Buoyancy pump power system

• US 7,331,174 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2005
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Independent Natural Resources, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Independent Natural Resources, Inc.
• Inventors: Welch, Kenneth W. Jr., Rothi, Harold L., Rothi, Curtis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LESLIE, MICHAEL S
• Application Number:
  US11/303,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20060233613A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 603/98, 290/42, 290/53, 405/76
• US Class Current: 60/398
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 9/08 Tide or wave power plants water-pressure machines, tide or wave motors F03B
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/187 and the wom directly actuates the piston of a pump
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/1875 and the wom is the piston or the cylinder in a pump
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/00 Pumps characterised by combination with, or adaptation to, specific driving engines or motors
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2210/16 Air or water being indistinctly used as working fluid, i.e. the machine can work equally with air or water without any modification
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/40 Use of a multiplicity of similar components
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/93 on a structure floating on a liquid surface
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/708 with comparison tables
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Abstract

A system for generating electricity includes a pump operable to convert wave motion from a body of water into mechanical energy. The pump includes an input port through which an operating fluid can enter the pump and an output port through which the operating fluid can exit the pump. A first outlet line and a second outlet line are fluidly coupled to the output port of the pump. A first reservoir is fluidly connected to the first outlet line, and a second reservoir is fluidly connected to the second outlet line, both reservoirs being selectively capable of receiving operating fluid driven through the output port.

Claims

1. A method for generating electricity comprising:

converting wave motion into mechanical power;

driving a first operating fluid using the mechanical power to a first reservoir;

driving a second operating fluid using the mechanical power to a second reservoir;

flowing the operating fluid from at least one of the first and second reservoirs; and

converting at least a portion of a kinetic energy of the flowing operating fluid into electrical energy;

wherein the first operating fluid is driven in response to wave motion of a first magnitude, and the second operating fluid is driven in response to wave motion of a second magnitude.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second reservoirs are on-shore reservoirs.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first reservoir is positioned at a lower elevation than the second reservoir.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first operating fluid is the same as the second operating fluid.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second operating fluids are water.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second operating fluids are air.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said converting wave motion into mechanical power includes moving a piston in a first direction and a second direction in response to the wave motion.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said driving the first and second operating fluids further comprises:

intaking the operating fluid in response to the wave motion by moving a piston in the second direction; and

exhausting the operating fluid in response to the wave motion by moving the piston in the first direction.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the first reservoir is positioned at a lower elevation than the second reservoir; and

the second magnitude is greater than the first magnitude.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first and second reservoirs are on-shore reservoirs.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of flowing the operating fluid includes gravitating the operating fluid for converting the kinetic energy of the operating fluid into electrical energy.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of flowing the operating fluid includes utilizing pressure to flow the operating fluid for said converting the kinetic energy of the operating fluid into electrical energy.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of converting the kinetic energy of the flowing operating fluid includes driving a turbine using the flowing operating fluid.

14. The method according to claim 1 further comprising applying the electrical energy onto a power grid.

15. A system for generating electricity comprising:

a pump located in a body of water and operable to convert wave motion from the body of water into mechanical energy, the pump including an input port and an output port and being operable to intake an operating fluid through the input port and drive the operating fluid out through the output port;

a first outlet line fluidly coupled to the output port of the pump, the first outlet line capable of receiving operating fluid driven out through the output port;

a second outlet line fluidly coupled to the output port of the pump, the second outlet line capable of receiving operating fluid driven out through the output port;

a first reservoir fluidly connected to the first outlet line; and

a second reservoir fluidly connected to the second outlet line;

wherein the pump is operable to drive the operating fluid through the first outlet line in response to wave motion of a first magnitude and to drive the operating fluid through the second outlet line in response to wave motion of a second magnitude.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the pump further comprises:

a buoyancy block operable to move in response to wave motion and drive the operating fluid.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the pump further comprises:

a buoyancy block operable to move in a first direction and a second direction in response to wave motion; and

a piston connected to the buoyancy block and positioned within a piston chamber, the buoyancy block reciprocally driving the piston as the buoyancy block moves in the first direction and the second direction, the piston moving within the piston chamber to intake the operating fluid as the buoyancy block moves in the second direction and to drive the operating fluid as the buoyancy block moves in the first direction.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the first direction is up and the second direction is down.

19. The system according to claim 16, wherein the buoyancy block is adjustable in volume to provide a first maximum buoyancy force when the buoyancy block is adjusted to a first volume and a second maximum buoyancy force when the buoyancy block is adjusted to a second volume.

20. The system according to claim 15, wherein:

the first reservoir is positioned at a lower elevation than the second reservoir; and

the second magnitude is greater than the first magnitude.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the first and second reservoirs are on-shore reservoirs.