Water gate array for current flow or tidal movement pneumatic harnessing system
Abstract
The invention, which provides a system for harnessing power from current flow or tidal movement in a body of water, comprises first and second hydro-pneumatic chambers each having ingress and egress below the water surface near the river or ocean floor and water gates operative to open or seal the ports to the passage of water. In an exemplary embodiment, the gates are sychronized by shafts so that the ingress ports of each chamber are connected to the egress ports of each other chamber. Thus, one set of gates is closed, while the other is open, thereby allowing water to flow into one chamber and build air pressure therein and allowing water to flow out of the other chamber and create a partial vacuum therein. A pipe connects the chambers, and an air turbine harnesses the air movement within the pipe. When water levels are equilibrated, the open set of gates is closed by a counterweight, and the other set is allowed to open by natural force of the water differential. The water gates may be comprised of a plurality of louvers which are ganged for simultaneous opening and closing. The system is designed to operate with air turbines ormore »
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Northeastern Univ., Boston, MA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 868099
- Patent Number(s):
- 5074710
- Application Number:
- 07/697,209
- Assignee:
- Northeastern University (Boston, MA)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
E - FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS E02 - HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING E02B - HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F03 - MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS F03B - MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-91ER12113
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 1991 May 08
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- water; gate; array; current; flow; tidal; movement; pneumatic; harnessing; provides; power; comprises; hydro-pneumatic; chambers; ingress; egress; below; surface; near; river; ocean; floor; gates; operative; seal; ports; passage; exemplary; embodiment; sychronized; shafts; chamber; connected; set; closed; allowing; build; air; pressure; therein; create; partial; vacuum; pipe; connects; turbine; harnesses; levels; equilibrated; counterweight; allowed; natural; force; differential; comprised; plurality; louvers; ganged; simultaneous; closing; designed; operate; turbines; devices; design; minimizes; construction; cost; environmental; impact; clean; renewable; energy; source; pressure therein; partial vacuum; water level; ocean floor; energy source; current flow; air pressure; water surface; tidal movement; air turbine; /405/60/290/
Citation Formats
Gorlov, Alexander M. Water gate array for current flow or tidal movement pneumatic harnessing system. United States: N. p., 1991.
Web.
Gorlov, Alexander M. Water gate array for current flow or tidal movement pneumatic harnessing system. United States.
Gorlov, Alexander M. Tue .
"Water gate array for current flow or tidal movement pneumatic harnessing system". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/868099.
@article{osti_868099,
title = {Water gate array for current flow or tidal movement pneumatic harnessing system},
author = {Gorlov, Alexander M.},
abstractNote = {The invention, which provides a system for harnessing power from current flow or tidal movement in a body of water, comprises first and second hydro-pneumatic chambers each having ingress and egress below the water surface near the river or ocean floor and water gates operative to open or seal the ports to the passage of water. In an exemplary embodiment, the gates are sychronized by shafts so that the ingress ports of each chamber are connected to the egress ports of each other chamber. Thus, one set of gates is closed, while the other is open, thereby allowing water to flow into one chamber and build air pressure therein and allowing water to flow out of the other chamber and create a partial vacuum therein. A pipe connects the chambers, and an air turbine harnesses the air movement within the pipe. When water levels are equilibrated, the open set of gates is closed by a counterweight, and the other set is allowed to open by natural force of the water differential. The water gates may be comprised of a plurality of louvers which are ganged for simultaneous opening and closing. The system is designed to operate with air turbines or other pneumatic devices. Its design minimizes construction cost and environmental impact, yet provides a clean renewable energy source.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991},
month = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991}
}