EP2297453A2 - Apparatus for producing energy from wave motion - Google Patents

Apparatus for producing energy from wave motion

Info

Publication number
EP2297453A2
EP2297453A2 EP09734268A EP09734268A EP2297453A2 EP 2297453 A2 EP2297453 A2 EP 2297453A2 EP 09734268 A EP09734268 A EP 09734268A EP 09734268 A EP09734268 A EP 09734268A EP 2297453 A2 EP2297453 A2 EP 2297453A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
energy
turbine
air
tanks
valves
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP09734268A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Luigi Carmelo Rubino
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
Publication of EP2297453A2 publication Critical patent/EP2297453A2/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F03B—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS
    • F03B13/00—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates
    • F03B13/12—Adaptations 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
    • F03B13/14—Adaptations 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 wave energy
    • F03B13/24—Adaptations 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 wave energy to produce a flow of air, e.g. to drive an air turbine
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F03B—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS
    • F03B13/00—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates
    • F03B13/12—Adaptations 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
    • F03B13/14—Adaptations 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 wave energy
    • F03B13/141—Adaptations 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 wave energy with a static energy collector
    • F03B13/142—Adaptations 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 wave energy with a static energy collector which creates an oscillating water column
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
    • F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
    • F05B2240/00—Components
    • F05B2240/90—Mounting on supporting structures or systems
    • F05B2240/93—Mounting on supporting structures or systems on a structure floating on a liquid surface
    • Y—GENERAL 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
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/30—Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Definitions

  • TITLE APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ENERGY FROM WAVE MOTION
  • the present invention relates to an apparatus for obtaining and producing energy from sea wave motion.
  • Wave energy conversion apparatus have been conceived in the art, which may essentially utilize two features :
  • the air contained in two chambers separated by partitions expands as the wave height increases and is compressed as it decreases.
  • a turbine is rotated by the air flow between the two chambers, with an average output of 70 to 120 Watt.
  • the solutions suggested in the art heretofore include a turbine connected to a single large tank, instead of a system of tanks in which the positive pressure of inflowing air and the negative pressure of outflowing air may be summed up.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for producing energy from wave motion which can use a succession of downwardly open tanks in a floating structure to create a positive pressure and a negative air pressure that may be utilized for producing electric or mechanic energy; said positive and negative pressures being created as water flows in and out of them.
  • the positive and negative air pressure generated by changes in water level are collected in two respective ducts by a system of doors/check valves, wherefore the air pushed thereby reaches a turbine that is capable of operating both with air and with any infiltrated water.
  • Figure 1 is a top view of the structure for producing energy from wave motion of the present invention
  • Figure 2 is an elevational view of the structure of Figure 1 in water, i.e. in operating conditions
  • FIG. 3 is a view as taken along the section A- A of Figure 1,
  • FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the structure on the sea.
  • numeral 10 generally designates a structure for obtaining and producing energy from sea wave motion according to the present invention .
  • the structure 10 necessarily has an elongate shape, for optimized utilization of water level differences caused by wave motion.
  • the structure 10 is composed of at least two water-tight tanks 4 and 5, preferably at the fore and aft ends.
  • the fore tank designated in this example by numeral 4, is shaped with a cusp to reduce impact with the waves, without causing the structure 10 to rise; the aft tank 5 preferably has the shape of a parallelepiped, with the shape being such to oppose any rolling and/or facilitate the orientation perpendicular to the wave motion.
  • a housing or holder 5A is formed above said tank 5 for holding a turbine, a dynamo and backup batteries for light signals.
  • Such housing or holder 5A may be situated inside or outside the tank 2, preferably above it.
  • a number of additional compartments 3 are provided between the fore and aft tanks 4 and 5, which are downwardly open to be partially immersed in water and receive wave motion fluctuations.
  • FIG 3 i.e. the section A-A of Figure 1, two ducts 1 and 2, for inflow and backflow respectively, extend along each tank, and are used to carry the positive and negative air pressure created by wave motion.
  • the chamber 11 defined by the water surface (in this case the waterline 6) and the side and top walls 4 and 5 of the compartment 3 will be alternately compressed and expanded by the wave motion itself, which will cause the water surface to rise or fall.
  • the above mentioned ducts 1 and 2 are connected via special manifolds 7 and 8 to the inlet and outlet respectively of a turbine 16, a machine adapted to capture kinetic energy from a fluid and convert it into mechanic energy, and thus while the delivery duct 1 introduces air flowing out from the tanks 3 through the check valves 9, the outlet duct 2 receives the ejected air and conveys it into the tanks 3 through the check valves 8.
  • valves 8 and 9 may also be one-way gates, which can be also used as flow direction control valves . Operation:
  • the positive and negative air pressure created by changes in water level are collected in the two ducts 1 and 2 respectively by a system of doors/check valves.
  • the doors/valves 8, 9 are protected from foreign matter by grates.
  • the ducts 1 and 2 join the tanks in parallel arrangement .
  • the air so pushed reaches a turbine 16 which is adapted to operate both with air and with any infiltrated water.
  • the outlet of the turbine 16 is connected to the backflow duct 2: by using the potential energy of the previously risen water level, as such level falls it creates a negative air pressure that doubles the energy of the air flow passing through the turbine 16 in the holder 2A, which is connected to a device for producing electric or mechanic energy.
  • Two additional exhaust valves 21, 22 are placed at the ends of the ducts 1 and 2 and compensate for any change in the amount of air within the system.
  • the structure 10 is anchored by a buoy 17; said buoy 17 may be designed to collect and transfer the electric energy produced.
  • the flotation tanks 3 must be made of a high specific weight material; access must be also ensured to their interior, due to their being emptied by osmosis, and to the interior of the ducts for maintenance of the valves/doors.
  • the exterior of the structure 10 appears like a smooth platform, possibly covered with wood, synthetic grass, etc. which may possibly receive bathers, using access facilities (such as stairs, ladders, chutes, etc.) and mooring devices (such as bitts, rings, etc.) . This form minimizes the environmental impact and allows use thereof for other purposes.
  • a structure 10 as described above might be also provided without the flotation tanks 4 and 5, as long as floating structures, such as platforms or else, are present around it.
  • the structure 10 might be also secured along the shore, in a pier-like fashion.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Other Liquid Machine Or Engine Such As Wave Power Use (AREA)
  • Automatic Cycles, And Cycles In General (AREA)

