A wave energy capturing device arranged to capture and convert wave energy to useful energy when positioned in an operating mode. The device includes a pivot point and a buoyant wave energy absorber affixed to the pivot point. The device has an operating mode where the device is arranged to capture wave energy. In the operating mode the pivot point is supported above the surface of a body of water and is held substantially stationary relative to wave movement. The buoyant absorber is engaged with the surface of the body of water at an operating location positioned downwave of the pivot point and wherein the absorber is arranged to rotate about the pivot point. The rotation defining a rotation arc of the absorber along which the absorber is arranged to reciprocate in the operating mode. The disclosure aims to provide improved capture of wave energy for conversion to useful energy.

Systems and methods for use in capturing energy from natural resources. In one form, the systems and methods capture energy from natural resources, such as movement of fluid in a body of water, and convert it into electrical energy.

A multi-resonant wide band controller decomposes the wave energy converter control problem into sub-problems; an independent single-frequency controller is used for each sub-problem. Thus, each sub-problem controller can be optimized independently. The feedback control enables actual time-domain realization of multi-frequency complex conjugate control. The feedback strategy requires only measurements of the buoy position and velocity. No knowledge of excitation force, wave measurements, nor wave prediction is needed. As an example, the feedback signal processing can be carried out using Fast Fourier Transform with Hanning windows and optimization of amplitudes and phases. Given that the output signal is decomposed into individual frequencies, the implementation of the control is very simple, yet generates energy similar to the complex conjugate control.

A wave energy capture system can include a plurality of arm assemblies. Each arm assembly includes a floatation device and an arm that is coupled to the floatation device and to a body via a pivot. The arm assemblies independently pivot around the pivots with respect to the body in response to movement of the floatation devices caused by waves in water. A mechanical energy capture system converts the independent pivoting of the plurality of arm assemblies around the pivots to electrical energy and provides the electrical energy to either an electronic device that is electrically coupled to the mechanical energy capture system to power the electronic device, or to a battery to recharge the battery.

A wave energy converter incorporates a floating body and a reaction body engaging the floating body wherein the reaction body is static or oscillating out of phase relative to the floating body. A power take-off (PTO) has at least one direct drive linear generator, a high level controller responsive to sensors engaged to the direct drive linear generator and providing a PTO force change command (dF.sub.PTO) and a low level controller receiving the PTO force change command and providing control signals to power electronics connected to the direct drive linear generator. The direct drive linear generator is operable responsive to the control signals to achieve optimal power extraction performance with high force at low speed with operation in two physical directions and operating as both a motor and a generator for a total of four quadrants of control.

A wave energy conversion cylinder includes an outer cylinder and a center rod disposed along an axis of the outer cylinder. A plurality of electrically-conductive windings are disposed about an inner circumference of the outer cylinder. A magnet is slidably disposed on the center rod. A buoyancy cylinder is disposed outwardly of the outer cylinder. A first moveable ring weight may be slidably disposed along the axis of the center rod and a second moveable ring weight may be slidably disposed along the axis of the center rod. The first moveable ring weight and the second moveable ring weight facilitate control to tune a mass moment of inertia of the wave energy conversion cylinder.

This invention discloses a method and a device for the capture of wave power, exploiting the maximum potential energy of each wave, based on obtaining the maximum imbalance possible between the Thrust Force and the Weight acting upon the capture elements on the passage of each wave, slowing and releasing them both at their high points and at their low points by means of the use of blocking systems, maximizing the submerged and emerged volumes of the next movement, likewise the travel during which the capture elements are accelerated due to the exploitation of their kinetic energy and their release in the transmission of efforts at the moments when the points of equilibrium between the rising and falling maximums are reached, thus generating an increase in the potential energy captured.

The present invention provides a controller for a pendulum type wave-power generating apparatus. Electric power produced by wave-power generation has been pointed out as being of low efficiency and more expensive than wind-power generation. To overcome the above problems, the present invention uses resonance and impedance matching of the sea waves, thus making it possible to markedly enhance the efficiency of wave-power generation. The present invention does not use a wave-height meter which is generally expensive and controls the generating apparatus in response to variation of the conditions of the sea, thus automatically maintaining the resonance and impedance matching operation, thereby making high-efficiency operation possible. As a result, the cost of the wave-power generation can be reduced, so that the wave-power generation can be widely commercialized.

Disclosed is a system and method for generating and storing energy from water waves. Oscillatory motions of a floating base are transmitted to adjustable weights enclosed in a container suspended from a frame that is rigidly installed inside the floating base. The container is operably coupled to a sheave, via a crank. The movement of the adjustable weights in the container results in the movement of a sheave that is operably coupled to an output shaft that is in turn coupled to an electric generator via a network of gears. The generator supplies power to an electrolyzer producing hydrogen and oxygen from water. The hydrogen and oxygen are compressed into gas or liquid and stored in containers on-board the floating base, until they are off-loaded at a facility.

A sea wave energy harvesting system includes a sea wave energy harvesting vessel positioned in the sea. The sea wave energy harvesting system dynamically adapts the motion of the sea wave energy harvesting vessel responsive to the sensed sea wave conditions to more closely align a resonant frequency of the sea wave energy harvesting vessel with the current harmonic motion of the sea waves.