System for generating electricity from an underwater ocean stream

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12196170-B2
Application number	US-202418433018-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2024
Priority date	Feb 7, 2023
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

A system for generating electricity from an underwater stream for generating electricity for the electric grid or for producing hydrogen includes an underwater turbine. The underwater turbine includes an upper pontoon, a lower pontoon, and a pylon structure that extends between and interconnects the upper pontoon and the lower pontoon. The underwater turbine also includes a single propeller assembly rotatably coupled to the lower pontoon. Rotation of the propeller operates a generator to generate electricity. The underwater turbine can be moored to a sea floor via a mooring weight. An optional friction winch is operable to raise or lower the underwater turbine relative to the sea floor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An underwater turbine system for generating electricity from an underwater ocean stream, comprising:
an upper pontoon;
a lower pontoon;
a pylon structure extending between and interconnecting the upper pontoon and the lower pontoon; and
a single propeller assembly with a plurality of blades being rotatably coupled to the lower pontoon and configured to be rotated by a force from an underwater ocean stream flowing along the lower pontoon and past the single propeller assembly,
wherein the upper pontoon applies a vertical buoyant force on the lower pontoon, wherein rotation of the single propeller assembly generates electricity via a generator in the lower pontoon, and wherein the upper pontoon is configured to automatically generate a counter moment in an opposite direction to a moment generated by the rotation of the single propeller assembly to inhibit a roll motion of the underwater turbine system about an axis of the lower pontoon and configured to facilitate alignment of the lower pontoon with the underwater ocean stream flowing along the lower pontoon and past the single propeller assembly,
wherein the lower pontoon comprises a shaft operatively coupled to the single propeller assembly and to the generator, wherein rotation of the single propeller assembly by the underwater ocean stream rotates the shaft, which rotates a rotor relative to a stator of the generator to generate electricity, and
wherein the lower pontoon further comprises an electric motor coupled to a second shaft, which in turn is coupled to a friction winch assembly, the friction winch assembly comprises a plurality of pulleys about which a cable at least partially winds, the friction winch assembly being operable to shorten or lengthen a length of the cable that extends between the lower pontoon and a mooring weight to vertically lower or raise the underwater turbine system, the mooring weight configured to anchor the underwater turbine system to a sea floor.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the upper pontoon has a same shape and profile as the lower pontoon, wherein the upper pontoon and the lower pontoon have substantially a same length and outer diameter.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pylon structure provides a fin that inhibits a yaw motion of the underwater turbine system and is configured to facilitate alignment of the lower pontoon with the underwater ocean stream flowing along the lower pontoon and past the single propeller assembly.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the upper pontoon houses a water pump operable to supply water into and drain water from within the upper pontoon to change the vertical buoyant force applied by the upper pontoon to raise or lower the underwater turbine system.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the upper pontoon includes a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein the first chamber is operatively connected to the water pump to supply water to and drain water from the first chamber and the second chamber is operatively connected to a second water pump operable to supply water to and drain water from the second chamber, wherein filling the first chamber or the second chamber with water alters a center of the vertical buoyant force exerted on the upper pontoon of the underwater turbine system to control a pitch of the underwater turbine system.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pylon structure includes a plurality of sheet metal plates, the plurality of sheet metal plates extending between and interconnecting the upper pontoon and the lower pontoon.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a predictive artificial intelligence controller actuatable to adjust the vertical buoyant force exerted on the lower pontoon to align the lower pontoon with a desired underwater stream depth.

8. An underwater turbine system for generating electricity from an underwater ocean stream, comprising:
an upper pontoon;
a lower pontoon;
a pylon structure extending between and interconnecting the upper pontoon and the lower pontoon; and
a single propeller assembly with a plurality of blades being rotatably coupled to the lower pontoon and configured to be rotated by a force from an underwater ocean stream flowing along the lower pontoon and past the single propeller assembly,
wherein the upper pontoon applies a vertical buoyant force on the lower pontoon, wherein rotation of the single propeller assembly generates electricity via a generator in the lower pontoon, and wherein the upper pontoon is configured to automatically generate a counter moment in an opposite direction to a moment generated by the rotation of the single propeller assembly to inhibit a roll motion of the underwater turbine system about an axis of the lower pontoon and configured to facilitate alignment of the lower pontoon with the underwater ocean stream flowing along the lower pontoon and past the single propeller assembly, and
wherein the pylon structure includes a plurality of connecting plates that extend between and interconnect the upper pontoon and the lower pontoon, wherein the plurality of connecting plates are arranged in an X-formation or a triangular formation about a rotating pin, wherein the rotating pin is configured to axially transfer the vertical buoyant force from the upper pontoon to the lower pontoon through the plurality of connecting plates.

9. An underwater turbine system for generating electricity from an underwater ocean stream, comprising:
an upper pontoon;
a lower pontoon;
a pylon structure extending between and interconnecting the upper pontoon and the lower pontoon;
a single propeller assembly with a plurality of blades being rotatably coupled to the lower pontoon and configured to be rotated by a force from an underwater ocean stream flowing along the lower pontoon and past the single propeller assembly; and
a rigid plate pivotally coupled to the lower pontoon about a pivot axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the lower pontoon, wherein the rigid plate is configured to couple to a cable connected to a mooring weight, wherein a rotational orientation of the rigid plate is adjustable to align the lower pontoon with a direction of the underwater ocean stream, wherein the rigid plate is pivotable to align an intersection between the cable and the rigid plate with the longitudinal axis of the lower pontoon, and a vertical axis of the pylon structure, wherein a piston is actuatable to pivot the rigid plate about the pivot axis to counteract a pitch force exerted on the lower pontoon,
wherein the upper pontoon applies a vertical buoyant force on the lower pontoon, wherein rotation of the single propeller assembly generates electricity via a generator in the lower pontoon, and wherein the upper pontoon is configured to automatically generate a counter moment in an opposite direction to a moment generated by the rotation of the single propeller assembly to inhibit a roll motion of the underwater turbine system about an axis of the lower pontoon and configured to facilitate alignment of the lower pontoon with the underwater ocean stream flowing along the lower pontoon and past the single propeller assembly.

10. An underwater turbine system for generating electricity from an underwater ocean stream, comprising:
an upper pontoon;
a lower pontoon;
a pylon structure extending between and interconnecting the upper pontoon and the lower pontoon;
a single propeller assembly with a plurality of blades being rotatably coupled to the lower pontoon and configured to be rotated by a force from the underwater ocean stream flowing along the lower pontoon and past the single propeller assembly; and
a cable extending between a pulley of the lower pontoon and a mooring weight,
wherein a

Assignees

• Energy Vault Inc

Inventors

• Pedretti Andrea
• Kharazmi Ehsan
• Rosakis Ares
• Karniadakis George
• Triantafyllou Michael
• Rosenberg Phillip

Classifications

• H02K7/20

  Structural association with auxiliary dynamo-electric machines, e.g. with electric starter motors or exciters · CPC title

• H02K7/1823

  structurally associated with turbines or similar engines · CPC title

• B63G2008/002

  unmanned · CPC title

• B63G8/24

  Automatic depth adjustment; Safety equipment for increasing buoyancy, e.g. detachable ballast, floating bodies · CPC title

• B63G8/22

  Adjustment of buoyancy by water ballasting; Emptying equipment for ballast tanks ({conduits for emptying or ballasting on vessels in general B63B13/00;} stabilising vessels using ballast tanks B63B43/06) · CPC title