Wave-activated power generation device and wave-activated power generation method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11313342-B2
Application number	US-201816621772-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2018
Priority date	Aug 21, 2017
Publication date	Apr 26, 2022
Grant date	Apr 26, 2022

Abstract

A wave-activated power generation device is disclosed. The device includes a float configured to be capable of floating in the sea; a rotor configured to generate a rotational inertial mass effect; a power generator configured to generate power based on rotation of the rotor; a first elastic body; and a drive part configured to connect the rotor with the float via the first elastic body so as to rotate the rotor along with movement of the float.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wave-activated power generation device comprising:
a float configured to be capable of floating in the sea;
a rotor configured to generate a rotational inertial mass effect;
a power generator configured to generate power based on rotation of the rotor;
a first elastic body; and
a drive part configured to connect the rotor with the float via the first elastic body so as to rotate the rotor along with movement of the float,
wherein a spring constant of the first elastic body is set so as to cause a rotational inertial mass of the rotor to resonate with oscillation of the float, to provide the power generator with a displacement greater than a displacement of the float.

2. The wave-activated power generation device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a second elastic body,
wherein the drive part further connects the rotor with a stationary object via the second elastic body.

3. The wave-activated power generation device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the drive part has a linear form in which one end is connected to the float and another end is connected to the stationary object, and
wherein the second elastic body is maintained to have an elongation of zero or greater while the rotor is rotating.

4. The wave-activated power generation device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rotor includes a variable mechanism configured to make a rotational inertial mass variable.

5. The wave-activated power generation device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the rotational inertial mass varies depending on a frequency of the movement of the float.

6. The wave-activated power generation device as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising:
a control device,
wherein the control device varies the rotational inertial mass depending on the frequency of the movement of the float by electronic control.

7. The wave-activated power generation device as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising:
a detector configured to detect frequency information related to the frequency of the movement of the float,
wherein the control device includes a storage unit configured to store corresponding information representing a corresponding relationship between a frequency range and at least one of a target value of a rotational inertial mass and a target value of a power generator admittance,
wherein the control device brings at least one of the rotational inertial mass and the admittance closer to one of the target values corresponded with the frequency range to which the frequency represented by the frequency information belongs, based on the frequency information and the corresponding information.

8. A wave-activated power generation method, the method comprising:
using a drive part configured to connect a rotor with a float via a first elastic body so as to rotate the rotor along with movement of the float, wherein a float is configured to be capable of floating in the sea, and the rotor is configured to generate a rotational inertial mass effect; and
generating power by a power generator configured to generate the power based on rotation of the rotor,
wherein a spring constant of the first elastic body is set so as to cause a rotational inertial mass of the rotor to resonate with oscillation of the float, to provide the rower generator with a displacement greater than a displacement of the float.

Assignees

• Univ Tsukuba

Inventors

• Asai Takehiko
• Haraguchi Ruriko
• Araki Yoshikazu

Classifications

• F05B2280/5001

  Elasticity · CPC title

• F03B13/18 Primary

  where the other member, {i.e. rem} is fixed, at least at one point, with respect to the sea bed or shore · CPC title

• F03B15/00 Primary

  Controlling (controlling in general G05 {; regulation of plants characterised by the use of siphons F03B13/086}) · CPC title

• Y02E10/30

  Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient · CPC title

• F05B2270/202

  Tuning to wave conditions · CPC title