Wave activated power generation device and wave activated power generation plant

• US 7,525,213 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyo Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Toyo Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Konno, Toshio, Nagata, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Waks; Joseph
• Application Number:
  US11/576,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20080088133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 290/53
• US Class Current: 290/53
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/142 which creates an oscillating water column
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/24 to produce a flow of air, e.g. to drive an air turbine F03B13/142 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A wave activated power generation device includes a cylindrical floating body anchored on water and extending vertically to a water surface, a ballast provided at a lower end portion of the floating body, and a power generating equipment provided at an upper end portion of the floating body. The floating body includes a buoyancy control chamber allowing the floating body to vertically float in the water and adjusting a position of the floating body relative to the water surface to a predetermined height in accordance with a relation between buoyancy of the floating body and weight of the ballast, and an air chamber formed between the buoyancy control chamber and the power generating equipment. The power generating equipment includes an air turbine provided above the air chamber and driven by air flow generated between an inside and outside of the air chamber by vertical motion of the water surface, and a generator rotationally driven by the air turbine. Furthermore, a wave activated power generation plant includes the coupled plural wave activated power generation devices upon request.

Claims

1. A wave activated power generation device comprising:

a cylindrical floating body anchored on water and extending in a vertical direction relative to a surface of the water;

a ballast provided at a lower end portion of the floating body; and

a power generating equipment provided at an upper end portion of the floating body, wherein

the floating body includes a buoyancy control chamber that allows the floating body to vertically float in the water and that adjusts a position of the floating body relative to the surface of the water to a predetermined height in accordance with a relation between buoyancy of the floating body and weight of the ballast, and an air chamber that is formed between the buoyancy control chamber and the power generating equipment,

the power generating equipment includes an air turbine provided above the air chamber and driven by an air flow generated between an inside and outside of the air chamber by vertical motion of the surface of the water, and a generator rotationally driven by the air turbine, and

the air turbine always rotates in one direction independently from a direction of a reciprocating air flow generated between the inside and outside of the air chamber, and wherein the air turbine includes a floating nozzle movable by a predetermined distance in a direction of a rotary shaft thereof in accordance with a direction of the air flow.

2. The wave activated power generation device according to claim 1, wherein a natural period T of vertical motion of the floating body is calculated by the following equation using an area of a horizontal cross-section of a cylindrical portion of the floating body and a mass of the wave activated power generation device:

T=2π

×

SQR(M/(SXρ

Xg))

where “

T”

is a natural period (s) of vertical motion of the floating body, “

S”

is a horizontal cross-sectional area (m²) of an upper half cylindrical portion of the floating body, “

M”

is an overall mass (kg) including seawater inside the wave activated power generation device, “

π

”

is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, “

ρ

”

is a density (kg/m³) of seawater, “

g”

is the acceleration (m/s²) due to gravity, and “

SQR(x)”

is the function calculating a square root of x, and

wherein the natural period T is in a range of 0.8 to 1.6 times an annual average wave period at an anchored area.

3. The wave activated power generation device according to claim 1, wherein a diaphragm is used as means for moving the floating nozzle.

4. The wave activated power generation device according to claim 1, wherein a piston is used as means for moving the floating nozzle.

5. The wave activated power generation device according to claim 1, further comprising an electrolyzer provided near the ballast provided at the lowermost portion of the floating body for electrolyzing water using electric power that is outputted from the generator, and a space provided near the lowermost portion of the floating body for collecting and storing hydrogen generated by the electrolyzer.

6. The wave activated power generation device according to claim 1, wherein the floating body is divided into three sections of an upper portion, an intermediate portion, and a lower portion, in which the intermediate portion is formed so that unit members each having a predetermined length are axially connected, wherein the overall length of the floating body is set by changing the number in which the unit members are provided, and the floating body is constructed and assembled by connecting the three sections by means of a connecting member.

7. The wave activated power generation device according to claim 6, wherein each unit member that constitutes the intermediate portion of the floating body is manufactured so as to provide a same shape by die forming using a plastic material.

8. The wave activated power generation device according to claim 6, wherein the connecting member is a wire rope.

9. The wave activated power generation device according to claim 6, wherein the connecting member is a through-bolt adjustable in length.

10. The wave activated power generation device according to claim 1, further comprising a watertight control chamber provided at the upper portion of the floating body, and an automatic valve provided in the control chamber, wherein the automatic valve automatically performs an opening operation in response to a detection of sea wind force larger than a predetermined value, so that the overall wave activated power generation device is evacuated into the water by discharging gas inside the buoyancy control chamber so as to decrease the buoyancy of the wave activated power generation device.

