Title: Submerged electricity generation plane with marine current-driven motors

Abstract

An underwater apparatus for generating electric power from ocean currents and deep water tides. A submersible platform including two or more power pods, each having a rotor with fixed-pitch blades, with drivetrains housed in pressure vessels that are connected by a transverse structure providing buoyancy, which can be a wing depressor, hydrofoil, truss, or faired tube. The platform is connected to anchors on the seafloor by forward mooring lines and a vertical mooring line that restricts the depth of the device in the water column. The platform operates using passive, rather than active, depth control. The wing depressor, along with rotor drag loads, ensures the platform seeks the desired operational current velocity. The rotors are directly coupled to a hydraulic pump that drives at least one constant-speed hydraulic-motor generator set and enables hydraulic braking. A fluidic bearing decouples non-torque rotor loads to the main shaft driving the hydraulic pumps.

Inventors:

Dehlsen, James G.P.; Dehlsen, James B.; Fleming, Alexander

Issue Date:

Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014

Research Org.:

Aquantis, Inc, Santa Barbara, CA (USA).

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1136430

Patent Number(s):

8766466

Application Number:

13/454,059

Assignee:

Aquantis, Inc. (Santa Barbara, CA)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B63 - SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS B63B - SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS

B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B63 - SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS B63G - OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS

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B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B63 - SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS B63B - SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS

B63B2035/4466 - {for converting water energy into electric energy, e.g. from tidal flows, waves or currents}
B63B21/26 - securing to bed
B63B21/50 - Anchoring arrangements {or methods} for special vessels, e.g. for floating drilling platforms or dredgers
B63B22/02 - specially adapted for mooring a vessel
B63B35/44 - Floating buildings, stores, drilling platforms, or workshops, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices {

B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B63 - SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS B63G - OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS

B63G8/22 - Adjustment of buoyancy by water ballasting

F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F03 - MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS F03B - MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS

F03B13/105 - {Bulb groups}
F03B17/061 - {with rotation axis substantially in flow direction}
F03B3/04 - with substantially axial flow throughout rotors, e.g. propeller turbines {

F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F05 - INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04 F05B - INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO MACHINES OR ENGINES OTHER THAN NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, TO WIND MOTORS, TO NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PUMPS, AND TO GENERATING COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OF HIGH PRESSURE OR HIGH VELOCITY

F05B2240/97 - on a submerged structure
F05B2260/406 - through hydraulic systems
F05B2260/902 - using frictional mechanical forces
F05B2270/18 - to control buoyancy

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

Y02E10/20 - Hydro energy
Y02E10/30 - Energy from the sea

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DOE Contract Number:  

EE0002648

Resource Type:

Patent

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

13 HYDRO ENERGY