Wave Energy Power Plants |HOME| |Technology Home|
Renewable Energy Technologies:> | | Wave energy extractors | | Energy from snow/ice fall | | Wind barrier system for generating Hydrogen | | Tide barrier system | | Energy from capillary effect in the presents of solar light | | Energy from Land tidal force || Space Technologies:> | | Thermo electricity in outer space | | Electro magnetic flying disc | | Vacuum refrigerator | | Transportation Technologies:> | | Electric sea plane | | Wing levitated ground effect train | | | | DIRECTORY | |
Floating wave energy extractor Top view of the system
About the technology: The floating wave energy
extractor is designed for near or far offshore regions that have the sufficient
waves. The system is a huge mass body that supported by a large number
piston shafts. The upper section of each of the shafts have pistons and
that pistons can move up and down through the cylinders that provided on
the down side of the huge mass body, with the the up down motion of the
waves (see fig). The lower part of the every shafts are having a floating
air column. The huge mass body is floated on these air columns that provided
on the bottom side of each of the supporting piston shafts.
The upper side of the cylinders has two valves. One to a high-pressure fluid pipe and it will open when the floating air column on the crest i.e. when the floating air column move upward with the upward movement of the wave. The next valve is connected to the low-pressure fluid pipe and they will open when the floating air column on the trough i.e. when the floating air column move downward with the downward movement of the waves. The whole of the floating system is anchored to the sea bed.
Cross sectional diagram of the system
The constituents of the system:
a). The huge mass
body: - The floating body is made like a large vessel and the vessel can
be filled with water or sand for huge mass.
b). Hydraulic
fluid pipe systems: The pipe system is installed inside of the floating
body (see the cross sectional diagram).
c) Pistons,
cylinders and Piston shafts: - Made of cast
iron.
d). Floating air columns provided on the down side of
the each of the piston shafts (down side open) : - Made of corrosion
resistant, durable material like PVC etc. [a floating air column made of
further small group of floating air columns are more safer than a down
side open single unit].
e) Partially filled air tight fluid tank: -
This tank has an important role in the functioning of the system. It
collects the fluid when some of the pistons move upward, i.e.
when the piston compress the fluid; and supply fluid when some of the
pistons moves downward i.e. when the vacuum created by the down going
pistons.
f). The anchors: -
the whole of the floating system is anchored to the sea bed.
g). Transmission of power: - The
power can be transmitted to the grid through the immersed insulated
electric cables.
Functioning of the system: When the waves are passing through the floating air columns, the floating air columns that on the crest, move upward direction with the upward movement of the waves and the air columns that on the trough move down ward with the down ward movement of the waves. As some of the air columns that on the crest move upward direction, the pistons of that air columns to pressurize the fluid inside of its corresponding cylinders and the fluid in it will rush to the high pressure fluid pipe with high pressure [now the valves to the low pressure fluid pipe are closed and valves to the high pressure fluid pipes are open- see fig].
As some of the air columns that on the trough move down ward direction because of the gravity, the pistons of that air columns also move down ward. As this pistons move down ward, there will be a vacuum created in its cylinders and the hydraulic fluid in the low pressure fluid pipe will enter to these cylinders and filled [now the valves to the low pressure fluid pipe are open and valves to the high pressure fluid pipe are closed- see fig].
When the waves are passing through the floating air columns, the air columns that on the wave crest, will supports the entire the weight huge mass body of the system and there by the entire force created by the mass of the huge mass body will be converted to the fluid pressure by the pistons and the cylinders of that air columns. Since the high pressure fluid pipes are inter- connected, the net pressure will focus on the turbine and the turbine rotate in high speed. As the turbine rotate, the generator coupled to the turbine generate electricity. At the same time, the floating air columns that on the trough move downward (the low pressure fluid pipes are also inter - connected) the low pressure fluid will be entered to their cylinders and filled and ready for the next fluid compression when the next crest of waves approach to them.
Unique features: Even though the huge mass body has a large number of floating supports on the sea, when the waves are passing through the floating air columns, i.e. at any single moment, the mass is supported by only a few number of supporting pistons shafts that of the floating air columns on the wave crests. Almost the entire weight of the huge mass body is converted to pure hydraulic fluid pressure and this fluid pressure is used for drive the turbine. Since the floating wave energy power plant system is not required any ground based supports, it can install anywhere there is sufficient waves are present regardless of the depth or distance from the shore (a system installed far from shore can be used to electrolysis water for generate hydrogen). In fact, the floating system and its associated machineries absorb most of the energy of the waves that passing through the floating air columns and also additionally, the system requires no directional waves. Because of these features, it can be installed any where there is sufficient waves are present.
Other potential applications: If we make a platform on the above of the system, it can be used for many useful purposes.
Some attractiveness of the technology:
a) The floating
power plant system is designed for offshore. Since the power in the offshore waves
are greater than low depth onshore waves, it can deliver considerable greater
energy.
b) The system can install anywhere there is sufficient waves are
present because of it
is independed to the nature of the site.
c) It probably will not case any
impact on the nature.
d) The system can construct in
an onshore factory and easily transport to the
ideal sites with the a simple pulling boat.
e) Whole of the metallic- corrosive parts of the system like turbine, pistons etc are completely
separated from the direct contact of the sea water.
f) Any tidal rising
of water or any other means of rising of the sea level will not affect the
system because of it just floats on the sea surface.
Difficulties:
a) Violent cyclonic wind and there by
the giant waves may cause stability problems.
b) Perfect anchoring of the system
c) Depth of the
sea.
About the technology: The system is consists of oscillating water columns (pyramid shaped) made of anticorrosive material with good physical strength, which are strongly inter linked in a shape of a saw tooth wave (90* angle between the corners). Each of the oscillating water columns having their own turbines and generators on the top. The system is fixed on supporting stands that constructed from the sea bottom.
Working: When the wave advance to the direction of the system, it firstly enters to the first oscillating water column and then to the second column and third column etc. As the wave enters to the first oscillating column, it exert high up-ward thrust on the column. Now the supporting stands holds the system and provide the counter force. Then, when the wave enters to the second oscillating column, it exert high upward thrust on it. But, now the water that filled in the first column moves down ward because of the gravity and exert an equal down ward pull on the first column. Also, when the wave enters to the third oscillating water column, the down-ward pull on the second column and up-ward thrust on the third columns cancels each other and so on. I.e. when the waves are passing through the system, the upward and down ward forces exerted on the adjacent oscillating columns cancels each other and so, for every cycle of waves, when the wave enters to two adjacent columns, there are no any significant role for the supporting stands. As the high pressure air moves through the turbine, it rotate and the generator coupled to the turbine generate electricity. Also, the arrangement of the oscillating water columns (shape of the system) provides a wave amplification effect and so it can utilize the maximum wave energy.
Installation of the system (front view)
Oscillating water column working
Unique features of the technology:- Since the cancellation of upward and downward forces of the waves are canceled by the adjacent water columns, there is no need for the huge mass to the oscillating columns like ordinary oscillating water columns. The only requirements are good materials and the interconnections between the oscillating water columns.
Renewable Energy Technologies:> | | Wave energy extractors | | Energy from snow/ice fall | | Wind barrier system for generating Hydrogen | | Tide barrier system | | Energy from capillary effect in the presents of solar light | | Energy from Land tidal force || Space Technologies:> | | Thermo electricity in outer space | | Electro magnetic flying disc | | Vacuum refrigerator | | Transportation Technologies:> | | Electric sea plane | | Wing levitated ground effect train | | | | DIRECTORY | | HOME
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
