Buoyancy pump power system

• US 7,584,609 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2002
• 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:
  US11/447,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20060230750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 603/98, 290/42, 290/53, 417/331, 417/337
• US Class Current: 60/398
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/187 and the wom directly actuates the piston of a pump
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/1895 where the tie is a tension/compression member
• 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: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Abstract

A system and method generating electricity includes converting wave motion into mechanical power. A fluid matter is driven as a function of the mechanical power to a reservoir. The fluid matter is flowed from the reservoir. At least a portion of a kinetic energy of the flowing fluid matter is converted into electrical energy. The fluid matter may be liquid or gas.

Claims

1. A system for generating electricity, the system comprising:

buoyancy pumps located in a body of fluid, each buoyancy pump having a buoyancy block operable to reciprocally move in response to wave action of the body of fluid to move an operating fluid using the energy of waves within the body of fluid, the buoyancy block being sized such that a diameter of the buoyancy block is greater than or equal to about 7/2 (seven halves) a height of an average wave for a region in which the buoyancy pump is operated;

a reservoir fluidly connected to the buoyancy pumps to aggregate the operating fluid from the buoyancy pumps; and

a turbine operable to receive the operating fluid from the reservoir and convert at least a portion of kinetic energy of the operating fluid into electrical energy.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the buoyancy block becomes fully submerged during the reciprocal motion of the buoyancy block.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the buoyancy block is not submerged during the reciprocal motion of the buoyancy block.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the buoyancy block is sized such that the diameter of the buoyancy block does not exceed a wavelength of the average wave and a height of the buoyancy block does not exceed the height of the average wave.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the buoyancy block is adjustable to a size at which a profile of the average wave completely covers the buoyancy block.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the diameter of the buoyancy block is adjustable so that a profile of the average wave completely covers the buoyancy block.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a height of the buoyancy block is adjustable so that a profile of the average wave completely covers the buoyancy block.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is disposed on a shore adjacent the body of fluid.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each buoyancy pump is individually anchored to a floor beneath the body of fluid.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is located on top of a cliff.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is located over the body of fluid.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is located on a boat.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the body of fluid is a body of water.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the operating fluid is water.