Energy underwater transfer system

Abstract

We provide an energy transfer system that is less susceptible to weather conditions. [Solution] The underwater energy transfer system comprises an energy transfer body (30) capable of autonomously navigating underwater and a recovery container (40) capable of accommodating the energy transfer body. When the tank section of the first energy transfer body, which acts as the energy transfer body, is filled in a predetermined manner with electrical energy obtained by power generation using renewable energy generated by a floating power generation body (20) capable of navigating on the water surface, the first energy transfer body autonomously navigates from the floating power generation body toward the recovery container. After the first energy transfer body arrives at the recovery container, the second energy transfer body, which acts as the energy transfer body, autonomously navigates from the recovery container toward the floating power generation body.

Description

Technical Field

[0003]

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of an energy underwater transfer system.

Background Art

[0002] As this type of system, a system has been proposed in which, in the open sea, a transport ship for transporting cryogenic fluid is connected to a base ship, and the cryogenic fluid is transferred from the transport ship to the base ship (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a conceptual diagram showing an overview of the power generation system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a conceptual diagram illustrating the concept of a floating power generation structure according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a conceptual diagram showing the concept of a transport ship according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a conceptual diagram illustrating the concept of a collection container according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Embodiments of the underwater energy transfer system will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4.

[0009] (Power generation system) The power generation system will be explained with reference to Figure 1. The power generation system comprises a transport ship 10 and power generation floats 20. In this power generation system, power generation is carried out in a sea area SA relatively far from land, using multiple power generation floats 20 that do not require mooring. The multiple power generation floats 20 automatically navigate within the sea area SA. In other words, each of the multiple power generation floats 20 generates power while automatically navigating within the sea area SA.

[0010] The number of power-generating floating bodies 20 that automatically navigate within the sea area SA may be determined according to the power generation scale of the power generation system. For example, there may be several hundred to several thousand power-generating floating bodies 20 within the sea area SA. For example, the sea area SA may be a sea area 50 kilometers away from land. For example, the length of one side of the sea area SA may be several tens of kilometers. Furthermore, the shape of the sea area SA is not limited to a rectangle.

[0011] The transport ship 10 navigates between a port P located on land and a sea area SA. For example, the transport ship 10 may recover energy generated from the power generation floating 20 near the edge of the sea area SA (for example, area CA). The transport ship 10 then transports the energy recovered from the power generation floating 20 to port P. In this way, the power generation system involves offshore power generation using multiple power generation floating 20 and energy transport by the transport ship 10.

[0012] (Power generation floating body 20) The power-generating float 20 will be explained with reference to Figure 2. In Figure 2, the power-generating float 20 comprises a sail 21, a kite 22, a power generation unit 23, and a hydrogen generator 24. The power generation unit 23 has a winch for the tether to which the kite 22 is moored, a motor capable of rotating the drum of the winch, and a generator. The power-generating float 20 may use the wind energy received by the sail 21 as propulsion. The power-generating float 20 may also use the wind energy received by the kite 22 as propulsion.

[0013] In the power generation floating device 20, as the kite 22 rises, the tether that moores the kite 22 is extended from the winch. The extension of the tether causes the winch drum to rotate. As the drum rotates, the generator rotates, generating electricity. Once the tether has been extended to a predetermined length, or after a predetermined time has elapsed, the motor in the winch rotates the winch drum in the direction of winding up the tether. As a result, the kite 22 descends due to the winding up of the tether. In the power generation floating device 20, electricity is generated by repeatedly extending and winding up the tether. In other words, tethered wind power generation is performed in the power generation floating device 20. "Tethered wind power generation" can be said to be a type of power generation that utilizes renewable energy.

[0014] The hydrogen generator 24 uses electrical energy obtained from power generation to electrolyze water. As a result, hydrogen gas is generated. The hydrogen generator 24 stores the hydrogen gas in the energy storage 30. The energy storage 30 may be mechanically or electrically attached to the lower part of the power generation float 20.

[0015] Here, the energy storage 30 includes a tank section 31 for storing hydrogen gas, a sensor section 32, a control unit 33, and a motor 34. The control unit 33 includes a control device for controlling the energy storage 30 and a battery that supplies power to the control device and the motor 34. The motor 34 rotates a screw propeller SP, thereby generating thrust for the energy storage 30. In other words, the energy storage 30 is an autonomously navigable energy storage. Since the energy storage 30 navigates autonomously underwater, it may also be referred to as an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV).

[0016] Furthermore, the tank section 31 may be a high-pressure hydrogen tank for storing compressed hydrogen. Alternatively, the tank section 31 may contain a hydrogen storage alloy that absorbs hydrogen.

