Wave Energy Damping Plate Stabilization With Counterweight Balance
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wave energy power generation devices are complex in design, high in manufacturing and maintenance costs, and have low long-term operation reliability due to issues with energy absorption and conversion efficiency, particularly affected by geographical location and extreme weather conditions.
Innovation Solution
A wave energy absorption and conversion device with a floating body, damping plate, and guiding shaft, where a counteracting mechanism is used to maintain the damping plate at a stable middle position, preventing self-movement and ensuring continuous relative movement with the guiding shaft to absorb and convert wave energy effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the damping plate is designed to be neutrally buoyant (buoyancy force equals gravity), then it can theoretically remain stationary in the middle position, but in practice it cannot be precisely manufactured to achieve exact neutral buoyancy, causing it to drift to one end of the movement range and collide with constraint structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a counterweight mechanism that applies a downward force on the damping plate to counterbalance its buoyancy force. By adjusting the counterweight mass, the system achieves force equilibrium (gravity + counterweight = buoyancy force) without requiring precise manufacturing of the damping plate's buoyancy. This resolves the contradiction by replacing manufacturing precision requirements with adjustable mass balancing.
2Productivity
If the damping plate is allowed to move freely to absorb wave energy, then energy absorption efficiency is improved, but the plate may collide with constraint structures due to extreme weather conditions or manufacturing tolerances, reducing system reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The counterweight mechanism provides a stabilizing downward force that prevents the damping plate from drifting to extreme positions during storms or due to manufacturing variations. This maintains the plate within the safe movement range, preventing collisions with constraint structures while still allowing sufficient movement for wave energy absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The counterweight applies a preliminary counteracting force before extreme conditions occur, preemptively balancing the buoyancy force to prevent the damping plate from reaching positions where it could collide with constraint structures during extreme weather events.
3Reliability
If a counteracting mechanism is added to maintain the damping plate at a stable middle position, then reliability and operational stability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The counterweight mechanism consists of a simple mass attached to the damping plate or its support structure, connected via a flexible element. This minimalistic approach adds only essential components (counterweight mass and connection element) to achieve force balancing, avoiding complex control systems or multiple actuators while significantly improving operational reliability.
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 wave energy utilization ratio, enhances reliability, and reduces power generation costs, providing a more efficient and stable electricity output, suitable for remote island power supply and seawater desalination.
Implementation Method 1
a counteracting mechanism is used to maintain the damping plate at a stable middle position
Implementation Method 2
the counteracting force is gravity of the counterweight or the buoyancy force of the buoyancy tank
Implementation Method 3
The wave energy is converted into the mechanical energy to directly push the generator to generate electricity
Data Source
AI summary
A wave energy absorption and conversion device and a power generation system includes a floating body, a guiding shaft, a damping plate and a counteracting mechanism placed in a movement range of the damping plate. The guiding shaft is connected to the bottom of the floating body and passes through the center of the damping plate. The damping plate may slide on the guiding shaft. A counterforce generated by the counteracting mechanism is opposite to a natural moving direction of the damping plate, so that the damping plate can be kept in a relatively static state under a synergistic effect of the counteracting mechanism, and thereby, colliding of damping plate with constraint structures above and below can be prevented when floating body is moving up and down following waves. The power generation system includes the wave energy absorption and conversion device and a power generation system.