JPH0127268B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for converting ocean wave energy, which is normally wasted, into useful energy.
That is, the present invention relates to a mechanism for extracting power from ocean waves hitting the beach.

[Conventional technology]

U.S. Patent Nos. 430790, 610790, 3149776,
A number of attempts to generate energy using ocean waves have been developed in the past, such as those seen in US Pat.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Most of these prior art devices were floating plants with numerous moving parts, but they were vulnerable to strong winds, energy losses due to large waves bobbing the entire plant up and down, too many moving parts,
The inability to completely absorb the kinetic energy of successive waves and the inability to continuously obtain large amounts of air have made these proposals unsuccessful.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel device for extracting a controllable source of highly compressed air energy from ocean waves by means of a mechanism operated entirely by ocean waves crashing on the shore. It is to be.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention is located at the front and is exposed to oncoming waves.
an outwardly biased ram disk and a high compression piston formed within the rear thereof, the ram disk and the high compression piston being operatively coupled by one long ram rod, the ram rod being separated from the high compression piston by a long ram rod; A generally elongated cylindrical first stage energy containment chamber is provided with a ram disk return spring biased toward the ram disk, and the high compression piston is slidably disposed therein, with the rear surface of the piston being slidably disposed therein. A high compression stage consisting of a high compression chamber forming its front wall and having one inlet and one outlet; a series of valves arranged to allow inflow into the rear of the
The present invention is a wave actuated energy device comprising a low compressed air moving stage comprising a vent and piping arranged between the first stage energy storage chamber and the high compression chamber.

The device of the present invention is a two-stage, single-stage device that is installed within a solid breakwater that is installed parallel to the coastline to suppress ocean waves just inside the beach, with its open end facing seaward from the breakwater. A single-wave operating, air-intake, highly compressed air system placed perpendicular to the length of the breakwater and slightly sloped from its offshore open end to its shore-side closed end.

The device is comprised of component parts that can be easily disassembled for repair or part replacement. A series of valves, vents and piping are arranged so that the device properly refills the first stage energy storage chamber with waves and generates highly compressed air. A ram disk plate return spring is also provided to allow the natural receding action of the wave to return the device, i.e., ram disk plate, piston, etc., to its ready position to receive the next oncoming wave.

[Effect]

As each oncoming wave rushes into the device of the present invention, all the air entrained by the wave is transferred to its front, i.e., the first stage energy storage chamber (ram disk plate arrangement portion), which is the first stage of the device. pushed into. Most of this intake air is forced through the series of valves and piping into the second stage of the device, the high compression chamber.

That is, waves directed toward the shore-side end of the first stage of this device immediately contact the ram disc plate. The ram disc plate has a spacing between it and the inner periphery of the first stage, and the rushing wave uses up almost its total kinetic energy towards the ram disc plate, so that the ram disc plate is pushed toward the shore of the first stage. Pushing towards the side end, the piston together with the ram disc plate is pushed towards the shore, while compressing the air in the high compression chamber. This compressed air is released from the high compression chamber when its pressure reaches the required value. This highly compressed air becomes a ready-to-use, controllable energy source.

Next, when the waves begin to recede, the biasing force of the ram disk plate return spring returns the piston, ram rod, and ram disk plate to the position to receive the oncoming waves, and at the same time, the wave that has lost its force in front of the ram disk plate is removed from the device. evacuate and simultaneously refill the first stage energy storage chamber and high compression chamber with air through the series of valves, vents and piping.

In this way, the extraction of highly compressed air by the advancement of the piston based on the acceptance of the oncoming wave, and the refilling of air into the high compression chamber by the retraction of the piston by the ram disk return spring are repeatedly performed.

During this time, the low compressed air moving stage forms an air flow path for accurately taking out and refilling the air.

The advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode of carrying out the invention, taken together with the accompanying drawings.

〔Example〕

As best seen in FIG. 1, the wave actuated energy device is indicated generally at 10. Device 1
0 consists of an energy storage section generally designated 100, a low compression optional air transfer stage generally designated 220, and a high compression stage generally designated 300.

Device 10 operates with wave energy. As can be seen in FIG.
It is arranged perpendicularly to the direction of and at a constant angle of inclination downward. In this position, the opening of the generally elongated cylindrical device 10 forms the open end of the first stage chamber 12.

When the wave 11 enters the first stage chamber 12, the air taken in in front of the wave 11 is expelled outside through the squirrel cage ball floating check valve 13, piping 14 and flap valve 15, and pushed into the third stage chamber 16. . After retreating from the first stage chamber 12, it is replaced with the same volume of air, so
This amount of air is hereinafter referred to as "arbitrary air." This optional air enters the third stage chamber 16, causing intake air to flow into the chamber 16.

