Patent Application
20110254270
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The above do not resemble the WGD system as proposed under this application. Although many devices had been invented, none compares with this invention as to simplicity, efficiency and to economy. References are principles of hydraulic and electrical engineering. In addition, the WGD system can be a standalone installation or an addition to existing power plants.
The WGD converts sea wave energy directly into electric power using polyphase generator sets or be means of pumping water into a hydro turbo generator, is scalable, requires a minimum water depth of eighteen (18) meters, and can be installed far away offshore.
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The invention pertains to USPTO Class 290/42 Tide and wave Motors and to Class 310 generators.
The idea of converting sea wave energy into electric energy had been investigated by many who proposed different devices. However; these devices are limited in the amount of power they produce, have low efficiency, require expensive structures, and are unable to produce power in sizeable quantities.
The available renewable energy in the seas and oceans, the cost of new power plants, the rising costs of fuel and the need for environment control: CO2 and emissions of pollutants to the atmosphere and shoreline protection, all dictate investigating and developing new sources of renewable energy.
The oceans cover a little more than 70 percent of the Earth's surface. This makes them the world's largest solar energy collector and energy storage system. According to the World Energy Council, the global energy available from undulation energy conversion is two trillion Watt Hours/year. Tapping just 0.2 percent of this energy would satisfy current global demand for electricity.
During the next 20 years, experts foresee a need for 1,500 GW of additional electric power supply to meet new power demand. This equals to 15,000 new power plants, each 100 MW, and represents building for the next twenty years 100 MW power plants at the rate of 750 per year.
The fuel consumption for these power plants is estimated at 59 million barrels of oil per day. CO2 release to the atmosphere is estimated at 2.2 billion tons per year. The world Bank estimates that developing countries alone will need to spend 100 billion US$ each year for the next 30 years, installing new power plants, most of which will be in the equatorial Zone.
Hence, switching to alternate energy is urgently needed. Among the alternate energy resources, wave energy is considered as one of the most promising alternate energy source due to high concentration factor and to high availability factor day & night compared to wind and Solar energy.
“New” The invention provides maximum utilization of offshore sea area, levels wave energy power output by the use of a water reservoir on top of the offshore structure to provide power for a duration exceeding the duration of the wave cycle, provides dependable power output even in the absence of waves by adding ebb/tide turbo generators and wind turbines, and reduces the structural steel required for the offshore wind turbines support and provides access platforms for offshore wind turbines for ease of installation and maintenance.
Civilizations can be tied to, indeed equated to energy utilization. America consumes nearly a quarter of the world power supply. That is 4% of the population consume 25% of world power.
Since real estate at the shoreline is scarce and expensive, protection against severe storms is a must, offshore waves have higher amplitudes, maximum utilization of sea area and available renewable energy is required.
An offshore fixed structure is proposed to house all equipment and extract: wave energy, ebb/tide energy and wind energy and pumped water storage are provided in the form of pumped water to a high reservoir, all combined into one system to provide competitive and dependable energy output, even in the absence of one or more renewable energy source.
The pumped water storage reservoir provides energy storage of 1,521,000 kilogram meters, which is used to level REWGD system power output during the full wave cycle, irrespective of its duration.
Sheeting the shore side of the fixed structure would attenuate the wave height, hence increasing wave energy extraction and making the fixed structure act as a break water structure.
The invention is a method for extracting sea wave energy using wave undulations and a buoyant float to directly act on spiral spring or a rack and pinion or a set of pulleys to drive:
“Amended”
1—The above data shown in Tables 1 and Table 2 are for a Float of 150 cm outside diameter and a height of 150 cm 2—Depending upon sea state, the float dimensions to be changed by increasing the outside diameter and reducing the height so that the total volume remains the same, i.e. 2.650 cubic meters, so that the system can extract energy from 1-meter high waves 3—The available energy in a 1-meter high wave is 6.75 KE. This gives a maximum output of 0.59 KW (6.75*81.34%*43%/4) per wave cycle of 360 degrees. It becomes a matter of cost for installing such system 4—Although s set consists of 10 units installed in line with the incoming wave, calculations show that only the first seven pumps are effective 5—Installing a prototype of reduced scale model would not provide a good approximation of the system behavior under actual sea state conditions.
