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
• • 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"
  • F03B13/20—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" wherein both members, i.e. wom and rem are movable relative 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
  • F03G—SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03G7/00—Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for
  • F03G7/08—Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for recovering energy derived from swinging, rolling, pitching or like movements, e.g. from the vibrations of a machine
• • 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
• • 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
  • F05B2250/00—Geometry
  • F05B2250/40—Movement of component
  • F05B2250/44—Movement of component one element moving inside another one, e.g. wave-operated member (wom) moving inside another member (rem)
• • 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

• the invention relates to a wave power plant, comprising at least one floating power plant body and means for converting movement of the floating power plant body into a rotary motion for power takeoff.
• Publication US-4,266,143 discloses a wave power producing apparatus, wherein the objective is to convert the pendulum-like swinging motion of a floating tank into the rotating motion of a rotator. Because of the irregular movement and varying size of waves, it has been difficult or impossible to convert this pendulum-like swinging motion into continuous rotating motion with a high efficiency.
• the underlying concept of the invention is to bring a floating power plant body to perform a gyrating movement directly in response to waves, the invention introducing means, by which the waves are caused to generate a gyrating motion or by which the wave-generated gyrating motion is enhanced.
• FIG. 1 shows in a perspective view a wave power plant according to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the power plant body having its top opened.
• Fig. 2 shows in a perspective view, seen from the front and obliquely from below, a preferred design for the power plant body of a wave power plant.
• the floating body of a wave power plant comprises a pontoon or float.
• the rotating parts of a power plant are located inside this shell type body.
• a floating power plant body 1 is elongated and arcuate, which shape in its part assists in the generation of gyrating motion as an incoming direction A of waves is substantially in line with the body's longitudinal direction or slightly offset from that direction, resulting in an acute angle between the incoming direction A of waves and the body's longitudinal direction.
• the floating power plant body 1 is adapted to perform a gyrating motion directly in response to waves, enabling the gyrating motion to be utilized for setting a rotator 6 in rotating motion.
• FIG. 2 is depicted a design for the power plant body 1, which is preferred in view of generating a gyrating motion.
• the power plant body 1 features, near its forward end (in the incoming direction A of waves), level with the waterline, i.e. close to the power plant body's top edge, a cross-section profile R-R, which is inclined on either side of the body in one direction, i.e. to the right as viewed in the propagation direction of waves.
• a cross-sectional curve L-L present in a middle section of the body 1, is inclined in the opposite direction, i.e. to the left. Also in this case, the body has its both sides inclined to the left, as indicated by a dashed-line portion of the curve L-L.
• a cross-sectional curve R-R present at a rearward end of the body, is again inclined to the right on either side of the body.
• the water surface is arcuate with the result that the body's forward and rearward parts are deeper in water than the body's middle part. Because the middle part of the body, when viewed from the front, is at the waterline level inclined to the left, the application point of buoyancy shifts to the right as the water level falls in this area. Respectively, in the forward and rearward parts, as the body is inclined to the right at the waterline level, the application point of buoyancy shifts also to the right as water rises in these areas.
• the body's curvature and the subsequently described weight and gyro force thereof have each also a gyration promoting effect at a respective stage of a wave.
• each of these effects supports one another and assists in the generation of a gyrating motion as smooth and powerful as possible in diverse wave conditions.
• the power takeoff elements include a rotator 6, which is bearing-mounted for rotation around a gyration shaft 5 and which has its center of gravity at a distance from the gyration shaft 5.
• the rotator 6 is linked to the gyration shaft 5 with a moment arm 7 of desired length.
• gyrating motion of the body 1 can be generated directly from the movement of waves and the wave-generated gyrating motion can be enhanced with subsequently described elements.
• a heavy horizontal flange 2 set in the depth of about a Vi wavelength.
• the body 1 is in turn weighted asymmetrically with an inclination to tilt onto the side away from the flange 2.
• the flange 2 and the weighting of the body 1 balance each other out, whereby, in calm water, the power plant floats in such a way that the rotator 6 has its shaft 5, which is at the same time the gyration shaft, in a vertical position.
• the fact that the flange 2 opposes an up-and-down movement creates a lateral swinging force which, together with a swinging force longitudinal of the wave, produces a gyrating motion.
• the length of a suspension chain or cable 3 supporting the flange 2 is adjustable for enabling the adjustment of its depth from a waterline 13 to equal about Vi of the length of a wave or some other depth for providing the effect of a desired magnitude.
• Gyrating motion is also assisted by one or more transverse flanges 4, which is or are mounted on the power plant body 1 substantially crosswise to the propagating direction A of waves.
• the transverse flange or flanges 4 is or are located at a distance from the gyration shaft 5, downstream of the gyration shaft in the propagating direction A of waves.
• the flange or flanges 4 prevent the floating power plant body 1 from going along with the wave in an accelerating motion, which falls exactly on such a point at which the body's 1 movement would oppose rotation of the rotator 6 in response to gyrating motion.
• a horizontal movement of the body 1 is principally disallowed and the body 1 moves mainly in a vertical direction in response to the buoyancy of waves, the vertical movement nevertheless occurring asynchronously on various sides of the gyration shaft 5, thus generating a gyrating motion.
