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US 8,274,168 B2Granted
Generating hydroenergy
OwnerJanne Aaltonen, Markus Aarnioinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of recovering energy from the potential energy of water in a body of water includes providing a reservoir at least partly below a surface of a body of water, leading water from the body of water in the reservoir, and storing potential energy by removing water from the reservoir. A hydroenergy plant recovers energy from the water while leading the water into the reservoir using a turbine and an electric generator coupled to the turbine.
Claims20
A method of generating hydroenergy comprising:
- providing a structure in a body of water, the structure comprising:
- a reservoir, the reservoir having a set of walls defining an inner volume for water, the structure configured so that a portion of the structure is situated at least partly below a surface of the body of water and a bottom of the structure is situated at or below a level of a sea bed to limit an amount of water underneath the structure, and wherein each of the walls is angled relative to the sea bed to direct a force resulting from a pressure difference between an inside and an outside of the reservoir downwards towards the sea bed;
- storing potential energy by removing water from the reservoir;
- leading water from the body of water into the reservoir;
- and
- recovering energy from the water while leading the water into the reservoir.
3 more elements
A hydroenergy generating plant, comprising:
- a structure arranged in a body of water, the structure comprising:
- a top portion, a bottom portion and walls between the top and bottom portions defining a reservoir therein, the reservoir having an inner volume for water,
- the structure configured so that a portion of the structure is situated at least partly below a surface of the body of water and the bottom portion of the structure is at or below a level of a sea bed to limit an amount of water underneath the structure, and wherein each of the walls is angled relative to the sea bed to direct a force resulting from a pressure difference between an inside and an outside of the reservoir downwards towards the sea bed;
- removal means for removing water from the reservoir;
- inlet means for leading water from the body of water into the reservoir;
- energy recovering means configured to recover energy from potential energy of the water led into the reservoir through the inlet means.
3 more elements
A method of storing potential energy of water, the method comprising:
- providing a reservoir for water, a portion of the reservoir being positioned at least partly below a surface of a body of water,
- the reservoir having a top portion and a bottom portion, and walls defining the reservoir, and wherein each of the walls is angled relative to the sea bed to direct a force resulting from a pressure difference between an inside and an outside of the reservoir downwards towards the sea bed, and wherein the angle of the walls relative to the seabed defines an opening in the top portion that has a diameter that is less than a diameter of an opening in the bottom portion;
- positioning a bottom portion of the reservoir on a bed of the body of water;
- leading water from the body of water into the reservoir;
- and
- storing potential energy by removing water from the reservoir.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.