Abstract:
The invention relates to a wave-power system for generating electricity, in which a pendular buoy captures the wave energy and transfers the movement unidirectionally to a flywheel inside a pressurised box. The shaft of the flywheel transmits the energy to a hydraulic pump and the hydraulic flow travels through flexible tubes into a Pelton turbine. The shaft of the turbine moves a variable-weight flywheel which transmits its movement to a transmission shaft to which multiple reduction gearboxes are connected in series. A high-pressure air compressor is connected for each gearbox, the compressors being placed in parallel and joined to a steel matrix that is in turn connected to a large-volume hyperbaric tank for storing pneumatic energy. A throttling control the speed and power thereof, and the mechanical force of the pneumatic motor is transferred to the electric generators.

Description:
[0001]    The present invention relates to a system for generating energy from wave power, solve and satisfy global demand for clean energy and renewable energy ( FIG. 2 ) its field of application is capturing the kinetic energy of the waves of the surf along the coastline, the second field of application is to use compressed air, the elastic properties of air as a mean of energy storage allowing to achieve to amplify and concentrate the power and to wean the generation of the oceanographic conditions to rescue a constant and controlled flow. 
         [0002]    The Non-Conventional Renewable Energies (NCRE) are emerging as a clean, safe and efficient alternative, although costs are not yet competitive due to the limited presence, some examples of the Netherlands with 2 MW plants, Portugal with 400 Kw plants, UK with 500 Kw, Denmark with 4 MW still the existing mechanisms are insufficient, however, the exploitation of own, hydro, wind or geothermal sources for electricity generation, is positioning internationally as a sustainable option, and in the medium and long-term. Several methods exist for exploitation of wave and tidal energy, but still no standardization is achieved because an efficient and cost effective method has not been found. Chile has 4200 KM coastline with favorable conditions for the extraction of wave energy in Fig la shows the KW per meter of coastline as global estimates of Topex Poseidon joint project of NASA and CNES. 
         [0003]    Currently known systems, present problems of continuity in the delivery of energy by depending directly on climatic and oceanographic variations they are also directly proportional to the wave front because they directly use the potential energy of the movement , another variable is the cost of investment. 
         [0004]    The following patents use various methods to rescue the wave energy 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,755,224 B2 [CIP H02K35/02], use deep waves, therefore, the recovered energy is only a vertical movement which is inefficient uses only horizontal oscillation by the difference between the valley and the crest of the wave. 
         [0006]    U.S. Patent 2010/0230965 A1 [IPC: F03B 13/14 F03D9/00], system and method of power generation using a combination of wind and water energy, the problem lies in that the continuity and energy release depends directly on the existence both elements 
         [0007]    U.S. Patent 2003/0110767 A1 [IPC F03C 1/00] Method and installation of electrical generator by ocean waves, the main problem is the elasticity of the main stem because it absorbs a lot of energy, to make it more efficient requires very large waves, the second problem lies in that continuity and energy release, depends directly on waves existence conditions. 
         [0008]    Patent ES 2356719 (T3) or U.S. 2008231054 (A1) [CIP E02B9/08, F03B13/06, F03B13/12] The system operates by movement of floats connected to the horizontal arms. These arms move the hydraulic pumps to inject water into a hyperbaric chamber. This chamber delivers water through an outlet control valve. This system has two problems, the elastic compression of a liquid is less than that of air, also in the hyperbaric chamber using seawater will require more maintenances to remove micro organisms in our model by using air, require less maintenance. The Capture of the waves as you use long arm to catch the waves the torque is dissipated by arm elasticity also requires larger waves. 
         [0009]    Attached list of patents granted or applied referred to the obtain of the wave energy 
         [0010]    Patent U.S. 2002/0155767 A1 [CIP: B63B 22/00], method of electrical generation by buoy motion. Patent US005027000 [CIP: F03B13/24], method and power generation system using sea waves. Patent US006109863A [IPC: F03B 15/06], submersible power generation system and associated methods. Patent US006756695B2 [CIP: F03 13/10] Method and system for wave energy conversion using float or buoy. U.S. Pat. No. 7,554,215B1 [IPC: F03B 13/10 F03B 13/12] generator and method for generating electricity from subsurface currents. 
