PLANT FOR THE RECOVERY OF ENERGY FROM WAVES IN WATER

Abstract: A plant for recovering energy from waves in motion comprises a wedge-shaped, anchored, self-adjusting towards the waves, floating reception unit (1) placed in the water and having a ramp (3) for the waves and a guide device (4) guiding the water to a reception pipe (8) and into an energy converting engine (9). The guide device comprises a number of reception funnels (4), the cross sections of which are narrowed down in the direction towards the energy converting engine (9). The plant moreover comprises a number of air chambers (16) and side chambers (10) in which the reception pipes (8) end.

Description: PLANT FOR THE RECOVERY OF ENERGY FROM WAVES IN WATER Background of the invention The invention relates to a plant for recovering energy from waves in motion in the water surface and as presented in the preamble of claim 1. A known plant of this type is described in SE publication no. 443,026. In principle, this known plant comprises a semidomed, bell-like construction floating in the water and taking water in at the top. The water is guided to a recep¬ tion pipe which guides the water to a turbine driving a generator for electrical energy. The known construction also provides the possibility of applying an elongated pipe extending parallel with the water surface and having the same diameter throughout its length, which pipe ends in a diffuser for water outlet. This plant is arranged to float partially submerged and the waves are caught by an upwardly-extending tower with open¬ ings in all directions allowing the water in the waves to run through the openings irrespective of the direction of the waves in relation to the plant. It is an unfavourable construction in respect of energy, as only a small part of the waves are caught; consequently, only a part of the wave energy is recovered. Besides, this construction has not considered the principle that water seeks its own level, as the diffuser of the plant is placed in direct continuation of the horisontal pipe. A wave passing perpendicularly to this construction will stop most of the outlet. Advantages of the invention The plant according to the invention and with the features presented in the characterizing part of claim 1 has the ad- vantage that the acquired device concentrates and utilizes the energy, i.e. both the kinetic and the potential energy in the waves, and guides the caught water to an energy con¬ verting engine without applying particular movable parts. Due to the design of the plant a large amount of water is collected currently throughout the length of the device, so that maximum energy recovery is achieved. By designing the plant according to the invention as pre¬ sented and characterized in claim 2 it is ensured that the plant will not ride the waves, but that the waves will break over the plant. By designing the plant according to the invention as pre¬ sented and characterized in claim 3, the water admission velocity is increased through the reception funnels, so that the water reaches the turbine at an increased speed. By designing the plant according to the invention as pre¬ sented and characterized in claim 4 it is ensured that the water does not run out of the reception funnels when the wave has passed the plant. The plant is preferably designed as presented and characte¬ rized in claim 5, whereby automatic regulation of the water admission to the turbine is obtained. By designing the plant according to the invention as pre¬ sented and characterized in claim 6 it is ensured that the admission of water to the turbine is regular, even if there is a great distance between the waves. By designing the plant according to the invention as pre¬ sented and characterized in claim 7, the recovered energy is optimized, as the direction of flow of the water is not changed substantially. By designing the plant according to the invention as pre¬ sented and characterized in claim 8, amounts of water which would otherwise have passed over the plant are returned to the reception funnels. By designing the plant according to the invention as pre¬ sented and characterized in claim 9 great velocity of dis¬ charge of the water in the reception pipe is ensured. By designing the plant according to the invention as pre¬ sented and characterized in claim 10 it is achieved that the plant divides an admitted wave in such a manner that the plant is evenly loaded and the reception funnels are filled successively as the wave passes the plant, so that the admission of water is even; the admission of water to the water turbine will thus be even and constant. The drawing The drawing shows an embodiment example according to the invention which will be explained in further detail below, in that fig. 1 shows the plant in general but partially inter- sected at the one side, fig. 2 is a side view of the floating plant on a smaller scale, fig. 3 is a plane part section III-III in fig. 1, fig. 4 is a plane part section IV-IV in fig. 1, and fig. 5 is a plane section V-V in fig. 1. Description of the embodiment example Fig. 1 is an inclined front view of the plant in general according to the invention and in order to look into the construction its right side has been removed. The plant comprises a float 2, a part of which is above