677 results about "Wave energy converter" patented technology

Methods, apparatus, media and signals for controlling power drawn from an energy converter to supply a load, where the energy converter is operable to convert energy from a physical source into electrical energy. Power drawn from the energy converter is changed when a supply voltage of the energy converter meets a criterion. The criterion and the change in the amount of power drawn from the energy converter are dependent upon a present amount of power supplied to the load. The methods, apparatus, media and signals described herein may provide improvements to DC to AC maximum power point tracking in an energy conversion system such as a photovoltaic power generation system.

To access the inexhaustible energy source like seas and oceans we need to learn how to convert its wave motion to the customized power for our ships, for our existing littoral settlements and our future ocean settlements. Here is an attempt to develop method of the conversion the wave energy to power with floating means based on a gyroscope strong capability to resist against the outer force moment trying to tilt it to any side.The gyroscope is used as the fulcrum torque dynamic supporting instead traditional static base used in the issued devices. Alternate force moment created by the waves and transmitted to the gyroscope (via the floating body and the wave energy converter) inducts alternative gyro precession so as the gyroscope axis hesitates about mean position. This is important because it allows the gyroscope to keep dynamic fulcrum torque in unlimited time.The few gyroscope precession control devices and methods have been developed to compensate other reasons enforcing the mean gyro axis to drift from initial plumb.Also here are developed the new ship architecture with the separated floating gyro section. The wagging propulsor driven by the pitching and with strokes amplified by the fulcrum gyro section, the spring moment generator for the gyroscope drift compensation, non gyroscope floating power station able to derive, convert, accumulate and transmit wave energy to consumer also have been developed here.

An ocean wave energy device uses large gas filled and surface vented or evacuated flexible containers having rigid movable ends and rigid fixed depth ends connected by flexible bellows, suitably reinforced against external hydrostatic pressure, submerged to a depth below anticipated wave troughs. One or more containers compress and expand as waves and troughs, respectively, pass overhead driving hydraulic or pneumatic, pumping means producing pressurized fluid flow for a common sea bed motor-generator or for other uses or on-board direct drive generators. Mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic means re-expand said containers when a wave trough is overhead. Power output is augmented by mechanically connecting said rigid moving surfaces to surface floats, which may also provide said surface vent such that as waves lift and troughs lower said floats, said containers are further compressed and re-expanded, respectively. Depth fixing and adjustment means for tides and sea-states are provided.

Various embodiments of linear electric generators and arrangements thereof are disclosed. One such generator includes a permanent magnetic array with magnets that are oriented such that like poles of the magnets are disposed adjacently to concentrate a magnetic field through a coil array. To enhance the magnetic field distribution, the magnets are affixed under a compressive strain due to repulsive forces resulting from proximity of the like poles. According to another aspect, a plurality of vibrational linear electric generators (VLEGs) can be arranged so that magnets of different VLEGs are oriented so that poles of opposite polarity are disposed adjacently to further enhance magnetic field concentration through coil arrays. In addition, a plurality of wave energy converters can be arranged in very close proximity, at most 8 times a height of a buoyant portion of the converters, to act as a seawall and thereby protect various structures from ocean waves.

Method and arrangement for providing an energy converter that includes a combustion system ( 1 ) including at least one piston ( 2, 3 ), at least one combustion chamber ( 6, 7 ) having at least one inlet ( 11, 13 ) and at least one outlet ( 10, 12 ) with inlet and outlet valves ( 14, 15, 16, 17 ). At least one controllable inlet valve and at least one outlet valve is also provided. A fuel supply is provided ( 18, 19 ) for supplying fuel and a medium containing oxygen is provided for induction into the combustion chamber ( 6, 7 ). An electric machine ( 9 ) is arranged to interact directly or indirectly with the piston ( 2, 3 ) in an electromagnetic manner such that it produces electrical energy from the piston movements, as well as uses electrical energy to affect the piston movement. A control unit ( 30 ) controls the combustion system ( 1 ) and the electric machine ( 9 ). The energy converter is arranged to adapt its power output depending on the required load of the energy converter. The invention also relates to a method for for starting an energy converter.

Tunneling-effect converters of thermal energy to electricity with an emitter and a collector separated from each other by a distance that is comparable to atomic dimensions and where tunneling effect plays an important role in the charge movement from the emitter to the collector across the gap separating such emitter and collector. At least one of the emitter and collector structures includes a flexible structure. Tunneling-effect converters include devices that convert thermal energy to electrical energy and devices that provide refrigeration when electric power is supplied to such devices.

The invention relates to active impedance matching systems (AIMS) and methods for increasing the efficiency of a wave energy converter (WEC) having a shaft and a shell intended to be placed in a body of water and to move relative to each other in response to forces applied to the WEC by the body of water. The system includes apparatus for: (a) extracting energy from the WEC and producing output electric energy as a function of the movement of the shell (shaft) relative to the shaft (shell): and (b) for selectively imparting energy to one of the shell and shaft for causing an increase in the displacement and velocity (or acceleration) of one of the shell and shaft relative to the other, whereby the net amount of output electrical energy produced is increased. The apparatus for extracting energy and for selectively supplying energy may be implemented using a single device capable of being operated bi-directionally, in terms of both direction and force, or may be implemented by different devices.

