CA1292638C - Tidal power apparatus - Google Patents

Tidal power apparatus

Info

Publication number
CA1292638C
CA1292638C CA000519923A CA519923A CA1292638C CA 1292638 C CA1292638 C CA 1292638C CA 000519923 A CA000519923 A CA 000519923A CA 519923 A CA519923 A CA 519923A CA 1292638 C CA1292638 C CA 1292638C
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
container
membrane
pump
water
outlet
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
CA000519923A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
George W. Berg
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to CA000519923A priority Critical patent/CA1292638C/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1292638C publication Critical patent/CA1292638C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F03MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F03BMACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS
    • F03B13/00Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates
    • F03B13/12Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates characterised by using wave or tide energy
    • F03B13/26Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates characterised by using wave or tide energy using tide energy
    • F03B13/262Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates characterised by using wave or tide energy using tide energy using the relative movement between a tide-operated member and another member
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02BHYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
    • E02B9/00Water-power plants; Layout, construction or equipment, methods of, or apparatus for, making same
    • E02B9/08Tide or wave power plants
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02EREDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/30Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Oceanography (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Other Liquid Machine Or Engine Such As Wave Power Use (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A tidal pump. The pump includes a container to be mounted beneath the surface of the sea. A flexible membrane is located within the container. There is a first inlet in the container above the membrane and a first outlet in the container, above the membrane. There is a second inlet in the container, below the membrane and a second outlet in the container, below the membrane.
A connecting shaft extends from the membrane, out of the container. Buoyancy tanks are attached to the distal end of the connecting shaft and so weighted as to rise and fall with the tide and to follow the movement of the sur-face of the water to reciprocate the connecting shaft.
Thus the membrane is moved to pump water through an inlet, into the container and out through an outlet. The pump is robust, simple in construction and does not interfere with navigation.

Description

`" lZ~2638 This invention relates to a tidal pump.
The generation of electrical power from move-ment of the tide is, of course, an attractive proposi-tion. ~lthough the installations for such power generation can be expensive, owing to their bulk, which is necessary to resist damage that can be inflicted by the sea, the absence of any fuel cost in running the pump is of considerable interest.
The disadvantage with prior art schemes has been that because of the strength required they are rela-tively massive. In this way they can be a hazard to shipping but can also have an adverse effect on the environment, occupying excessive areas off the coast. In this regard it is, of course, inevitable tha~ such apparatus will be located as close to the land as is feasible.
My Canadian patent No. 1,198,159, issued December 17, 1985 describes and claims an apparatus to generate power from tidal rise and fall. Although that apparatus is compact and lightweight it is, nevertheless, fairly complicated and, in the present application my intention is to provide an apparatus suitable for generating power from tidal rise and fall but of simple structure.

- q~

Accordingly the present invention provides a tidal pump comprising a container to be mounted beneath the surface of the sea; a flexible membrane located within the container; a first inlet in the container above the membrane; a first outlet in the container, above the membrane; a second inlet in the container, below the membrane; a second outlet in the container, below the membrane; a connecting shaft extending from the membrane, out of the container; buoyancy means at~ached to the distal end of the connecting shaft and so weighted as to rise and fall with the tide and to follow the move-ment of the surface of the water to reciprocate the con-necting shaft, and thus the membrane, to pump water through an inlet, into the container and out through an outlet.
Aspects of the invention are illustrated, merely by way of example, in the accompanying drawing which is a partial section of an apparatus according to the present invention.
The drawing shows a tidal pump comprising a container 2 to be mounted beneath the surface 4 of the sea. A flexible membrane 6 is located within the con-tainer 2. In the illustrated embodiment the cantainer is cylindrical and made of an upper compartment 8 and a lower compartment 10. Each compartment is formed with a circumferential flange 12 and 14, respectively, and the 129~638 membrane 6 is located by being trapped between the cir-cumferential flanges 12 and 14.
There is a first inlet 16 in the container, above the membrane 6. There is a first outlet 18 in the container, also above the membrane. ~ second inlet 20 and a second outlet 22 are located below the membrane 6, that is in the lower compartment 10 of the container 2.
The membrane 6 is clamped between members 24 and a connecting shaft 26 extends from these members 24 upwardly, through a sealing member 28. The shaft 26 is attached to buoyancy means comprising a platform 30 carrying tanks 32 that may be filled with water and air, as desired, to vary the buoyancy of the platform 30.
Typically the upper level of tanks 2 will be filled with water and the lower level will be filled with air. But this can be varied to maintain the desired buoyancy. The arrangement is to ensure neutral buoyancy so that the platform 30, with the tanks 32, floats at the surface of the water and follows the movement of the water closely.
The outlets 18 and 22 communicate with a con-duit 34 so that water may be pumped to a reservoir ~not shown). The water may also be pumped to a water driven turbine 36 again communicating with the conduit 34.
As shown in the drawings outlets 18 and 22 and inlets 16 and 20 are controlled by check valves 38, restricting the movement through the inlet or the outlet 129Z63~

