NO345358B1 - Wave or tidal power plant - Google Patents

Wave or tidal power plant Download PDF

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Publication number
NO345358B1
NO345358B1 NO20190591A NO20190591A NO345358B1 NO 345358 B1 NO345358 B1 NO 345358B1 NO 20190591 A NO20190591 A NO 20190591A NO 20190591 A NO20190591 A NO 20190591A NO 345358 B1 NO345358 B1 NO 345358B1
Authority
NO
Norway
Prior art keywords
air
floating body
power generating
generating assembly
offshore power
Prior art date
Application number
NO20190591A
Other languages
Norwegian (no)
Other versions
NO20190591A1 (en
Inventor
Gustav Wee
Original Assignee
Norway Tide Power As
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 Norway Tide Power As filed Critical Norway Tide Power As
Priority to NO20190591A priority Critical patent/NO345358B1/en
Priority to CN201910522228.XA priority patent/CN111927695A/en
Priority to PCT/EP2020/061151 priority patent/WO2020229110A1/en
Publication of NO20190591A1 publication Critical patent/NO20190591A1/en
Publication of NO345358B1 publication Critical patent/NO345358B1/en

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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
    • F03B13/16—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 using the relative movement between a wave-operated member, i.e. a "wom" and another member, i.e. a reaction member or "rem"
    • F03B13/18—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 using the relative movement between a wave-operated member, i.e. a "wom" and another member, i.e. a reaction member or "rem" where the other member, i.e. rem is fixed, at least at one point, with respect to the sea bed or shore
    • 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
    • F03B13/26—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 tide energy
    • F03B13/262—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 tide energy using the relative movement between a tide-operated member and another member
    • 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
    • F03B13/16—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 using the relative movement between a wave-operated member, i.e. a "wom" and another member, i.e. a reaction member or "rem"
    • F03B13/18—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 using the relative movement between a wave-operated member, i.e. a "wom" and another member, i.e. a reaction member or "rem" where the other member, i.e. rem is fixed, at least at one point, with respect to the sea bed or shore
    • F03B13/1845—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 using the relative movement between a wave-operated member, i.e. a "wom" and another member, i.e. a reaction member or "rem" where the other member, i.e. rem is fixed, at least at one point, with respect to the sea bed or shore and the wom slides relative to the rem
    • F03B13/1875—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 using the relative movement between a wave-operated member, i.e. a "wom" and another member, i.e. a reaction member or "rem" where the other member, i.e. rem is fixed, at least at one point, with respect to the sea bed or shore and the wom slides relative to the rem and the wom is the piston or the cylinder in a pump
    • 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
    • F03B13/26—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 tide energy
    • F03B13/266—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 tide energy to compress air
    • 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
    • F05B2220/00—Application
    • F05B2220/70—Application in combination with
    • F05B2220/706—Application in combination with an electrical generator
    • 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
    • F05B2240/40—Use of a multiplicity of similar components
    • 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
    • F05B2240/95—Mounting on supporting structures or systems offshore
    • 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

