Wave energy harvester and converter

Abstract

Wave energy harvester and converter (WEC) comprising a float 2 having at least one rudder 1 for steering the float in the direction of wave propagation, at least one arm 3 rigidly attached to the float at one end, and at least one segmental wheel 4 at the other end. The segmental wheel(s) is pivotally mounted to an upright mast 6 supported on a plate 22, the mast being strapped to a piled foundation driven into the seabed, or supported on a spread foundation. The segmental wheel may have peripheral cogs or use friction 9 to drive at least one transmission wheel 10 for providing rotary motion to an electrical generator. The rotary motion may be tuned by adjustment of float’s weight, the length of the lever arm and the diameter ratios of the transmission wheels. The upright mast may overlap the pile of the piled foundation. The upright mast may be fitted with eyes 18 which in use are strapped by holding down straps 17 to eyes 19 on the pile.

Description

The present invention relates to a Wave Energy harvester and converter hinged to a detachable mast. Consequential to recent Oil, Gas, and Fuels embargos which led consumers' prices to rocket sky-high, the extensive pollution by shattered supertankers, together with the diverse brunt of Nuclear Power Plants' radioactive emissions, eco demonstrators and warriors resisting the use of pollutants, and the ban on fracking just about be lifted, all of which instigate public grievances, uproars, and screeches for cheaper, cleaner unpolluted air, and greenhouse gases emissions-free resources. Such dissatisfactions prompt searches for devices being designed, constructed anddeveloped, which aspire generation of the captivating "GREEN Electricity generating devices" which should harness the perpetually available natural sources such as Wind, Wave, Tidal Power, and Solar energies. The "Blowing Wind", generally known as "Kinetic Energy in motion", normally prevails between zones with different temperatures and atmospheric pressures, prompting the cooler air to blow and fill spaces vacated by rising hot air. By considering its minimal footprints, the "Blowing Wind" turns out to be the ideal source of energy to harness for conversion to electricity by using Wind Turbines, which would tend to rescind greenhouse gas emissions, and would discontinue reliance on various fuels presently in use. However, to harness major chunk of the "Blowing Winds'" kinetic energy, noisy propellered turbines mounted on colossal poles, must be sited at exceedingly elevated levels, preferably in uninhibited areas, or above the sea, and which require a minimum 30 mph wind speed to operate. Such stringent requirements necessitate deep and massive reinforced concrete foundations to secure stabilities, making them laborious, expensive to construct, transport, erect, and maintain. In contrast, harnessing the immense, and in abundance availability potential energy stored in oceanic waves' undulations for conversion to electricity, would be far more viable, and attainable. As wind blows over open seas, undulating waves are formed whilst its speed is being curtailed, during which its kinetic energy momentums are transferred through interfacial dynamic frictions to the originally stagnant seawaters, thus, instigates waves to be generated, propagate, and rise in relation to winds' speed, duration, fetch, and the water depths to seabed. Amid these assumptions and theories, harnessing of Oceanic Wave energy for the generation of electrical currents has been instigated as early as 1890 by prominent devices referred to as "Wave Energy Converters" (W.E.Cs). These devices are forceful, vigorous in operation, and highly efficient. Professor Stephen Hugh Salter, University of Edinburgh, was one of the first to delve into ways W.E.Cs can be exploited in harnessing the colossal amount of energy available in sea waves by the famous prototype named the "Nodding Duck". Hitherto, numerous W.E.Cs devices were designed, developed, and constructed to harness, capture, and convert their energies for the generation of commercial electricity. Categorized by their positions: Onshore, Near-shore, and deep-sea, or by their Modus-Operand such as the Oscillating Water Columns (O.W.Cs), Linkage Mechanisms, Point Absorption, Buoys and Over Topping devices. All these aimed at designs to capture and harness both the Potential and Kinetic Energies, stored in the waves’ undulations, fortheir conversion and generation of electricity. Presently, in view of the forthcoming bans on production and use of internally combusted vehicles’ engines, by years 2030 in the UK, California USA, 2035 in the EU, and with anticipated lifting ban on fracking, and eco demonstrators, it deemed most appropriate time, to secure presented LP., comprising a structure which supports Wave Energy Harnessing and Converting mechanism, designed to generate the craved “GREEN” electricity, by harnessing ANY SIZED waves’ dynamic undulating potential and kinetic energies, for DIRECT generation of electricity 24 / 7, aimed at inter-alia, charging electrical vehicles’ batteries, in line with: “Every little help” The art and advantages of the proposed intellectual property are in the provisions of the uniquely designed Wave Energy Converters (W.E.Cs), that will harness, potential dynamic energy from any sized waves’ undulations, whilst they rise and fall, whlest preferably but not necessarily, are being sited within the zone in which waves are in possession of their optimum energies, namely the “Swell”, to mechanically transpose their vertically undulating and oscillatory motion, to be amplified into accelerated rotary motion for DIRECT generation via step-up mechanisms, and Inertia- wheel(s) to energies electrical, parallel compatible, generators. N.B (the Inertia- wheel(s) and generators are not part of this property) In view of Swells’ periodical, sand seasonal localised variations, the present I.P. enables the upright mast with its hinged W.E.C, be uplifted for re-siting as and when necessary and / or required. The advantages of the proposed W.E.Cs are that they will: 1. Hamess ANY wave’ undulating potential and kinetic energies 2. Transpose A / VF magnitude of waves’ undulating vertical oscillatory motion, be intensely amplified, into accelerated rotary motion, for DIRECT generation of electricity, 3.       