GB2498638A

GB2498638A - Device for generating electrical energy from water wave energy

Info

Publication number: GB2498638A
Application number: GB1222933.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hasan Hueseyin Isik
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-04-23
Filing date: 2011-04-20
Publication date: 2013-07-24
Also published as: CH703024A2; WO2011130864A3; CH703024B1; WO2011130864A2; GB201222933D0; WO2011130864A4

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for generating electrical energy from water wave energy using in particular the water wave energy of lakes or reservoirs, as well as in the open sea or river estuaries, by means of which movements of ships or boats caused by waves can be used to generate energy without having to install separate facilities for this purpose. This is done by the ship (1) being connected to a counterweight (6, 10) via at least one cable (5, 5'), and by the cable (5, 5') partially looping around at least one guide roller, which is caused to rotate in the same direction as a consequence of the upward and downward movement.

Description

Device for generating electrical energy from water wave energy Thc invention relates to a dcvicc for gencrating clectrical cnergy from water wave cnergy using in particular the water wave energy of lakes or reservoirs, as well as in the open sea or on rivers.

Water waves contain both kinetic energy of wave movement arid potential energy from pressure differences between the wave crest and the wave trough, and a variety of attempts have already been made to use this energy to generate electrical energy e.g. by means of float systems through the relative movement between solid bodies, or devices following the principle of an oscillating water colunm (creation of a pocket of trapped air, as e.g. described in DE-C-433 1988 or DE-C-4345270).

DE-C-43241 10 proposes an underwater turbine for coastal areas positioned underneath a horizontal slab at an immersion depth that is approximately 1/3 of the water depth influenced by the waves. In this system the wave energy present near the surface is diverted underneath the slab into the pulsafing flow.

With a device according to DEOS 2756434 a lever device is envisaged for the conversion of the upward and downward movement of floating structures into propulsive power, whereby the floating structures and the lever device are connected in such a way that the wave energy is convened into mechanical energy of the lever device. To this end, a number of floating structures are arranged in the sea water in a prescribed pattern. The distances of the floating structures from one another are chosen so that a pressure wave in the water, pushed by floating structures, is diverted obliquely and at least partially meets another pressure wave, and floating structures are diverted so as to use the residual energy of the wave. The movement of the floating structures is converted into a driving force for a machine. A similar device is disclosed in US-A-4073 142.

It is also known to use the upward and downward movement of chained buoys (see e.g. US-A- 4599858). The named devices are mostly costly in terms of set-up and maintenance.

The task underlying the invention is therefore to create a device for generating electrical energy from water wave energy that avoids the disadvantages of the previously named prior art and that is also suitable for using small wave movements, as occur particularly in lakes or reservoirs, effectively to generate energy.

The task is solved with the features from Patent Claim 1. A buoyant object is moored with cables and also connected to weights that can move vertically and that reproduce an upward and downward movement caused by the waves and convert this by means of a roller guide into a rotary movement. In the process the rotor of a generator is turned in the same direction and thus generates electrical energy which is subsequently converted.

Preferred embodiments are disclosed in the dependent patent claims. For example, the object, in addition to special objects, is preferably a ship or a boat of any size, whereby even small waves can be used that generate upward and downward niovenients (tilting and/or leaning movements) of at least 5- 10cm of the ship or boat. Preferably the ship or boat in the harbour or beach area of a lake is moored to a post which, in combination with cable drive, enables multiplication of the ship movement.

In addition, generator pulleys and/or generator wheels can be equipped with a fitewhecl and/or counterweights can be replaced by a spring-mounted idler pulley.

In addition, the buoyant object may be connected to the device via a single eye.

The ship is lifted lengthways and/or crossways to it by the waves and then falls again as a result of gravity. By means of the cable mechanisms a relative movement is created which drives the generator.

As the case may be, the generator may be positioned on the ship itself Idler pulleys may be spring-mounted in order to evcn out forces (evening out of tension).

