Oscillating water column type wave energy power generation device based on Helmholtz resonance principle

Abstract

The invention discloses an oscillating water column type wave energy power generation device based on a Helmholtz resonance principle, and belongs to the technical field of ocean renewable energy sources. The device is composed of a caisson type structure, a wave gathering water channel, an air chamber set, a gradually-shrinking and gradually-expanding channel set, a one-way air valve set and an air turbine unit. The air chamber group is formed by connecting a plurality of air chambers in series, and gradually-shrinking and gradually-expanding channels are respectively arranged in the air chambers; when a wave crest acts, a water column moves upwards to push air in the main air chamber to enter the auxiliary air chamber through the gradually-shrinking and gradually-expanding channel; when the wave trough acts, the one-way gas valve is opened under the action of gas thrust moving downwards, most of gas in the auxiliary gas chamber returns to the main gas chamber through the valve, and a small part of gas returns to the main gas chamber through the gradually-shrinking and gradually-expanding channel; by means of water resonance induced by the wave gathering water channel and the pulse jet effect caused by the gradually-shrinking and gradually-expanding channel, the energy capturing efficiency of the wave energy device in the energy conversion process of each stage is remarkably improved, the structure is simple, and the maintenance cost is low.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of marine renewable energy technology, and in particular to an oscillating water column wave energy power generation device based on the Helmholtz resonance principle. Background Technology

[0002] Wave energy, as a abundant and widely distributed renewable energy source, holds significant potential for global energy transition and marine resource development. Oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy conversion devices have become one of the most promising wave energy utilization technologies due to their simple structure, high reliability, and low maintenance costs. Traditional OWC devices typically consist of a single-chamber structure, operating on the principle that the periodic motion of waves drives the oscillation of a water column, compressing the air within the chamber and propelling a turbine to generate electricity. However, this single-chamber design has inherent limitations: firstly, its narrow-frequency response characteristics are ill-suited to the wide-spectrum wave environment of remote island and reef areas, resulting in low energy conversion efficiency; secondly, the passive energy conversion mechanism lacks active control capabilities, limiting the device's adaptability. Although existing research has attempted optimization through variable-geometry chambers or multi-stage energy conversion systems, these solutions are often structurally complex and lack sufficient reliability, failing to meet practical engineering requirements. Therefore, developing a novel OWC wave energy device capable of adapting to wide-frequency waves and improving energy capture efficiency has become a key challenge in current wave energy utilization technology research. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology and provide an oscillating water column wave energy generation device based on the Helmholtz resonance principle; it mainly solves the problems of existing oscillating water column wave energy conversion devices being difficult to adapt to the broadband wave environment of remote island and reef waters and having low energy conversion efficiency.

[0004] The technical solution provided by this invention is: an oscillating water column wave energy generation device based on the Helmholtz resonance principle, which is special in that it is composed of a caisson structure, a wave-concentrating water channel, an air chamber group, a gradually narrowing and expanding channel group, a one-way air valve group and an air turbine group. The wave-gathering channel is located on the wave-facing front wall of the caisson structure. The wave-gathering channel is a gradually narrowing guide structure. Under the action of the gradually narrowing guide structure, the energy of the waves is initially gathered. The air chamber group includes multiple air chambers connected in series within a caisson structure. Adjacent air chambers are separated by baffles. Each air chamber consists of an auxiliary air chamber and a main air chamber, which are arranged vertically and separated by a partition. An air inlet is provided at the top of the auxiliary air chamber. The gradually constricting and expanding channel group includes multiple gradually constricting and expanding channels, which are located between the auxiliary air chamber and the main air chamber; the gradually constricting and expanding channel includes an expanding section, a throat, and a contracting section, which are interconnected. The one-way valve group includes multiple one-way valves arranged in multiple rows, and the one-way valves are respectively installed on the partition plate, located on both sides of the gradually narrowing and expanding channel; The air turbine unit includes multiple air turbines, which are placed inside the air inlet and connected to the generator to convert the kinetic energy of the airflow in the air chamber into the mechanical energy of the air turbine. The bottom of the caisson structure is connected to the base.

[0005] Furthermore, the wave-gathering channel of the tapered flow guide structure is funnel-shaped, with the width of the wave inlet facing the wave being greater than the width of the outlet inside the air chamber, located below the calm water surface facing the wave, and the outlet shape being a horizontal opening.

[0006] Furthermore, the width of the contraction section of the gradually expanding channel is greater than the width of the expansion section, and the width of the expansion section is greater than the width of the throat.

[0007] Furthermore, the one-way valve consists of a connecting rod, a limiter, and a knob; the knob is fixed to one side of the partition, and has a cylindrical blind hole inside, in which a spring is installed, with the front end of the spring pressing against the bottom of the blind hole and the rear end pressing against the shoulder of the connecting rod; the limiter is fixed to the other side of the partition, one side of the connecting rod is connected to the knob, and the other side of the connecting rod is limited by the limiter to prevent the connecting rod from opening upward under the action of the gas in the main air chamber.

