Device for deriving power from wave energy

Claim 1

A device for extracting energy from waves on a liquid upon which the device is adapted to float, said device comprising: (a) a plurality of chambers, each chamber having, (i) a port means for flow of the liquid therethrough into into and out of the chamber so as to cause a column of liquid to oscillate in the chamber from the action of the waves; (ii) an inlet port means for entry of a working gas into the chamber; and (iii) an outlet port means for the discharge from the chamber of working gas pressurized by the oscillations of said column of liquid; (b) a duct for collecting the pressurized working gas discharged from said plurality of chambers and having a variable volume; (c) means for varying the volume of said duct in response to changes in pressure of the working gas in said duct so as to smooth out pressure fluctuations of the pressurized working gas in the duct; and (d) a single mechanical means to which the collected pressurized working gas from at least some of the chambers is conducted by the duct to extract energy from the pressurized working gas and thereby from the waves.

Claim 2

A device for extracting energy from waves on a liquid upon which the device is adapted to float, said device comprising: (a) a plurality of chambers, each chamber having, (i) a port means for flow of the liquid therethrough into into and out of the chamber so as to cause a column of liquid to oscillate in the chamber from the action of the waves; (ii) an inlet port means for entry of a working gas into the chamber; and (iii) an outlet port means for the discharge from the chamber of working gas pressurized by the oscillations of said column of liquid; (b) a duct for collecting the pressurized working gas discharged from said plurality of chambers and having a variable volume; (c) means for varying the volume of said duct in response to changes in pressure of the working gas in said duct so as to smooth out pressure fluctuations of the pressurized working gas in the duct; and (d) a single mechanical means to which the collected pressurized working gas from at least some of the chambers is conducted by the duct to extract energy from the pressurized working gas and thereby from the waves.

Claim 5

A device for extracting energy from waves on a liquid upon which the device is adapted to float, said device comprising (a) a plurality of chambers, each chamber having, (i) a port means for flow of the liquid therethrough into and out of the chamber so as to cause a column of liquid to oscillate in the chamber from the action of the waves; (ii) an inlet port means for entry of a working gas into the chamber; and (iii) an outlet port means for the discharge from the chamber of working gas pessurized by the oscillations of said column of liquid; (b) duct means for collecting the pressurized working gas discharged from said plurality of chambers; (c) means for applying a smoothing pressure on the pressurized working gas in the duct means; (d) mechanical means to which the collected pressurized working gas is conducted by the duct means to extract energy from the pressurized working gas and thereby from the waves; and (e) a forward face of the device arranged to be incident to incoming waves, the forward face sloping downwardly and outwardly away from the freeboard of the device in a direction towards said incoming waves to reduce heave forces on the device.

Claim 6

A device for extracting energy from waves on a liquid upon which the device is adapted to float, said device comprising (a) a plurality of chambers, each chamber having, (i) a port means for flow of the liquid therethrough into and out of the chamber so as to cause a column of liquid to oscillate in the chamber from the action of the waves; (ii) an inlet port means for entry of a working gas into the chamber; and (iii) an outlet port means for the discharge from the chamber of working gas pessurized by the oscillations of said column of liquid; (b) duct means for collecting the pressurized working gas discharged from said plurality of chambers; (c) means for applying a smoothing pressure on the pressurized working gas in the duct means; (d) mechanical means to which the collected pressurized working gas is conducted by the duct means to extract energy from the pressurized working gas and thereby from the waves; and (e) a forward face of the device arranged to be incident to incoming waves, the forward face sloping downwardly and outwardly away from the freeboard of the device in a direction towards said incoming waves to reduce heave forces on the device.

Claim 7

A device for extracting energy from waves on a liquid upon which the device is adapted to float, said device comprising (a) a plurality of chambers arranged so that a forward buoyancy tank defines one wall of each chamber, an aft bouyancy tank defines another wall of each chamber, and the forward and aft bouyancy tanks both have rounded lower edges, each chamber having, (i) a port means for flow of the liquid therethrough into and cut out of the chamber so as to cause a column of liquid to oscillate in the chamber from the action of the waves; (ii) an inlet port means for entry of a working gas into the chamber; and (iii) an outlet port means for the discharge from the chamber of working gas pressurized by the oscillations of said column of liquid; (b) duct means for collecting the pressurized working gas discharged from said plurality of chambers; (c) means for applying a smoothing pressure on the pressurized working gas in the duct means; and (d) mechanical means to which the collected pressurized working gas is conducted by the duct means to extract energy from the pressurized working gas and thereby from the waves.

