Wave power machine incorporating at least one power unit

(54) (56)

INVENTOR'S OFFICE NAME

Ingemar Vik.lund, Bandhagen SE Stenhagen Patent Office AB Vågkraftverk

CALLED PUBLICATIONS: - - (57) SUMMARY: g_tt The oak jig network includes at least one power plant unit having a float (2) which is vertically movable under the influence of waves and which is controlled by a vertical column (1), a water pump device (1, 6) and a transmission (3, 4, 5). ) between the float and the pump device (1, 6). The column (1) is tubular. The pumping device comprises a pump piston (6) which cooperates with a pump cylinder formed by the tubular column (1). The tubular column (1) has an opening (16) at its lower end portion below the water surface and under the piston. The transmission comprises a line (5) connected to the float (2) and extends downwardly around a lower lens disk (3) and upwards from this lower lens disk to an upper lens disk (4) supported at the upper part of the column (1) above the water surface and above the piston, the line (5) extending downwardly from the upper lens disk (4) into the tubular column (1) and connected to the piston (6) therein. The column (1) has in its upper part a water outlet (7) which is located below a column opening (20) through which the line (5)

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The invention relates to a wave power plant of the kind shown in the preamble of appended claim 1 (US 4,091,618).

US-A-4 091 618 discloses a wave power plant comprising at least one power plant unit which includes a float which is vertically movable under the influence of waves and which is controlled for vertical movement by a vertically oriented column, the wave power plant further comprising a water pump device and a transmission between the floats. and the pump device. When the float is lifted by a wave, the pump is activated and the pump produces a fluid flow which represents an energy flow which can of course be converted into electricity, for example.

One disadvantage of a wave power plant of the kind known from US 4,091,618 is that the position of the surface of the water usually changes with time, for example under the influence of ebb and flow, whereby the float should be able to follow the surface of the water in order to best absorb the energy of the waves.

Another disadvantage is that the pump device must be built as a separate complete unit.

A further disadvantage of the prior art is that the force of the waves is applied eccentrically to the float so that it has a tendency to tilt and thereby be subjected to friction of movement along the column.

The object of the invention is to reduce one or more of the known problems in a wave power plant of the ingress type.

This object is achieved with a wave power plant of the embodiment shown in the appended claim 1.

Embodiments of the wave power plant are specified in the dependent claims.

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An important feature of the invention is that the column is tubular and contains a pump piston, the tubular column forming the pump cylinder of the pumping device and passing sea water as a pumping medium from a point below the water surface to a point above the water surface. The pump conductor is provided with a non-return valve and in addition, a non-return valve is provided in the suction pipe for the pump supply, for example in the pillar downstream of its water conduit opening. The transmission comprises a line connected to the float and extends downwardly around a lower lens disk supported by the lower part of the column and extends upwardly from this lower lens disk to and around an upper lens disk worn at the upper part of the column above the water surface, the line extends downward from the upper lens plate into the tubular column and is connected to the piston. With such a transmission, the pump piston and the float will move together. They can be placed on the same level. In the event that the water level varies, the float will automatically follow the water surface, thus simultaneously pumping the piston with the float in its displacement movements. Hereby one can limit the vacuum on the suction side of the pump piston.

According to a preferred further development of the invention, the float comprises an annular float bracket which most closely surrounds the column and is controlled by it and is connected to the transmission line. An annular floating body is thereby stored on the rafts bracket for tilting around an arbitrary diameter. This rocker; r.gr storage can be established by the spherical bracket and float crcpcrs interacting with each other are spherical.

In another further development of the invention, the wave power plant is formed by several power plant units, each consisting of a pillar with pump piston, float and transmission, these units being arranged in an annular configuration and feeding a fluid flow (water flow) to a common pump device. By arranging the units in an annular configuration, the power plant as a whole is more stable against the effects of waves, and further increases the likelihood that the power plant's pump devices will produce a smoother flow, for example to a turbine that drives an electric generator.

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The invention will now be described diagrammatically in exemplary form with reference to the attached drawing.

shows schematically a wave power plant according to the invention.

Fig. 2 shows in vertical section a preferred embodiment of the power plant's float and pillar.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic horizontal view of a power plant with several power plant units.

Referring to Fig. 1, it can be seen that a vertically oriented tubular column 1 is stably supported by a foundation 15 which rests on the seabed, the tubular column 1 extending to a level at a substantial distance above the sea surface 11. A generally annular float 2 surrounds column 1 and floats on the sea surface 11 to be able to be lifted by a wave. The upper end 20 of the column 1 is open, and carries an upper lens disk 4. In its lower part, the column carries a lower lens disk 3. The tubular column 1 further has an opening 16 in its lower part for the entry of seawater, and above the opening 16 has a check valve 30.

In the vicinity of the float 2 there is a pump piston 6 in the column 1. The tubular column 1 thus forms a pump cylinder which the piston 6 substantially seals against around its circumference. The pump piston 6 includes a check valve 61 which may consist of a valve flap which seals against an annular seat in the piston 6. Alternatively, the flap 61 can be replaced with a ball enclosed in a cage in the piston 6 and can seal against the valve seat 62.

It can be seen that the lower lens disk 3 lies on the outside of the column 1, and that the upper lens disk 4 redirects the transmission line 5 from the outside of the tube 1 to the central space of the tube 1. The line 5 is connected to the float 2, extends downwards around the disc 3 and then upwards to the disc 4 and thence downwards into the upper part of the column 1, and is connected to the piston 6. It will be appreciated that the float 2 and the piston 6 have a mutually fixed position. during its vertical movements, and the float 2 automatically follows the sea

507 205 surface 11 level. In a position between the sea surface 11 and the upper end 20 of the tubular column 1, a branch line 7 leads to a turbine 8 which drives an electricity generator 10. From the turbine 8, pumped water is returned via a line 9 to the sea.

In Fig. 1 it is illustrated that the transmission line 5 extends upwardly through an opening in the float 2, but in practical embodiments (Fig. 2), the tube 1 in an intermediate longitudinal section may be surrounded by a concentric tube 31 so that an annular gap 32 is formed between the tube 31 and column 1, in which case float 2 is guided on the pipe 31 and the line 5 can extend upwards through the slot 32.

From Fig. 2 it can be seen that the float 2 has an annular inner ring which is guided by the pipe 31, the line 5 being connected to the ring 21. The float also comprises an outer actual float body 22 which surrounds the inner ring 23 and is connected thereto via fit surfaces 23 which are spherical so that the float body can tilt relative to the ring portion 21.

In Fig. 1, a simplified transmission is shown with a transmission line 5 attacking one side of the float 2, but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the transmission may be doubled to engage the float ring 21 at two diametrically opposite positions, to provide a force balancing.

In Fig. 1 it is further shown that the column 1 has a vertical upward extension 19 from the upper end 20 of its tubular portion. The disc 4 is mounted on the extension member 19, and the distance between the upper end 20 and the connection of the pipe 7 to the pipe 1 defines a stock which can receive pumped liquid and smooth the flow through the conduit 7, while the level of the pipe end 20 defines a maximum pressure for the pumped liquid.

With reference to Fig. 3, it can be seen that several power plant units can be located in ring and connected to a common turbine 8.

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