WAVE POWER GENERATION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20150152835A1
• Filed: 06/05/2013
• Published: 06/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ddnt Consultants Australia Pty Ltd
• Original Assignee: Ddnt Consultants Australia Pty Ltd
• Inventors: Frtunik, Dalibor, Brawley, George
• Granted Patent: US 10,082,128 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/10 Submerged units incorporating electric generators or motors
• 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: F03B 15/00 Controlling controlling in general G05 ; regulation of plants characterised by the use of siphons F03B13/086
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/707 of the linear type
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/293 lathed, e.g. rotation symmetrical
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/44 one element moving inside another one, e.g. wave-operated member (wom) moving inside another member (rem)
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/00 Control
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/706 proportional-integral-differential
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 16/00 Machines with more than one rotor or stator machines for transmitting mechanical power from a driving shaft to a driven shaft and comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; permanent magnet machines with multiple rotors or stators relatively rotated for vectorially combining the excitation fields or the armature voltages H02K21/029
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/02 with moving magnets and stationary coil systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1876 with reciprocating, linearly oscillating or vibrating parts
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 2101/10 for water-driven turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/20 Hydro energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/14 Combined heat and power generation [CHP]

Abstract

A power generator comprises a casing (110) that in use is deployed in an environment in which the casing is subjected to an excitation motion such as wave motion. A series of masses (101, 103a-c) is located within the casing, wherein at least a first mass is coupled to the casing by a first spring (102), each of the masses is coupled to at least one adjacent mass by a respective spring, and wherein the casing and the series of masses bring a motion of the power generator into resonance with the excitation motion. A plurality of electric machines each comprising a stator and a field source are each associated with a corresponding mass such that a relative motion of a mass and associated electric machine generates electrical power. A power takeoff circuit receives generated electrical power from the plurality of electric machines and outputs electrical power from the power generator.

Claims

1. A wave power generator comprising:

a buoyant casing intended to float in a body of water;

a series of masses within the casing, wherein at least a first mass is coupled to the casing by a first spring, each of the masses is coupled to at least one adjacent mass by a respective spring, and wherein the casing and the series of masses bring a motion of the wave power generator into resonance with waves in the body of water;

a plurality of electric machines each comprising a stator and a field source, each electric machine associated with a corresponding mass such that a relative motion of a mass and the casing causes the corresponding electric machine to generate electrical power; and

a power takeoff circuit that receives generated electrical power from the plurality of electric machines and outputs electrical power from the wave power generator.

2. A wave power generator according to claim 1 wherein the series of masses is distributed vertically within the buoyant casing.

3. A wave power generator according to claim 2 wherein the masses are constrained to move along a vertical axis of the buoyant casing.

4. A wave power generator according to claim 3 comprising at least one track, wherein the masses move along the at least one track.

5. A wave power generator according to claim 1 wherein the masses are further coupled to the casing by respective further springs.

6. A wave power generator according to claim 1 wherein the stators are rigidly coupled to the casing and the field sources are coupled to the respective masses.

7. A wave power generator according to claim 1 wherein the series of masses comprises at least three masses.

8. A wave power generator according to claim 7 wherein at least two masses in the series differ in weight from one another.

9. A wave power generator according to claim 7 wherein at least one mass has a variable rate of damping.

10. A wave power generator according to claim 9 wherein the rate of damping varies dependent on a velocity of the at least one mass.

11. A wave power generator according to claim 7 wherein at least two springs coupling masses in the series of masses have different spring constants from one another.

12. A wave power generator according to claim 7 wherein at least two masses in the series have rates of damping that vary from one another.

13. A wave power generator according to claim 1 comprising braking means that restrain motion of the masses relative to the casing.

14. A wave power generator according to claim 1 wherein the field sources are coupled to the casing and the stators are coupled to respective masses.

15. A wave power generator according to claim 1 wherein the series of masses is horizontally distributed within the casing and the masses are concentrically located.

16. A wave power generator according to claim 15 wherein the plurality of electric machines are horizontally distributed and concentrically located.

17. A wave power generator according to claim 15 wherein the masses are constrained to move along a vertical axis of the casing.

18. A power generator comprising:

a casing that in use is deployed in an environment in which the casing is subjected to an excitation motion;

a series of masses within the casing, wherein at least a first mass is coupled to the casing by a first spring, each of the masses is coupled to at least one adjacent mass by a respective spring, and wherein the casing and the series of masses bring a motion of the power generator into resonance with the excitation motion;

a plurality of electric machines each comprising a stator and a field source, each electric machine associated with a corresponding mass such that a relative motion of a mass and associated electric machine generates electrical power; and

a power takeoff circuit that receives generated electrical power from the plurality of electric machines and outputs electrical power from the power generator.

19. A self-tuning mass damper comprising:

a casing that in use is deployed in an environment in which the casing is subjected to an excitation motion;

a series of masses within the casing, wherein at least a first mass is coupled to the casing by a first spring, each of the masses is coupled to at least one adjacent mass by a respective spring, and wherein the casing and the series of masses bring a motion of the mass damper into resonance with the excitation motion;

a plurality of electric machines each comprising a stator and a field source, each electric machine associated with a corresponding mass such that a relative motion of a mass and associated electric machine generates electrical power; and

power draining means that receives generated electrical power from the plurality of electric machines and either outputs electrical power from the mass damper or drains the electrical power to an electric load.

20. The self-tuning mass damper of claim 19 wherein the power draining means drains the electrical power as heat.