WAVE ENERGY CONCENTRATION USING WATER WAVE BAND GAP STRUCTURE WITH DEFECT CAVITIES

• US 20140260236A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Barker, Delmar L., Buban, Darrick M., Broyles, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,222,457 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/497
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 9/08 Tide or wave power plants water-pressure machines, tide or wave motors F03B
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/14 using wave energy
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/16 using the relative movement between a wave-operated member, i.e. a "wom" and another member, i.e. a reaction member or "rem"
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/131 by means of vertical structures, i.e. chimneys
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Abstract

According to embodiment of the disclosure, a wave energy harvesting system comprises a water wave band gap structure (WWBGS) and one or more energy conversion devices. The water wave band gap structure (WWBGS) comprises an array of posts with one or more missing posts that define a defect cavity. The one or more defect cavities are configured to concentrate energy of water waves. The one or more energy conversion devices are positioned in or adjacent to one of the one or more defect cavities and are configured to convert the energy from the water waves into another form of energy.

Claims

1. A wave energy harvesting system comprising:

a water wave band gap structure (WWBGS) comprising an array of posts, the WWBGS having one or more defect cavities, each of the one or more defect cavities being at least one missing post within the array, and the one or more defect cavities configured to concentrate energy of water waves.

2. The wave energy harvesting system of claim 1, wherein the array of posts are periodic and one or more of the posts adjacent at least one of the one or more defect cavities is located at an inward distance towards the defect cavity from an expected periodic location of the post.

3. The wave energy harvesting system of claim 1, wherein

the WWBGS yields a water wave at a location of at least one of the one or more defect cavities that has an amplitude that is four times as high as a nominal amplitude of the water waves surrounding the WWBGS.

4. The wave energy harvesting system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more energy conversion devices, each of the one or more energy conversion devices positioned in or adjacent to one of the one or more defect cavities, the one or more energy conversion devices configured to convert the energy from the water waves into another form of energy.

5. The wave energy harvesting system of claim 1, further comprising:

a waveguide configured to direct water waves through the array adjacent the more than one defect cavities.

6. A wave energy harvesting system comprising:

a water wave band gap structure (WWBGS) having one or more defect cavities, the one or more defect cavities configured to concentrate energy of water waves.

7. The wave energy harvesting system of claim 6, wherein

the WWBGS comprises an array of posts, and

each of the one or more defect cavities is one or more missing posts within the array.

8. The wave energy harvesting system of claim 6, wherein the array of posts are periodic.

9. The wave energy harvesting system of claim 8, wherein:

one or more of the posts adjacent at least one of the one or more defect cavities is located at an inward distance towards the defect cavity from an expected periodic location of the post.

10. The wave energy harvesting system of claim 6, wherein

the WWBGS yields a water wave at a location of at least one of the one or more defect cavities that has an amplitude that is four times as high as a nominal amplitude of the water waves surrounding the WWBGS.

11. The wave energy harvesting system of claim 6, wherein

the WWBGS yields an energy concentration at a location of the one or more defect cavities that is more than two times the energy concentration at the same location absent the one or more defect cavities.

12. The wave energy harvesting system of claim 6, further comprising:

one or more energy conversion devices, each of the one or more energy conversion devices positioned in or adjacent to one of the one or more defect cavities, the one or more energy conversion devices configured to convert the energy from the water waves into another form of energy.

13. The wave energy harvesting system of claim 6, further comprising:

a waveguide configured to direct water waves through the array adjacent the more than one defect cavities.

14. A wave energy harvesting system comprising:

an array of periodic posts having a defect cavity, the defect cavity comprising a missing post at an expected periodic location for a post, the defect cavity configured to concentrate energy of waves introduced into the array.

15. The wave energy harvesting system of claim 14, wherein

the array of periodic posts are configured to be placed in a body of water;

and

each of the periodic posts extend from a structure that contains the water up out of the water.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

an energy conversion device configured to be positioned in or adjacent the defect cavity, the energy conversion device configured to convert the energy from the waves into another form of energy.

17. The wave energy harvesting system of claim 14, wherein the array of posts are periodic and one or more of the posts adjacent at least one of the one or more defect cavities is located at an inward distance towards the defect cavity from an expected periodic location of the post.

18. The wave energy harvesting system of claim 14, wherein

the WWBGS yields a wave at a location of at least one of the one or more defect cavities that has an amplitude that is four times as high as a nominal amplitude of the waves surrounding the WWBGS.

19. The wave energy harvesting system of claim 14, wherein

the WWBGS yields an energy concentration at a location of the one or more defect cavities that is more than two times the energy concentration at the same location absent the one or more defect cavities.

20. The wave energy harvesting system of claim 14, further comprising:

a waveguide configured to direct waves through the array adjacent the more than one defect cavities.