Abstract

The invention addresses the field of apparatus for producing energy from wave motion and namely relates to an apparatus composed of a succession of downwardly open tanks within a structure that floats or is secured to the shore in a pier-like fashion so that, due to the law of communicating vessels, water flowing in and out of them, will create positive and negative air pressure that can be utilized for producing electric or mechanic energy.

Description

TITLE: APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ENERGY FROM WAVE MOTION
SPECIFICATION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for obtaining and producing energy from sea wave motion. Wave energy conversion apparatus have been conceived in the art, which may essentially utilize two features :
• height differences in the wave profile
• motion of water particles under the surface. Since water particle motion quickly decreases with depth, the apparatus of the first class have been mostly studied.
In the most interesting case, the air contained in two chambers separated by partitions expands as the wave height increases and is compressed as it decreases. In both cases, a turbine is rotated by the air flow between the two chambers, with an average output of 70 to 120 Watt.
The main obstacles to construction of large-scale systems are costs and difficulties in open sea installation .
Nevertheless, the solutions suggested in the art heretofore include a turbine connected to a single large tank, instead of a system of tanks in which the positive pressure of inflowing air and the negative pressure of outflowing air may be summed up.
The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for producing energy from wave motion which can use a succession of downwardly open tanks in a floating structure to create a positive pressure and a negative air pressure that may be utilized for producing electric or mechanic energy; said positive and negative pressures being created as water flows in and out of them.
The positive and negative air pressure generated by changes in water level are collected in two respective ducts by a system of doors/check valves, wherefore the air pushed thereby reaches a turbine that is capable of operating both with air and with any infiltrated water.
Advantages and differences from prior art inventions include:
• "Outflowing" air may be utilized in operation in addition to inflowing air, unlike prior art systems,
• minimum environmental impact, particularly owing to easy removal and other characteristics of the structure,
• possible use for purposes other than energy production; for instance as a service platform for bathers (the upper part) or for transportation by conveying the energy produced to a propeller located in a suitable place on the structure
• possible installation next to the shore, with reduced costs,
• designs of varying sizes according to the desired yield, • reduced production and operating costs.
Detti scopi e vantaggi sono tutti raggiunti dall' apparato per Ia produzione di energia ottenibile da moto ondoso, oggetto del presente trovato, che si caratterizza per quanto previsto nelle sotto riportate rivendicazioni .
This and other features will be more apparent from the following description of a few embodiments, which are shown by way of example and without limitation in the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a top view of the structure for producing energy from wave motion of the present invention, - Figure 2 is an elevational view of the structure of Figure 1 in water, i.e. in operating conditions,
- Figure 3 is a view as taken along the section A- A of Figure 1,
- Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the structure on the sea.
Referring to Figure 1, numeral 10 generally designates a structure for obtaining and producing energy from sea wave motion according to the present invention . The structure 10 necessarily has an elongate shape, for optimized utilization of water level differences caused by wave motion.
The structure 10 is composed of at least two water-tight tanks 4 and 5, preferably at the fore and aft ends.
The fore tank, designated in this example by numeral 4, is shaped with a cusp to reduce impact with the waves, without causing the structure 10 to rise; the aft tank 5 preferably has the shape of a parallelepiped, with the shape being such to oppose any rolling and/or facilitate the orientation perpendicular to the wave motion.