as shown by the arrows in the drawing in conventional manner.
~ s shown the pump is mounted on the seabed 40.
Desirably it is provided with means to ensure that it remains mounted on the seabed, regardless of the rough-ness of the seas it may encounter. To this end columns 42 extend up from upper surface 44 of the container 2, from the reinforced portions 46 of surface 44 to a plat-form 50. Weights 52, for example water-filled tanks, may then be positioned on the platform 50 to ensure negative buoyancy of the container. In addition the platform 50 may be provided with a journal 54 to guide the connecting shaft 26.
In operation the pump according to the present invention displaces water by movement of the membrane 6.
As the tide rises the platform 30 moves upwardly under the influence of the buoyant tanks 32. The flexible membrane 6 is moved upwardly and water is thus drawn in through inlet 20 but expelled through outlet 18 as the diaphragm 6 rises to the solid line position in the drawings. Flow is restricted to one way flow by the check valve 38. Thus as the tide rises water cannot enter inlet 16 but, at the same time, water cannot be forced out of inlet 16. Water passes from outlet 18 to the conduit 34. It may be used to drive water turbine 36 and then passes to the reservoir. Water in the reservoir can be used to drive the turbine 36 when the tide is still and the pump thus not operating.
A~ the tide recedes the platform 30 goes down-wardly, moving the connecting rod 26 downwardly and, with it, the membrane 6. Water enters the upper compartment 8 through inlet 16 as the water in the lower compartment 10, present from the previous cycle, is forced out of outlet 22 into the conduit 34, through the turbine 36 and to the reservoir.
Thus the present invention provides a simple, easy to maintain yet durable tidal pump in which water can be pumped whenever the tide changes.

Claims (9)

1. A tidal pump comprising:
a container to be mounted beneath the surface of the sea;
a flexible membrane located within the container;
a first inlet in the container above the membrane;
a first outlet in the container, above the membrane;
a second inlet in the container, below the membrane;
a second outlet in the container, below the membrane;
a connecting shaft extending from the membrane, out of the container;
buoyancy means attached to the distal end of the connecting shaft and so weighted as to rise and fall with the tide and to follow the movement of the surface of the water to reciprocate the connecting shaft, and thus the membrane, to pump water through an inlet, into the container and out through an outlet.
2. A pump as claimed in claim 1 in which the flexible membrane divides the container into an upper compartment and a lower compartment, the compartments not communicating with each other and each compartment com-municating with an inlet and an outlet.
3. A pump as claimed in claim 1 in which the outlets communicate with a conduit so that the water may be pumped to a reservoir.
4. A pump as claimed in claim 1 in which the inlets and the outlets are each controlled by a check valve.
5. A pump as claimed in claim 1 mounted on the seabed.
6. A pump as claimed in claim 1 in which the buoyancy means comprises tanks, mounted on the connecting shaft and fillable, as desired, to vary the buoyancy.
7. A pump as claimed in claim 1 including means to weight the container to retain it on the seabed.
8. A pump as claimed in claim 7 in which the weights are mounted on a platform located above the con-tainer by columns extending upwardly from the container.
9. A pump as claimed in claim 3 communicating with a water driven turbine whereby water may be driven directly from the container, through the conduit, through the outlet pipes to drive the turbine.
CA000519923A 1986-10-06 1986-10-06 Tidal power apparatus Expired - Lifetime CA1292638C (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000519923A CA1292638C (en) 1986-10-06 1986-10-06 Tidal power apparatus

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000519923A CA1292638C (en) 1986-10-06 1986-10-06 Tidal power apparatus

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1292638C true CA1292638C (en) 1991-12-03

Family

ID=4134101

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000519923A Expired - Lifetime CA1292638C (en) 1986-10-06 1986-10-06 Tidal power apparatus

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1292638C (en)

Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL1006933C2 (en) * 1997-09-04 1999-03-05 Aws Bv Device for energy conversion from wave motion.
GB2401405A (en) * 2003-05-01 2004-11-10 Thomas Adamson A tidal powered device for pumping fluid
GB2454913A (en) * 2007-11-22 2009-05-27 James Durward Tide energy generator with flexible bladder
GB2456333A (en) * 2008-01-11 2009-07-15 Paul Kristian Hatchwell Tidal pump system
GB2458104A (en) * 2008-02-29 2009-09-09 Paul Kristian Hatchwell Tide powered pump
CN103388567A (en) * 2013-08-03 2013-11-13 马灼明 Sea tidal fall water pumping device
CN103388568A (en) * 2013-08-03 2013-11-13 马灼明 Energy accumulation and power generation system by pumping water through oceanic tide high-low positions
CN103397996A (en) * 2013-08-03 2013-11-20 马灼明 Movable ocean tide fall pumping device
CN103452794A (en) * 2013-09-01 2013-12-18 马进中 Automatic water pumping device using tidal energy
CN103470439A (en) * 2013-09-01 2013-12-25 马进中 Land reservoir power generation system utilizing ocean tide fall to pump water
CN103867421A (en) * 2014-02-28 2014-06-18 马灼明 Modular flexible oceanic tide water pumping equipment with telescopic cylinder
CN103867422A (en) * 2014-02-28 2014-06-18 马灼明 Flexible telescopic cylinder ocean tide water pumping device
CN103912469A (en) * 2014-03-17 2014-07-09 马灼明 Ocean tidal energy telescoping cylinder water pump
WO2019098843A1 (en) * 2017-11-20 2019-05-23 Reppe Frode Tidal-driven seawater pump

Cited By (23)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL1006933C2 (en) * 1997-09-04 1999-03-05 Aws Bv Device for energy conversion from wave motion.
WO1999011926A1 (en) * 1997-09-04 1999-03-11 A.W.S. B.V. Device for energy conversion from wave movement
US6256985B1 (en) 1997-09-04 2001-07-10 A.W.S.B.V. Device for energy conversion from wave movement
GB2401405A (en) * 2003-05-01 2004-11-10 Thomas Adamson A tidal powered device for pumping fluid
GB2401405B (en) * 2003-05-01 2006-04-19 Thomas Adamson A device for pumping fluid
GB2454913A (en) * 2007-11-22 2009-05-27 James Durward Tide energy generator with flexible bladder
GB2456333A (en) * 2008-01-11 2009-07-15 Paul Kristian Hatchwell Tidal pump system
GB2458104A (en) * 2008-02-29 2009-09-09 Paul Kristian Hatchwell Tide powered pump
CN103397996A (en) * 2013-08-03 2013-11-20 马灼明 Movable ocean tide fall pumping device
CN103388568B (en) * 2013-08-03 2016-08-31 马灼明 Oceanic tide high-low-position pump water energy-storing and power-generating system
CN103388567A (en) * 2013-08-03 2013-11-13 马灼明 Sea tidal fall water pumping device
CN103388567B (en) * 2013-08-03 2016-09-21 马灼明 A kind of ocean tide fall pumping device
CN103388568A (en) * 2013-08-03 2013-11-13 马灼明 Energy accumulation and power generation system by pumping water through oceanic tide high-low positions
CN103470439B (en) * 2013-09-01 2016-08-31 马进中 A kind of land reservoir power generation system utilizing ocean tide fall to pump water
CN103452794B (en) * 2013-09-01 2016-06-08 马进中 A kind of automatic pumping water device of tide energy
CN103470439A (en) * 2013-09-01 2013-12-25 马进中 Land reservoir power generation system utilizing ocean tide fall to pump water
CN103452794A (en) * 2013-09-01 2013-12-18 马进中 Automatic water pumping device using tidal energy
CN103867422A (en) * 2014-02-28 2014-06-18 马灼明 Flexible telescopic cylinder ocean tide water pumping device
CN103867421A (en) * 2014-02-28 2014-06-18 马灼明 Modular flexible oceanic tide water pumping equipment with telescopic cylinder
CN103912469A (en) * 2014-03-17 2014-07-09 马灼明 Ocean tidal energy telescoping cylinder water pump
WO2019098843A1 (en) * 2017-11-20 2019-05-23 Reppe Frode Tidal-driven seawater pump
GB2583251A (en) * 2017-11-20 2020-10-21 Reppe Frode Tidal-driven seawater pump
GB2583251B (en) * 2017-11-20 2022-06-08 Reppe Frode Tidal-driven seawater pump

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