Deformable Rotor Blade for Hydraulic Wave Energy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for recovering hydraulic energy from swell in marine environments face inefficiencies due to non-twisted flap designs, lack of control over flap bending, significant drag, and inadequate protection against horizontal components of swell and currents, leading to suboptimal energy conversion and maintenance challenges.
Innovation Solution
A rotor with deformable blades and holding means that allow the blades to adopt a deformed configuration optimized for fluid flow, featuring a helical shape and magnetic elements for deformation control, which enhances energy conversion efficiency and reduces drag by maintaining a uniform relative speed of the fluid across the blade surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the flaps are made flexible to adapt to varying swell conditions, then the adaptability improves, but the control of flap bending becomes difficult and drag increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the blade deformable rather than rigid. The blade can dynamically adjust its shape during operation to adapt to varying flow conditions while maintaining optimal performance. The blade's flexibility allows it to bend and conform to the fluid flow, reducing drag while preserving adaptability to different swell conditions.
2Ease of manufacture
If the flaps are made flat and non-helical to simplify manufacturing, then the ease of manufacture improves, but the energy conversion efficiency decreases due to non-uniform relative speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the curvature principle by giving the blade a helical shape instead of a flat configuration. The helical geometry creates a twisted profile that accounts for the variation in tangential linear speed across different radial positions. This curvature allows the blade to maintain a more uniform relative speed with the fluid flow across its entire surface, significantly improving energy conversion efficiency while remaining manufacturable.
3Productivity
If the flaps extend from the hub to increase the projected surface area, then the energy conversion improves, but the sealing becomes inadequate and efficiency losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the flexible shell principle by using a deformable blade that can conform to the flow conditions. The blade's flexible nature allows it to maintain effective sealing contact while extending from the hub to maximize the projected surface area. This flexible configuration reduces the efficiency losses associated with inadequate sealing that would occur with rigid flaps, while still capturing sufficient energy from the fluid flow.
4Reliability
If mechanical abutments are installed to limit angular deflection of flaps, then the reliability improves, but the performance of motion conversion remains limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by replacing rigid mechanical abutments with a deformable blade design. Instead of limiting deflection through mechanical constraints, the blade itself is designed to deform controllably under fluid pressure. This dynamic approach allows greater angular deflection and improved motion conversion performance while maintaining reliability through the blade's inherent structural integrity and controlled flexibility.
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 solution improves energy conversion efficiency, reduces wear and fatigue of blades, and simplifies maintenance by allowing the rotor to adapt to varying swell conditions, while protecting against overloads and enhancing the device's lifespan and industrial scalability.
Implementation Method 1
The blade (60) is deformable under the effect of the flow of the liquid medium
Implementation Method 2
the rotor comprises holding means arranged to hold the blade in a first deformed configuration
Data Source
AI summary
A device for recovering hydraulic energy of a swell includes a casing and a rotor. In embodiments, a rotor of the device for recovering the hydraulic energy of the swell includes a rim, a hub mounted inside the rim and secure with the rim, and a blade extending radially between the hub and the rim. The blade may be deformable under the pressure effect of the liquid medium flow and the rotor may include a holding means configured to hold the blade in a first deformed configuration for a liquid medium flow in a first direction.