WAVE POWER GENERATOR SYSTEMS

摘要

Systems are provided for obtaining electrical energy from sea waves using deflectable material, especially EAP (electro-active polymers) type SSM (st retchable synthetic material) that generates electricity when an electrostat ic charge is applied to the polymer and it is stretched. In one system (10), a buoyant element (12) has upper and lower parts (14, 22) connected by a qu antity (36) of SSM, with the lower part anchored at a fixed height above the sea floor (24) and with the upper part movable vertically to stretch and re lax the SSM as waves pass over. In another system (50) the buoy is rigid, bu t is anchored to the sea floor by at least one line (60) that includes, or i s connected to at least a length (64) of SSM material. The buoys preferably lie with at least 80% of their volume below the average sea surface.