Power generator, wave energy converter or sensor apparatus for water wave energy harvesting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11545915-B2
Application number	US-202017132459-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2020
Priority date	Jan 8, 2020
Publication date	Jan 3, 2023
Grant date	Jan 3, 2023

Abstract

A power generator or sensor apparatus is provided. In another aspect, a power generator is used for water wave energy harvesting. A further aspect provides a power generator including a buoyant, waterproof and/or enclosed outer shell, at least one enclosed inner shell located within the outer shell, a first plurality of balls located between the outer and inner shells, a second plurality of balls located within the inner shell, and spaced apart electrodes affixed to an interior surface of the outer shell. Moreover, an aspect of the present power generator uses fluid, such as water wave movement and wind blowing, to cause nested shells to move which moves multiple balls therein between spaced apart electrodes to generate triboelectric charges or energy for a variety of applications.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power generator apparatus comprising:
(a) a buoyant, waterproof and enclosed outer shell;
(b) at least one enclosed inner shell located within the outer shell;
(c) a first plurality of balls located between the outer and inner shells and being freely moveable to rotate therebetween;
(d) a second plurality of balls located within the inner shell and being freely moveable to rotate therein;
(e) a first set of spaced apart electrodes affixed to an interior surface of the outer shell;
(f) a second set of spaced apart electrodes affixed to an interior surface of the inner shell; and
(g) the shells being adapted to move due to exterior fluid movement which moves the first set of balls between the first electrodes and moves the second balls between the second electrodes to generate triboelectric charging.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrodes generate electricity in response to the rotation of the balls.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrodes act as a power source for sensors in response to the rotation of the balls.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the electrodes has a substantially hemispherical shape and the electrodes include a copper or copper-alloy paint directly deposited on an inside surface of the shells which are of a rigid polymeric material.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
each of the electrodes is curved;
there are at least three of the balls, which are PTFE, within each of the shells; and
there are more of the first plurality of balls within the outer shell than there are of the second plurality of balls within the inner shell.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the shells has a substantially polygonal cross-sectional shape.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one intermediate shell located between the inner and outer shells;
a third plurality of balls located between the intermediate and inner shells and being freely moveable to rotate therebetween; and
each of the shells having a different curved peripheral diameter.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising spaced apart projections outwardly and radially extending from the outer shell.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein there is a rough pattern on at least one of: exterior surfaces of the balls or interior surfaces of the electrodes.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the nested shells float on or are submerged in water, and movement of the water moves the balls within the nested shells to generate electricity.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a wearable garment to which is affixed the nested shells;
an electrical circuit connected to the electrodes; and
an electronic component being at least one of: a sensor, a light, a timer or a display, connected to the circuit and being powered by the balls moving within the nested shells.

12. A triboelectric apparatus comprising:
nested and enclosed shells;
sets of balls located between the shells, and one of the sets of balls being located internal to an innermost of the shells;
spaced apart electrodes located inside each of the shells against which the balls rotate; and
an electrical circuit coupled to the electrodes.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the electrodes generate electricity in response to the rotation of the balls.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the electrodes act as a power source for sensors in response to the rotation of the balls.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein each of the shells includes two substantially hemispherical shaped and rigid parts within which is deposited the electrodes, and the shells are attached together by a common fastener.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising:
the nested shells comprise at least one intermediate shell located between an inner shell and an outer shell;
another set of balls located between the intermediate and inner shells and being freely moveable to rotate therebetween;
each of the shells having a different curved peripheral diameter with a spaced apart area therebetween;
each of the electrodes being curved;
there are at least three of the balls within each set; and
there are more of the balls between the outer and intermediate shells than there are within the inner shell.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the nested shells float on or are submerged in water, movement of the water moves the balls within the nested shells to generate electricity, and wires connect a spaced apart array of the nested shells to a remotely located, power storage unit.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the electrical circuit comprises a capacitor, the capacitor is one of:
at a frequency of 2.5 Hz, the capacitor is chargeable to 9 volts within 30 seconds; or
at a frequency of 2 Hz, the capacitor of one of: 1 μF, 2.2 μF, 4.7 μF or 10 μF is chargeable to 13 volts, 7 volts, 3.4 volts or 1.4 volts, respectively, within 30 seconds.

19. A power generator apparatus comprising:
multiple nested sets of electrodes coupled together, each of the nested sets of electrodes including spaced apart electrically conductive surfaces, and an outer one of the nested sets of electrodes having a larger periphery than and surrounding a periphery of an inner one of the nested sets of electrodes with a spaced apart area therebetween;
multiple moveable chargers, at least one of which being located in the area between each adjacent pair of the nested sets of electrodes, and at least another of which being located internal to the inner one of the nested sets of electrodes; and
each of the chargers being moveable between the electrically conductive surfaces of the associated nested sets of electrodes when the nested sets of electrodes are moved.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the chargers are electrically conductive and polymeric balls, and there are multiple of the balls rolling between the electrically conductive surfaces of each of the nested sets of electrodes.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising shells, the electrically conductive surfaces of each of the nested sets of electrodes being deposited on an internal surface of an associated one of the shells.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein each of the electrically conductive surfaces has a substantially hemispherical shape with an open clearance at a top for insertion of a fastener.

23. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein each of the electrically conductive surfaces is curved and is a metallic paint deposited on an associated polymeric shell.

24. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the nested sets of electrodes includes at least three nested sets of electrodes, each having a different curved peripheral diameter.

25. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the electrodes generate electricity in response to the rotation of the balls.

26. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the electrodes act as a power source for sensors in response to the rotation of the balls.

27. The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising:
a wearable garment to which is affixed the nested sets of electrodes;
an electrical circuit connected to the electrodes; and
an electronic component being at least one of: a sensor, a light, a thermometer, or a timer, connected to the circuit and being powered by the chargers moving within the nested sets of electrodes.

Assignees

• Univ Michigan State

Inventors

• Cao Changyong
• Pang Yaokun

Classifications

• H02N1/04 Primary

  Friction generators · CPC title

• F05B2240/14

  Casings, housings, nacelles, gondels or the like, protecting or supporting assemblies there within · CPC title

• H02N1/10

  with non-conductive charge carrier · CPC title

• F03B13/14

  using wave energy · CPC title

• Y02E10/30

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