag on the foil from the movement, the trailing surface narrowing from a maximum width of the foil adjacent the leading surface to a point at an end of the foil.
A wave pool comprising:
- a channel containing water and having a side wall having a height, and a bottom contour that slopes upward away from the side wall toward a shoal;
- one or more foils, each foil arranged vertically along at least a major part of the side wall and adapted for movement in a direction along a length of the side wall, each foil having a curvilinear cross-sectional geometry that defines a leading surface to generate a wave in the water from the movement, and a trailing surface for flow recovery to avoid separation of the flow of water in the wave and to mitigate drag from the foil from the movement, the side wall including a flexible outer wall and a rigid inner wall, and a foil forming mechanism between the flexible outer wall and the rigid inner wall to dynamically form a moving protrusion to define each of the one or more foils.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.