[0017] (Transport ship 10) An explanation will be given for the transport ship 10 with reference to FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the transport ship 10 may be a sailing ship. Note that the transport ship 10 is not limited to a sailing ship. Also, people may or may not be on board the transport ship 10 (that is, the transport ship 10 may be an unmanned ship). A recovery container for accommodating the energy storage 30 may be provided at the lower part (i.e., underwater) of the transport ship 10. As shown in FIG. 3, the recovery container 40 has a plurality of compartments. That is, the recovery container 40 can accommodate a plurality of energy storages 30.

[0018] (Energy underwater transfer system) The energy underwater transfer system according to this embodiment includes an energy storage 30 and a recovery container 40. When the tank portion 31 of the energy storage 30 is filled with hydrogen gas, the energy storage 30 may detach from the power generation floating body 20. "When the tank portion 31 is filled with hydrogen gas" may mean when the tank portion 31 is in a predetermined state (for example, a full state). The fact that the tank portion 31 is in a predetermined state may be detected by the power generation floating body 20 or the control device of the energy storage 30.

[0019] The energy storage 30 that has detached from the power generation floating body 20 autonomously sails toward the recovery container 40 (in other words, the transport ship 10) based on the detection result by the sensor portion 32.

[0020] Here, an explanation will be given for the recovery container 40 with reference to FIG. 4. The recovery container 40 pre-accommodates the energy storage 30 whose tank portion 31 is in an empty state. In FIG. 4, the energy storages 30b, 30c, 30d, and 30e are the energy storages 30 whose tank portions 31 are in an empty state. The energy storages 30b, 30c, 30d, and 30e are fixed by a mechanical locking mechanism 41.

[0021] As an example of the above-described energy storage 30 that autonomously navigates from the power generation floating body 20 toward the recovery container 40, the tank portion 31 gives an energy storage 30a in a predetermined state. As shown in FIG. 4, the energy storage 30a may enter a section in which the energy storage 30b is accommodated among a plurality of sections of the recovery container 40.

[0022] The control device of the energy storage 30a transmits information for identifying the power generation floating body 20 to the energy storage 30b. The information for identifying the power generation floating body 20 may include identification information for identifying the power generation floating body 20. The information for identifying the power generation floating body 20 may further include position information indicating the position of the power generation floating body 20. Note that the position indicated by the position information is not limited to the exact position of the power generation floating body 20 and may be an approximate position of the power generation floating body 20.

[0023] By the control device of the energy storage 30b that has received the information for identifying the power generation floating body 20 controlling the motor 34, the energy storage 30b autonomously navigates from the recovery container 40 toward the power generation floating body 20. The energy storage 30b that has arrived at the power generation floating body 20 is gripped under the power generation floating body 20.

[0024] The lock mechanism 41 for fixing the energy storage 30b may release the fixation of the energy storage 30b when the energy storage 30a arrives at the recovery container 40. Alternatively, after the energy storage 30b has received the information for identifying the power generation floating body 20, the lock mechanism 41 may release the fixation of the energy storage 30b. After the energy storage 30b has departed from the recovery container 40, the lock mechanism 41 that fixed the energy storage 30b may fix the energy storage 30a.

[0025] (Technical Effect) If, in region CA of Figure 1, the transport ship 10 uses a crane to recover energy storage (e.g., hydrogen tanks) from the power generation floating hull 20, the recovery operation is susceptible to weather conditions. For example, recovery may not be possible during severe weather. If the energy storage is full, it cannot store the energy generated by power generation on the power generation floating hull 20. Therefore, it becomes difficult to generate electricity on the power generation floating hull 20 until the transport ship 10 recovers the full energy storage. As a result, the operational efficiency of the power generation system decreases.

[0026] Furthermore, when the transport ship 10 uses a crane to recover energy storage from the power generation floating hull 20, the time required for the transport ship 10 to recover the full energy storage from the power generation floating hull 20 and load the empty energy storage onto the power generation floating hull 20 is relatively long.

[0027] On the other hand, in the underwater energy transfer system according to this embodiment, the energy storage 30 is recovered into an underwater recovery container 40. Therefore, with this underwater energy transfer system, the energy storage 30 can be recovered in a situation less affected by weather conditions at sea. Furthermore, in this underwater energy transfer system, the energy storage 30 in a predetermined state (for example, a full state) autonomously navigates from the power generation float 20 to the recovery container 40. An empty energy storage 30 autonomously navigates from the recovery container 40 to the power generation float 20. Therefore, with this underwater energy transfer system, the time required to replace the energy storage 30 can be shortened. As a result, with this underwater energy transfer system, the operational efficiency of the power generation system can be improved.

