Patent Publication Number: US-2005134050-A1

Title: Offshore energy platform

Description:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
      Applicant has not received any federally sponsored research or development assistance.  
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX  
      Applicant does not have a microfiche appendix.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of Invention  
      Applicant&#39;s invention relates to a new use field method and means to generate electrical energy by combining a known type of wind driven turbine and a known type of subsurface water current driven turbine together on a common offshore structure to produce electrical energy.  
      2. Description of Related Art  
      There are several designs of energy generating systems such as the windmill type wind turbine generator which is usually set upon a tower on land, and more recently offshore. The offshore wind turbines are considered more efficient than land based wind turbines. There are several hydroelectric turbines that use stored water from dams, rivers, wave action, and water current kinetic energy, such as the subsurface hydrokinetic generator, U.S. Pat. No. 6,472,768, to generate electrical energy. A combination of a wind turbine and ocean swell powered generator called a Wind and Ocean Swell Power or WOSP, which exists in the United Kingdom and works by ocean wave action and wind power.  
      Applicant&#39;s offshore energy platform combines a wind turbine and a subsurface hydrokinetic generator, driven by water currents such as the Gulf Stream, and wind power.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A method and means for generating electrical energy via an offshore energy platform using an attached wind driven turbine and a subsurface water current driven turbine.  
      Applicant&#39;s offshore energy platform consists of a subsurface structure extending from the ocean floor to a platform above the surface. The subsurface structure would support a subsurface water current driven turbine and the structure above the surface would support a tower and wind driven turbine. The entire structure would have to be rigid enough to support both turbines and there respective applied forces of wind and water current. While the water driven turbine below the surface would have to face the direction of the oncoming water current force, the wind driven turbine atop the platform tower above the surface, would be omnidirectional and adjust to the oncoming wind directional force.  
      The offshore energy platform would be connected to an onshore power grid through subsurface electrical cable. Theoretically, the offshore energy platform should generate two to three times more energy than either stand-a-lone systems, additionally, each platform could be used for, marine navigation aids, communication towers, environmental monitoring stations, and provide early warning stations which monitor offshore water craft and low altitude air traffic.  
      Further objects and advantages of Applicant&#39;s offshore energy platform will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.  
    
    
     DRAWINGS  
     Brief Description of the Drawings  
       FIG. 1 : A perspective view.  
       FIG. 2 : A front view.  
       FIG. 3 : A side view.  
       FIG. 4 : A rear view.  
       FIG. 5 : A top view.  
       FIG. 6 : A bottom view. 
    