[0008] Furthermore, the plurality of air turbines are respectively installed inside the air inlet at the top of each air chamber, are of the same size, are Wells turbines, and have symmetrical blades inside to provide bidirectional airflow.

[0009] Furthermore, the auxiliary gas chamber and the main gas chamber are made of corrosion-resistant materials, and the size ratio of the auxiliary gas chamber and the main gas chamber is adjusted according to the actual situation.

[0010] The beneficial effects of this invention are: 1. The use of a gradually narrowing wave-gathering channel allows the energy of the waves to be initially concentrated under its action, that is, the wave height in the air chamber is greater than when no wave-gathering channel is set. The outlet of the wave-gathering channel air chamber is a horizontal opening, which can make it easier for the waves to enter the air chamber smoothly and reduce the eddies and energy loss at the outlet. 2. By using multiple air chambers arranged in parallel in series, the OWC wave energy device has better frequency domain adaptability and effectively broadens the frequency bandwidth of absorbable waves; the working mechanism of multi-air chamber synergy enables the OWC wave energy device to maintain a high wave energy capture efficiency under complex wave conditions. 3. The gradually expanding and contracting channel is designed based on the Helmholtz resonance principle. When the wave enters the main air chamber, the water column will compress the air in the main air chamber and enter the contraction section of the gradually expanding and contracting channel. After being compressed at the throat, it will be ejected from the expansion section and generate turbulence in the auxiliary air chamber. The turbulent fluid flowing out from the air outlet can trigger the pulse jet effect, which significantly increases the airflow velocity at the air outlet and improves the energy conversion efficiency. 4. During the trough action, the valves of the one-way valve group are fully opened under the thrust of the downward-moving gas. Most of the gas in the auxiliary gas chamber returns to the main gas chamber through the valves, and a small portion of the gas returns to the main gas chamber through the gradually narrowing and expanding channels. This can significantly reduce the energy loss caused by the gas being transmitted through the gradually narrowing and expanding channels. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the longitudinal cross-sectional structure; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the longitudinal cross-sectional structure of a single air chamber of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the longitudinal cross-sectional structure of the one-way air valve of the present invention.

[0012] In the diagram: 1. Auxiliary air chamber, 2. Main air chamber, 3. Baffle, 4. Air outlet, 5. Gradual expansion and contraction channel, 6. One-way valve, 7. Baffle, 8. Wave-concentrating water channel, 9. Air turbine, 10. Submerged structure, 11. Base, 12. Connecting rod, 13. Limiter, 14. Knob, 15. Expansion section, 16. Throat, 17. Contraction section. Detailed Implementation

[0013] To better understand and implement the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0014] like Figure 1 , 2 As shown in Figures 3 and 4, an oscillating water column wave energy power generation device based on the synergistic effect of Helmholtz and gradually expanding and contracting channels consists of five parts: a caisson structure 10, a wave-concentrating water channel 8, an air chamber group, a gradually expanding and contracting channel group, a one-way air valve group, and an air turbine group; taking the air chamber group as an example with three air chambers. The wave-gathering channel 8 is located on the wave-facing front wall of the caisson-type structure 10. The wave-gathering channel 8 is a tapered guide structure with a trumpet shape. Under the action of the tapered guide structure, the energy of the waves is initially gathered, that is, the wave height in the air chamber is greater than that without the wave-gathering channel. The width of the wave inlet in the wave-facing direction is greater than the width of the outlet in the air chamber and is located below the calm water surface in the wave-facing direction. The outlet of the wave-gathering channel 8 in the air chamber is a horizontal opening, which can facilitate the smooth entry of waves into the air chamber and reduce the eddies and energy loss at the outlet. The air chamber assembly comprises three vertically connected air chambers arranged in series within the caisson-type structure 10, with adjacent air chambers separated by baffles 7. Each air chamber consists of an auxiliary air chamber 1 and a main air chamber 2, which are arranged vertically and separated by a partition 3. The auxiliary air chamber 1 and the main air chamber 2 are made of corrosion-resistant materials, and the size ratio of the auxiliary air chamber 1 to the main air chamber 2 can be adjusted according to actual conditions. An air outlet 4 is provided at the top of the auxiliary air chamber 1. Gradual converging and expanding channels 5 are provided on the partition 3. The air chamber is a semi-enclosed structure that is only open to the gradual converging and expanding channels 5. When waves are injected into the main air chamber 2, the water column is compressed. Air in the main air chamber 2 enters the contraction section 17 of the gradually expanding and contracting channel 5, and after being compressed by the throat 16, it is ejected from the expansion section 15, generating turbulence in the auxiliary air chamber 1. The turbulent fluid flowing out from the air outlet 4 can trigger a pulse jet effect, significantly increasing the airflow velocity at the air outlet 4 and improving energy conversion efficiency. During the trough action, the valves of the one-way valve group are fully opened under the thrust of the downward-moving gas. Most of the gas in the auxiliary air chamber 1 returns to the main air chamber 2 through the valves, and a small portion of the gas returns to the main air chamber 2 through the gradually expanding and contracting channel 5, which can significantly reduce the energy loss caused by the gas transmission through the gradually expanding and contracting channel. The constricting and expanding channel group includes a constricting and expanding channel 5, which includes an expanding section 15, a throat 16, and a constricting section 17, which are connected to each other. The width of the constricting section 17 is greater than the width of the expanding section 15, and the width of the expanding section 15 is greater than the width of the throat 16. The one-way valve assembly includes multiple rows of one-way valves 6 arranged side by side. Multiple high-performance one-way valves 6 are arranged side by side on both sides of the gradually narrowing and expanding channel 5. The one-way valve 6 consists of a connecting rod 12, a limiter 13, and a knob 14. One side of the connecting rod 12 is connected to the knob 14, and the knob 14 is fixed to one side of the partition 3. It has a cylindrical blind hole inside and a thin spring is installed. The front end of the spring rests on the bottom of the blind hole, and the rear end rests on the shoulder of the connecting rod 12. The limiter 13 is fixed to the other side of the partition 3. The limiter 13 limits the other side of the connecting rod 12 to prevent the connecting rod 12 from opening upward under the action of the gas in the main air chamber 2. The air turbine unit comprises three identical air turbines 9, installed inside the air inlet 4 at the top of each air chamber. These turbines utilize Wells turbines with symmetrical blades to provide bidirectional airflow. The air turbines 9 are connected to a generator, converting the kinetic energy of the airflow within the air chamber into the mechanical energy of the air turbines 9. The use of symmetrical blades in the air turbines 9 ensures their ability to flexibly and precisely adapt to dynamic changes in airflow direction, enabling efficient and stable operation under various working conditions and achieving effective power generation. Installing the turbine generator unit at the top of the air chambers allows maintenance personnel to operate critical components more conveniently and efficiently during routine maintenance or troubleshooting, reducing maintenance costs and improving the overall system's operational efficiency.

