Buoyancy pump power system

• US 7,952,218 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2010
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• 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): Ponomarenko; Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US12/775,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20100215518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 290/43, 290/44, 290/53, 290/54, 290/55, 417/333
• US Class Current: 290/53
• 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 buoyancy pump comprising:

a buoyancy block operable to reciprocally move in response to wave action in a body of water;

a piston slidably disposed within a piston chamber and connected to the buoyancy block, the piston being reciprocally moveable in a first direction and a second direction in response to movement of the buoyancy block, the piston moving in the second direction to draw an operating fluid into the piston chamber and moving in the first direction to force the operating fluid out of the piston chamber; and

a relief port operably associated with the buoyancy block to allow selective flooding of the buoyancy block to reduce a buoyancy force exerted by the buoyancy block.

2. The buoyancy pump according to claim 1 further comprising:

a buoyancy block housing defining a buoyancy chamber through which water from the body of water may flow; and

wherein the buoyancy block is disposed within the buoyancy chamber.

3. The buoyancy pump according to claim 2, wherein the operating fluid is water from the body of water.

4. The buoyancy pump according to claim 1 further comprising:

a valve fluidly connected to the relief port to selectively prevent or allow a flooding fluid to enter the buoyancy block.

5. The buoyancy pump according to claim 4, wherein the flooding fluid is water from the body of water.

6. The buoyancy pump according to claim 4, wherein the valve is positioned on the buoyancy block.

7. The buoyancy pump according to claim 4, wherein the valve is remotely controlled.

8. The buoyancy pump according to claim 4, wherein the valve is automatically controlled in response to a sensor that measures wave height, water pressure adjacent the buoyancy block, or the buoyancy force exerted by the buoyancy block.

9. The buoyancy pump according to claim 1, wherein:

the relief port is sealed by a stopper connected by a tether to a stationary structure; and

the tether is of a predetermined length such that excessive movement of the buoyancy block within the buoyancy chamber causes the tether to dislodge the stopper from the relief port, thereby flooding the buoyancy block.

10. The buoyancy pump according to claim 9, wherein the stationary structure is a portion of the buoyancy pump.

11. The buoyancy pump according to claim 1 further comprising:

a pressurized gas source fluidly connected to an inner space of the buoyancy block to purge the buoyancy block of liquid to increase the buoyancy force exerted by the buoyancy block.

12. A buoyancy pump comprising:

a buoyancy block operable to reciprocally move in response to wave action in a body of water;

a piston slidably disposed within a piston chamber and connected to the buoyancy block, the piston being reciprocally moveable in a first direction and a second direction in response to movement of the buoyancy block, the piston moving in the second direction to draw an operating fluid into the piston chamber and moving in the first direction to force the operating fluid out of the piston chamber; and

a gas source fluidly connected to an inner space of the buoyancy block to purge the buoyancy block of liquid to increase a buoyancy force exerted by the buoyancy block.

13. The buoyancy pump according to claim 12, wherein the gas source is a pressurized gas tank connected to a portion of the buoyancy pump.

14. The buoyancy pump according to claim 12 further comprising:

a buoyancy block housing defining a buoyancy chamber through which water from the body of water may flow; and

wherein the buoyancy block is disposed within the buoyancy chamber.

15. The buoyancy pump according to claim 14, wherein the operating fluid is water from the body of water.