At greater water depths a buoy to be anchored to the lake bed may also be a basis for the roller guide, whereby such an arrangement can then, in accident scenarios, also be used as an emergency generator.

The momentum generated as a result of the wave movement is used for a longer movement, iii particular with larger moved masses.

Thus the requisite moorings and wave-induced movement of ships or boats are used for energy generation without having to set up separate facilities for this purpose.

Nevertheless, embodiments with objects specially created for the purpose are also possible, e.g. objects that are moved against/with one another and/or on a post upwards and downwards.

Preferably the energy generated serves to supply a ship and/or docks with their owi energy.

The invention is described in more detail below in an example of embodiment with the aid of a drawing. The drawing shows by means of a diagram a schematic representation of the device for the generation of electrical energy from water wave energy.

A ship 1 located in the harbour area of a lake 2 is moored using cables 5, 5' to a post 4, which is anchored to the lake bed 4. There is the possibility of having an additional safety mooring.

The cable 5 is led from the anchorage point on the deck of the ship 1 via a generator pulley 7 at the top of the post 4 and further to a counterweight 6. A second cable 5' is led from an anchorage point beneath the deck around a idler pulley 8 located below this and on the post to a further generator pulley 9 on the top of the post and further to a second counterweight 10. The generator pulleys 7, 9 are arranged on the rotor shafts of generators that are not explicitly depicted.

If the ship 1 is lifted by waves (5-10cm is sufficient) the counterweight 6 falls and as a result of the cable friction on the generator pulley 7 the rotor shaft of a generator is turned. At the same time, the counterweight 10 is lifted by the pull of the cable 5' and thus drives the other generator pulley 9. If the ship 1 subsequently falls, then reverse movements of the counterweights 6, 10 and generator pulleys 7, 9 are produced. In addition, the generator pulleys 7, 9 could also be equipped with a freewheel. At the same time, therefore, upward and downward movements and the relevant opposite niovements are converted into rotary movements. The electrical energy thus generated is subsequently converted as required.

As a supplement to or in place of the counterweights, a spring-mounted idler pulley 11 may also be provided. This idler pulley 11 as well as idler pulley 8 may in addition be spring-mounted.

List of reference numerals 1. Ship 2. Lake 3. Lake bed 4. Post 5. Cable 6. Weight 7. Generator pulley S. Idler pullcy 9. Generator pulley 10. Counterweight 11. Id 1cr pulley

Claims

<claim-text>Patent claims 1. Device for generating electrical energy from water wave energy using in particular the water wave energy from lakes or reservoirs, as well as in the open sea or on rivers, whereby water waves generate an upward and downward movement of a buoyant object, characterised iii that the buoyant object is connected via at least one cable (5, 5') to a counlerweigjn (6, 10) and that the cable (5, 5') partially loops around at least one idler pulley and as a result of the upward and downward movement of the object causes (he idler pulley to rotale in the sante direction.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. Device in accordance with Claim I, characterised in that at least one idler pulley is a generator pulley (7, 9) and is positioned above the object, whereby preferably two generator pulleys are provided.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. Device in accordance with Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the idler pulley is part of a generator and is provided at the top of a vertical post (4) or similar.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. Device in accordance with at least one of Claims I to 3. characterised in that the object is a boat or ship (I) and that, for the simultaneous use of upward and downward movement or movement and countermovenieitt, an associated cable (5, 5') and a counterweight (6, 10) are provided for each generator pulley (7, 9).</claim-text> <claim-text>5. Device in accordance with at least one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that each generator shaft (7, 9) as a result of conversion of the linear upward and downward movement, a rotary relative movcnienl itt a constant direction develops.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. Device in accordance with at least one of Claims I to 5. characterised in that the generator pulleys (7, 9) are provided with a frcewheel andlor in place of counterweights (6, 10) spring-mounted idler pulleys (8, 11) are provided.</claim-text>