Title: Submerged wave energy converter for deep water operations

Abstract

A submergible wave energy converter and method for using the same are described. Such a wave energy converter may be used for deep water operations. In one embodiment, the wave energy converter apparatus comprises an absorber having a body with an upper surface and a bottom surface and at least one power take-off (PTO) unit coupled to the absorber and configured to displace movement of the absorber body relative to a reference, where the power take-off unit is operable to perform motion energy conversion based on displacement of the absorber body relative to the reference in response to wave excitation, and where the power take-off unit is operable to return the absorber body from a displaced position to a predefined equilibrium position and to provide a force acting on the absorber body for energy extraction.

Inventors:

Lehmann, Marcus; Alam, Mohammad-Reza; Boerner, Thomas; Kojimoto, Nigel; Murray, Bryan P.

Issue Date:

Tue May 11 00:00:00 EDT 2021

Research Org.:

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1823943

Patent Number(s):

11002243

Application Number:

15/960,336

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

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

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

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

F03B13/10 - Submerged units incorporating electric generators or motors
F03B13/148 - {using the static pressure increase due to the wave}
F03B13/186 - {the connection being of the rack-and-pinion type}
F03B13/187 - {and the wom directly actuates the piston of a pump}
F03B13/20 - wherein both members {, i.e. wom and rem} are movable relative to the sea bed or shore

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
F05B2250/22 - parallelepipedic
F05B2250/72 - symmetric
F05B2260/406 - through hydraulic systems
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:  

AC02-05CH11231

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 04/23/2018

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English