A housing or holder 5A is formed above said tank 5 for holding a turbine, a dynamo and backup batteries for light signals.
Such housing or holder 5A may be situated inside or outside the tank 2, preferably above it.
A number of additional compartments 3 are provided between the fore and aft tanks 4 and 5, which are downwardly open to be partially immersed in water and receive wave motion fluctuations.
The compartments 3, which are made of metal (rust- proof) , fiberglass reinforced plastic, reinforced concrete or the like, are disposed in succession and their size, as well as the waterline 6 has to be calibrated according to the type of wave motion and the size of the structure to be formed. As shown in Figure 3, i.e. the section A-A of Figure 1, two ducts 1 and 2, for inflow and backflow respectively, extend along each tank, and are used to carry the positive and negative air pressure created by wave motion. Namely, considering the case of a single compartment 3, as shown in Figure 3, the chamber 11 defined by the water surface (in this case the waterline 6) and the side and top walls 4 and 5 of the compartment 3 will be alternately compressed and expanded by the wave motion itself, which will cause the water surface to rise or fall.
As the water surface 6 rises, the air in the chamber 11 will open a check valve 9 and flow into the delivery duct 1. As the water surface 6 falls, a check valve 8 will open and the air will flow through the backflow duct 2 into the chamber 11.
The air in the above path is always the same, because the air delivered into the duct 1 is then returned into the duct 2.
The above mentioned ducts 1 and 2 are connected via special manifolds 7 and 8 to the inlet and outlet respectively of a turbine 16, a machine adapted to capture kinetic energy from a fluid and convert it into mechanic energy, and thus while the delivery duct 1 introduces air flowing out from the tanks 3 through the check valves 9, the outlet duct 2 receives the ejected air and conveys it into the tanks 3 through the check valves 8.
These valves 8 and 9 may also be one-way gates, which can be also used as flow direction control valves . Operation:
The positive and negative air pressure created by changes in water level are collected in the two ducts 1 and 2 respectively by a system of doors/check valves.
The doors/valves 8, 9 are protected from foreign matter by grates.
The ducts 1 and 2 join the tanks in parallel arrangement .
As the level 6 rises, the check valve 8 closes and air is pushed into the inflow duct through the valve 9. A reverse process occurs as the level 6 falls.
The air so pushed reaches a turbine 16 which is adapted to operate both with air and with any infiltrated water.
Unlike other known designs, the outlet of the turbine 16 is connected to the backflow duct 2: by using the potential energy of the previously risen water level, as such level falls it creates a negative air pressure that doubles the energy of the air flow passing through the turbine 16 in the holder 2A, which is connected to a device for producing electric or mechanic energy.
Two additional exhaust valves 21, 22 are placed at the ends of the ducts 1 and 2 and compensate for any change in the amount of air within the system.
The structure 10 is anchored by a buoy 17; said buoy 17 may be designed to collect and transfer the electric energy produced. The flotation tanks 3 must be made of a high specific weight material; access must be also ensured to their interior, due to their being emptied by osmosis, and to the interior of the ducts for maintenance of the valves/doors. The exterior of the structure 10 appears like a smooth platform, possibly covered with wood, synthetic grass, etc. which may possibly receive bathers, using access facilities (such as stairs, ladders, chutes, etc.) and mooring devices (such as bitts, rings, etc.) . This form minimizes the environmental impact and allows use thereof for other purposes.
Multiple structures might be provided side by side in a more complex system.
A structure 10 as described above might be also provided without the flotation tanks 4 and 5, as long as floating structures, such as platforms or else, are present around it.
The structure 10 might be also secured along the shore, in a pier-like fashion.