         [0011]    Other patent references US 007453165B2; 520090243293; US 20060232074A1, US 20050121915, US 20080018114, US 20100283249, US 20090165454A1; U.S. Pat. No. 7,579,705B1; US 20080053084A1; U.S. Pat. No. 7,845,880B2; U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,704; U.S. Pat. No. 7,915,750B1; U.S. Pat. No. 7,557,456B2; US 20050279085A1, US 20100207392A1; MX 2010011157 (A); AR 229752 (A1); GTP 119868615 (A); CR 2451 (A1); ES 2354899 (A1); CL 12372008 (A); ES 2356719 (T3); ES 2224832 (A1); ES 2224832 (A1); BR 9205901 (A), U.S. Pat. No. 7,566,983 (B1) 
       The State of the Art on Pneumatic Motors 
       [0012]    Pneumatic motors develop more power relative to their size than most other types of engines and they don&#39;t get damaged even when blocked by overloading regardless of the time they are locked. When the load drops to its normal value, the engine returns to normal operation; startup, stop and change direction of rotation are instant, the speed control is infinitely variable, just with a valve mounted to the engine inlet, varying the working pressure. 
         [0013]    Pneumatic piston engines have  4  to  6  cylinders. Power is developed under the influence of pressure enclosed in each cylinder, they work at lower engine revolutions than vane motors, they have a high starting torque and good speed control they are used to work at low speed with heavy loads; may have axially or radially arranged pistons, in the following we attach patents of internal combustion radial engines that are susceptible to pneumatic adaptation. 
         [0014]    U.S. Pat. No. 1,931,401 [cip: F02B 75/22], U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,448 [cip: F16H 25/14], U.S. PATENT 2003/0183071 [cip: F01L, 21/2], U.S. PATENT 2006/0260465 A1 [cip: F16J 15/18] U.S. PATENT 2004/0231504 A1 [cip: F01B 13/00] 
       Properties of Waves to Explode 
       [0015]    The present invention utilizes the waves crashing in the surf ( FIG. 4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c ), translational waves  86  Collapsing or collapse type, Scroll or Plunging type, when a wave of oscillation approaches a coast where the sea has little depth, the lower portion found resistance in the bottom, while the ridge is propelled forward at high speed, causing a reduction in the length of the wave and an increase in its height causing a horizontal displacement  87 , when the top of the wave is not able to complete the wave, it collapses and breaks on the coast giving rise to the breakers moving towards the beach shore as a block or wall of water  86 . 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  Flow chart of the model of the electric power generator system from wave energy. 
           [0017]      FIG. 1   a  Drawing indicates the kilowatts per linear meter of coastline, image developed by TW Thorpe, 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  Power generating plant located on the waterfront according to the invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  System overview of wave capture platform  170  and anchoring structure on the seabed. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  Side View of the system platform wave capture and anchoring structure on the seabed, indicating location based on sea level and the adaptation to the slope of the coast. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4   a  Scheme of motion capturing the wave by the pendular buoy. 
           [0022]      FIG. 4   b  Impact palette with concave face and floats L. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  detailed view of the WAVE capture system platform  10 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 6   a  Isometric view of the truck-sled  180 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 6   b  Bottom view of  6   b  truck-sled  180 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 6   c  Section View b-b′ truck-sled  180 , of  FIG. 6   b.    
           [0027]      FIG. 6   d  View of the truck-sled  180  mounted on the “H”  128  profile rail. 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  Isometric view of the pressurized box with cut. 
           [0029]      FIG. 8  front isometric view AIR  20  system. 
           [0030]      FIG. 9  rear isometric view AIR  20  system. 
           [0031]      FIG. 10  Isometric view of the flywheel  240  variable load. 
           [0032]      FIG. 11  Partial isometric view and detailed view of the system AIR  20 . 
           [0033]      FIG. 12  Isometric detail view of gearboxes. 
           [0034]      FIG. 13  Side view of hyperbaric large storage volume  30 . 
           [0035]      FIG. 14  Isometric view of the MOTOR-GENERATOR  40  system. 
           [0036]      FIG. 15  Isometric detail view of the pneumatic motor  410 . 
           [0037]      FIG. 16   a  Side view of the pneumatic motor  410 . 
