Hydrokinetic energy conversion system with buoyancy and ballast controls to harness underwater currents for the generation of electrical power

摘要

The hydrokinetic energy conversion system uses, in one embodiment, a perpendicular turbine coupled to an electrical generator and a laminar water flow shroud. The ballast and buoyancy system includes hydrofoils defining lateral sides of the shroud mounted on upper and lower decks. Ballast chambers are defined in some or all of the foils and each has a gas intake port and a water ballast output port. The shroud carries a source of compressed air, valves for control of air flow into the ballast chambers. The ballast and buoyancy system includes a control system with sensors for depth, pitch, yaw and roll of the shroud which generates valve control commands. Another embodiment utilizes an inline turbine and a radial water flow shroud with a plurality of circumferential hydrofoils. Struts mount the turbine near the primary hydrofoil and braces attach ring hydrofoils together. Alternatively, ballast chambers are defined in outboard-mounted ballast pods.

主权项

1. In combination with an inline turbine coupled to an electrical generator and a radial water flow shroud channeling water current flow about the inline turbine, a ballast and buoyancy system comprising:
a plurality of circumferential hydrofoils with a primary circumferential hydrofoil disposed proximal said turbine, the remaining circumferential hydrofoils disposed downstream said primary circumferential hydrofoil, each hydrofoil having an inboard flow acceleration surface adapted to accelerate water flow through said shroud and downstream away from the turbine, the remaining circumferential hydrofoils defining secondary circumferential hydrofoils; a plurality of struts mounting said turbine on or about said axial centerline of said primary circumferential hydrofoil; a plurality of shroud braces mounting said primary circumferential hydrofoil to an adjacent secondary circumferential hydrofoil and mounting other adjacent secondary circumferential hydrofoils to each other; a plurality of ballast chambers defined in interior spaces of some or all of said circumferential hydrofoils, each ballast chamber having a gas intake port and a water ballast output port, said ballast port permitting the ingress or egress ambient water as ballast for the ballast defining circumferential hydrofoils; a source of compressed air provided to said radial shroud; a plurality of valves intermediate said source of compressed air and said ballast chambers, said valves controlling the flow of air into said ballast chambers and the release of air from said ballast chambers; and a control system with sensors as control inputs monitoring depth or elevation above an ocean floor, pitch, yaw and roll of said radial shroud, said control system generating valve control commands to respective valves to inject or release air to and from corresponding ballast chambers in respective ballast defining circumferential hydrofoils.