Wave energy electrical power generation

摘要

A wave energy electric power generation system has a buoyant body responsive to wave movement and an associated, relatively vertically stationary body, a compressor, a pressure regulator, and an impulse air turbine/generator set. The compressor has a piston that moves reciprocally relative to a cylinder to alternately compress air in opposed chambers. A pressure regulator tank defines a chamber in communication with the compressor for alternately receiving compressed air from opposed compression chambers, a floating piston within the tank applying pressure to compressed air in the chamber, a pressure regulator controlling pressure applied by the piston to the compressed air, and an hydraulic dampening system coupled to the floating piston to restrict unwanted vertical oscillations of the piston, for output of a continuous flow of compressed air at relatively constant pressure.

主权项

1. A wave energy electric power generation system, comprising:
a buoyant body responsive to vertical wave movement and an associated, relatively vertically stationary body; a working compressor comprising a compressor cylinder and a compressor piston, said compressor piston being mounted for reciprocal movement relative to said compressor cylinder to alternately compress air in opposed air compressor chambers; a pressure regulator comprising
a pressure regulator tank defining a regulator chamber in communication with the compressor cylinder for alternately receiving compressed air from each of the opposed air compression chambers,a floating pressure regulator piston disposed within said pressure regulator tank and mounted to apply pressure to compressed air received into the regulator chamber, anda pressure controller coupled to the floating pressure regulator piston for controlling pressure applied by the floating pressure regulator piston to compressed air in the regulator chamber and an hydraulic dampening system coupled to the floating pressure regulator piston for restricting unwanted vertical oscillations of the floating pressure regulator piston, for output of a continuous flow of compressed air at relatively constant pressure; and an air turbine and generator set disposed in communication with said pressure regulator for receiving the output of the flow of compressed air from the pressure regulator at relatively constant pressure to rotate the air turbine to drive the generator for generation of electric power.