| 摘要 |
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for generating electrical energy in a body of water. The apparatus and method relates to the effective conversion and storage of electrical energy which is analogous to a pumped storage system for generating electricity with hydroelectric power. The present invention includes an elongate stator assembly which, in use, is immersed in a body of water and having a plurality of electrical induction coils located thereon. The elongate stator assembly being secured in a substantially vertical position in the body of water using a base unit which is fixed to a seabed or the bottom of the body of water; the upper part of the elongate stator assembly being secured to a floatation buoy. The present invention also comprises a movable shuttle means which is coaxially coupled to the elongate stator assembly. The movable shuttle means having a plurality of permanent magnets disposed therein such that a magnetic flux is generated by the plurality of permanent magnets which intersects with the plurality of electrical induction coils located on the elongate stator assembly. The moveable shuttle means also includes buoyancy control means for cyclically controlling the depth of the movable shuttle means in the body of water such that the movement of the movable shuttle means relative to the elongate stator assembly induces a voltage in the plurality of electrical induction coils. The present invention also describes a method of operating an electrical energy generator in which, during the hours of low power consumption, electrical energy is taken from the power supply to charge the buoyancy control means and, during the hours of peak power consumption, the depth of the movable shuttle means is cyclically controlled and the voltage induced in the plurality of induction coils is extracted and converted and supplied to the power grid. In use, a plurality of electrical energy generators can be linked together to provide a significant energy-dense source.
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