the water surface 25 while the rest is below the surface. The plant is anchored to an anchor by means of an anchor cable or an anchor chain 7 which will later be explained in more detail. The plant is substantially wedge-shaped and the anchor cable is attached close to the point, so that the plant will straighten out and thus will always turn its point towards the incoming waves. In the end where the wave hits the plant first, i.e. at the pointed end of the plant, it comprises a ramp 3 extending down below the surface in an inclined manner allowing incoming waves to roll up the ramp and over the construction. Besides, the float 2 is roof-ridge-formed with the roof ridge 23 in the longitudinal direction. The plant is kept floating by a number of air chambers 16 being adjusted in such a manner that substantially only the reception funnels 4 and the shield 15 are above the water surface, cf. fig. 1. When the waves roll into and up over the construction, the funnels 4 will be filled with water which at great speed is guided down into a reception pipe 8 through the narrowed course of the funnels, which pipe 8 at both ends is provid¬ ed with a turbine with an energy converting engine 9, e.g. for generating electrical energy, which through a cable (not shown) is conducted to an ordinary power supply sys¬ tem, possibly via a switch or converter station. The stern 5 of the construction will usually be below the water surface. The funnels 4 are formed of curved or bent shells or plates 12 and side plates 20 which additionally make up partition plates, so that the funnels 4 are arranged in sections. The arrangement of the funnels 4 is moreover arrow-shaped with the point directed towards the anchor cable 7 and the roof ridge 23, cf. fig. 1. Behind the funnels 4 is placed an oblong shield 15 to throw a part of the crest of the wave, which would otherwise roll over the construction, back towards and down into the fun- nels. Due to the fact that the construction is wedge-shaped with the roof ridge 23 and due to the arrangement of the fun¬ nels, an incoming wave will be divided into two and dis- tribute itself over the two sides of the plant, as the fun¬ nels are filled successively with water. The utilization of the amount of water in a wave is hereby increased resulting in a continuous supply of water to the turbine 9. The shield is highest at the middle and may be designed in such a manner that the curvature increases towards each side. The reception pipe 8 is actually made up of to pipes ex¬ tending from the middle under the roof ridge 23. The ar¬ rangement of the pipes 8 is also arrow-shaped and forms a more acute angle than does the arrow-shaped arrangement of the funnels 4. At each side the plant is provided with a side chamber 10. The side chamber is partially filled with air and through the turbine 9 the reception pipe 8 opens at each side into the chamber 10, which will be explained in more detail with reference to fig. 5 of the drawing. Fig. 2 shows in more detail how the plant according to the invention floats in the water surface 27 and how a wave 26 passes the plant. An anchor 6 secures the plant 1 by means of an anchor chain or an anchor cable 7, which probably at the very top at the construction itself is subdivided, e.g. tripartited. The anchor chain must have such a length that at high water the chain forms an angle of at least 60° in relation to the horisontal plane or an angle V of 30° in relation to the vertical plane as shown in the drawing. The plant is hereby prevented from riding the waves, and max¬ imum energy recovery is achieved. Fig. 3 shows a vertical plane part section through the outer funnels. The funnels are formed of shells or plates 12 extending forward towards the incoming wave. Between the shells gaps 13 with narrowed down cross sections are formed in order to increase the velocity of the water. Some of the shells, preferably those in the lowest position, are pro¬ vided with valves 18 which will close if the water tries to flow back and out through the gaps 13. The valve flaps 18 may be made of reinforced rubber or the like and designed in such a manner that they are self-closing without mechan- ical manoeuvring members. The other end of the passages may also comprise valve flaps 19 preventing water from the more vertically positioned gaps from flowing out through the forward extending gaps. These valves are also valve flaps of reinforced rubber or the like without mechanical maneuvring members. The vertic¬ ally positioned gaps or water chambers may be designed having damming or reservoir chambers 21, in which the water can be dammed up before running into the reception pipe 8 later. As an example the reservoir chambers 21 have air escape openings 22 at the top of the chambers allowing pos- sible air in the chambers to be pressed out this way. To ensure correct admission of water to the inlet pipe 14 of the reception pipe 8 a pivoting guide plate 24 may be placed here, so that water pressure at the one side of the guide plate blocks the inlet from the opposite side. The water is moreover guided tangentially through the inlet 14 into the reception pipe 8 in such a manner that the water in the reception pipe flows along a helical line to- wards the turbine 9. Fig. 4 shows a plane part section in the