Claims

1. A floating structure (10) for producing energy from wave motion, characterized in that it comprises a succession of downwardly open tanks (3) and creates a positive and negative air pressure on corresponding ducts (1, 2), as water flows (6) in and out of the interior (11) thereof; said air being caused to pass through a turbine (16) that converts its energy into electric or mechanic energy; said ducts (1, 2) being designed to be opened by check valves (8, 9) .
2. A structure (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the tanks (3) are of such a weight as to be partially immersed in water.
3. A structure (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the outlet of the turbine (16) is connected to the backflow duct (2) so that, by using the potential energy of the previously risen water level, as such level falls it creates a negative air pressure that doubles the energy of the air flow passing through the turbine (16) .
4. A structure (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the inlet of the turbine (16) is connected to the delivery duct (2) .
5. A structure (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said valves (8) and (9) are check valves or one-way gates, which can be used as flow direction control valves.
6. A structure (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two flotation tanks (4) and (5) or independent flotation means or alternately it is secured to the shore in a pier-like fashion .
7. A structure (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises exhaust valves (21, 22) at the ends of the ducts (1) and (2) to compensate for any change in the amount of air within the system.
EP09734268A 2008-04-22 2009-04-22 Apparatus for producing energy from wave motion Withdrawn EP2297453A2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT000027A ITPR20080027A1 (en) 2008-04-22 2008-04-22 DEVICE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ENERGY OBTAINABLE FROM WAVE MOTORCYCLE.
PCT/IB2009/051646 WO2009130670A2 (en) 2008-04-22 2009-04-22 Apparatus for producing energy from wave motion

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2297453A2 true EP2297453A2 (en) 2011-03-23

Family

ID=40297178

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP09734268A Withdrawn EP2297453A2 (en) 2008-04-22 2009-04-22 Apparatus for producing energy from wave motion

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2297453A2 (en)
IT (1) ITPR20080027A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2009130670A2 (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
PT109922A (en) * 2017-02-20 2018-09-11 Manuel Cantante De Matos Luiz WAVES ALVEOLAR POWER PLANT

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB385909A (en) * 1932-08-26 1933-01-05 Gaetano Palmiotto Improvements in means for utilising wave energy

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1623341A (en) * 1921-08-17 1927-04-05 Charles N Hare Ocean compressed-air power
JPS6123877A (en) 1984-07-10 1986-02-01 Tohoku Electric Power Co Inc Air circulation type wave-power generation set
AU5125296A (en) 1995-03-02 1997-10-22 A.P. Van Den Berg Beheer B.V. Sea waves energy converter
US20040163387A1 (en) 2003-02-24 2004-08-26 Horacio Pineda Wave power generator
NZ534415A (en) 2004-07-29 2005-11-25 Ronald Murloe Winsloe Modular near-shore wave-powered energy collection system
GB2429243A (en) 2005-08-20 2007-02-21 Alex Rollo Wave generator
DK200501616A (en) 2005-11-18 2007-05-19 Rasmussen Kurt Due Multi absorbent wave energy system (MAWEC)
AU2006202066A1 (en) 2006-05-17 2007-12-06 Voropaev, Ivan Mr OWC Power Plant

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB385909A (en) * 1932-08-26 1933-01-05 Gaetano Palmiotto Improvements in means for utilising wave energy

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See also references of WO2009130670A2 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2009130670A3 (en) 2010-11-04
ITPR20080027A1 (en) 2009-10-23
WO2009130670A2 (en) 2009-10-29

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