JPH0329583Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a wave pump that utilizes wave power among marine energy.

[Conventional technology and its problems]

Wave power generation systems are being researched as one way to utilize ocean energy. One example of wave power generation is when a wave comes, the air in an air piston chamber shaped like an upside-down bucket is compressed, and when the wave recedes, the air expands and rotates an air turbine at the top, generating electricity. be.

As described above, most wave power generation uses air chambers, etc., and the mechanism is complicated and the construction cost is high, so practical application has not progressed sufficiently.

On the other hand, the ocean has a relatively harsh natural environment, and considering the location environment of the equipment installed here, it is desirable to have a simple structure that makes good use of natural energy, but there is no established technology for this. I wasn't there.

Taking these circumstances into consideration, a float is housed inside a caisson installed underwater, and the float moves up and down as seawater moves in and out of the caisson due to waves, converting wave energy into potential energy and converting seawater into potential energy. The applicant had previously filed Utility Application No. 180618/1983 (87184/1984) for a wave pump capable of pumping water.
(No. Publication).

In this patent application No. 180618/1987, a float with an integrally protruding outer pipe is housed inside the caisson, and an inner pipe is inserted into the outer pipe, and the float is raised and lowered by the waves. Water is taken into the pipe and the inner pipe, and the water is forced out to a liquid sending pipe connected to the inner pipe.

However, with such a structure, the sliding part between the inner and outer pipes is located below the water surface, so the water stop O-ring, which is an important part of the pump mechanism, is placed in this part, and the pipe The backflow prevention valve installed at the water intake at the end is also located underwater, and overhauling and repairing these valves often requires underwater work, making it difficult to perform. Furthermore, considering that the water stop ring, check valve, etc. are the movable parts that are most likely to wear out, it is undesirable from a safety standpoint for such parts to be located underwater.

The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantages of the conventional example,
The movable parts that act as pumps and are prone to wear are placed above the sea level to make maintenance easier.
The object of the present invention is to provide a wave pump that can sufficiently ensure safety.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a caisson with openings formed on the side for water to enter and exit due to waves.
A cylinder containing a float having a piston integrally protruding from the upper part and communicating with a water intake pipe and a water supply pipe is fixed to the upper part of the caisson, the piston is inserted into the cylinder, and an opening at the upper part of the cylinder can be opened and closed. The main points are as follows.

[Effect]

According to the present invention, the cylinder communicating with the water intake pipe and the water supply pipe is fixed to the upper part of the caisson, and the piston inserted into this cylinder is provided at the upper part of the float. It will be located higher up, making it easier to maintain this area.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing the first embodiment of the wave pump of the present invention. In the figure, 1 indicates a columnar caisson made of concrete or steel, and at the lower side of the caisson there are openings 2 for ingress and egress of water caused by waves. has been formed.

In the figure, reference numeral 3 denotes a float which is housed in the caisson 1 and has approximately the same diameter as the caisson, and has a piston 4 integrally protruding from its upper part.

Then, a cylinder 7 that communicates with both the water intake pipe 5 and the water supply pipe 6 is provided above the caisson 1, and the end of the piston 4 is inserted into the cylinder 7, and the cylinder 7, the water intake pipe 5, and the water supply pipe 6 are connected. Check valves 8a, 8 that open only in the downstream direction are provided at the joints of the
b was established.

In the figure, 9 indicates an auxiliary member for fixing the cylinder 7 on the caisson 1, and 10 indicates a maintenance lid for closing the upper opening of the cylinder 7.

Next, to explain the usage and operation, the wave pump of this invention is used in fields related to the marine development industry, such as wave pumped storage power generation, water supply to fish farms, marine civil engineering work, etc., and as an air compressor. Possible uses include, for example, by creating a reservoir above.
Seawater is poured into this reservoir, and when it falls, it becomes possible to distribute electricity using a conventional hydroelectric generator.

First, to explain the basic operation, if the end of the water intake pipe 5 is opened into the sea, for example, when waves rise,
The float 3 rises as the water level rises, and the piston 4 integrated with it also rises. However, since cylinder 7 is fixed to caisson 1 and does not move,
As the piston 4 moves upward within the cylinder 7, the water within the cylinder 7 is pushed up, pushes open the check valve 8b, and is forced into the water pipe 6 side.

Next, when the waves descend, the float 3 also descends as the water surface descends, and the piston 4 also moves down to the cylinder 7.
descend inside. As a result, the inside of the cylinder 7 becomes negative pressure, and the seawater taken in from the intake pipe 5 pushes open the check valve 8a and flows into the cylinder 7 by the amount that the piston 4 moves downward.

