Patent ID: 7694513

Claim:
A wave power apparatus comprising: a plurality of arms, each of which is rotationally supported at one end by a shaft, and wherein each arm carries a float at its other end, which is opposite to the supported end, so that a translational movement of the float caused by a wave results in rotation of the arm around the shaft, a power converter that converts power transmitted from the wave to the arms into electric power, the plurality of arms being arranged in a row such that a wave passing the row of arms causes the arms to successively pivot around the shaft, the arms being arranged at mutual distances, so that the passage of the wave causes the arms to pivot with a mutual phase shift, the power converter comprising a hydraulic driving system with a hydraulically driven motor, wherein each arm is connected to the hydraulic driving system by means of at least one hydraulic cylinder which causes a hydraulic medium of the hydraulic driving system to be displaced into the motor, the cylinders being arranged to displace the hydraulic medium to the motor via common hydraulic conduits, wherein each cylinder is provided with a sensor for determining a position and/or rate of movement of the cylinder's piston, the sensor being arranged to transmit a signal to a control unit of the cylinders and associated valves, the sensors being configured to monitor the power output of each individual cylinder, so that the transmission of power from each individual cylinder to the motor via the common hydraulic conduits of the hydraulic driving system is individually controllable in response to the signal representing the individual cylinder's piston's position and/or rate of movement; and wherein said control unit is configured to control the power output of each of the individual cylinders in such a manner that the power output of the apparatus is kept substantially even.