When the wave 11 fills the air intake chamber 12, it contacts the ram disc plate 17. Ram disc plate 1
7 is designed such that its outer periphery is at a constant distance from the inner periphery of the chamber 12. The wave 11 expends virtually all its mechanical energy towards the ram disk plate 17, pressing the latter against the shore end of the chamber 12.

The ram disc plate 17 is connected to a ram rod 18 which is in turn connected to a ram disc return spring 19, a slide valve lever 20 and a piston 21 in that order. Ram disc plate return spring 19
is located inside the disc plate, and the slide valve lever 20
The pistons 21 are then pressed against the shore ends of their respective chambers, and the ram disc return springs 19 are compressed.

When the spring 19 is compressed, the slide valve lever 2
0 opens the slide valve 23 to discharge the remaining intake air in the air intake chamber 12 to the atmosphere, removing all air blocks in the chamber 12. The slide valve lever 20 is disposed within the seaward portion of the high compression chamber 16 and rides within the slide valve lever hole 24. The piston 21 compresses the entire air within the shore end of the compression cylindrical chamber 16. Following this, the compressed air is released at a regulated pressure by means of an adjustable air relief valve 25. This compressed air thus becomes a ready-to-use, controllable, high-energy source.

Thus, when the wave 11 begins to recede, i.e., when it is pulled back by the rise of the next oncoming wave, the ram disk plate return spring 19 moves the piston 21, ram rod 18, and ram disk plate 17 into a ready state waiting for the next wave. 2, and the slide valve 23 is closed (the state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2).
The flaps 15, 26 and 27 (all check valves) and the squirrel cage ball floating check valve 13 are
When the device returns to its operating position (receiving oncoming waves), it opens to refill the chambers 12 and 16 with outside air and to make the area around the bellows 28, ramrod 18 completely watertight.

Breathing holes 29 allow the inner region of bellows 28 to breathe, and ventilation holes 30 allow air in chamber 22 to enter and exit. Piston oil sump 31 collects lubricating oil discharged from piston 21. back brace 3
2. Tighten the shore end of the device. A typical concrete breakwater 33 holds back ocean waves, and the equipment's steel hanger 34 and chamber 1 within the concrete breakwater
Fix the front of the entire device by implanting the outer part of 2.

The oil cap 35 lubricates the piston 21. Piston ring 36 compressively seals piston 21 . Ramrod 18 is located in chambers 12 and 22.
The ramrod 18 is mounted in the center of the shore end by a sealed, self-lubricating ball bearing which allows the ramrod to operate smoothly. By removing the seaward cladding plate stretched over the shore end of chamber 12, the apparatus is completely disassembled for repair work. All matters described herein are merely illustrative of the principles involved in the apparatus, and other implementations are possible.

As can be seen from FIG. 3, the valve 13 is composed of the following: That is, the housing 40 is an inverted conical stainless steel housing. It includes two pipe fittings, a small diameter top opening 41 and a large diameter bottom opening 42, a rubber flotation ball 43 and a dish-shaped flotation ball cage 44.

When the valve 13 is free of water, the rubber flotation ball 43 is placed on the large diameter bottom opening 42 and the rubber flotation ball 43 is placed on the saucer cage 44 . When the valve 13 is filled with water, the rubber flotation ball 43 floats up and closes the small diameter top opening 41, preventing water from entering said opening 41. When the valve 13 is not filled with water, the rubber floating ball 43 bottoms out on the dish-shaped cage 44 and stops. Then, both the small diameter top opening 41 and the large diameter garden opening 42 are opened,
Air can pass from either direction, from top to bottom or vice versa.

FIG. 2 shows a detailed explanatory diagram of the valve 23, which is composed of the following components. That is, the cylindrical housing 50 includes a total of four openings, a pair of small openings and a pair of large openings. The first pair of small openings are air relief openings 51, 51, and the second pair of large openings 5
2,57 serves two different purposes. Opening 52
are slide valve piston 53 and piston ring 54
and moving the piston rod 55 within the cylindrical housing 50. The piston rod 55 is connected to the lever 20 through a hole provided in the upper end of the lever 20, and is connected to the lever 20 by two lock nuts 5.
Fixed at 6.