           [0038]      FIG. 16   b  Section View of A-A′ pneumatic motor according to  FIG. 16   a.    
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0039]    The invention improves and / or resolves three aspects for the efficiency in generating electric power from wave energy, these aspects are: Continuity, Energy storage and power amplification. 
         [0040]    The pneumatic energy storage mitigates the oceanographic and climatic variations that affect the behavior of the waves and also can amplify or concentrate power for a greater power generation. 
         [0041]    The invention is an electric power generating system ( FIG. 1 ) from wave energy, it consists of a successive energy conversions, starts with the WAVE  10  system ( FIG. 3 ) capturing kinetic energy of the wave that is transformed into hydraulic energy by submersible water pumps  140 , is conducted to the surface via articulated steel pipelines  121 , the hydraulic force drives the second AIR  20  system consisting of a Pelton  220  turbine and air compressor  260 , compressed air is transformed into pneumatic energy and is driven by pneumatic steel pipes  90 , to the storage tanks which are hyperbaric large volume tanks  30 , pneumatic energy  3  is conducted by pneumatic steel pipes  90  to third Moto-Generator system  40  consisting of pneumatic motors  410  and generators  440 , restriction valve  430  allows to regulate the workflow and the power to maintain a constant speed of pneumatic motors  401 . The pneumatic motors transfer its mechanical energy through a gear box  420  to the generators  440 , the energy of the generators  440  is transmitted to the power house  50 . 
         [0042]    WAVE  10  system ( FIG. 3 ) consists of two sets of elements, the bottom anchoring structure  110  and the wave capturing platform  170  they are joined by a truck-sled  180  with wheels and brake for free displacement between both components. The anchor plate  110  is formed by two structural steel beams of “H” type  112  connected by steel girders traversed  113  distributed equidistantly to maintain the rigid structure to the anchoring platform on either side of the structure  110  was incorporated one series of steel supports  114  of variable angle for bottom supports  111  of variable height that allows to adapt to the bottom irregularities and beach slope ( FIG. 4 ). On both sides of the upper face of the structure beam “H” type  112  ( FIG. 6   d ), a series of rounded corners square slots  127  were incorporated where the flange of the brake  183  of the sled carriage  180  is introduced. ( FIG. 6   b ), the free travel of the wave capturing platform  170  allows maintaining partially submerged the buoy  157  being adjusted to tidal variations. 
         [0043]    Waves capturer ( FIG. 5 ), is composed of solid platform  170 , which supports the structure of the profiles  175 , which in turn supports the bushings  173  of the buoy axle  171  where causes torque the pendular buoy  150  , the pendular buoy  150  has two ends, ( FIG. 4 ), the buoy  157  steel structure hollow ellipsoid body, its elliptical side face projects horizontally, on the opposite end has a semi sprocket  151 , ( FIG. 5 ), which moves the external gear  133  of the pressurized flywheel housing  130 . 
         [0044]    In the pressurized flywheel housing  130  ( FIG. 7 ) Rotation is transmitted into an internal gear  136  by a shaft having two unidirectional bearings  135 , ratchet type, which rotates by the mechanical strength of the external gear  133  in only one sense, direction of wave  87  ( FIG. 4   a ) and then the pendular buoy  150  by weight returns free to its normal position awaiting the next wave, by the torque in the axis  171 . 
         [0045]    Internal gear  136  ( FIG. 7 ) moves the flywheel  131  by a row of gear teeth  137  arranged on the inner side of the flywheel  131 ; Flywheel shaft  138  ( FIG. 5 ) emerge outside the pressurized box  130 , with a pulley  132 , to transmit mechanical power to the pendular submersible pump  140  through a drive belt  143 . 
         [0046]    In the entry of the submersible water pump  140  a particulate filter  160  is connected to the output of submersible water pump  140  water  145  is ejected to the steel pipe in the shape of an square “Y”  141 ; The “Y” pipe  141  has two inputs one for each submersible pump  140   a  , and  140   b  and a single output  129  to the outlet manifold  123 . 
         [0047]    The outlet manifold  123  has one input and multiple outputs  126  to the jointed pipe  121 , which distributes the flow of submersible water pumps to the surface through the jointed pipe  121 . 
