Buoy Reflector Structure for Recovering Radiated Wave Energy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Floating wave-energy-converter (WEC) buoys inefficiently capture and convert wave energy due to the production and radiation of waves, known as radiated waves, which diminish the kinetic and potential energy, reducing energy harvesting efficiency and increasing energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A buoy design incorporating a skirt or reflector that traps and reflects radiated waves back to the buoy, trapping the energy within a gap between the skirt and the buoy, thereby reducing radiated wave production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a floating WEC buoy captures energy from passing waves, then electrical power production increases, but radiated waves are produced which diminish kinetic and potential energy, reducing energy harvesting efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the principle of converting harm into benefit by using a radiated wave reflector to transform the harmful radiated waves into beneficial trapped waves. The reflector captures the radiated waves and redirects them back toward the buoy, converting what would be energy loss into potential energy recovery, thereby reducing the net energy loss from radiated waves while maintaining electrical power production.
Solution Approach 2:
The radiated wave reflector serves as an intermediary element between the buoy and the radiated waves. This intermediary structure intercepts the radiated waves and redirects them, preventing direct energy loss to the surrounding water. The reflector acts as a mediating component that transforms the wave energy interaction, reducing the harmful effect of radiated waves on the buoy's energy harvesting efficiency.
2Productivity
If a buoy moves up and down in response to passing waves, then wave energy is captured, but radiated waves are produced that travel across the water surface and diminish the buoy's kinetic and potential energy
Solution Approach 1:
The reflector converts the harmful radiated waves produced during buoy motion into beneficial trapped waves. By redirecting the radiated waves back toward the buoy and trapping them in the gap between the reflector and buoy, the system recovers potential energy that would otherwise be lost, thereby improving net energy capture efficiency while the buoy continues its up-and-down motion in response to passing waves.
3Duration of action of moving object
If radiated waves are produced by the buoy, then the rate of bobbing diminishes over time at a faster decay rate, but adding a reflector increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The radiated wave reflector extends the duration of the buoy's bobbing action by trapping and redirecting radiated waves back toward the buoy. This energy recovery mechanism prevents rapid energy decay and extends the oscillation duration. While the reflector does add structural complexity, the principle transforms the harmful radiated waves into beneficial energy recovery, achieving extended bobbing duration with a relatively simple reflective structure.
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
Enhances energy capture efficiency by trapping radiated waves, increasing electrical power production and reducing energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
A buoy design incorporating a skirt or reflector that traps and reflects radiated waves back to the buoy, trapping the energy within a gap between the skirt and the buoy
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is buoyant wave energy capture device, adapted to float adjacent to an upper surface of a body of water over which waves pass, and adapted to capture a portion of the radiated waves created by its own rising and falling in response to incident and/or passing environmental waves. A power take off mechanism combined with the disclosed wave energy capture device may be tuned to a specific wave frequency, and thereby optimally extract energy from a motion of a single frequency, even the wave energy capture device may be excited and/or energized by waves of any of a relatively broad range of frequencies, thereby increasing the power-generation and cost efficiencies of such devices relative to wave energy conversion devices of the prior art.