Wave driven generator
AssigneeWilliams, Inc.
InventorGlenn E. Hagen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plurality of different sized floats are connected into an array through nonlinear interfaces so their relative motions drive hydraulic pumping means. Floats in the array are sized to present a "black body" to the ocean waves incident upon the array. Fluid moved by the pumping means is used to drive an electric turbogenerator.
Claims52
A power gathering array for extracting energy from wave motion of a fluid, said wave motion having both an amplitude spectrum and wavelength spectrum, comprising:
- a plurality of differing sized floats, each said float having a density such that it floats on the surface of said fluid and moves in response to said wave motion;
- a connecting means for connecting the rear of at least one first smaller float of said plurality to the front of at least one second larger float of said plurality, said connecting means being adapted to allow relative motion to occur between said first and second floats responsive to said wave motion when the two floats are oriented so the smallest float points into the direction of wave motion;
- second connecting means for connecting the rear of the largest float of said array to a fixed object;
- and
- work extracting means responsive to said relative motion for extracting a unit amount of work from a unit amount of said relative motion and a non-linearly greater number of units of work from each additional unit of relative motion.
A wave generating unit for converting the power of the wave motion of a fluid, said wave motion having an amplitude spectrum and a wavelength spectrum, to mechanical and electrical power comprising:
- a plurality of differing sized floats, each said float having a density such that it floats on the surface of said fluid and moves in response to said wave motion;
- a connecting means for connecting the rear of at least one first smaller float of said plurality to the front of at least one second larger float of said plurality, said connecting means being adapted to allow relative motion to occur between said first and second floats responsive to said wave motion when the two floats are oriented so the smallest float points into the direction of wave motion;
- second connecting means for connecting the rear of the largest float of said array to a fixed object;
- work extracting means responsive to said relative motion for extracting a small amount of work from a slight amount of said relative motion and a nonlinearly larger amount of work from each proportionately larger amount of said relative motion;
- and
- power conversion means responsive to said nonlinear work extraction means for converting power collected by the extraction means to mechanical and electrical power.
A wave generating unit according to 13 wherein said plurality of floats increase regularly in length by a scaling factor equal to the nth root of an integer greater than one time the length of the smallest float in the array, n being greater than one.
A power generating array for extracting energy from wave motion of a fluid, said wave motion having both an amplitude spectrum and a wavelength spectrum comprising:
- a plurality of differing sized floats, said float sizes chosen to allow said floats to dynamically couple into a plurality of wavelengths of said wave motion, each said float having a density such that it floats in said fluid and moves in response to said wave motion;
- connecting means for holding said plurality of floats in position relative to one another while allowing said plurality of floats to move in response to said wave motion;
- and
- work extracting means responsive to said motion of said floats for extracting a unit amount of work from a unit amount of said motion and a nonlinearly greater number of units of work from each additional unit of
- motion.
A power gathering array for extracting energy from wave motion of a fluid, said wave motion having both an amplitude spectrum and a wavelength spectrum comprising:
- a plurality of differing sized floats, said float sizes chosen to allow said floats to dynamically couple into a plurality of wavelengths of said wave motion, each said float having a density such that it floats in said fluid and moves in response to said wave motion;
- connecting means for holding said plurality of floats in position relative to one another while allowing said plurality of floats to move in response to said wave motion;
- work extracting means responsive to said motion of said floats for extracting a unit amount of work from a unit amount of said motion and a nonlinearly greater number of units of work from each additional unit of motion;
- and
- power conversion means responsive to said nonlinear work extraction means for converting power collected by the extraction means to mechanical and electrical power.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.