• the gyrating motion can also be promoted with a flywheel 11 having a substantially vertical rotating axis.
• the flywheel 11 can be present on the same shaft as the rotator 6 or on a separate shaft.
• the flywheel 11 can derive its rotational energy by way of an increasing gear 10 from the rotator 6.
• the flywheel 11 can also be driven by means of a separate (electric) motor.
• the flywheel 11 has its gyro force deflecting the body's 1 turning action, whereby the wave-generated pitch produces also sideways swinging. The combined effect of these movements generates a gyrating motion.
• the gyro force opposes a wave-generated external force and a longitudinal tilting of the body, which at the same time urges to tilt the gyro, but the gyro translates the external force into a lateral rotation and achieves a lateral swinging of the body.
• the tilting gyro force is at its maximum as the pitching is at its fastest, i.e. on the crest and in the trough of a wave. At this point, the body's listing is also at its maximum.
• the wave power plant includes preferably a computer-controlled RPM stabilizer for the rotator 6.
• the wide-range fluctuation in the RPM of the rotator 6 is a problem.
• a large wave causes a rush, which often ends up in a "counter- hill" as the rotator is in a wrong phase with respect to the next wave.
• the computer-controlled RPM stabilizer monitors the rotating speed of the rotator and allows its fluctuation within a set range, e.g. not more than 10% per revolution. If the rotating speed tends to increase faster than the set value, the automatics shall operate to increase the resistance of a generator.
• the resistance of a generator 12 will be decreased or the rotating speed of the rotator 6 is even increased by feeding energy into the generator.
• the rotation of the plant's rotating parts is smoother and more continuous. Stoppages do not occur and, thus, the energy output is also increased.
• the flywheel 11 may also function as an RPM stabilizer.
• the massive, high-speed rotating flywheel 11, linked to the rotator 6 by way of the gear 10, can be used as a stabilizer for RPM fluctuations the same way as a computer-controlled RPM stabilizer mentioned above. While rotating around a vertical axis, the flywheel 11 provides at the same time a gyro effect as mentioned above.
• the generator 12 can be connected with the flywheel 11.
• the increasing gear 10 can be continuously variable and automatics may take care of the gear ratio regulation so as to achieve a sufficient RPM stabilization for the rotator 6.
• the rotator's 6 phase angle with respect to the gyrating motion be optimized by computer control.
• the computer-controlled phase angle optimizer is a system which monitors the rotator's 6 location in relation to an inclination of the power plant body 1 and endeavors to maintain the phase angle averagely at an optimum. In terms of the output of energy, the most preferred condition would be to have the rotator 6 follow behind the inclination of the gyration shaft 5 with a phase difference of about 90°. This is where the rotator's 6 torque moment is at its maximum.
• the computer- operated phase angle optimizer may also receive advance information about an incoming wave from a wave height or acceleration measuring buoy/sensor 14 positioned in front of the apparatus in the incoming direction of waves.
• All of the described functions relate to the rotator's 6 rotation achieved by means of gyration either by promoting the wave-generated gyrating motion or by independently converting the movement of waves into a gyrating motion , which in turn can be used for rotating the rotator 6. Accordingly, it is possible to employ various combinations of the described functions or all of the functions can be utilized in a single floating power plant.
• the described functions enable providing a stable-in-motion and high-yield power plant.
• the preferred exemplary power plant may feature the elongated arcuate float body 1, which is further provided with the heavy flange 2 suspended alongside the body and with the flywheel 11 as an RPM stabilizer, in addition to which the RPM fluctuations can be stabilized by a load of the generator 12 or by an adjustment of the increasing gear 10 while a phase difference between the rotator's 6 rotation and the body's 1 gyrating motion is optimized by means of computer control.
• the power plant body may consist of several interconnected floats and the takeoff of power can be performed by something other than a heavy rotator, for example by means of an angular shaft as described in the Applicant's earlier patent application PCT/FI2008/050145.
• the gyro force enables implementing a totally symmetrical gyrating power plant body, although the efficiency can be increased by an appropriate asymmetry of the shape or construction, by means of which the vertical buoyancy of propagating waves is adapted to work at alternate times on alternate sides of the body.
• the underwater horizontal flange enables implementing a symmetrical gyrating body. In a high-performance power plant it is possible to provide a single very large body with a plurality of gyrating units as described, which could be mounted on a common body e.g. by means of springs.

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• 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)

Priority Applications (8)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=39852299

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (12)

Cited By (9)

Families Citing this family (10)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (11)

• 2008
  • 2008-09-26 FI FI20085911A patent/FI122615B/fi not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2009
  • 2009-09-22 AR ARP090103628A patent/AR073650A1/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2009-09-23 WO PCT/FI2009/050758 patent/WO2010034888A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2009-09-23 CN CN200980138256.6A patent/CN102165181B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2009-09-23 AU AU2009295772A patent/AU2009295772B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2009-09-23 CA CA2738203A patent/CA2738203C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2009-09-23 JP JP2011528379A patent/JP5547735B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2009-09-23 ES ES09815731.6T patent/ES2675778T3/es active Active
  • 2009-09-23 EP EP09815731.6A patent/EP2329136B1/en not_active Not-in-force
  • 2009-09-23 US US13/119,424 patent/US8915077B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2009-09-23 NO NO09815731A patent/NO2329136T3/no unknown
  • 2009-09-25 CL CL2009001901A patent/CL2009001901A1/es unknown

Patent Citations (5)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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