A wave energy converter (WEC) includes a float tending to move in phase with the waves, a spar tending to move out of phase with the float and power take off device (PTO) coupled between the float and spar for converting their relative motion into useful energy. The PTO includes a rack and pinion mechanism which drives a high-torque, multi-pole, permanent magnet generator (PMG) to produce electrical signals of relatively high frequency relative to the frequency of the waves and the basic motion of the rack and pinion mechanism. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the rack and pinion mechanism may be located within the spar which may be hermetically sealed by a sealing mechanism which allows a thrust rod coupled between the float and spar to move up and down with little friction to ensure efficient operation. In addition, a braking arrangement is provided for inhibiting relative motion between the float and spar during extreme severe wave conditions. In this way, the pinion gears and generators need only be sized for the operational wave conditions.

An elongated cylinder is fully submerged, in vertical orientation, just below the mean water level of, e.g., and ocean, and of a length, dependent upon surface waves of preselected wavelength, such that the top of the cylinder experiences relatively large pressure variations in response to over passing waves while the bottom of the cylinder experiences an almost steady pressure substantially independent of the over passing waves. The pressure differential over the length of the cylinder is used for causing relative movements between the cylinder and adjoining water, and such relative movements are used for driving a piston of an energy converter. The cylinder can be hollow and in fixed location for causing water movements through the cylinder, or the cylinder can move through the water relative to a fixed transducer. In one version of the movable cylinder, the transducer is fixedly mounted on a fixed in place float disposed within the movable cylinder. In a second version, the transducer is fixedly mounted beneath the movable cylinder on the ocean floor, and the cylinder is coupled to the transducer.

A wave energy converter (10) for extracting useful energy from wave motion. The converter (10) comprises an active float (12) that is arranged to float on the water, and being arranged to heave and surge in response to wave motion acting on the active float, and an elongate reactive body (14) that is arranged to be suspended in a substantially submerged state into the water and having sufficient surface area and length such that it pitches in response to wave motion-acting on the reactive body. The active float (12) and reactive body (14) are pivotably coupled for pivotable movement relative to each other about a single pivot axis (16) in response to heaving and surging of the active float and pitching of the reactive body. The converter also comprises a power output system that is driven by the pivotable movement about the pivot axis to capture the useful energy.

A wave energy converting apparatus 44 and its associated tension mooring system 50 is described. The wave energy converting apparatus 44 comprises an elongate support structure 45 designed to extend above a mean water level in the ocean. The support structure 45 has a submerged member 46 provided in connection therewith below the mean water level. A float member 48 of positive buoyancy is slidably mounted on the support structure 45 so as to be movable in a vertical direction. The apparatus 44 also comprises a linear electric generator 49 having a stator provided in connection with the support structure 45 and a translator integrated into the body of the float member 48. Differential motion of the float member 48 relative to the support structure 45 results in the generation of electrical power by the linear electric generator 49. The tension mooring system 50 comprises a cable 51 extending from a ballast means 52 to a counterbalancing means 53 adapted to be suspended from the submerged member 46 via a pulley mechanism 54. The tension mooring system 50 allows the apparatus 44 to be “tuned” to the prevailing ocean conditions.

The invention provides a novel floating type multi-floater wind-wave energy hybrid power generation device which comprises a wind driven generator, a floating foundation platform, a wave energy capture device and connecting structures between floating bodies, wherein the wind driven generator comprises blades, a hub, a cabin and a tower; the floating type foundation platform is a semi-submersible type and is located on the sea surface by an overhung anchor chain line; the wave energy capture device comprises floaters and an energy capture (PTO) system, and the axial relative movement between the wave energy floaters and stand columns of the foundation platform under the action of wave energy is utilized to drive the PTO system to generate electric energy; and each connecting mechanism comprises a guide rail and a U-shaped wheel, and can enable the platform and the wave energy floaters to produce axial relative movement only. The novel floating type multi-floater wind-wave energy hybrid power generation device can realize the purpose of joint power generation of offshore wind energy and wave energy by utilizing mechanical energy possessed by offshore air and wave, and is good in stability, wide in applicable water depth scope, high in power generation efficiency, simple in structure form and reliable in power generation mode.

An improved wave energy converter for use in offshore and deep-sea locations. The wave energy converter is adapted for secure attachment to the bottom of a body of water (e.g., the ocean floor), preferably beyond the breaker zone. The wave energy converter is selectively adjustable in length. A hydraulic power generation system is used to convert the energy present in the waves into hydraulic power that can be use to generate electricity and for other purposes, such as desalinization. The system may include a hydraulic piston assembly, a floatation device that is connected to the piston assembly, high and low pressure hydraulic reservoirs, and a hydraulically driven power generator. The floatation device moves upward in response to rising waves, and downward under the force of gravity in response to falling waves. The system utilizes this downward gravitational force to discharge fluid from the piston assembly, which in turn, drives the power generator. A control system is used to detect water conditions and to selectively adjust the length of the support structure and the fluid flow characteristics to dynamically optimize power generation based on changing water conditions.