Dimensions of the individual WGD elements depend upon site, sea state and load requirements. Increasing the float diameter and reducing float height becomes suitable for waves as low as 50 centimeter high.
All equipment, gear drive, universal joint, pumps and generators are hermetically sealed and suitable for underwater marine installation, or for installation on a dry deck. All pipes are flanged for ease of underwater construction. Power and control cable connections are of the quick coupling type.
There are seven novelties in the proposed WGD system.
The First novelty is simple easy offshore construction and construction costs using simple engineering principles, and combining three renewable energy sources; wave, air and ebb/tide, into one system to provide leveled and dependable electric power even if a source of renewable energy is not available, leading to competitive costs per kwh.
The second novelty is in better utilization of sea area where offshore wind turbines are installed.
the third novelty is in providing water storage on top of the offshore REWGD system that would level power output during the full wave cycle, irrespective of its duration.
The fourth novelty is a minimal system foot print of 0.0015 compared to 0.5 to 1.5 square km for 5 MW.
The fifth novelty is in the way generators produce electric power, operate in parallel and transmit power to shore. That is; generating alternating or direct current, stabilizing output voltage and operate generators in parallel.
The sixth novelty is that the system auto adjusts to varying wave heights and varying sea levels.
The seventh novelty is a Free Floating Break Water Structure, leading to calm seas behind the system and providing shore line protection without interfering with marine life or scenic view.
As the wave front reaches its trough, the float falls down to its lowest level. When the wave instantaneous level starts to rise, it will start to immerse the float until a sufficient buoyant upward lift is developed to overcome the weight of the float and of the rack or spiral spring restraining force. Then the float starts to rise upward, until its top reaches the wave crest as maximum travel, in the mean time transmitting this uplift force to the pump operation as rotation at high revolutions per minute. by means of Rack and Pinion, Leaf Spring or a Pulley System.
A float with an outside diameter of 150 cm and a height of 150 cm develops a total uplift force of 2,650 kilograms. Dimensions of the float depend upon sea state and load requirements.
An upward travel the Float of one meter/second is converted to one rotation/second at the gear input; and 30 revolutions per second at the gear output. This is equivalent to 1,800 rpm at pump or generator.
The power generated is shown in table-1 above for different wave heights.
As the water of the wave is accelerating upward, it meets at the surface an area reduction due to the presence of the floats. This area reduction estimated at 80% leads to wave height increase of 24% and results in increased power extraction.
A set of up to ten pumps or generators are installed in line with the incoming wave to extract most of its energy. Each pump or generators is fixed to the mooring structure by means of quick coupling for ease of maintenance. A group of 100 pumps or generators fixed to the mooring structure constitutes a construction unit. Additional construction units of 100 pumps or generators are installed to provide the required power output.
A float in the range of 150 to 220 cm O.D. and a height of 150 to 70 cm respectively develops an uplift of 2,650 kg. The float is cylindrical, red color with red flashing lights for safety of navigation, and is provided with means for connection to the gear rack or spiral spring.
Top of gear drives and pumps are installed at a level of 6.00 meters below mean sea level or at the structure deck.
Gear drive transmits rotation to the pumps or generators in one direction. It does not transmit rotation in the opposite direction to the rack. Latching is in upward travel of the gear rack and releases on the downward travel.
Gear Drive is coupled to the pumps or generators by a hermetically sealed universal joint.
Gear drive is designed to develop per meter of float upward travel, one revolution to the gear input shaft to produce an output rotation of 30. A 4-meter high wave has an average instantaneous travel of 1-meter per second which translates to 1,800 rpm to the pumps or generators.
