Technical Field

Present invention relates to a mobile wave-powered power plant according to the preamble of claim 1 , which is constructed on a barge and can operate in the ocean. The barge is intended to be situated in large and open ocean areas or close to shore at optimal locations for production of hydroelectrical power.

Background Art

It is known a large number of floating wave-powered power plants which in different ways make use of the wave energy for producing hydroelectrical power. The most known constructions use one wave at a time to create hydroelectrical power. Other plants make use of hydraulic pressure systems to produce electrical power.

DE 3048290 teaches a ship with a wide and round bow, where it is provided a channel running from an inlet at the bow to the stern. At the inlet, it is provided a blocking bulkhead to regulate inflow of water to the turbine. It is also mentioned that it can be several inlet tubes, however, it is not described whether these inlet tubes are leading to the same turbine or are completely separate. The ship can be anchored and rotate with the current. The bow is described as wide and round. A plurality of inlet openings is described. The closer the inlet openings are situated to the middle of the bow, the more perpendicular the cross section of the inlet openings will be situated to the incoming wave direction. The further backwards the opening is situated in the bow part, the less effective area the opening will have in relation to the wave direction. This means that it will be a limited number of openings that will provide the majority of the water amount to the turbine, while openings situated closer to the transition between the bow and the side of the ship, will have a very little contribution of water. This results in that the power plant having a poor efficiency. US 933905 is published in 1909. Here there are two channels with inlets at the bow, each leading to a separate turbine. It is not described what the turbines shall operate, but since it is the ship’s forward thrust that is providing the water flow, the energy must obviously be used for something else. The solution is not well suited for a substantial uptake of energy.

CN 203321742 U teaches a solution where the waves are led into openings, where check valves prevent the water to flow out again. For each wave, the water will therefore be pressed into tanks and further into tubes leading to an additional tank. The water from this, can power a turbine. CN 105197189 is assumed to teach a similar solution.

Summary of invention

The barge will resemble the bow part of a ship and due to this shape, it will always have an optimal position against the wave direction to capture as much as possible of the wave energy. On both the long sides of the vessel there are constructions of wave traps and check valves catching the sea water waves. The wave energy is then forced further through the pipelines to the turbines and the generators that are able to produce hydroelectric power. The solution according to the invention is aimed at increasing the efficiency of this type of power plant and is characterized in that it in conjunction with the opening is provided check valves which permit water to flow in through the openings, but prevent the water to flow out through the openings, that it in the rear edge of each opening is provided a baffle plate catching the wave, and guiding it into the opening, and that the sides of the bow are plane and are situated mainly vertically as defined in the characterizing part of claim 1.

The number of wave catchers on both sides of the barge can vary, depending on the location of the barge. The largest ocean areas of the world have relatively longer wave periods than the smaller ocean areas and it should then be more wave catchers on the barge to collect sufficient continuous kinetic energy. The more energy each wave can deliver, the better the plant will produce and deliver.

This construction can also be provided with windmills and can then deliver hydroelectric power together with windmill parks in the ocean. Such a solution will give a large synergistic effect in relation to saved investments and lesser use of the ocean areas. Wind turbine and wave power plant on the same barge can produce significantly larger amounts of power in a smaller area of the ocean. The plant can also provide power to ships with battery packages for electrical motors, to platforms, to sea- and land-based fish and salmon farming plants and to the power grid on shore.

With this construction, it is emphasized that it is possible to capture and utilize the same wave multiple times. The plant is constructed and has the shape to be able to take out the wave energy several times from each wave, and the kinetic energy will then be so uniform that it can operate the turbines and generator directly. The barge itself can freely rotate 360 degrees about the anchoring point, and it will always have an optimal direction to the wave direction to collect the wave energy on both sides of the barge and thereby operate two generators simultaneously. The barge is designed to resemble the bow of a ship in order to collect the bow waves the ship is pushing away when it is moving. Here, the plant lies stable while the waves are moving against the bow and the wave catchers.

In this plant, the wave energy in each wave will be collected several times. The number of wave inlets on each side of the barge decides how many times the same wave will be captured and provide the wave energy. In theory, hundreds of wave catchers can be provided on the same barge and the wave energy can then be so strong that it can operate several turbines and generators. The barge should be so long that several waves can hit the plant simultaneously to provide continuous kinetic power to the turbines. The number of wave catchers on both sides of the barge can be different, depending on the chosen location in the ocean. In the largest ocean areas of the world, the wave cycles are generally longer than in the smaller ocean areas, and then it should be more wave catchers to collect the power and obtain a uniform flow of kinetic energy as a power source for the turbines.

The barge will have a ballasting system such that its height can vary with the height of the water line. This solution makes it possible to capture the varying wave heights which are governed by the natural forces. The water line may thereby be varied both for the bow part and the rear part to optimize the collection of wave energy by the water intakes. The wave energy will then be captured when it has passed in beyond the check valves and will then be forced further through the pipelines to the turbines powering the generators.

The barge will have a powerful battery package on board to function optimally as a charging station for vessels with hybrid drive. It will then be able to deliver more hydroelectric power in a shorter time to ships or other vessels with hybrid drive in addition to battery packages using power.

Brief description of drawings Figure 1 depicts a barge according to the present invention, seen from above.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the barge in Fig. 1 , and

Figures 3a, b and c depict the barge according to Figs. 1 and 2 equipped with a wind turbine. Detailed description of the invention

Figure 1 depicts an open ocean 1 where larger and smaller ocean waves 2 are moving depending on the influence of the natural forces. As known, both the state of the current in the ocean and wind direction will change as the large weather systems are moving. This barge 3 has an anchor 4 which is fixed to a fixed point at the bottom of the ocean. Flowever, the barge is movable and can be moved to another fixed point in the large ocean areas. Between the anchor and the barge is a sturdy chain 5 keeping the barge in place within the circle defined by the chain extent. The barge will always, due to the anchoring and shape, rotate 360 degrees with the bow facing the direction of the waves. The ocean waves will then always reach the bow of the barge in varying height, speed and frequency. On both the long sides of the barge, several wave intakes 6 are provided, which together will capture the wave energy several times from each wave. The wave intakes comprise an opening and a baffle plate. The baffle plate extends in the direction of the incoming waves.

Figure 2 depicts the barge in perspective.

Both the long sides of the barge will capture approximately the same amount of energy such that at least two independent generators 11 can produce electrical power. When the ocean waves have been captured in the wave intakes, the power in the velocity energy will open the check valves 7 and the wave energy from several waves will then have even higher velocity through the pipelines 8 to run the turbines 9 and the generators. The barge will have a ballasting system 10 such that the barge will have a flexible height in the sea in order to capture as much wave energy as possible. For example, either the bow or the stern will lie higher or lower in the sea such that the different types of waves can be captured. The channels leading the water to the turbines can have a drop from the front to the rear. Optionally the barge can be ballasted to provide a drop in the channels.

The barge will have a large battery package 11 to obtain optimal capacity and flexibility in order to deliver electrical power in the shortest possible time. From the turbines and the battery package, different power cables and connections will transmit the power to the receivers in question. Optionally an electrical cable can extend from the barge to shore. The plant can also be combined with wind turbines (see Figs. 3a, b, c) to increase the total capacity of the plant and in order to better utilize the ocean areas.

Since the barge is movable, it can be moved to the position where there is a need for power. The barge can also be towed into sheltered waters or to shore if a heavy storm is anticipated in order to secure that it is not destroyed.