Landscapes

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

Description

WAVE OR TIDAL POWER PLANT
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a tidal power plant.
Background Art
[0002] The present invention is closely related to WO 2017/119816 of the same inventor, and which is hereby incorporated by reference.
[0003] The above patent publication concerns a tidal power plant comprising a floating unit, at least one generator arranged on the floating unit, a base connected to the seabed below the floating unit and a number of double acting cylinders with an upper and a lower fluid chamber. The cylinders coupled between the floating unit and the base so that fluid is compressed within the upper chamber of the cylinder barrel when the tide is moving the floating unit upwards and fluid is compressed within the lower chamber of the cylinder barrel when the tide is moving the floating unit downwards. The base is a plate having flexible cylinder joints on its upper side. Several cylinders are connected in serial relationship between the plate and the floating unit. The compressed fluid is air and the compressed air is transferred to an air reservoir which in turn provide power to the at least one generator.
[0004] From US 7075190 is known an offshore power generating assembly comprising a floating unit, at least one generator, a base connected to the seabed below the floating unit and a number of cylinders comprising a pair of cylinder spindles, the cylinders being connected to the floating unit and the base so that fluid is compressed by the cylinders during tidal changes, the compressed fluid providing power to the at least one generator.
[0005] Other prior art references are US 2008/0197632, WO 98/20254, WO 2009/049269 and WO 2005/069824.
Summary of invention
[0006] The present invention has as an object to provide an efficient wave or tide power plant that can produce electric power without interruption, and which is durable and can withstand harsh weather conditions.
[0007] This is achieved by the features recited in the appended claims.
Brief description of drawings
[0008]
Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the power plant of the invention in isometric view,
Figure 2 shows a cross-section through the power plant, and
Figure 3 shows schematically one chamber and piston assembly,
Detailed description of the invention
[0009] Figure 1 shows a power plant according to the invention and figure 2 shows a cross-section of the plant. The plant comprises a base part 1 that has a continuous bottom 2 and upright side walls 3 extending from the bottom. The side walls 3 extend around the whole perimeter of the base part 1, but they have openings 4 to let water flow freely in and out of the base part.
[0010] The base part 1 is upwards open. A floating body 5 is received through the open top of the base part 1. The floating body 5 has a narrow fit with the interior of the base part 1, but it is able to slide easily up and down within the base part 1.
[0011] The floating body 5 has a continuous top deck 6 on which generators, helicopter deck, accommodation facilities etc. are arranged.
[0012] A plurality of piston rods 7 are attached to the bottom 2 inside the base part 1. The attachment of the piston rods may be flexible, such as via a universal link (not shown), to accommodate for any deviations of a straight up and down movement of the floating body 5 relative to the base part 1.
[0013] The piston rods 7 are coupled to a respective piston 8, which is received in one of a multiple of chambers 9 in the floating body 5. The chambers 9 may have a circular, square or other cross-section with a uniform size and shape along their length. The chambers 9 are preferably formed as a blind bore in the floating body.
[0014] The chambers are divided by a partition 10 into an upper part 11, which acts as an air pressure chamber, and a lower part 12, which acts as an air cylinder. The air cylinder is closed at the bottom by an end closure 13. The piston rod 7 extends through an opening in the end closure 13. Sealings between the end closure 13 and the piston rod 7 ensures an airtight closure.
[0015] The piston 8 is moveable within the air cylinder 12. Unidirectional valves (not shown) in the partition 10 ensures that air compressed by the piston 8, when it moves upward in the air cylinder 12 is transferred to the air pressure chamber 11. When the piston 8 moves downward within the air cylinder 12, air in the lower part of the cylinder 12 is forced through channels (not shown) and unidirectional valves (not shown) into the air pressure chamber 11. The unidirectional valves ensure that the air cannot escape from the air pressure chamber 11.
[0016] The expelled air from the air piston 12 is replaced by air sucked in from the environment through not shown channels, which also have unidirectional valves.
[0017] The air in the air pressure chambers is used to power the generators on the floating body 5. At the top end of the air pressure chambers are outlets that connect with the generators, so that pressurized air flowing from the air pressure chambers 11 is used to rotate the generators and transform the energy of the air to electric energy.
[0018] The base part 1 is held stationary relative to the seabed, preferably by placing the base part directly on the seabed. Alternatively, the base part can be floating but tethered to the seabed. In the preferred embodiment the base part is made of concrete. It may also be made of steel.
[0019] The floating body 5 may also be made of concrete or steel. Due to the air chambers 11 and the air cylinders 12, the floating body 5 will have sufficient buoyancy to float and follow the wave motion. If additional buoyancy is needed, additional chambers may be formed in the floating body 5.
[0020] When the waves or the tide passes through the power plant, the floating body will move up and down with the waves. The pistons 8 will hence move within the air cylinders 12 and pressurize air, as explained above.
[0021] In an alternative embodiment, some of the chambers 9 may be without the piston 8 and the partition 10 and have an open bottom end, thus acting as air traps. At the top, these chambers 9 have a valve that can be opened to the atmosphere in order to let air into the chamber when the floating body 5 is at the top of a wave crest.
[0022] The chambers having pistons 8, and thus comprising air cylinders 12 may be used to hold the floating body 5 in an elevated position when it is at the top of, or close to the top of, the wave crest by trapping air within the cylinder 12. While being held in this position, the valve of the air traps, i.e. the chambers 9 without pistons, is opened to let air into the air traps. The body 5 is held in the elevated position until the air traps have reached atmospheric pressure. Then the valves are closed.
[0023] The air cylinders 12 are then released to transfer compressed air to the air pressure chambers 11. At the same time water entering the lower end of the air traps will compress the air in the air traps. This air will gradually be transferred to the generators, or alternatively to separate pressure tanks, as the floating body sinks, and is used to drive the generators.
[0024] In addition to storing compressed air in the compressed air chambers 11, the air can also be transferred to large pressure vessels on the deck 6 of the floating body 5.
[0025] The air may also be transferred to pressure vessels on shore through flexible air tubes, if the distance is not too large. In that case the electric generators may also be moved onshore.
[0026] The whole power plant may be towed to the installation site. In that case the base part 1 may be locked to the floating body 5 when the floating body 5 is in its lowermost position relative to the base part 1. The chambers 9 will be filled with air and act as buoyancy chambers. Additional buoyancy may be provided by additional chambers in the floating body or the base part. In addition, separate buoyancy elements may be attached to the power plant.
[0027] When the power plant has reached the installation site, the base part 1 will be lowered by slowly extending the position rods 7 downwards from the floating body 5 until the base part reaches the seabed.
[0028] Several power plants may be installed in the same area and interconnected by air tubes and/or electric cables.
[0029] The deck 6 of the floating body 5 may also be utilized for other purposes, especially if the compressed air is carried onshore and there is no need for generators or air vessels on the deck6. In that case the deck of the floating body may serve as a dock for ships and vessels, building site for factories or houses or recreational areas. This opens up the possibility to place the power plant close to or within a coastal city.