[0028] Furthermore, the power generation system may be equipped with multiple transport ships 10. In this case, the power generation floating body 20 may communicate in advance with one of the transport ships 10 that will retrieve the energy storage 30 of the power generation floating body 20. The power generation floating body 20 may then transmit information to the control device of the energy storage 30 to identify the transport ship 10.

[0029] Furthermore, the power generation float 20 does not necessarily have to be equipped with a hydrogen generator 24. In this case, the energy storage 30 may have a battery (for example, a lithium-ion battery) instead of the tank section 31. In this case, the power generation unit 23 may store the electrical energy obtained by power generation in the battery of the energy storage 30.

[0030] Furthermore, the power generation float 20 may be equipped with an ammonia synthesis device in place of, or in addition to, the hydrogen generator 24. In this case, the ammonia synthesis device may synthesize ammonia using electrical energy obtained by power generation. The ammonia synthesis device may store the ammonia in the tank section 31 of the energy storage 30.

[0031] Furthermore, the floating power generation structure 20 may be equipped with an underwater turbine generator in place of or in addition to the kite 22. In other words, the floating power generation structure 20 may perform power generation using an underwater turbine generator in place of or in addition to tethered wind power generation. "Power generation using an underwater turbine generator" can be said to be power generation performed using renewable energy. Furthermore, the floating power generation structure 20 may be equipped with a wind turbine in place of the kite 20. In other words, the floating power generation structure 20 may perform power generation using a wind turbine in place of tethered wind power generation. "Power generation using a wind turbine" can be said to be power generation performed using renewable energy. Furthermore, in floating offshore wind power generation using a wind turbine, power is often transmitted using cables. When the floating power generation structure 20 is equipped with a wind turbine, the energy storage 30 described above may be used for energy transport.

[0032] The embodiments of the invention derived from the above-described embodiments are described below.

[0033] An underwater energy transfer system according to one embodiment of the invention comprises an energy transfer body capable of autonomously navigating underwater and a recovery container capable of housing the energy transfer body. When the tank portion of the first energy transfer body, which is an energy transfer body, is filled in a predetermined manner with electrical energy obtained by power generation using renewable energy, a floating power generation body capable of navigating on the water surface, the first energy transfer body autonomously navigates from the floating power generation body toward the recovery container, and after the first energy transfer body arrives at the recovery container, the second energy transfer body, which is an energy transfer body, autonomously navigates from the recovery container toward the floating power generation body. In the above embodiment, "energy storage 30" corresponds to an example of an "energy transfer body".

[0034] In this underwater energy transfer system, the second energy transfer body is fixed in the recovery container by a mechanical locking mechanism, and the locking mechanism may be released from the second energy transfer body after the first energy transfer body arrives in the recovery container. In this embodiment, the first energy transfer body may be fixed by the mechanical locking mechanism after the second energy transfer body departs from the recovery container.

[0035] In the underwater energy transfer system, after the first energy transfer body arrives at the recovery container, the first energy transfer body may transmit information to the second energy transfer body for identifying the power generation float.

[0036] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified as appropriate without contradicting the gist or idea of ​​the invention as can be read from the claims and the specification as a whole. Energy underwater transfer systems with such modifications are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the energy storage 30 in the embodiments described above may be used for energy transport in a bottom-fixed offshore wind power generation system using a wind turbine. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0037] 10...Transport ship, 20...Power generation floating structure, 30...Energy storage, 40...Recovery container

Claims

1. An energy transporter capable of autonomous navigation underwater, A recovery container capable of accommodating the energy transfer body, Equipped with, When a floating power generator capable of navigating the water surface is filled in a predetermined manner with electrical energy obtained by power generation using renewable energy into the tank portion of the first energy transfer body, the first energy transfer body autonomously navigates from the floating power generator toward the recovery container. After the first energy transporter arrives at the recovery container, the second energy transporter, acting as the energy transporter, autonomously navigates from the recovery container toward the power generation float. Underwater energy transfer system.

2. The second energy transfer body is fixed in the recovery container by a mechanical locking mechanism. After the first energy transfer unit arrives in the recovery container, the locking mechanism releases the second energy transfer unit from its fixed position. The underwater energy transfer system according to claim 1.

3. After the second energy transfer unit is launched from the recovery container, the first energy transfer unit is fixed in place by a mechanical locking mechanism. The energy underwater transfer system according to claim 2.

4. After the first energy transporter arrives at the recovery container, the first energy transporter transmits information to the second energy transporter for identifying the power generation float. The energy underwater transfer system according to claim 1.

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