Patent Abstract:
A barge generator adapted to generate electrical power from surface currents of a body of water. The barge generator has a plurality of hull portions that form one or more tunnels along the length of the vessel. Hydrodynamic screws are received in the tunnels and coupled to an electrical generator such that water currents communicated through the tunnel impart rotational movement of the screw. A deployable curtain is extensible to funnel the currents towards the barge generator to increase the volume and velocity of water carried through the tunnel.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates hydrodynamic power generation, and more particularly to an apparatus for hydrodynamic power generation from horizontal water movements. 
         [0002]    Presently in the art, most related power generation technology on water flow dynamics was intended only for the vertical motions of sea waves. These technologies used hydraulic contractions to generate electricity. However, these technologies ignored another equally valuable hydrodynamic motion, that is, the horizontal components, such as the ones that strike shore lines and contribute to oceanic currents and tidal flows. 
         [0003]    Some of these technologies were short lived and soon abandoned. Because they were ill conceived, some were weak and others, curiously enough, because they were excessively strong. Strength alone without flexibility provides no guarantee of survival in a significant sea storm. Rigid structures erected on shore or on the sea floor need to be floated to add the requisite flexibility for structural survival. 
         [0004]    Strength and flexibility is the answer to a superior structure for withstanding oceanic forces. By way of example, when a docked ship in an unprotected port is informed of an approaching storm, it leaves port immediately for the open sea, where bobbing up and down, it can weather the storm and safely return to port after the storm has passed. 
         [0005]    As can be seen, there is a need for floating multihull barges and hydrodynamic turbine screw generators operating to generate electric energy from the horizontal movements of large bodies of water, such as may be present in oceanic currents and tidal flows. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In one aspect of the present invention, a barge generator includes a water borne vessel having a bow, a stern, and a plurality of spaced apart flotation hulls longitudinally extending between the bow and the stern. A tunnel is defined between the plurality of spaced apart flotation hulls, the tunnel having an arcuate top surface and a bottom opening. A hydrodynamic screw is disposed within the tunnel for rotational movement about a shaft operatively connected to a generator. 
         [0007]    In other aspects of the invention, a cylindrical spool is attached to the stern of the vessel at each of an outermost starboard and a port flotation hull. An extensible curtain is contained within the cylindrical spool, wherein the curtain is configured to be selectively deployed between an extended condition and a stowed condition. The curtain may be configured with a plurality of slats attached to the curtain in a laterally spaced apart relation and the slats maintaining the curtain in a substantially vertical alignment along the longitudinal length of the curtain. A plurality of flotation devices may be attached to a top end of the curtain in a spaced apart relation along the longitudinal length of the curtain. The flotation devices are attached to a top end of the plurality of slats. A buoyant tube may be attached along a top edge of the curtain. The buoyant tube may also be an inflatable tube. To facilitate deployment, a coupling is attached at an end of the curtain for attachment to one of a tow line of a machine powered vessel, or a tethered buoy. 
         [0008]    In other aspects of the invention, an inlet is defined as the entrance to the tunnel and an outlet is defined as the exit from the tunnel. The inlet is adapted to receive a current of a body of water for rotation of the hydrodynamic screw. The barge generator may also have a plurality of cross member tube to hold together the bottom of the hulls. The barge generator may also include a superstructure extending above a top deck of the waterborne vessel, to house the generators. 
         [0009]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, 
         [0010]    Description and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an embodiment of a multihull barge generator. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a rear elevation view of an embodiment of a multihull barge generator. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a bottom plan view of an embodiment of a multihull barge generator. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a front elevation view of an embodiment of a multihull barge generator. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is an end view of a hydrodynamic turbine screw according to aspects of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a partial side perspective view of a hydrodynamic turbine screw. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a multihull barge generator deployed on a surface of a body of water. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0019]    Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a hydrodynamic turbine screw generator barge for deployment on the surface of a body of water which generates electrical power from the horizontal movement of water in the body of water. 
         [0020]    As seen in reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , the multihull barge generator  10  of the present invention is a water borne vessel having a bow  12 , a stern  14 , and a plurality of spaced apart flotation hulls  16  longitudinally extending between the bow  12  and the stern  14 . A substantially flat top deck  18  may span the bow  12 , the stern  14 , a starboard side  20  and a port side  22 . The multihull barge generator  10  may also have a superstructure  24  that extends above the top deck  18 , and may be positioned at the bow  12  or the stern  14  of the vessel  10 . The hulls  16  and structure of the barge  10  are susceptible to corrosion, particularly in marine environments. Accordingly, the exposed surfaces of the barge may be coated with a suitable corrosion preventative resin. Additionally, a plurality of closely spaced plastic strips may be adhered to the exposed surfaces of the barge  10 . 
         [0021]    As seen in reference to  FIG. 2 , the stern  14  has a plurality of inlets  28  defined between the hulls  16 . The plurality of inlets  28  are in fluid communication with a plurality of tunnels  30  extending along the longitudinal length of the vessel and defined between an adjacent pair of spaced apart hulls  16 . The tunnels  30  have an arcuate top portion and substantially vertical sidewalls, such that a top half of the tunnels  30  are substantially cylindrical and the bottom half of the tunnels  30  are open to the body of water. 