Claims (9)

Claims
1. An offshore power generating assembly comprising a floating unit (5), a base (1) connected to the seabed below the floating unit (5) and a number of air cylinders (12) coupled to said floating body (5), the air cylinders (12) having a piston (8) and a piston rod (7) attached to said piston (8), the piston separating an upper and a lower air compartment within the cylinder (12), the piston rod (7) being operatively coupled to the base (1) so that when the floating body (5) moves relative to the base (1) air is compressed within said air cylinder (12), characterised in that the air cylinder (12) is integrated with the floating body.
2. The offshore power generating assembly of claim 1, characterised in that the air cylinder (12) is a lower part of a chamber (9) within the floating body (5), an upper part of the chamber (9) forming a compressed air chamber (11) for storing compressed air, a partition dividing the compressed air chamber (9) from the air cylinder (12).
3. The offshore power generating assembly of claim 2, characterised in that said chamber is formed as a blind hole in the floating body (5), that said partition (10) is a separate part that has been inserted and fixed within said blind hole, and that said blind hole is closed at its open end by an end cap (13) that has a through bore for said piston rod (7).
4. The offshore power generating assembly of any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said base part has a continuous bottom (2) with an upright wall (3) extending around the perimeter of said bottom (2), said walls having openings (4) to allow flow of water through the interior of said base part (1) within said wall (3).
5. The offshore power generating assembly of claim 4, characterised in that said floating body (5) is received within said wall (3) with a narrow fit.
6. The offshore power generating assembly of claim 5, characterised in that said floating body (5) has a continuous deck (6) on the top thereof.
7. The offshore power generating assembly of any of the preceding claims, characterised in that some of the chambers (9) are air traps with an open lower end and a valve at the top of the chamber to let air from the environment into the air traps when the floating body is at or close to the top of a wave crest.
8. The offshore power generating assembly of claim 7, characterised in that the air cylinders (12) are adapted to hold the floating body (5) at an elevated position when it is at or close to the top of a wave, to provide sufficient time to fill the air traps.
9. The offshore power generating assembly of claim 8, characterised in that the valves are closed when the air traps have been filled with air to allow the air to be compressed by water entering the open bottom of the air trap.
NO20190591A 2019-05-13 2019-05-13 Wave or tidal power plant NO345358B1 (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NO20190591A NO345358B1 (en) 2019-05-13 2019-05-13 Wave or tidal power plant
CN201910522228.XA CN111927695A (en) 2019-05-13 2019-06-17 Wave or tidal power generation device
PCT/EP2020/061151 WO2020229110A1 (en) 2019-05-13 2020-04-22 Wave or tidal power plant

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NO20190591A NO345358B1 (en) 2019-05-13 2019-05-13 Wave or tidal power plant

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
NO20190591A1 NO20190591A1 (en) 2020-11-16
NO345358B1 true NO345358B1 (en) 2020-12-21

Family

ID=70465025

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
NO20190591A NO345358B1 (en) 2019-05-13 2019-05-13 Wave or tidal power plant

Country Status (3)

Country Link
CN (1) CN111927695A (en)
NO (1) NO345358B1 (en)
WO (1) WO2020229110A1 (en)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4742241A (en) * 1986-04-01 1988-05-03 Melvin Kenneth P Wave energy engine
WO2015099538A1 (en) * 2013-11-12 2015-07-02 Vivid As A multi-step gas compressor system
WO2017119816A1 (en) * 2016-01-08 2017-07-13 Norway Tide Power As Tide powerplant

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US775421A (en) * 1903-04-21 1904-11-22 George W Hazel Tide and wave motor.
CA2146017A1 (en) * 1992-10-09 1994-04-28 Torger Tveter A device for a buoy-based wave power apparatus
CA2189697A1 (en) 1996-11-06 1998-05-06 Eli Iantkow Tide water electric energy
US7305823B2 (en) 2004-01-14 2007-12-11 Ocean Power Technologies, Inc Active impedance matching systems and methods for wave energy converter
US7075190B1 (en) 2005-02-24 2006-07-11 Lomerson Sr Robert B Tidal power generation
US7511386B2 (en) 2007-02-15 2009-03-31 Ming-Hung Lin Air-blower tidal power generation device
US20090121486A1 (en) 2007-10-11 2009-05-14 Ganley Declan J Tidal Power System
EP2440775B1 (en) * 2009-06-09 2018-04-25 James W. Healy Wave energy electrical power generation

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4742241A (en) * 1986-04-01 1988-05-03 Melvin Kenneth P Wave energy engine
WO2015099538A1 (en) * 2013-11-12 2015-07-02 Vivid As A multi-step gas compressor system
WO2017119816A1 (en) * 2016-01-08 2017-07-13 Norway Tide Power As Tide powerplant

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN111927695A (en) 2020-11-13
WO2020229110A1 (en) 2020-11-19
NO20190591A1 (en) 2020-11-16

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CHAD Change of the owner's name or address (par. 44 patent law, par. patentforskriften)

Owner name: NORWAY TIDE POWER AS, NO

CREP Change of representative
MM1K Lapsed by not paying the annual fees