ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEM

SYSTEME D'ECONOMIE D'ENERGIE

English Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
This invention is an energy conversion system that utilizes the rhythmic
swell of the ocean, converting this energy into mechanical energy and thence
into the generation of electricity. The mechanical energy is in the form
of fluid compression by pistons inside vertical cylinders that are inter-
connected with floats that ride up and down as external sleeves on the
cylinders. The float motion is induced directly by the ocean swell and
produces the piston stroke. The fluid compressed by the plurality of piston
and cylinder units drives a power output generator through a controlled
means. There is a return line system of the fluid to the cylinders. Means
are provided to anchor the cylinders to the ocean bed.

Claims

The empodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property
or privilege is claimedare defined as follows:
1 An energy conversion system utilizing the rhythmic swell of
the ocean comprising float, piston and cylinder assemblies in
multiple wherein the float is externally slidable on the cy-
linder and is interconnected with the piston inside the cylinder
wherein the wave movement imparted to the float provides the
piston stroke, wherein the cylinders are anchored to the ocean
floor in a vertical dispostion and wherein the interconnection
of float to piston is by means of a depending float sleeve, a
base member and a piston rod.
2 The system of claim 1 wherein the length relationship of
the float sleeve to the cylinder provides a piston stroke for
all fluctuations of tide.
3 The system of claim 1 wherein the multiple assemblies of
float, piston and cylinder provide fluid compression and cir-
culation through a line system incorporating power generation
equipment.
4 The system of claim 3 wherein the equipment units comprise
a fluid compression tank, a pressure control valve, a power out-
put generator, a fluid holding tank and a series of filter units.
The system of claim 4 wherein the line system through the eq-
uipment units provides a closed circuit transmission of fluid
from a series of outlet valves in the cylinders to a series of
inlet valves in the cylinders.
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Description

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This invention relates to an energy conversion system that utilizes therhythmic swell of the ocean, converting this energy into mechanical energy
and thence into the generation of electricity.
The conversion system can be installed in any off-shore location where the
land mass has a continental shelf.
The main components of the invention are as follows. A plurality of vertic-
ally disposed cylinders are anchored to the ocean bed in an off-shore loca-
tion. The cylinders extend above the water line and provide support for a
horizontal platform. Mounted on the platform and connected with the cylinders
is a fluid line system that comprises a closed circuit. A fluid line from an
outlet valve in each cylinder head leads into a trunk line and thence into
a fluid compression tank. Fluid is released from this tank through a pressure
control valve to drive a power output generator that is of the fluid driven
type. Discharge~l~nafrom the generator goes into a fluid holding tank, from
this tank through a series of filter units and back through return lines to
an inlet valve in each cylinder head.
The compression of the fluid is achieved by pistons with;n the cylinders that
are integral with floats that are external to the cylinders and concentric
therewith. As the floats move up and down with the ocean swell they provide
the piston stroke. The attachment of float to piston is through a float sleeve
and cross member that is rigidly attached to a piston rod and thus to the pistonitself. The top surface of the piston and the top surface of the float are
in the same horizontal plane.
It is thus seen that a closed circuit fluid transmission system is provided
from the series of outlet valves in the cylinders through the equipment on
the platform and back to the series of inlet valves in the cylinders.
The mechanical output is the piston stroke times the frequency of the ocean
swell.
A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying
drawings wherein:
Figure 1 shows schematically the system as a whole,
Figure 2 is an elevation in section of the piston, cylinder
and float arrangement, and
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Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line III-III of
Figure 2.
A general description of the cylinder anchorage and of the relationship
between cylinder length and high tide to 10w tide differential will be given
before specific reference is made to the drawing figures.
Each cylinder is anchored to the ocean floor by a vertical pile and inter-
mediate pylons. On top of each pile is a flat disc supporting four cir-
cumferentially spaced pylons. The upper ends of these pylons support the
cylinder. The spacing of the pylons provide intermediate slots which in
turn provide guided movement for the float sleeve. As already stated, the
float sleeve is interconnected with the piston inside the cylinder. The
length of the cylinder is derived from the formula high tide minus low tide
plus 15%. The length of the support pylons is twice this length. The
relationship of float sleeve length to cylinder length enables float contact
with the water surface for all fluctuations of the tide.
As shown in Figure 1, cylinders 1 are each supported and surrounded by
circumferentially spaced pylons 2 that are rigidly secured to a horizontal
disc 3 on top of a pile 4. The piles, as the lower members of the assembly,
are embedded in the ocean floor. Externally sleeved on each cylinder and
movable relative thereto is a float 5 and a float sleeve 6. At the bottom of
float sleeve 6 a pair of cross members 7 provide an interconnection between
the float and the piston rod. The piston at the top of the piston rod thus
moves in unison with the float. The cross members are also guided in
their movement by their engagement with the slots between the support pylons.
With reference to the closed circuit system from the group of outlet valves
to the group of inlet valves, the fluid from the several cylinders is pumped
into a fluid compression tank 12, through a pressure control valve 13, through
a fluid driven generator 14, thence into a fluid holding tank 15 and through
a series of filter units 16. These units are mounted on an equipment plat-
form 17. Also shown in Figure 1 is a high tide float position 18 and a low
tide float position 19.
Figure 2 shows the relationship of cylinder, float and piston and the inter-
connection of float sleeve 6 with piston rod 8 through a pair of cross-members
7. The float and float sleeve length is less than that of the cylinder thus
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limiting the upward stroke of the piston 9. The downward stroke of the
piston is facilitated by a pair of fluid relief lines that act as vents to
the atmosphere from the cylinder space below the piston. These lines
are shown at 10. A watertight seal is provided between piston rod 8 and the
base of cylinder 1.
Figure3 is a transverse section of an unsectioned cylinder and float sleeve
but taken at the line III-III in Figure 2. Pylons 2, surrounding the
cylinder, are in the form of circumferential segments. Cross-members 7
and piston rod 8 are shown. The concentric walls of cylinder 1 and float
sleeve 6 are shown. Anti-friction bearing or guide means between the
cylinder wall and the float sleeve are shown at 11 in Figure 2.
It is thus seen that a constant energy input is converted into a constant
energy output in a usable form.