[0015] The caisson structure 10 is fixed to the seabed via the base 11; it is installed in near-shore areas and adopts a modular design to facilitate transportation and installation.

[0016] It should be understood that technical features not described in detail in this specification belong to the prior art. Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and ordinary changes and substitutions made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technical solutions of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An oscillating water column wave energy generation device based on the Helmholtz resonance principle, characterized in that, It consists of a caisson structure, a wave-concentrating waterway, an air chamber assembly, a gradually narrowing and expanding channel assembly, a one-way air valve assembly, and an air turbine assembly. The wave-gathering channel is located on the wave-facing front wall of the caisson structure. The wave-gathering channel is a gradually narrowing guide structure. Under the action of the gradually narrowing guide structure, the energy of the waves is initially gathered. The air chamber group includes multiple air chambers connected in series within a caisson structure. Adjacent air chambers are separated by baffles. Each air chamber consists of an auxiliary air chamber and a main air chamber, which are arranged vertically and separated by a partition. An air inlet is provided at the top of the auxiliary air chamber. The gradually constricting and expanding channel group includes multiple gradually constricting and expanding channels, which are located between the auxiliary air chamber and the main air chamber; the gradually constricting and expanding channel includes an expanding section, a throat, and a contracting section, which are interconnected. The one-way valve group includes multiple one-way valves arranged in multiple rows, and the one-way valves are respectively installed on the partition plate, located on both sides of the gradually narrowing and expanding channel; The air turbine unit includes multiple air turbines, which are placed inside the air inlet and connected to the generator to convert the kinetic energy of the airflow in the air chamber into the mechanical energy of the air turbine. The bottom of the caisson structure is connected to the base.

2. The oscillating water column wave energy generation device based on the Helmholtz resonance principle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wave-gathering channel of the tapering guide structure is funnel-shaped, with the width of the wave inlet facing the wave being greater than the width of the outlet inside the air chamber. It is located below the calm water surface facing the wave, and the outlet is a horizontal opening.

3. The oscillating water column wave energy generation device based on the Helmholtz resonance principle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The width of the contraction section of the gradually expanding channel is greater than the width of the expansion section, and the width of the expansion section is greater than the width of the throat.

4. The oscillating water column wave energy generation device based on the Helmholtz resonance principle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The one-way valve consists of a connecting rod, a limiter, and a knob. The knob is fixed to one side of the partition. Inside the knob is a cylindrical blind hole with a spring inside. The front end of the spring is connected to the bottom of the blind hole, and the rear end is connected to the shoulder of the connecting rod. The limiter is fixed to the other side of the partition. One side of the connecting rod is connected to the knob, and the other side of the connecting rod is limited by the limiter to prevent the connecting rod from opening upward under the action of the gas in the main air chamber.

5. The oscillating water column wave energy generation device based on the Helmholtz resonance principle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple air turbines are installed inside the air inlets at the top of each air chamber. They are all the same size, use Wells turbines, and have symmetrical blades inside to provide bidirectional airflow.

6. The oscillating water column wave energy generation device based on the Helmholtz resonance principle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The auxiliary gas chamber and the main gas chamber are made of corrosion-resistant materials, and the size ratio of the auxiliary gas chamber and the main gas chamber is adjusted according to the actual situation.

Images