         [0022]    A bearing support  32  extends generally laterally between adjacent hull portions  16  and provides a mount for a bearing assembly  34  adapted to support rotational movement of a first end of a shaft  36  configured with a hydrodynamic screw  38 . As best seen in reference to  FIG. 3 , the shaft  36  and hydrodynamic screw  38  extends within tunnels  30  along the longitudinal length of the vessel  10  to the bow of the vessel  10 . A second end of the shaft  36  is adapted to be coupled to a generator  42  mounted at the bow  12  of the vessel  12 . The generators  42  may be enclosed within the superstructure  24  to protect the generators  42  from the water surrounding the vessel  10 . 
         [0023]    A plurality of cross tubes  40  extend laterally between adjacent hull portions  16  in a spaced apart relation along the longitudinal length of the vessel  10 . The cross tubes  40  provide added structural support to the hulls  16 . The cross tubes  40  are positioned such that they are disposed below the waterline, preferably at the bottom opening of the tunnels  30 . In operation, the cross tubes  40  will advantageously disrupt the flow of water below the vessel  10  and increase the flow of water through the tunnels  30  to turn the hydrodynamic screw  38 . 
         [0024]    A cylindrical spool  26  is positioned at the stern of each of the outermost starboard  20  and port  22  flotation hulls  16 . Each cylindrical spool  26  contains an extensible curtain  28  therein, which may be selectively deployed between an extended condition, illustrated in  FIGS. 7 , and a stowed condition, as seen in reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . A coupling  44  is provided at an end of the curtain  28  for attachment to a tow line of a machine powered vessel to pull the curtain  28  to its deployed condition. Once deployed, the coupling  44  may be attached to a tethered buoy  46  anchored to a floor of the body of water. 
         [0025]    The curtain  28  may be provided with a plurality of slats  48  to provide vertical rigidity to the curtain  28 . The slats  48  may be fitted with flotation devices  50  at the upper ends thereof to maintain a top end of the curtain  28  generally level with the surface of the water. The configuration of the curtain  28 , slats  48 , and flotation devices  50  provides freedom of movement for the curtain  28  to displace with the diversity of waves impacting the curtain  28  at different locales along its deployed length. Alternatively, or in addition to the flotation devices  50 , a top edge of the curtain  28  may be fitted with a flexible buoyant tube  52 , which may be an inflatable tube  52 . 
         [0026]    As seen in reference to  FIG. 4 , an outlet  54  of the tunnels  30  opens to the bow  12  of the vessel  10  to discharge the water carried through the tunnels  30  and turning the hydrodynamic screws. 
         [0027]    The multihulls generator  10  is configured and deployed to capture sea motion, which is greater on the surface and continually diminishes as depths increase and reaches a point where it stops completely. The Multihulls barge generator  10  is deployed to target the top surface of a body of water, where water motion is most active in order to harness the energy. Marine currents, tidal currents and others currents have low energy level and as such have no economic value some people say. 
         [0028]    Marine currents and tidal currents may be harnessed by deployment of the curtains  28  connected to the multihulls generator  10  so as to effectively dam the sea surface. According to aspects of the invention, the velocity of the currents may be increased in different methods as follows: 
         [0029]    On the rear of the multihulls barge  10  are two cylinders  26  containing a narrow but lengthy curtain  28  made up of strong materials. As curtains  28  are deployed, weights, or slats  48  and floaters  50  are configured so as to keep the curtain  28  standing vertically. Once deployed, the curtains  28  may be secured in place by attachment to the buoy  46  which is anchored to the floor of the body of water. The curtains  28  will engulf an ever expanding water spectrum until they reach and tied up to at least two laterally displaced anchoring buoys  46 . 
         [0030]    This wide sequestered area will funnel the current C into the narrow tunnels  30  formed in the longitudinal length of the multihulls barge  10  exerting a force on the hydrodynamic screw  38 . Upon entering the tunnels  30  the water will also speed increase, as a Venturi Effect, as when a river speeds up in a narrow gorge and to increase water&#39;s speed yet more the solution is to restrict the water flow even more. In a river, a gorge is constricted by rock or concrete formations, which increase resistance will speed up the water flow. The same effect is achieved in a multihulls barge  10  by using cross tubes  40  disposed along the bottom opening of the tunnels  301 . This additional resistance will cause increased speed and thus improve the performance of the hydrodynamic screw  38 , via a secondary Venturi Effect. 
         [0031]    By positioning a number of hydrodynamic screws  38  and the number of barge tunnels  30  an increased resistance to the flow will be imparted to cause another increase on the current speed, a third Venturi Effect. 
         [0032]    The economic benefits are also important for they lower the generator cost of operation. By way of example, if the barge  10  is operated in the Gulf Stream, a huge barge operator could also rent out empty space on the upper deck  18  of the barge  10  for rescue operations, a communication center, marine policing, and marine research. The barge  10  could also become a dock and supply center for navigators, cruise ship and, because of its size, could also be configured as a sea hotel. 
         [0033]    If deployed to operate in the Arctic and Antarctic currents the barge  10  would become in very high demand for data storage centers, whose requirements are cold temperatures. Interested parties would be internet service providers, could storage companies, municipalities, government agency, private and international institute looking for a cheap place to store data safely and cheaply. Data storage is indifferent a particular GPS location and marine real estate is larger and cheaper that on shore. 
         [0034]    For power generation on inland waterways, such as rivers and streams, the multihull vessel may be dimensioned to float on the body of water. Because the vessel would not obstruct the body of water, as would a hydroelectric dam, the vessel of the present invention offers a more environmentally friendly source of renewable energy from these inland waterways, without disrupting the natural water flow or disturbing the course of the waterway. 
         [0035]    It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5