Claim 8

A device for extracting energy from waves on a liquid upon which the device is adapted to float, said device comprising (a) a plurality of chambers arranged so that a forward buoyancy tank defines one wall of each chamber, an aft bouyancy tank defines another wall of each chamber, and the forward and aft bouyancy tanks both have rounded lower edges, each chamber having, (i) a port means for flow of the liquid therethrough into and cut out of the chamber so as to cause a column of liquid to oscillate in the chamber from the action of the waves; (ii) an inlet port means for entry of a working gas into the chamber; and (iii) an outlet port means for the discharge from the chamber of working gas pressurized by the oscillations of said column of liquid; (b) duct means for collecting the pressurized working gas discharged from said plurality of chambers; (c) means for applying a smoothing pressure on the pressurized working gas in the duct means; and (d) mechanical means to which the collected pressurized working gas is conducted by the duct means to extract energy from the pressurized working gas and thereby from the waves.

Claim 12

A device for extracting energy from waves on a liquid upon which the device is adapted to float, comprising (a) a plurality of chambers, each chamber having, (i) port means for flow of the liquid therethrough into and out of the chamber so as to cause a column of liquid to oscillate in the chamber from the action of the waves; (ii) inlet port means for the flow of a working gas into the chamber, and (iii) outlet port means for the discharge from the chamber of working gas pressurised by the oscillations of said column of liquid, the chambers being connected in series relationship so that pressurised working gas discharged through the outlet port means of one chamber enters an adjacent chamber along the series through the inlet port means thereof, and the inlet port means of the first chamber providing an inlet for the working gas into the series of chambers, and (b) mechanical means for extracting energy from the pressurised working gas and to which the pressurised working gas is discharged through the outlet port means of the last chamber in the series.

Claim 13

A device for extracting energy from waves on a liquid upon which the device is adapted to float, comprising (a) a plurality of chambers, each chamber having, (i) port means for flow of the liquid therethrough into and out of the chamber so as to cause a column of liquid to oscillate in the chamber from the action of the waves; (ii) inlet port means for the flow of a working gas into the chamber, and (iii) outlet port means for the discharge from the chamber of working gas pressurised by the oscillations of said column of liquid, the chambers being connected in series relationship so that pressurised working gas discharged through the outlet port means of one chamber enters an adjacent chamber along the series through the inlet port means thereof, and the inlet port means of the first chamber providing an inlet for the working gas into the series of chambers, and (b) mechanical means for extracting energy from the pressurised working gas and to which the pressurised working gas is discharged through the outlet port means of the last chamber in the series.

Claim 19

A device for extracting energy from waves on a liquid upon which the device is adapted to float and comprising, (a) a forward buoyancy tank generally of triangular form in a vertical plane normal to the front of the device so that the front of the tank upon which incoming waves will be incident slopes downwardly and away from the freeboard of the device in the direction of said incoming waves; (b) an aft buoyancy tank generally of rectangular form in said vertical plane, both the forward and aft buoyancy tanks having rounded lower edges; (c) a plurality of side walls extending between the forward and aft buoyancy tanks to define therebetween a plurality of chambers open at the bottom thereof for the entry of the liquid thereinto and which liquid is arranged to be oscillated by the motion of the waves; (d) a roof extending across the chambers; (e) a casing spaced from and extending across the roof and the aft buoyancy tank to define therebetween a common plenum duct, the casing extending below the freeboard of the device and open below said freeboard to the liquid which is arranged to close said plenum duct; (f) an inlet means for conducting air from outside the device into each chamber, said inlet means having a hood to protect the outer end thereof from spray; (g) an outlet means in the roof for discharging into the plenum duct air pressurised by said oscillations of the liquid in each chamber; (h) a branch duct extending upwardly from the plenum duct, and (i) an air turbine disposed in the branch duct for extracting energy from the pressurised air in the plenum duct, and thereby from the waves.

Claim 20

A device for extracting energy from waves on a liquid upon which the device is adapted to float and comprising, (a) a forward buoyancy tank generally of triangular form in a vertical plane normal to the front of the device so that the front of the tank upon which incoming waves will be incident slopes downwardly and away from the freeboard of the device in the direction of said incoming waves; (b) an aft buoyancy tank generally of rectangular form in said vertical plane, both the forward and aft buoyancy tanks having rounded lower edges; (c) a plurality of side walls extending between the forward and aft buoyancy tanks to define therebetween a plurality of chambers open at the bottom thereof for the entry of the liquid thereinto and which liquid is arranged to be oscillated by the motion of the waves; (d) a roof extending across the chambers; (e) a casing spaced from and extending across the roof and the aft buoyancy tank to define therebetween a common plenum duct, the casing extending below the freeboard of the device and open below said freeboard to the liquid which is arranged to close said plenum duct; (f) an inlet means for conducting air from outside the device into each chamber, said inlet means having a hood to protect the outer end thereof from spray; (g) an outlet means in the roof for discharging into the plenum duct air pressurised by said oscillations of the liquid in each chamber; (h) a branch duct extending upwardly from the plenum duct, and (i) an air turbine disposed in the branch duct for extracting energy from the pressurised air in the plenum duct, and thereby from the waves.