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US 8,943,821 B2Granted
Wave power plant
AssigneeRobert Bosch GmbH
InventorsBenjamin Hagemann, Nik Scharmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wave power plant includes a platform and at least one coupling member. The at least one coupling member is mounted in such a way as to perform an orbital movement which has a predetermined direction of movement and from which a torque usable for energy conversion can be tapped. A torque compensation device is provided which is designed to essentially compensate or neutralize a reactive torque generated by tapping the usable torque.
Claims15
Wave power plant for use in a body of water comprising:
- a platform;
- at least one coupling body mounted relative to the platform to receive wave motion of the body of water;
- an energy converter device connected between the coupling body and the platform and configured to generate a usable torque tapped from movement of the coupling body in an operating state;
- a torque compensating device which includes at least one rack mounted rotatably on the platform, wherein said at least one coupling body is mounted on said rack and moves in orbital motion relative to said rack;
- and
- a countertorque generating mechanism mounted on said rack, configured to apply a countertorque to said rack in response to one or more of the usable tapped torque and spatial position of said rack to retain said rack substantially stable, such that the platform remains substantially torque-free.
3 more elements
Wave power plant for use in a body of water, comprising:
- a platform;
- at least one coupling body mounted rotatably on the platform to receive wave motion of the body of water;
- an energy converter device connected between the coupling body and the platform and configured to generate a usable torque tapped from movement of the coupling body in an operating state;
- and
- a torque compensating device separate from the at least one coupling body configured to counterbalance a reaction torque of the platform generated in reaction to the usable torque, and including a countertorque generating mechanism including at least one buoyancy body disposed on a longitudinal end portion of the platform and a mooring chain disposed on an opposite longitudinal end portion of the platform, and wherein the at least one buoyancy body is set such that the obtained buoyancy, given a horizontal alignment of the platform together with the mooring chain and/or a non-symmetrical weight distribution along the platform generates a total countertorque which is roughly equal to the usable torque tapped from the at least one coupling body.
2 more elements
Wave power plant for use in a body of water, comprising:
- a platform;
- at least one coupling body mounted rotatably on the platform to receive wave motion of the body of water;
- an energy converter device connected between the coupling body and the platform and configured to generate a usable torque tapped from movement of the coupling body in an operating state;
- and
- a torque compensating device separate from the at least one coupling body configured to counterbalance a reaction torque of the platform generated in reaction to the usable torque,
- wherein the energy converter device includes a lever rotatably mounting the coupling body relative to the platform, the lever coupled to and driving an axle for generating a usable torque, the energy converter device further including an adjustment unit for adjusting the length of the lever to vary the usable torque in order to adapt the usable torque to the sum of the currently obtaining compensating moments.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.