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Method and system for extracting kinetic energy from surface waves of a water

  • US 9,951,747 B2
  • Filed: 10/10/2013
  • Issued: 04/24/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for extracting kinetic energy from surface waves of a water, said waves moving in a horizontal wave movement direction along the water surface of the water, wherein:

  • at least one float is kept floating in the area of the surface waves, with partly restricted freedom of floating movements of the float, such that the float is moved by the surface waves at least in reciprocating upward and downward strokes of the float;

    a working fluid is held in a reservoir structure;

    the float is connected to a fluid displacement structure in such manner that for at least one individual surface wave of said surface waves the corresponding upward stroke of the float, which corresponding upward stroke is caused by said individual surface wave having reached the float, moves, via the fluid displacement structure, the working fluid within the reservoir structure in such manner that the potential energy of the working fluid increases, whereby, accordingly, via the float and via the fluid displacement structure, kinetic energy is extracted from said individual surface wave and converted into increased potential energy of the working fluid;

    with the aid of at least one sensor said individual surface wave is detected before said individual surface wave has reached the float;

    with the aid of at least one calculator, and based on said detection, there is calculated a prediction being indicative of the amount of kinetic energy available in said individual surface wave for realizing said conversion into increased potential energy of the working fluid during said corresponding upward stroke of the float; and

    with the aid of at least one controller, and tuned to said calculated prediction being indicative of the amount of the kinetic energy available in said individual surface wave, an energy transmission structure of the fluid displacement structure is adjusted for realizing said conversion into increased potential energy of the working fluid during said corresponding upward stroke of the float;

    and wherein;

    the at least one float comprises at least one further such a float, said further float having its own corresponding further such reciprocating upward and downward strokes and being connected in the said manner to a further such fluid displacement structure having a further such energy transmission structure, wherein the float together with said at least one further float are situated downstream of one another in a float-after-float fashion, thus forming a float-after-float assembly, wherein the term “

    downstream”

    is interpreted in the sense of said horizontal wave movement direction of said individual surface wave;

    with the aid of said at least one sensor said individual surface wave is detected before said individual surface wave has reached said further float;

    with the aid of said at least one calculator, and based on said detection before said individual surface wave has reached said further float, there is calculated a further prediction being indicative of the amount of kinetic energy available in said individual surface wave for realizing said conversion into increased potential energy of the working fluid during said corresponding further upward stroke of the further float; and

    with the aid of said at least one controller, and tuned to said calculated further prediction being indicative of the amount of the kinetic energy available in said individual surface wave, said further energy transmission structure of said further fluid displacement structure is adjusted for realizing said conversion into increased potential energy of the working fluid during said corresponding further upward stroke of the further float.

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