The cylindrical housing 50 has the opening 57 at the opposite end of the opening 52 as its fourth opening. When the lever 20 moves from point a to point b when the wave 11 enters the first stage chamber 12, as indicated by reference numeral 58, this opening 57 causes the intake air inside the lever 20 to flow into the cylindrical housing 50. The piston rod 55 and the piston 53 are inserted into the lever 2.
0 and allows the intake air to escape through the air relief opening 51. When lever 20 returns from point b to point a, piston rod 55 and piston 53 move in unison with lever 20, closing air relief opening 51 and closing valve 23 (as shown in FIG. 2).

Next, as can be clearly seen from FIG. 4, the valve 2
5 consists of the following: That is, a cylindrical housing 60 is screwed onto a threaded flange 61 which is welded to a cylindrical head 62 which is secured to the main device with bolts 63. This housing 60 includes a screw cap 64, a conical piston 65, a piston guide rod 66, and a compression spring 6.
7, a piston guide rod bushing 68, and a high pressure exhaust port 69.

When the high compression air in the high compression cylindrical chamber 16 reaches the set pressure, the conical piston 65 is separated from the compressed air outlet 70 of the high compression cylindrical chamber, and the piston guide rod 66 and the compression spring 67 are replaced. move. When the conical piston 65 passes through the high-pressure exhaust port 69, the compressed air that has reached the set pressure is released through the high-pressure exhaust port 69. Thereby, the desired pressure can be obtained by adjusting the screw cap 64. To obtain increased pressure, screw cap 64 is tightened, and to obtain reduced pressure, said cap is loosened. When the set pressure drops below its desired force, the compression spring 67
forces the conical piston 65 into the high compression outlet 70, thereby closing the high pressure outlet 69 and closing the valve 25.
Close.

Although the main features of the present invention have been described above, it is clear that many substitutions, modifications, and changes of the present invention are possible in light of the above numerical representations. Therefore,
It is to be understood that the invention as taught and described herein is limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, in the device of the present invention, the air filled in the high compression chamber is first further supercharged by the head wave, and then the piston is moved forward against the spring force by the kinetic energy of the head wave. , the compressed air is taken out by compressing the air filled in the high compression chamber, and the piston is retracted to the initial position by the spring force until the next head wave rushes into the device, and at the same time the high compression chamber is compressed. It is designed to refill the air inside the room, and its simple structure with fewer moving parts allows it to absorb and utilize wave energy extremely efficiently, and has many benefits such as easy operation and maintenance. It brings about. Furthermore, since the device of the present invention is fixedly installed on land within an embankment, a large amount of energy can be recovered without the device breaking down during a rainstorm.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings relate to an embodiment of the invention: FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a wave-activated energy device deployed in its intended environment; FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the vent valve used in said device; FIG. 3 is a detailed diagram of a float type check valve used in the device;
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a pressure regulating valve used in the device. 10... Wave actuated energy device, 12... First stage chamber, 16... Third stage chamber, 17... Ram disk plate, 18... Ram rod, 21... Piston,
22... Room, 100... Energy storage section, 22
0...Low compression optional air moving stage, 300...High compressor.

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. An outwardly deflected ram disc located at the front and exposed to oncoming waves, and a high compression piston formed in the rear thereof, the ram disc and the high compression piston being a generally elongated cylindrical first stage energy storage chamber operatively coupled to a plurality of elongated ram rods and provided with a ram disk return spring biasing the ram rods in a direction away from the high compression piston toward the ram disk; a high compression stage comprising a high compression chamber in which said high compression piston is slidably disposed, the rear face of said piston forming a front wall thereof, and having an inlet and an outlet; a series of valves, vents, and vents arranged to allow any air taken in at the front to flow around the ram disc and into the rear of the high compression chamber and the first stage energy storage chamber and the high compression chamber; A wave actuated energy device consisting of a low compressed air moving stage consisting of piping installed between. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a terminal end of the high compression chamber includes a check valve opening inward in fluid communication with the piping and the first stage energy storage chamber. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the piping in the low compression air transfer stage communicates with the rear end of the high compression chamber and the rear surface of the ram disk. 4. The device according to claim 3, wherein a float valve that is open during normal times is provided at an end of the piping that communicates with the rear surface of the ram disk. 5. The device according to claim 4, wherein at least one vent hole is provided at an intermediate portion between both ends of the pipe. 6. Claim 4, wherein one vent valve opening inward is provided at an intermediate portion between both ends of the pipe.
Apparatus described in section. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein a slide vent valve is operatively coupled to said ramrod and is adapted to move relative to said ramrod to open a vent in said piping. Device. 8. The high compression chamber further comprises the outlet disposed in fluid communication with an adjustable high compression check valve that opens when its internal pressure reaches a desired pressure value. The device according to item 7.