reception funnels close to the middle of the plant. It appears that the re¬ ception funnels at the middle of the construction have no reservoir chambers and that the reception pipe 8 is more¬ over positioned further ahead due to the fact that the pipe 8 extends towards the rear in an inclined manner viewed from the middle of the construction. Fig. 5 shows how the water outlet from the turbine 9 takes place in the side chamber 10. The side chamber comprises an outlet chamber 17 partially filled with air, where the water from the reception pipe is guided through the tur¬ bine 9 out into the chamber and further out into the sea. When the waves roll over the construction and the water is guided down through the funnels, some air will be carried along which will collect at the top of the outlet chamber 17. The outlet chamber 17 has suitable means ensuring that the air leaves the chamber in a suitable manner so that a desired liquid level is maintained. All parts of the plant are made of strong materials, pre¬ ferably as a welded steel construction strong enough to stand the tremendous strain the whole construction is ex- posed to. Besides, all parts are made of corrosion resist¬ ant materials. The embodiment shown in the drawing and explained in the description being only an example, it is at any rate a pre¬ ferred example of how a plant according to the invention can be designed. It will be obvious to a person skilled in the art to design the plant in many different ways without deviating from that which is stated in the below patent claims. It will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that the size and strength etc. of the plant depends on where the plant is intended to be used, the maximum wave heights of the place in question and the average wave fre¬ quency. It will thus be possible within the scope of the invention to produce plants varying greatly in size.

Claims: C A I M S 1. Plant for recovering energy from waves in motion in the water surface and comprising a wedge-shaped, anchored, self-adjusting towards the waves, floating reception unit (1) placed in the water and having a ramp (3) for the waves and a guide device guiding the water to a reception pipe (8) and to an energy converting engine (9), c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the guide device comprises a number of reception funnels (4) for water which funnels are formed of a number of shells or plates (12) extending in a curved manner so that between them gaps (13) are formed, the cross sections of which are narrowed down in the direction to¬ wards the energy converting engine (9), and that these shells or plates at the inlet end form an angle with the surroundings substantially corresponding to the expected entrance angle of the water, in addition to which the inlet edges of the reception funnels are mutually displaced to form a steplike configuration placing the lowest positioned shell or plate furthest ahead in the direction of inflow. 2. Plant according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it comprises a mooring at the point of the wedge- shaped reception device which mooring comprises an anchor chain (7) for an anchor (6), the anchor chain having such a length that at high water the chain forms an angle of at least 60° in relation to the horisontal plane. 3. Plant according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r - i z e d in that the plates or shells form reception fun¬ nels together with vertical partition plates (20) and that the walls of these plates curve backwards. 4. Plant according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the lower reception funnels have flap valves (18, 5. Plant according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that reception funnels with flap valves have such valves both at the inlet end and at the outlet end. 6. Plant according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least one of the reception funnels has a reser¬ voir chamber (21) with an opening to the surroundings which reservoir chamber is open towards the bottom area of the reception funnel. 7. Plant according to any one of claims 1-6, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the reception funnels lead into a reception pipe (8) extending backwards in an inclined man- ner, the one end of which is provided with a water turbine driving an energy converting engine (9). 8. Plant according to any one of claims 1-7, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that it additionally comprises a shield (15) placed behind the reception funnels (4) and with a height exceeding the height of the funnels above the water surface. 9. Plant according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it comprises air chambers (16) at each side of the reception pipe (8) and that the one end of the reception pipe leads into an outlet chamber (17) partially filled with air. 10. Plant according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the reception funnels (4) are mounted on a roof- ridge-formed member (23) and that the arrangement of the reception funnels is arrow-shaped with the point directed towards the incoming waves.

Inventors: SKAARUP ERIK, SKAARUP, ERIK
Applicants: SKAARUP ERIK, SKAARUP, ERIK
Application year: 1991
Main classification: F03B13
IPC codes: F03B13