Adaptive Floater Lever Arms for Wave Energy Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wave energy generators fail to efficiently adapt to varying wave parameters and water levels, leading to inefficiencies and susceptibility to damage from weather conditions, while small devices struggle to harness energy effectively and maintain a minimal offshore presence.
Innovation Solution
An offshore floater system with lever arms and floaters that adjust to wave contours and water level changes, incorporating magnetic elements and a base member to enhance energy capture, coupled with an electric generator and data transmission capabilities, allowing for modular scalability and adaptive operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If large wave energy systems are used to translate a large portion of total wave energy, then energy capture efficiency is improved, but the system becomes more susceptible to damage from water or wind currents, storms or other inclement weather
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the wave energy conversion function into multiple small independent floaters (first floater, second floater, etc.) rather than using a single large system. Each floater is equipped with its own lever arm and can operate independently, allowing the system to capture wave energy effectively while reducing the vulnerability of any single component to weather damage.
2Reliability
If small wave energy devices are used to reduce susceptibility to damage and maintain minimal offshore presence, then reliability and aesthetic appeal are improved, but energy capture efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple small floaters into a coordinated system where each floater has its own lever arm mechanism. By merging the functionality of multiple small units while maintaining their individual resilience, the system achieves both the reliability of small devices and improved overall energy capture through collective operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The lever arms are designed to be rotatable and adaptable, allowing each floater to dynamically adjust its configuration based on wave conditions. This dynamic capability enables small floaters to maximize their energy capture potential while maintaining the reliability advantages of smaller individual components.
3Device complexity
If fixed lever arm length is used to simplify system design, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to varying wave parameters decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The lever arms are designed with rotatable joints that allow them to change their effective length and orientation in response to varying wave parameters. This dynamic adjustability enables the system to adapt to different wave conditions without requiring complex active control mechanisms, achieving adaptability through passive mechanical design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system efficiently converts wave energy into electricity by dynamically adjusting to wave parameters, reducing damage from weather and enhancing energy capture, while maintaining a minimal offshore footprint and enabling data transmission.
Implementation Method 1
a buoyancy of one or more floaters can adjust the effective length of one or more lever arms
Implementation Method 2
The offshore floater system (OFS) can be coupled with an electric energy generator (105)
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an offshore floater system for a wave electricity generator (OFS) comprising one or more lever arms coupled with one or more floaters, wherein the lever arms can be rotatably coupled with a base floater and the system can be configured to follow contours of waves and to be able to change an effective length of the lever arm according to wave parameters. The floaters can be differently sized, can have defined forms. The OFS can be installed off shore, anchored to be able to react on a water level change, mounted to react on a wave direction. The lever arms can be coupled with an electric energy generator which can be homopolar and coupled with a defined electrocomponent. The lever arms can be coupled with a defined mechanocomponent. An offshore floater method for generating wave electricity is proposed based upon the proposed system.