Enable its performance and efficiency be tunable if and as required and necessary, 4.       Generate electricity 24 / 7 from any sized waves, whilst rising and falling, 5.       Be sited at optimum waves’ energy content i.e., preferably within the “Swell” zone, 6. Easily be removed to be re-sited as and when required, 7.       Affords economical construction, transportation, erection, and maintenance costs, 8. Generate electricity 24 / 7, for inter-alia for charging Vehicles’ batteries, 9. Supply power to any remote and or inaccessible coastal regions. 10. Reduce waves’ eroding power whilst reaching the shores and nearby cliffs. According to aspects of present I.P., there are provided herewith diagrammatically presented drawings showing the W.E.C. mechanisms comprising: Rudder(s), Float(s), Linking arm, wheel(s) segmental section(s) being centrally hinged to an Upright mast, strapped to a Pile driven into seabed or supported on Spread Foundation. The advantage of the W.E.C in being hinged to an upright mast is by facilitating it to directionally and continuously be steered by the Rudder(s) so as to pacify subjections to waves’ differential actions. Extent of Upper mast “Overlapping” the piled or spread foundation is dectated by external forces and moments fully being transferred and resisted by the foundation. The “Swell” region defined by “Waves Theory” as zone, near shore, in which water depths are half the approaching waves’ wavelength (L / 2), and zone in which waves tend to congest, rise, peak, whilst their energies are at optimum, beyond which they topple, break, roll and spill energies onto shores. Components of the W.E.Cs may be made from, for example: hard rubber, fiberglass, reinforced plastics, polycarbonate, ferrous alloys such as stainless steel, carbon steel non-ferrous materials, and alloys such as aluminum, brass copper etc. or other strong, tuff, or combination of highly durable materials, which should resist ferocious marine, erosive and corrosive actions, and conditions. An embodiment of the present invention is described below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanied schematically presented drawings in which: Drawing 1. Shows: Figure 1 Side elevation of the W.E.C general arrangement. Figure 2 W.E.C front elevation A-A , Figure 3 Plan B-B on the W.E.C. Drawing 2. Shows: Figure 1. W.E.C., Schematic components, Figure 2. Upright mast schematic elevation and sections, Figure 3. Upright mast / piled foundation Overlapping and restraining Figure 4. Elevation and section of supporting plate the securing eyes and holding-down straps Drawing 3. Shows: Figure 1.: W.E.C Elevations A-A at high tide, Figure 2.: W.E.C Elevations A-A at low tide, Figure 3.: W.E.C Plan view B-B at low tide. Referring to Drawing 1, Figure 1. shows the preferred embodiment in diagrammatical presentation of the W.E.C (N.T.S) side- elevation, centrally hinged to an upright mast, overlapping, supported, and securely strapped to the pile the foundation driven into the seabed, supporting tubular float(s) and rudders at mid wave between Astronomical high tide (A.H.T) and Astronomical low tide (ALT) located in the region of the “Swell” where water depth is about half normal wavelength (L / 2) in propagation towards the shore in direction “D”, Figure 2 shows (N.T.S) the same, in elevation A-A, Figure 3 showing (N.T.S) the preferred embodiment in Plan. Drawing 2. Figure 1. shows (N.T.S) the W.E.C with its components disassembled: rudder(s ) (1) fitted to a float (2) facing the shore direction “D” for the transfer of wave undulation via linked lever arms (3) to twin segmental wheels (4) hinged to sides of the selected upper mast cross-section (6), (6a) or (6b) for the transfer of wave undulation via peripheral cogs or friction (9) hinged axle (11) to wheels (10) which energies inertia wheels and the electrical generator (which are not part of present intellectual property) Figures 2, 3, and 4 s(N.T.S) possible selections for the main upright column (Mast) (6), (6a) or (6b) which can be handled via cable through holes (21), fitted with eyes (18) strapped by holding down straps (17) to eyes (19) being overlapping length (16) supported over and by plate (22) welded to the piled foundation (14) enabling it to be steered in direction “D”. Drawing 3. Figure 1 shows (N.T.S) the W.E.Cs centrally hinged to strapped Mast supported by the piled foundation in elevations A-A in position at the region of the “Swell” whilst the cylindrical floats ride waves undulations at A.H.T (8). Figure 2 shows (N.T.S) the W.E.C plan B-B in position at the region of the “Swell” but whilst the cylinders ride waves’ undulation at A.L.T. (7) whilst positioned at depth to seabed: L / 2, and extent of wavelength “L” Figure 3 shows (N.T.S) plan B-B on twin W.E.C, and shore direction “D”