    
     ELEMENTS OF THE FIGURES  
     
         
          No.:  7 —Hydrokinetic Generator Housing  
          No.:  8 —Vertical Stabilizer  
          No.:  9 —Vertical Center Support  
          No.:  10 —Protective Grill  
          No.:  11 —Front Supports  
          No.:  12 —Rear Supports  
          No.:  13 —Rear Housing Supports  
          No.:  14 —Platform Base  
          No.:  15 —Vertical Drive Shaft Housing  
          No.:  16 —Main Platform  
          No.:  17 —Upper Platform Supports  
          No.:  18 —Upper Platform  
          No.:  19 —Remote Generator  
          No.:  20 —Wind Turbine Generator  
          No.:  21 —Wind Turbine Tower  
          No.:  22 —Wind Turbine Blades  
          No.:  23 —Water Turbine Blades  
          No.:  24 —Wind Turbine Hub  
          No.:  25 —Water Turbine Hub  
          No.:  26 —Water Surface Line  
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       FIG. 1 : A perspective view of the offshore energy platform detailing the main platform  16  and its superstructure. The main platform  16  is supported by two front supports  11  which are attached to the base  14 , and support the front of the hydrokinetic generator housing  7 . Two rear supports  12  are also supporting the rear of the hydrokinetic generator housing  7  by rear housing supports  13 . The front supports  11  and the rear supports  12  are hydrodynamically shaped to produce minimal drag and must face the oncoming water current. The subsurface hydrokinetic generator housing  7  has a vertical stabilizer  8  to aid in keeping the hydrokinetic generator housing  7  facing the water current. There is a vertical center support  9  which provides strength for the hydrokinetic generator  7  and the protective grill  10  to keep debris and large sea life from entering the housing orfice. A vertical drive shaft housing  15  houses a drive shaft and is hydrodynamically shaped to reduce drag. The drive shaft transfers rotational energy from the hydrokinetic generator turbine to a remote generator  19  mounted on the main platform  16 . The hydrokinetic generator can be mounted below the surface and attached to the hydrokinetic generator housing  7 . Upper platform supports  17  support an upper platform  18 , which supports the wind turbine tower  21 . The wind turbine tower  21  can be mounted to the lower main platform  16 , and the upper platform  18  and the upper platform supports  17  can be eliminated. The wind turbine tower  21  supports a wind turbine generator  20  which has wind turbine blades  22  attached to the wind turbine generator  20  by a wind turbine hub  24 . Both generators are connected to an onshore power grid by subsurface electrical cables. Different wind turbines can be used which differ from the illustrated wind turbine, such as the Darrieus vertical axis wind turbine. Different subsurface turbines can be used instead of the hydrokinetic generator illustrated, such as a single propeller, or the Gorlov Helical turbine for examples.  
       FIG. 2 : A front view of the offshore energy platform detailing the hydrokinetic generator housing  7  attached to the front supports  11  which are connected to the platform base  14 . The vertical center support  9  strengthens the hydrokinetic generator housing  7  orfice. The protective grill  10  keeps debris and large sea life from entering the orfice. A vertical drive shaft housing  15  protects the drive shaft which transfers rotational energy to the remote generator  19  which is attached to the main platform  16 . Upper platform supports  17  support the upper platform  18 . The wind turbine tower  21  is attached to the upper platform  18 , and supports the wind turbine generator  20 . Wind turbine blades  22  are attached to the wind turbine generator  20  by a wind turbine hub  24 . The water surface line  26  shows the water level in relation to the platform.  
       FIG. 3 : A side view of the offshore energy platform detailing the platform bases  14  which are hydrodynamically shaped to produce minimal drag yet rigid enough to withstand the dual forces applied. Front supports  11  are hydrodynamically shaped to produce minimal drag and rigid enough to support the hydrokinetic generator housing  7 , which is also hydrodynamically shaped. Rear supports  12  are hydrodynamically shaped to produce minimal drag and support the rear of the hydrokinetic generator housing  7 . The vertical center support  9  supports the hydrokinetic generator housing  7 , and the protective grill  10  keeps debris and large sea life from entering the housing orfice. A vertical stabilizer  8  keeps the hydrokinetic generator housing  7  aligned with the oncoming water current and aid in attaching the housing to the subsurface structure of the offshore energy platform. A vertical drive shaft housing  15  protects the drive shaft which transfers rotational energy from the subsurface turbine to the remote generator  19  located on the main platform  16 . Upper platform supports  17  support the upper platform  18 , which attaches the wind turbine tower  21  to the platform. The wind turbine generator  20  sets atop the wind turbine tower  21  and is connected to the wind turbine blades  22  by a wind turbine hub  24 . An alternative system could use a common generator for both turbines. The water surface line  26  shows the level of the water in relation to the offshore energy platform.  
       FIG. 4 : A rear view of the offshore energy platform detailing the platform bases  14 , with the attached rear supports  12 . The rear of the hydrokinetic generator housing  7  is supported by the rear housing supports  13 . The water turbine blades  23  are attached to the water turbine hub  25 . A drive shaft transfers rotational energy from the water turbine blades  23 , to the remote generator  19  through a vertical drive shaft housing  15 . The vertical stabilizer  8  is the same width as the vertical drive shaft housing  15  which passes through the vertical stabilizer  8  to the water turbine hub  25 . The remote generator  19  is attached to the main platform  16  in which the upper platform  18  is attached to the main platform  16  by upper platform supports  17 . A wind turbine tower  21  is attached to the upper platform  18 . A wind turbine generator  20  sets atop of the wind turbine tower  21 , and is connected to the wind turbine blades  22  by a wind turbine hub  24 . The water surface line  26  shows the water level in relation to the offshore energy platform.  
       FIG. 5 : A top view of the offshore energy platform detailing the wind turbine blades  22  attached to the wind turbine generator  20 . Upper platform  18  supports the wind turbine tower with the wind turbine generator  20  atop. Upper platform supports  17  are attached to the main platform  16 , on which also rests the remote generator  19  which is driven by a drive shaft protected by a vertical drive shaft housing  15 . The drive shaft housing  15  passes through the vertical stabilizer  8  to the water turbine housed in the hydrodynamically shaped hydrokinetic generator housing  7 . A vertical center support  9  supports the housing orfice and the protective grill  10  keeps debris and large sea life from entering the housing orfice. The hydrokinetic generator housing  7  is attached to the front supports  11  which are attached to the platform bases  14 . The rear of the hydrokinetic generator housing  7  is attached to the rear supports  12  by rear housing supports  13 . Rear supports are connected to the platform bases  14 .  
       FIG. 6 : A bottom view of the offshore energy platform detailing the platform bases  14 , which support the front supports  11  and rear supports  12  which support the hydrodynamically shaped hydrokinetic generator housing  7  by the rear housing supports  13 .