Tunable wave energy converter

• US 20070068153A1
• Filed: 11/28/2006
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James Gerber
• Original Assignee: James Gerber
• Inventors: Gerber, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,658,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/497
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/20 wherein both members , i.e. wom and rem are movable relative to the sea bed or shore
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Abstract

In a wave energy converter (WEC) for capturing energy contained in surface waves on large bodies of water, one or both of the floats used in the WEC has an internal spring system including a weight suspended from a spring mechanism having a selectively variable spring constant for allowing vertical oscillations of the weight in response to bobbing motions of the float The mechanical impedance of the system is a function of the oscillations of the weight, hence the system is tunable to selected values of mechanical impedance for optimal coupling with the prevailing waves.

Claims

1. An apparatus for capturing energy from surface waves on a body of water comprises a float for bobbing motions in response to passing waves on a surface of the water body, and said float including a weight suspended from a spring mechanism for oscillations of the weight in response to said bobbing motions.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said spring mechanism has a selectively variable spring constant.

3. A method of capturing energy from surface waves on a body of water comprising disposing a float forming a portion of a wave energy conversion system on a surface of the water body, and, dependent upon the prevailing wave conditions on the water body, selecting the mechanical impedance of the float by selecting the spring constant of a spring mechanism for controlling the oscillations of a weight suspended from said spring mechanism.