Apparatus for harnessing tidal power

• US 4,103,490 A
• Filed: 03/28/1977
• Issued: 08/01/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northeastern University
• Original Assignee: Alexander Moiseevich Gorlov
• Inventors: Gorlov, Alexander Moiseevich
• Primary Examiner(s): Ostrager, Allen M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F.
• Application Number:
  US05/781,949
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 60/398, 60/407, 60/409, 60/412, 60/502, 60/497, 417/100, 417/330, 417/339, 417/347
• US Class Current: 60/398
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/266 to compress air
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Abstract

An apparatus for harnessing and extracting a portion of the power generated by the rise and fall of ocean tides. A tidal chamber is provided wherein the rise of the tide creates positive air pressure within the tidal chamber and the fall of the tide creates a partial vacuum within the tidal chamber. The pressure and partial vacuum are, through appropriate valving, used to drive a pair of reciprocating, fluid-coupled rod and float assemblies, the motions of which can be harnessed to operate an air compressor, crank shaft, flywheel or other suitable mechanical device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for extracting usable power from a tidal water flow, comprising:

means for creating a low, positive pressure air flow in response to a rising tide and a partial vacuum in response to a falling tide;

first and second chambers, the lower portions of which are in fluid combination with each other;

in said chambers, a liquid having a volume approximately equal to half the sum of the volumes of said first and second chambers;

each of said chambers having an inlet/outlet port located near the top thereof;

a multi-state valve for connecting, in a first state, a first input port thereof to a first output port thereof and a second input port thereof to a second output port thereof and, in the second state, connecting the first input port to the second output port and the second input port to the first output port;

the first output port of the valve being connected to the inlet/outlet port of the first chamber and the second output port of the valve being connected to the inlet/outlet port of the second chamber;

each chamber having a float therein, said float being disposed to ride upon the surface of the liquid in the chamber;

the means for creating positive pressure air flow and partial vacuum being connected to the multi-state valve to supply the positive pressure air flow to a first input port thereof and to supply the partial vacuum to the second input port thereof, whereby the liquid level in each chamber is responsive to the difference in the pressures in the chambers, above the surface of the liquid;

each of said floats being attached to a rod which extends generally vertically through the housing in a fluid-sealed aperture;

the valve being in the first state while the liquid level and float in the first chamber are descending;

means for switching the valve to a second state when the float in the first chamber nears the lower end of its range of travel and, equivalently, when the float in the second chamber nears the upper end of its range of travel;

the valve being in the second state while the liquid level and float in the second chamber are descending;

means for switching the valve to the first state when the liquid in the second chamber nears the lower end of its range of travel and, equivalently, when the float in the first chamber nears the upper end of its range of travel; and

means operable by the reciprocating motion of at least one of said rods to provide output power.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second chambers comprise a single housing having a partial partition wall extending downward from the top of the housing toward, but not meeting, the bottom thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means operable by the reciprocating motion of a rod comprises a piston attached to a rod, said piston being reciprocable within a cylinder for compressing air.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means operable by the reciprocating motion of a rod comprises means for rotating a crank shaft.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means for creating a low, positive pressure air flow in response to a rising tide and a partial vacuum in response to a falling tide comprises:

a housing or tank resting upon the floor of the ocean in tidal water;

said housing having an opening near the bottom thereof for permitting the ingress and egress of tidal water;

said opening being below the water level of a normal low or ebb tide;

the housing having a top and sides, the sides extending below the water level of an ebb tide;

the housing having an outlet port for exhausting pressurized air therefrom and an inlet port for receiving atmospheric air when the housing contains a partial vacuum.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the means operable by the reciprocating motion of a rod comprises a piston attached to a rod, said piston being reciprocable within a cylinder for compressing air.