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Bouyant actuator

A technology for actuators and buoyancy, which is applied in the field of buoyancy actuators and wave energy conversion systems, and can solve problems such as high cost and difficult transportation of buoyancy actuators

Inactive Publication Date: 2010-03-31
CETO IP
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0010] Transporting hundreds of buoyancy actuators to the application site can cause great difficulty, and if they have to be transported at actual size, it will be costly

Method used

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  • Bouyant actuator

Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0089] The illustrated embodiments each show a buoyancy actuator 10 for use in a device 11 that harnesses ocean wave energy to generate power and converts the harnessed wave energy into high pressure seawater, such as typically 100 psi or more, preferably 800 psi or more. The high pressure seawater produced by the device 11 can be piped to shore for any suitable purpose. In one application, the high pressure seawater is used as motor fluid to drive a turbine where shaft power is used to generate electricity. In another application, high pressure seawater can be injected into a reverse osmosis desalination unit from which fresh water can be produced. The brine concentrate from the desalter, still under high pressure, can then be injected into a turbine for mechanical energy extraction. The spent brine concentrate can then be returned to the ocean if desired.

[0090] The device 11 is installed and operates in sea water 12 having a water surface 13 and a sea bed 14 . The pum...

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Abstract

A buoyant actuator (10) for use in apparatus (11) for harnessing ocean wave energy and for converting the harnessed energy to high-pressure seawater. The buoyant actuator (10) comprises a body (21) defining a chamber (23) having a pliant outer skin (27). The chamber (23) is adapted to contain matter and a hydrodynamic property of the body (21) is selectively variable by varying the matter within the chamber (23). The variation to the hydrodynamic property may comprise a variation to the buoyancy (either positively or negatively) or a variation to the response area (such as the volume or shape)of the body (21), as well as a combination thereof. The variation to the matter may comprise addition of matter to, or extraction of matter from, the chamber (23). The matter may comprise a solid, liquid or gas, as well as any combination thereof. In the arrangement shown, the matter comprises foam spheres (53). The outer skin (27) is drawn into a taut condition by the outward pressure of the foam spheres (53) inside, causing the actuator to assume its design shape. The volume occupied by the foam spheres (53) is in total still less than the total enclosed volume of the chamber (23) and thereare interstitial regions (55) around each sphere (53). The interstitial regions (55) may be filled with fluid to adjust the buoyancy.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to the extraction of wave energy and, more particularly, to wave-responsive buoyancy actuators and methods of operation of such actuators. The invention also relates to wave energy conversion systems and methods of operation of such systems. [0002] Although not necessarily unique, the present invention is specifically designed as an actuator capable of responding to and incorporating fluctuations into an operable device. A particular application of the actuator of the present invention involves the utilization of ocean wave energy and the conversion of the harnessed energy into linear motion driving an energy conversion device such as a fluid pump or a linear generator. In such an arrangement, the actuator may be operatively connected to the energy conversion device, the actuator being suspended in the seawater body above said conversion device, but generally below the water's surface. With this arrangement, the fluctuat...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(China)
IPC IPC(8): F03B13/18E02B9/08F03B13/14F03B13/16F03B13/12B63B22/00
CPCF05B2270/18B63B22/04F05B2250/241B63B22/00Y02E10/38B63B22/20F05B2240/98F03B13/1885F03B13/16Y02E10/30
Inventor 艾伦·罗伯特·伯恩斯
Owner CETO IP