         [0048]    The jointed pipe  121  ( FIG. 3 ) consists of, five lines of steel tubes in parallel in the shape of an square “C”, which in its extreme has a elbow with quick coupler which in allows to rotate freely, each interleaved the joint jointed pipe  121  is secured with a clamp  125  to a rectangular profile with two truck-sled  180  one at each end, truck-sled  180  wheel free on the profile “H”, allowing to adapt the variation of distance between the platform  170  and the emerging outlet  122  , the emerging outlet  122  is composed of multiple entries one for each jointed pipe  121  entries, concentrate the flow to a single output to the steel pipe  172  and into a steel die  70  that are spliced to the AIR  20  system that feeds the Pelton turbine. 
         [0049]    The truck-sled  180  ( FIG. 6   a ) consists of a single piece of steel, with cuts on the upper deck for location of brakes  184  and anchor bolts has four pieces welded at each end in the shape of a “J”  190  The lower flange  190  maintains the truck circulating in the profile structure “H”  128 , prevents its output and maintaining free the longitudinal movement in the direction of profile “H”  128 , to reduce friction in displacing two rows of three wheels  186  where incorporated in lines which roll on the top side of the structural profile “H”  128 , in the bottom of the flange it has a smaller wheel  185 , runs from the opposite side of the upper face of the structural profile, “H”  128 . 
         [0050]    The truck-sled  184  brake is composed of three elements, the anchoring tab  183 , ellipsoidal  187  and retracting spring  188 , the anchoring tab  183  causes torque in its upper part by a rod  181 , has a pendular swing ( FIG. 6   c ), flange  183  is introduced into slot  127  of the structural profile “H”  128  locking the structure; Retractable spring  188  keeps anchoring tabs closed, the brake is released by rotating the ellipsoidal  187  ( FIG. 6   b ) that pushes outward flange  183  freeing the truck-sled  180 . 
         [0051]    AIR  20  system ( FIG. 8 ) consists of an inlet of the steel matrix  70  distributes hydraulic fluid flow in a steel pipe semi bow shape  232 , over the side emerge multiple outputs  231 , which transfer the flow to the nozzles that move the vanes  222  of Pelton turbine  220  the water output flow is returned to the sea by the outlet pipe  210 . 
         [0052]    The rotation of axis  223  ( FIG. 10 ) of the of Pelton turbine  220  drives a flywheel  240 , the flywheel  240 , having steel balls  244  in the beams  246 , the steel ball  244  has a bushing which allows moving from the center to the edge of the flywheel  240  by the centrifugal force, the balls are displaced towards the center by the connecting rod  247 , the rod is attached to a bracket  248 , the bracket  248  is fixed to a bush  245  on the axis  241  of the flywheel  240 , the bush  245  is pushed out by a spring  243  , the purpose of the mechanism is to reduce the inertia in the starting of the rotation improving the acceleration, increasing the weight on the ends and allowing conserve the accumulated energy. 
         [0053]    The flywheel shaft  241  has a pulley  242  ( FIG. 11 ) on its end, the pulley  242  transmits the rotating through a belt  252  to the crankshaft  251  or transmission shaft is connected to the first reduction gear  270 . 
         [0054]    The gearbox  270  ( FIG. 12 ) has a front output  272  which moves the axis the air compressor  260  and has an internal transmission axis with terminals male  256  and female  255  on either side of the gearbox, the drive shaft  251  with a female hexagonal socket head  253 , is spliced to the axis  256  out box, besides the drive shaft  251  has a male hexagonal head  254  is spliced to the inlet female hexagonal shaft  255  from the housing to the transmission shaft  270 . 
         [0055]    The gearbox has a clutch lever  271 , enable to get in and get out of operation the air compressor  260 , depending on the hydraulic flow of the system WAVE  10 . 
         [0056]    The output ( FIG. 11 ) of the high pressure air compressors  260  are spliced with Pneumatic steel pipes  90 , on each output of the  20  AIR system a safety valve  280  was incorporated and reflow. 