A set of pulleys as shown on the drawings is used to transmit the Float uplift as a rotation to the pumps or the variable speed generators. The pulley sets can be installed in horizontal or vertical position and fixed the deck ceiling or installed under the deck. A pulley system is provided to transmit the Float uplift to the Wave Water Pump and limit the piston travel to 2-meters for an 8-meter high wave.
Where an offshore fixed structure is used, all equipment including hydro turbo generator or fuelled turbo generator are installed on the deck of the structure. The structure can be used to support a hydro turbo generator to pump water to the main hydro turbine or to directly generate electric power using the ebb/tide motion of the sea water.
Where an offshore fixed structure is used, a wind turbine may be installed to generate electric power, pump water into the main hydro turbo generator input manifold, and using its support to house a Wave Air Pump o a Wave Water Pump.
Where an offshore fixed structure is used, a water reservoir above the fixed structure may be used to store pumped water for feeding into the hydro turbine as needed.
The offshore fixed structure would also act as a break water structure.
Mooring can also be achieved by using an offshore fixed structure as shown on the drawings for each set of sixty pumps or generators.
Mooring is achieved by a submerged structure consisting of a set of hollow pipes or similar means to keep the spiral spring, gear, gear drives, generators, pumps and discharge pipes afloat with a net upward lift of 200 kg to minimize horizontal swings due to ebb/tide and sea currents.
Each mooring structure of 100 pumps or generators is tied by means of flexible lines to an anchor resting at the seabed. Flexible lines are spaced 3 meters apart to allow free movement of sharks and whales, if any.
Anchor is a set of beams of sufficient weight resting at the sea bed to hold down the mooring structure.
11—P1 to P10 Pumps are rotary or centrifugal, connected to the reduction gear output by a universal joint. They rotate at
Shut-off and check valves control the pump operation and output.
The hydro turbo generator may be installed offshore at 5,000 meters or more as required. Hydro turbo generator is mounted above water level on a fixed supporting structure.
Supporting structure for the hydro turbo generator is fixed and anchored to the sea bed.
Power and control panel are fixed to the wall of the hydro turbo generator housing for protection and control of electrical equipment.
It is necessary to connect the outputs of the generators in parallel. Due to the difficulty of synchronizing their alternating current outputs, the AC generator outputs are converted to D.C and connected in parallel.
12—G1 are polyphase generators directly coupled to the gear drive through a universal joint, rotating at 1,800 rpm to generate alternating or direct current as needed. The AC current is converted to direct current by means of thyristor/diode circuits.
The generator field magnetic circuit consists of a series connected coil, a shunt coil to achieve a compound wound generator with a flat output voltage inspite of current output variations.
An additional and separate shunt coil is added to provide an additional magnetic field to boost the generator output voltage and allow the respective generator to be connected in parallel with adjacent generators in the 10-G set. This is achieved by:
The D.C outputs of each set of ten generators are connected in parallel, are also connected in parallel to the adjacent 10—sets to form a unit of 100 generators all connected in parallel and current transmitted to the electrical equipment at the shore, ready for distribution and/or connection to the local electric network.
Spiral Spring Characteristics
6—Common Housing with a Hermetically Sealed Reduction Gear.
Gear Drive Characteristics
Pump Characteristics
1—Positive Displacement Pump Such as rotary or centrifugal
2—Rotary pumps are self-priming and deliver a constant, smooth flow, regardless of pressure variations.
3—Pump Size as required.
Hydro Turbe Generator
2—Operates using the Water Pumped to High Pressure by the Pumps
“Deleted” Spiral Spring Characteristics
6—Common Housing with Reduction Gear
Generator Characteristics
1—The gear Drive is a variable speed type providing constant rotation to generators, irrespective of gear drive input rotation. In this manner electric power is generated at constant voltage and frequency, which allows parallel operation of the generators.
2—The Generators generate either alternating or direct current electric power.
3—Each set of 10-Generators operate in Parallel
4—Ten sets, i.e. 100 generators constitute one construction unit.
5—Power and control cables are laid at the sea bed and connect to consumers or to a power plant at the shoreline.
Wind Turbine
Water Reservoir:
