Device for capturing wave energy and converting same to electrical energy

Abstract

The present device comprises a float which is pivotally (movably) coupled at a front lower nearshore end thereof by a rigid material to the centre of a triangular lever disposed between lateral walls of the device (the active, seaward part of the lever), while at the same time a rigid passive (shoreward) part of the lever is coupled to a flexible cable that links a system of reduction gears of increasing diameter, downstream of which rotation is transmitted via a belt drive or chain drive to a shaft of an electric motor having a significantly smaller diameter, resulting in a corresponding increase in the number of revolutions of the electric motor and the generation of electrical energy.

Description

[0001] A device for receiving the energy of sea waves and converting it into electrical energy

[0002] The proposed invention relates to energy, and specifically to the harnessing of sea wave energy and its conversion into electrical energy.

[0003] A similar device designed by French engineers Parente and Vandamme is well-known. It contains horizontally and vertically connected tanks. Seawater from the lower tanks displaces the air contained therein into the upper tanks. The energy of the compressed air is used to generate electricity. Due to its low efficiency, this device was not widely used.

[0004] Koltagov's device is also well-known. It consists of a closed container containing a piston and spring. The movement of sea waves causes these containers to fill with seawater, which then forces the pistons and springs into the upper containers. The energy of the falling water is then used to generate electricity. This device, too, has not found widespread use due to its low efficiency.

[0005] The "Sea Wave Converter" (RU 2559956) is well-known. Its main component is a float that captures the energy of vertical sea wave currents and then converts this energy into electrical energy via a lever. It should be emphasized that this device is designed only to capture the energy of vertical sea wave movements, while sea waves also possess colossal additional energy due to the horizontal movement of water from the sea to the shore (either linearly or obliquely) and back again—from the shore to the sea. This device fundamentally cannot capture these energy.

[0006] The factors listed are highly variable and depend on wind speed and direction, atmospheric pressure, and sea depth near the coast.

[0007] In the available literature, we were unable to find a closer analogue or prototype that, based on its design data, would be capable of comprehensively harnessing the aforementioned types of sea wave energy and converting it into electrical energy. Therefore, the environmentally friendly, renewable, inexhaustible, and colossal energy of the seas and oceans remains virtually inaccessible to humanity. It was this factor that motivated our research.

[0008] The purpose of the proposed invention is to create a device that will ensure maximum and comprehensive utilization of the energy of sea waves as they move in vertical, horizontal, direct, and oblique directions from the sea to the shore and back to the sea, and the conversion of this energy into electrical energy.

[0009] The said objective is achieved by a device comprising a float made in the form of a closed oval-shaped container partially filled with liquid (sea water); oval-shaped blades are placed on the bottom and side walls of the float, with their convex sides facing the float and capable of rotation on axes parallel to the sides of the float; rollers are placed on the rear-side walls of the float (from the sea side) capable of rotation in two projections; an adjusting weight is fixedly placed on the front (shore) part of the float, and a horizontal rod capable of rotation is located on the front-lower (shore) part of the float; the float is placed between two parallel vertical walls rigidly fixed to the seabed;a horizontal rod on the front-lower (shore) part of the float is connected by rigid elements to a horizontal rod located between two parallel vertical walls, with the ability to rotate the rod as an axis (center) of rotation of a triangular lever, where the active (sea) side of the lever is represented by the entire body of the float with the elements located on it, and the passive (shore) side of the lever is made of a rigid rod with a flexible cable at the end; the flexible cable unites a system of several blocks, which are placed on their axes perpendicular to the parallel side walls of the device with the ability to rotate freely: one block with free rotation on a separate axis, two blocks, one with a smaller and the other with a larger diameter, rigidly fixed on a common axis with free rotation: one block on a separate axis with free rotation, where an adjustment weight is suspended at the end of the cable;of the listed units, the block of the largest diameter, rigidly fixed on its axis by a belt or chain transmission, is connected to the axis of rotation of the electric motor, the housing of which is rigidly fixed to the side wall of the device; on the shore side of the device, a vertical wall is located transversely to it, having a concave surface facing the sea; at the same time, the vertical parallel walls of the device at different distances from the sea side in the horizontal plane have a teardrop shape with a thickening towards the sea; at the same time, the active (sea) side of the triangular lever is located relative to the passive (shore) side at an obtuse angle (within the range of 91-179°).;

[0010] The technical result of the proposed invention consists in a significant increase in the efficiency of the device and its reliable operation in harsh and changeable natural conditions.

[0011] When a wave approaching from the sea is close to the device and moves towards it in an oblique direction (sometimes at an angle of 30-40°), the vertical parallel walls of the device, which have teardrop-shaped thickenings in the transverse plane, directed towards the sea, align the sea currents and give them a straight line direction without turbulent movements, which is very important both in relation to the safety of the device and the extraction of more energy from the waves.

[0012] Due to the fact that oval-shaped blades are mounted on the bottom and side walls of the float, with their convex sides facing the float, according to Bernoulli's law, when a sea wave moves, a lifting force is generated from the concave part of the blade, lifting the blade toward the float body, transferring the wave energy to the float. Due to the fact that rollers with the ability to rotate in two planes are mounted on the rear and side walls of the float (on the seaward side), these rollers ensure the float is centered between the two parallel walls of the device and allow for free and safe movement of the float between these walls in both directions (towards the shore and back to the sea).

[0013] Since the adjusting weight is placed on the front (shore) portion of the float and the float is partially filled with seawater, the float is almost constantly unstable. In calm sea conditions, the float occupies a horizontal position, as the adjusting weight, the water inside the float, and the rear (offshore) portion of the float are designed to balance each other. However, with the slightest wave, the rear (offshore) portion of the float rises, causing the water inside the float to overflow into the front (shore) portion of the float. This creates a downward and forward force (toward the shore); this is compounded by the impact force of the water inside the float as it moves toward the front (shore) portion of the float.

[0014] Due to the fact that the front-lower (shore) part of the float has a horizontal axis with the ability to rotate in a horizontal plane, the forces arising in the float due to the movement of its center of gravity are transmitted to the above-mentioned horizontal axis on the front-lower (shore) part of the float.

[0015] The above-mentioned horizontal axis in the front-lower coastal part of the float actually accumulates all the kinetic and potential energy that the float acquires due to the movement of the center of gravity of the float and the energy of the sea wave received by the lower and lateral convex blades.

[0016] Since the above-mentioned horizontal axis on the front-lower (shore) part of the float is connected by rigid elements to a rod fixed between two parallel vertical walls of the device, with the possibility of rotation of this rod, it (the rod) practically becomes the center (axis) of rotation of the triangular lever, where the active arms of the lever are the lateral rigid elements connecting the horizontal axis on the front-lower (shore) part of the float with the horizontal axis between two parallel vertical walls of the device with the possibility of rotation (the center of the triangular lever), and the passive arm of the lever is a rigid rod, which is rigidly connected at one end to the center of rotation of the triangular lever, and at the other end is connected to a flexible cable.

[0017] Since the flexible cable goes around a system of several blocks placed on axles movably fixed between two parallel vertical walls of the device, it becomes possible to transmit through the flexible cable all the energy acquired by the float and its components through the system of blocks to the shaft of the electric motor with a concomitant significant increase in the number of revolutions of the electric motor.

[0018] Since the flexible cable initially bends around a block of a relatively large diameter, then the flexible cable bends around a block of a significantly smaller diameter (for example, 10 times smaller), which is rigidly fixed on a movable axis, and a block of a larger diameter is rigidly fixed on the same axis (for example, 10 times), there is a proportional increase in both the number of revolutions and the peripheral speed of rotation of this block with a larger diameter, a total of 100 times.

[0019] Since after all this the above-mentioned block of a larger diameter is connected by a belt or chain transmission to the shaft of the electric motor, where the shaft of the electric motor has a significantly smaller diameter compared to the above-mentioned block of a larger diameter (for example, 100 times), an even more significant increase in both the number of revolutions and the peripheral speed of the shaft of the electric motor occurs (by another 100 times), i.e. in total by 10,000 times with the generation of the corresponding electrical energy.

[0020] Since, in parallel with the previous process, the end of the flexible cable after the previous block with a large diameter is thrown over the final block and an adjustment weight is suspended at the end of the cable, three essential functions are performed:

[0021] 1. Sufficient tension of the flexible cable when the passive (shore) part of the lever moves up and down in accordance with the movements of the float.

[0022] 2. Accumulation of excess energy of the float as it moves from the sea to the shore (the adjusting weight at the end of the cable rises upward) and the return of this energy to the float as it moves from the shore back to the sea.

[0023] 3. The adjusting weight acts as an "anchor" for the float in calm seas, with resistance comparable to the torque of the device's electric motor. When the sea level drops to a minimum, enough energy is generated to overcome the motor's torque, and the device "unmoors" and begins generating electricity.

[0024] Due to the fact that the sides of the above-mentioned triangular lever are located at an obtuse angle (91-179°) relative to the center of its rotation, the passive (coastal) part of the triangular lever occupies the most favorable (middle position) during the movements of the float from the sea to the shore, and back, while the range and amplitude of movements of the passive (coastal) part of the lever are used to the maximum, which is very important from the point of view of increasing the efficiency of the device.

[0025] Due to the fact that a vertical wall with a concave surface facing the sea is placed across the device on the coastal side, when a wave coming from the sea impacts the float and transfers most of its energy to it, the remaining energy of the wave, mentioned by the wall concave towards the sea, returns back to the device, transferring the residual energy to it instead of disappearing without a trace in the coastal sand.

[0026] Naturally, the float, with its mass, water inside, adjusting weight and blades, does not act as a simple pendulum, but plays an active role in maximizing the energy of sea waves.

[0027] The proposed invention is represented by two figures. Figure 1 shows the device in a vertical plane, and Figure 2 shows it in a horizontal plane.

[0028] A device for receiving sea wave energy and converting it into electrical energy includes a float 1 made in the form of a closed oval-shaped container partially (20-79%) filled with liquid (sea water); on the lower and side walls of the float 1 there are oval-shaped blades 2 and 3, with the convex side facing the float 1. They can rotate on axes 4 parallel to the sides of the float 1. On the rear-side walls of the float 1 (from the sea side) there are rollers 5, which can rotate in two projections; on the front (coastal) part of the float 1 there is a fixed adjustment weight 6; on the front-lower (coastal) part of the float 1 there is a horizontal axis 7 with the possibility of rotation; the float 1 is placed between two parallel vertical walls 8, rigidly fixed to the seabed;horizontal rod 7 on the front-lower (shore) part of float 1 is connected by rigid side elements 9 to another horizontal axis 10 located between two vertical walls 8 with the possibility of rotation of rod 10 as an axis (center) of rotation of a triangular lever, where the active center of application of force of float 1 with all parts located there is horizontal axis 7 on the front-lower (shore) part of float 1, the shoulders of the lever are rigid side elements 9 connecting horizontal axes 7 and 10, and the passive (shore) part of the lever is rod 11, which is rigidly connected at one end to the lateral rigid elements 9 on a common horizontal movable axis 10, and at the other end is connected to flexible cable 12;flexible cable 12 unites a system of several blocks, which are successively placed on their axes perpendicular to the parallel side walls 8 of the device with the possibility of free rotation of the axes: one block 13 with free rotation on a separate axis 14, two blocks - one of them 15 with a smaller diameter, and the other 16 with a larger diameter are rigidly fixed on a common axis 17 with free rotation, one block 18 on a separate axis 19 with free rotation, where an adjusting weight 20 is suspended from the end of the cable 12; of these, the block 16 of the largest diameter with rigid fixation on the axis 17 by a belt or chain transmission 21 is connected to the axis 22 of rotation of the electric motor, the housing of which 23 is rigidly fixed on the side vertical wall 8 of the device; on the coastal side of the device, a vertical wall 24 is placed transversely to it, where the side 25 facing the sea has a concave shape;parallel vertical walls 8 at different distances from the sea to the device in the horizontal plane have a teardrop shape with a thickening 25 towards the sea; the arms of the triangular lever 9 and 11 are located relative to the center of their rotation 10 at an obtuse angle within the range of 91-179°.

[0029] The device operates as follows. When a wave coming from the sea is directed obliquely relative to the shore and the proposed device, due to the fact that the parallel vertical walls 8 of the device at different distances from the sea are teardrop-shaped with a thickening 25 toward the sea, the direction of the wave toward the device is corrected without the occurrence of turbulent flows; the last teardrop-shaped thickening 25 immediately before the float 1, furthermore, causes an additional increase in wave height, forcing it to pass through a narrowed channel between the vertical parallel walls 8 of the device, amplifying the final shock (splash) of the wave.

[0030] Due to the fact that rollers 5 with the ability to rotate in two projections are placed on the rear-side walls of the float 1 (from the sea side), the float 1 is centered for its free and safe movement between the vertical parallel walls 8 of the device in both directions.

[0031] Due to the fact that oval-shaped blades 2 and 3 are placed on the bottom and side walls of the float 1, with the convex side facing the float 1 and capable of rotation on axes 4 parallel to the sides of the float 1, according to Bernoulli's law, when a sea wave moves, a lifting force is generated from the concave part of blades 2 and 3, raising blades 2 and 3 toward the body of float 1, transferring the energy of the sea wave to float 1. Since an adjusting weight 6 is placed (eccentrically) on the front (coastal) part of float 1, float 1 is partially filled with liquid (sea water), float 1 is almost constantly in an unstable state (with respect to equilibrium). In the absence of sea waves, float 1 takes a horizontal position, since the adjustment weight 6 on the front (shore) part of float 1, the larger rear (sea) part of float 1 and the liquid inside float 1, according to the design concept, balance each other.But at the slightest wave the rear (sea) part of float 1 rises, and as a result the liquid inside float 1 overflows into the front (shore) part of float 1. As a consequence of this, a force is generated directed downwards and forwards (towards the shore); to this is added the force of the impact of the liquid inside float 1 when the liquid overflows into the front (shore) part of float 1.

[0032] Since the front-lower (shore) part of the float 1 has a horizontal axis 7 with the possibility of rotation, the forces arising in the float 1 in connection with the movement of its center of gravity are transmitted to the said horizontal axis 7. The same horizontal axis 7 transmits the wave energy received by the float 1 from the lower 2 and lateral 3 convex blades, that is, the horizontal axis 7 accumulates on itself all the kinetic and potential energy of the float 1, received by it from various sources.

[0033] Since the horizontal axis 7 in the front-lower (shore) part of the float 1 is connected by rigid side elements 9 to the horizontal axis 10 located between two parallel vertical walls 8 with the possibility of rotation, this horizontal axis 10 is actually the center (axis) of rotation of the triangular lever, where the active arms are the lateral rigid elements 9 connecting the horizontal axis 7 on the front-lower (shore) part of the float 1 with the horizontal axis 10 between two parallel vertical walls 8 of the device with the possibility of rotation (the center of the triangular lever), and the passive arm of the lever is the rigid rod 11, which is rigidly connected at one end to the center of rotation - the triangular lever 10, and at the other end is connected to the flexible cable 12, which unites a sequential system of blocks fixed on the vertical and parallel walls 10 devices with the ability to rotate freely.Since at first the flexible cable 12 bends around the block 13 of a comparatively larger diameter on a separate axis 14 with free rotation, and then the flexible cable 12 bends around the block 15 of a smaller diameter, which is rigidly fixed on the horizontal axis 17 with free rotation, an increase in the number of revolutions of the block 15 occurs in comparison with the revolutions of the block 13 (by the amount of the difference in their diameters).

[0034] Since block 16 with a larger diameter than block 15 is rigidly fixed on the same common axis 17 with free rotation, with the common speed of their rotation on the common axis 17, the peripheral speed of rotation of block 16 increases (by the amount of the difference in the diameters of blocks 15 and 16).

[0035] Since the block 16 with a large diameter belt or chain transmission is connected to the axis 22 of rotation of the electric motor, the housing 23 of which is rigidly fixed to the side vertical wall 8 of the device, a further increase in both the number of revolutions and the peripheral speed of the axis 22 of rotation of the electric motor occurs with the generation of the corresponding electrical energy.

[0036] Since, simultaneously with the above-described process, the end of the flexible cable 12 is also thrown over the block 18 on a separate axis 19 with free rotation, where an adjustment weight 20 is suspended from the end of the cable 12, 3 important functions are performed:

[0037] 1. Sufficient tension of the flexible cable 12 when the passive (shore) part of the lever moves up and down in accordance with the movements of the float 1.

[0038] 2. Accumulation of excess energy of float 1 when moving from the sea to the shore (adjustment weight 20 rises upward) and the return of this energy to the float when it returns back to the sea.

[0039] 3. The adjusting weight 20 acts as an “anchor” for the float in a calm sea; the value of the weight 20 is commensurate with the torque of the electric motor 23. However, at the slightest disturbance of the sea, sufficient energy is generated to overcome the torque of the electric motor 23, and the device begins to generate electricity.

[0040] Due to the fact that the sides (shoulders) of the triangular lever 9 are located at an obtuse angle (91-179°) relative to the axis (center) 10 of its rotation, the passive (coastal) part of the triangular lever 11 occupies the most advantageous (middle) position during the movements of the float 1 from the sea to the shore and back, while the range and amplitude of movements of the passive (coastal) part of the lever 11 are used to the maximum. Since the vertical wall 24 on the coastal side of the device has a concave surface 25 facing the sea, a wave coming from the sea, having given most of its energy to the float 1, hitting the concave surface 25 of the wall, returns back to the float 1 of the device, transferring the residual energy to it, instead of being scattered without a trace and uselessly in the coastal sand.

[0041] Since the parallel vertical walls 8 of the device at different distances from the device in the horizontal plane have a drop-shaped form with a thickening 25 towards the sea, oblique currents are corrected and the waves are given a straight line direction towards the device without turbulence.

[0042] Overall, the prospects for using the described device appear quite promising. If, by the most conservative estimates, we assume that float 1 and its passive shore portion, lever 11, move at a speed of 1 m / sec through a 10:1 pulley system (1:10), both the number of revolutions and the peripheral speed will increase (by a factor of 100). These revolutions will then be transmitted via belt or chain drive 21 to the shaft of electric motor 22, with a diameter, for example, 10 times smaller than the previous pulley. The result is a 1000-fold increase in electric motor speed, generating adequate electrical energy.

[0043] There is every reason to believe that the proposed device will make a significant contribution to the development and use of the still inaccessible energy of sea and ocean waves.

Claims

CLAUSES OF THE INVENTION 1. A device for receiving sea wave energy and converting it into electrical energy, comprising a float and an energy converter, characterized in that the float is made in the form of a closed oval-shaped container partially filled with liquid (sea water), on the bottom and side walls of the float there are oval-shaped blades, with the convex side facing the float, with the ability to rotate on axes parallel to the sides of the float, on the rear-side walls of the float (from the sea side) there are rollers with the ability to rotate in two projections; on the front (coastal) part of the float there is a fixed adjustment weight; on the front-lower (coastal) part of the float there is a horizontal rod with the ability to rotate, the float is placed between two parallel vertical walls rigidly fixed to the seabed;a horizontal rod on the front-lower (shore) part of the float is rigidly connected by two rigid elements on the sides of the float to a horizontal rod located between two parallel vertical walls with the possibility of rotation of the rod as an axis (center) of rotation of a triangular lever, where the active center of application of the force of the float with all the parts located there is the horizontal axis on the front-lower shore (part of the float), the active shoulders of the lever are the lateral rigid elements on the front (shore) part of the float, the center (axis) of rotation of the lever is the horizontal axis with the possibility of rotation between two parallel walls of the device, and the passive (shore) part (shoulder) of the lever is made of a rigid element, where one end is connected to the center of rotation of the lever, and the other end is connected to a flexible cable;A flexible cable unites a system of several blocks, which are successively placed on their axes perpendicular to the parallel side walls of the device with the ability to rotate freely: one block with free rotation on a separate axis, two blocks - one with a smaller and the other with a larger diameter, rigidly fixed on a common axis with free rotation; one block on a separate axis with free rotation, where an adjusting weight is suspended from the end of the cable; of these, the block of the largest diameter with rigid fixation on the axis with a belt or chain drive, is connected to the axis of rotation; an electric motor, the housing of which is rigidly fixed to the side wall of the device; a vertical wall is located transversely to it on the shore side of the device.

2. The device according to paragraph 1, characterized in that the vertical parallel walls of the device at different distances from the sea side in the horizontal plane have a teardrop shape with a thickening towards the sea.

3. The device according to item 1, characterized in that the active (sea) side of the triangular lever is located relative to the passive (shore) side at an obtuse angle within the range (91-179°).

4. The device according to paragraph 1, characterized in that the vertical wall on the coastal side of the device has a concave surface facing the sea.

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