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US 8,633,608 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for extracting energy from fluid motion
AssigneeAWS Ocean Energy Limited
InventorsSimon Grey, Andrew Borthwick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method are disclosed for extracting energy from fluid motion. A deformable body adapted to be deformed by fluid motion is arranged to drive at least one energy medium to be delivered to an energy output. The energy medium is controllable in order to control at least one dynamic response of the deformable body.
Claims25
An apparatus for extracting energy from fluid motion, said apparatus comprising:
- a deformable body adapted to be deformed by fluid motion, wherein the deformation of the deformable body is arranged to drive at least one energy medium to be delivered to an energy output;
- the deformable body comprising a distensible tube whose wall comprises a plurality of force transducers along the length of the tube;
- the force transducers comprising an electroactive material and being arranged such that deformation of the force transducers drives the energy medium;
- and
- wherein the energy medium is controllable in order to control at least one dynamic response of the deformable body.
2 more elements
An apparatus for extracting energy from fluid motion, said apparatus comprising:
- a deformable body adapted to be deformed by fluid motion, wherein the deformation of the deformable body is arranged to drive at least one energy medium to be delivered to an energy output;
- the deformable body comprising a distensible tube whose wall comprises a plurality of force transducers along the length of the tube;
- the force transducers comprising an electroactive material and being arranged such that deformation of the force transducers drives the energy medium;
- wherein the energy medium is controllable in order to control at least one dynamic response of the deformable body;
- and
- wherein the plurality of force transducers is orientated circumferentially around the tube.
3 more elements
An apparatus for extracting energy from fluid motion, said apparatus comprising:
- a deformable body adapted to be deformed by fluid motion, wherein the deformation of the deformable body is arranged to drive at least one energy medium to be delivered to an energy output;
- the deformable body comprising a distensible tube whose wall comprises a plurality of force transducers along the length of the tube;
- the force transducers comprising an electroactive material and being arranged such that deformation of the force transducers drives the energy medium;
- wherein the energy medium is controllable in order to control at least one dynamic response of the deformable body;
- and
- wherein the deformable body comprises fibers aligned in preferential directions so as to permit distensibility in one or more preselected dimensions.
3 more elements
An apparatus for extracting energy from fluid motion, said apparatus comprising:
- a deformable body adapted to be deformed by fluid motion, wherein the deformation of the deformable body is arranged to drive at least one energy medium to be delivered to an energy output;
- the deformable body comprising a distensible tube whose wall comprises a plurality of force transducers along the length of the tube;
- the force transducers comprising an electroactive material and being arranged such that deformation of the force transducers drives the energy medium;
- wherein the energy medium is controllable in order to control at least one dynamic response of the deformable body;
- and
- wherein the force transducers comprise a multi-parallel plate capacitor, wherein alternate layers of dielectric and electrode are laid down one on top of the other and where every second electrode is connected in parallel.
3 more elements
An apparatus for extracting energy from fluid motion, said apparatus comprising:
- a deformable body adapted to be deformed by fluid motion, wherein the deformation of the deformable body is arranged to drive at least one energy medium to be delivered to an energy output;
- the deformable body comprising a distensible tube whose wall comprises a plurality of force transducers along the length of the tube;
- the force transducers comprising an electroactive material and being arranged such that deformation of the force transducers drives the energy medium;
- wherein the energy medium is controllable in order to control at least one dynamic response of the deformable body;
- and
- wherein the force transducer comprises an electro-active material, the force transducer being arranged such that deformation of the force transducer drives the energy medium and the force transducer is also operable as a sensor.
3 more elements
An apparatus for extracting energy from fluid motion, said apparatus comprising:
- a deformable body adapted to be deformed by fluid motion, wherein the deformation of the deformable body is arranged to drive at least one energy medium to be delivered to an energy output;
- the deformable body comprising a distensible tube whose wall comprises a plurality of force transducers along the length of the tube;
- the force transducers comprising an electroactive material and being arranged such that deformation of the force transducers drives the energy medium;
- wherein the energy medium is controllable in order to control at least one dynamic response of the deformable body;
- and
- wherein the dynamic response of the tube is controllable to permit the bulge wave propagation velocity to be accurately matched with an incident wave velocity.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.