         [0057]    Pneumatic steel pipes  90  ( FIG. 13 ) are connected to the input  305  of the storage in hyperbaric large volume tanks  301  , the workflow is evacuated through the outlet  306 , air from the hyperbaric tank  301  is distributed through pneumatic steel pipe  90 , this pipeline distributes ( FIG. 14 ) the flow of work to each motor-generator  40 , is spliced to a retention valve  430  for each pneumatic motor  410  and controls the flow, the power and the speed of pneumatic motor  410 ; At the end of the retention valve  430  distributor  431 , was installed which has a single input and multiple outputs, its function is to drive the compressed air  417  ( FIG. 15 ) individually to the pistons by means of steel pipe  432 . 
         [0058]    Motor-generator  40  ( FIG. 14 ), is composed of three groups of systems, the compressed air motor  410 , gear box  420  and the electric magnets generator  440 . The compressed air motor  410  is a conventional radial internal combustion engine four stroke, modified to operate with compressed air ( FIG. 16   b ) , the changes are reducing cycle from four to two stroke, a filling time and the second of drain, for that the cam disk was modified, which opens and closes valves  412  by the rockers  415 . The two original exhaust valves, is intended an inlet valve  412   b  and one outlet valve  412   a,  the diameters of the inlet ducts  416  and output  413  were amplified; Workflow  417  ( FIG. 15  and  FIG. 16   b .) or compressed air is distributed to each cylinder  411  by pipes  432  to the inlet of the piston  416 , the valve opens  412   b,  workflow entering to the piston chamber, moves the piston  461  to the end of his career, connecting rod  462  rotates the crankshaft  463  and in turn the drive shaft of the pneumatic motor  450 . At the time two of the motor outlet valve  412   a  is opened, the compressed air is released  418  through the exhaust  413 . 
         [0059]    On the end of transmission shaft  451  ( FIG. 14 ) has a a pulley  423  that rotates the input pulley  424  of the gear box  420  by a drive belt  422 , the output of the gear through a pulley  425  a transmission belt  421  , rotates the pulley  426  and the shaft of the magneto generator  440 , the rotation generates electric power  4  which is evacuated by conductive wires  511  ( FIG. 2 ) to the inverters in the power house. 
       Application 
       [0060]    The present invention utilizes the breaking waves, surf  FIG. 4   a , by its deformation and inclination of the surf waves, and the collapse of its upper portion unable to complete the wave, the wave incorporates a horizontal scroll waves translation  86  as a water block with a speed of 30 km/h with a density 1.3 is 1,300 times denser than air, the difference with depth waves is that they have a circular swing, getting only vertical movements. 
         [0061]    By using the waves kinetic energy we get the following benefits: clean, green, sustainable and renewable energy; Its modular application would allow to extend the power of increasing energy generation increasing the WAVE  10  systems and increasing the size of the accumulators  40  and MOTOR-GENERATOR system  40 , i.e, it has modularity. 
         [0062]    A secondary application is to use this same method in run-of-river small hydropower stations using potential hydraulic energy, to generate pneumatic energy allowing to generate bigger electricity power potential. 
       The Present Invention Operates as Follows 
       [0063]    The WAVE  10  system ( FIG. 2 ) is submerged and anchored to the seabed  84 , the truck-sled  180  enables movement of the platform  170 , to match tidal variations, because buoy  157  must be partially submerged for the water body  86  strikes the buoy  157 , the stroke rotates the pendulum buoy  150  which makes torque on shaft  171 , by the difference in length between the half wheel  151  and buoy  157  from shaft  171 , multiplies the momentum. 
         [0064]    The pendular buoy has a normal vertical rest position by the weight of the semi sprocket  151  and the buoyancy of the buoy  151 , the maximum arc of the trajectory is given from the “PA”  155  to the “PB”  154 ,  FIG. 4   a  shows the typical trajectory  152 . 
         [0065]    The WAVE  10  system pumps water, its volume is transported to the surface by the jointed pipe  121  and for the matrix to the of Pelton turbine of the system AIR  20 , the turbine shaft transmits its mechanical force to the gearboxes and in turn to the axes  273  of the high pressure air compressors  270 , the compressed air is stored in the large capacity hyperbaric tanks  301 , is important for the tanks to be of large dimensions to extend the operation of the pneumatic motors  410 , to exploit the elastic property of air, the compressed air is controllably released through a retention valve  430  which controls the flow  417  ( FIG. 15 ) the air flow is directly proportional to the speed and power of the air motor  410 ; The power of  410  air motors rotate the electric generators magnet  440 , generating electric power.