In this way, the wave pump of the present invention can continue pumping water as long as there are waves, and the pump's pumping power and pumping amount are determined by the size of the float, the length of the cylinder, etc.

To perform maintenance on the movable parts such as the cylinder 7, piston 4, and check valves 8a and 8b, open the lid 10 and access the cylinder 7 from here.
This can be done in dry conditions above sea level.

The first embodiment has the basic structure of the wave pump of the present invention, but in consideration of safety, the second embodiment shown in FIG. 2 has been modified from the first embodiment. A breakwater caisson 11 may be further provided on the rear side of the caisson 1 which functions as the wave pump described above. In this case, by storing a large number of filling stones 19 inside the breakwater caisson 11, the caissons 1, 11 can withstand wave horizontal force by their own weight even in the event of abnormal waves.

If the wall of the caisson 1 on the wave-receiving side is extended higher upwards to form the protrusion 1a and the caissons 1 and 11 are used as a breakwater, the wave energy will be absorbed as pump power on the caisson 1 side. The reflected waves from the caissons 1 can be suppressed to a small level, and the wave force acting on the caissons 1 and 11 can be reduced, so that they can also function as an upright wave-dissipating bank.

Further, a flow rate regulating valve 12 is provided near the end of the water pipe 6, and in the event of abnormal waves, the flow rate regulating valve 12 is appropriately throttled to suppress vertical movement of the float 3 and prevent damage to the device.

In this second embodiment, by forming the protrusion 1a on the caisson 1, the water intake pipe 5 passes through the breakwater caisson 11 and opens at the lower part of the caisson 1 in order to avoid the protrusion 1a. A screen 13 for preventing the intrusion of foreign substances such as dust is provided in an opening 2 formed in the caisson 1 to prevent foreign substances from entering the seawater taken into the water intake pipe 5 opened in the caisson 1.

Furthermore, as a third embodiment that can sufficiently withstand abnormal waves and is safer, as shown in FIG. Waves that exceed the upper surface of the caisson 14 are absorbed by the holes 15 formed in the upper surface 14a, thereby reducing wave pressure during abnormal times caused by overtopping waves.

In this case, the float 16 is also provided with a drainage hole 17, and the water mass flowing down into the caisson 14 from the hole 15 provided on the upper surface 14a of the caisson 14 is drained through the drainage hole 17, the float 16, and the inner wall of the caisson 14. Let it fall naturally downward through the gap between the two. Incidentally, in order to perform such drainage even more smoothly, it is preferable to form the upper surface of the float 16 into a slightly sloped surface 16a that descends from the center toward the periphery.

In addition, in order to prevent the float 16 from moving up and down significantly during abnormal waves, in addition to providing the flow rate regulating valve 12 on the water pipe 6 side as in the second embodiment, it is necessary to Stoppers 18a and 18b are provided to prevent the above vertical movement and restrict the movement of the float 16 to make it safer, and the intake pipe 5 is also opened into the sea along the outer wall of the caisson 14 to avoid abnormal waves. This prevents the water intake pipe 5 from being damaged due to wave pressure applied at times.

[Effect of idea]

As mentioned above, in the wave pump of the present invention, the pistons and other movable parts, which are important parts of the pump mechanism and are prone to wear, are located above the sea surface, so maintenance work does not need to be done underwater. Therefore, it is easy to work, and maintenance inside the cylinder can be done easily by opening the lid at the top of the cylinder, so it can be well managed and safe.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing a first embodiment of the wave pump of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing a second embodiment, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing a third embodiment. . DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Caisson, 1a... Projection, 2... Opening, 3... Float, 4... Piston, 5... Water intake pipe, 6... Water pipe, 7... Cylinder, 8a,
8b...Return prevention valve, 9...Auxiliary material, 10...
Lid, 11... Breakwater caisson, 12... Flow rate adjustment valve, 13... Screen, 14... Caisson, 1
4a...Top surface, 15...Hole, 16...Float,
16a...Slope surface, 17...Drain hole, 18a, 1
8b... Stopper, 19... Nakazumeishi.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A float with a piston integrally protruding from the top is housed in a caisson that has openings formed on the side for the inflow and outflow of water caused by waves, and a cylinder that communicates with the water intake pipe and the water supply pipe is fixed to the top of the caisson. A wave power pump characterized in that the piston is inserted into the cylinder, and the opening at the top of the cylinder is covered with a lid that can be opened and closed.