Claims

1. Wave energy harvester and converters (W.E.Cs), comprising:Float, rudders, lever arm(s), segmental wheel(s), transmission wheel(s), an upright mast strapped to, and supported by piled or spread foundation(s),2. W.E.C according to claim 1 wherein the rudders are fixed to the float to facilitate the upright mast to continuously be steered in direction of incoming waves’ propagation(s),3. W.E.C according to claims 1 and 2 wherein the float transfers waves’ undulatings’ oscillatory motions via the lever-arm, to be amplified by selective segmental wheel(s) diameter,4. W.E.C as claimed in preceding claims, wherein the segmental wheels are hinged at the upright mast.

5. W.E.C as claimed in preceding claims, wherein the segmental wheel(s) transposes ANY waves’ vertical oscillatory undulations into rotary motion,6. W.E.C as claimed in preceding claims, in which the accelerated rotary motion generates electricity, whilst waves rise and whilst waves fall,7. W.E.C as claimed in preceding claims, in which the accelerated rotary motion can be tunable by adjustment of float’s weight,8. W.E.C as claimed in preceding claims, in which transposing undulation rotary motion can be tuned by adjustments to length of lever-arm, from the float to the segmental wheel,9. W.E.C as claimed in preceding claims, in where the accelerated rotary motion tunable by diameters’ ratio of transmission wheels,10. W.E.C as in preceding claims wherein the rotary motion by the transmission wheels energizes DIRECTLYthe electrical current producing generator(s) any time, all the time.

11. W.E.C as claimed in preceding claims, and in which the upright mast, overlaps the , and is securely strapped to and supported by seabed’s, piled, or spread foundation.

12. W.E.C as claimed in preceding claims, use of the Modus operand as described herein13. W.E.C substantially as here before described with reference to, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

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