11. The wave activated power generation device according to claim 1, further comprising a wind turbine provided at an upper portion of the floating body, and a second generator provided at the upper portion of the floating body and driven by rotation of the wind turbine.

12. The wave activated power generation device according to claim 1, wherein the ballast has a ring shape and has an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the cylindrical portion of the floating body.

13. The wave activated power generation device according to claim 1, further comprising a pressure regulating valve is provided at the cylindrical portion of a portion of the floating body, which constitutes the air chamber, wherein the pressure regulating valve is configured to detect pressure in the air chamber so as to introduce ambient air into the air chamber when the pressure is reduced and comes closer to a vacuum.

14. A wave activated power generation plant, comprising:

a plurality of wave activated power generation devices that are anchored on water;

at least one linking device that couples the plurality of wave activated power generation devices with a predetermined interval therebetween; and

a product collecting device connected to the linking device, wherein

each of the wave activated power generation devices includes a cylindrical floating body anchored on the water and extending in a vertical direction relative to a surface of the water, a ballast provided at a lower end portion of the floating body, and a power generating equipment provided at an upper end portion of the floating body,

the floating body includes a buoyancy control chamber that allows the floating body to vertically float in the water and that adjusts a position of the floating body relative to the surface of the water to a predetermined height in accordance with a relation between buoyancy of the floating body and weight of the ballast, and an air chamber formed between the buoyancy control chamber and the power generating equipment,

the power generating equipment includes an air turbine provided above the air chamber and driven by an air flow generated between an inside and outside of the air chamber by vertical motion of the surface of the water, and a generator that is rotationally driven by the air turbine,

the air turbine always rotates in one direction independently from a direction of a reciprocating air flow generated between the inside and outside of the air chamber, and wherein the air turbine includes a floating nozzle movable by a predetermined distance in a direction of a rotary shaft thereof in accordance with a direction of the air flow, and

the linking device includes at least one joint member provided on an outer peripheral portion of the floating body at a predetermined angular interval, and a link member pivotally coupled to the joint member.

15. The wave activated power generation plant according to claim 14, wherein the product collecting device is a hydrogen collecting device, the product collecting device includes an electrolyzer provided near the ballast provided at the lower end portion of the floating body and electrolyzing water using electric power that is outputted from the generator, and a hydrogen collecting portion provided near the lowermost portion of the floating body and storing and collecting hydrogen generated by the electrolyzer.

16. The wave activated power generation plant according to claim 14, wherein the floating body is divided into three sections of an upper portion, an intermediate portion, and a lower portion, in which the intermediate portion is formed so that unit members each having a predetermined length are axially connected, the overall length of the floating body is set by changing the number in which the unit members are provided, and the floating body is constructed and assembled by connecting the three sections by means of a through-bolt adjustable in length.

17. The wave activated power generation plant according to claim 16, wherein the through-bolt has a hollow shape and includes one of an electric power line for supplying electric power that is outputted from the generator to the electrolyzer and a conduit member for leading hydrogen generated at the electrolyzer to the product collecting device.

18. The wave activated power generation plant according to claim 14, wherein the product collecting device is an electric power collecting device connected to each of the wave activated power generation devices.

19. A wave activated power generation device comprising:

a cylindrical floating body anchored on water and extending in a vertical direction relative to a surface of the water;

a ballast provided at a lower end portion of the floating body; and

a power generating equipment provided at an upper end portion of the floating body, wherein

the floating body includes an upper portion having a smooth surface in order to minimize a force that causes the floating body to move vertically due to waves, a buoyancy control chamber that allows the floating body to vertically float in the water and that adjusts a position of the floating body relative to the surface of the water to a predetermined height in accordance with a relation between buoyancy of the floating body and weight of the ballast, and an air chamber that is formed between the buoyancy control chamber and the power generating equipment,

the power generating equipment includes an air turbine provided above the air chamber and driven by an air flow generated between an inside and outside of the air chamber by vertical motion of the surface of the water, and a generator rotationally driven by the air turbine, and

the air turbine always rotates in one direction independently from a direction of a reciprocating air flow generated between the inside and outside of the air chamber, and wherein the air turbine includes a floating nozzle movable by a predetermined distance in a direction of a rotary shaft thereof in accordance with a direction of the air flow.