The present invention is a method for real-time determination of the forces exerted by incident waves on a mobile part of a wave energy system. Models are constructed of the radiation force exerted on the mobile part and of the drag force exerted on the mobile part and a non-linear model of the wave energy system dynamics. The invention uses only measurements of the float kinematics (position, velocity and possibly acceleration) and of the force applied by a converter machine, which measurements are normally available on a wave energy system since they are used for control and supervision thereof. Determination of the excitation force exerted by incident waves on the mobile part uses the models, the measurements and an unscented Kalman filter.

A buoyant hydrodynamic pump is disclosed that can float on a surface of a body of water over which waves tend to pass. The pump incorporates an open-bottomed tube with a constriction. The tube partially encloses a substantial volume of water with which the tube's constriction interacts, creating and/or amplifying oscillations therein in response to wave action. Wave-driven oscillations result in periodic upward ejections of portions of the water inside the tube that can be collected in a reservoir that is at least partially positioned above the mean water level of the body of water, or pressurized by compressed air or gas, or both. Water within such a reservoir may return to the body of water via a turbine, thereby generating electrical power (making the device a wave engine), or else the device's pumping action can be used for other purposes such as water circulation, propulsion, or cloud seeding.

A power take-off apparatus for a wave energy converter of point absorber type, includes a cylinder attachable to a floating device, a piston that reciprocates inside the cylinder and has a piston rod attachable to a mooring, at least one penstock with a first end in communication with a second end of the cylinder through a first opening, and a second end having a second opening, and a housing above a cylinder first end. The housing communicates with the penstock through the second opening and with the cylinder through a third opening in the housing such that the cylinder, penstock and the housing form a closed loop for a fluid in the power take-off apparatus. A water turbine is arranged inside the housing so that working fluid entering the housing from the at least one penstock causes rotation of the water turbine to drive an electrical generator connected thereto.

A buoyant hydrodynamic pump is disclosed that can float on a surface of a body of water over which waves tend to pass. The pump incorporates an open-bottomed tube with a constriction. The tube partially encloses a substantial volume of water with which the tube's constriction interacts, creating and/or amplifying oscillations therein in response to wave action. Wave-driven oscillations result in periodic upward ejections of portions of the water inside the tube that can be collected in a reservoir that is at least partially positioned above the mean water level of the body of water, or pressurized by compressed air or gas, or both. Water within such a reservoir may return to the body of water via a turbine, thereby generating electrical power (making the device a wave engine), or else the device's pumping action can be used for other purposes such as water circulation, propulsion, or cloud seeding.

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 system and method by which energy from ocean waves is converted into hydrogen, and that hydrogen is used to manifest electrical and mechanical energies by an energy consuming device. A portion of the generated electrical power is communicated to water electrolyzers which produce oxygen and hydrogen from water as gases. At least a portion of the generated hydrogen gas is transferred to a transportation ship via a hose-carrying, remotely operated (or otherwise unmanned) vehicle, and subsequently transferred to an energy-consuming module or infrastructure, where a portion of the hydrogen is consumed in order to manifest a generation of electrical energy, a mechanical motion, and/or a chemical reaction.

A water powered electricity generating assembly for continuous generation of electricity includes an endless track, which is rotationally engaged to a stand. The trays hingedly engaged to the endless track are uprightly and invertedly positioned on a first side and second sides of the endless track, respectively. A generator is operationally engaged to the endless track. A supply pipe is engaged to and extends from the stand so that a first end of the supply pipe opens above the first side of the endless track. The supply pipe extends to a water source at an elevation higher than the upper end of the stand and diverts water from the water source to the stand. The water fills the trays on the first side of the endless track, causing the endless track and the generator to rotate, thereby generating an electrical current.

Disclosed is an apparatus that floats at the surface of a body of water over which waves pass. Passing waves cause a nominally vertical axis of the apparatus to tilt away from an axis normal to the resting surface of the body of water. Tilting of sufficient magnitude and duration allows a fluid to flow through a channel that in an un-tilted apparatus would require the gravitational potential energy of the fluid to increase (i.e., to flow uphill), but, because of the tilt allows the fluid to flow through the channel in a downhill direction. Flowing water is trapped at a plurality of levels which in an un-tilted apparatus are higher than the respective levels from which the fluid has flowed. A subsequent tilt of the apparatus in a sufficiently different direction, and of a sufficient magnitude and duration, causes the trapped water to flow to new, yet higher levels. Successive wave-driven tilts of the apparatus incrementally raise water to a height and/or head from which a portion of its gravitational potential energy can be released, and/or converted to electrical power, by causing the water to return to a lower level by flowing through a water turbine thereby energizing an operationally connected generator, or through some other apparatus that performs a useful function when supplied with a flow of high-pressure water.

A wave driven electrical generating apparatus has a vertically oriented wheel having a plurality of buckets spaced around a periphery of the wheel, facing in a direction tangent to the wheel, a support structure supporting the wheel on a horizontal shaft, and a generator connected to the shaft such that motion of the wheel turns the generator. The electrical generating apparatus is anchored, immersed in water in a location having wave activity, wherein the wave activity drives the wheel to create torque to drive the generator to generate electricity.

A buoyant hydrodynamic pump is disclosed that can float on a surface of a body of water over which waves tend to pass. The pump incorporates an open-bottomed tube with a constriction. The tube partially encloses a substantial volume of water with which the tube's constriction interacts, creating and/or amplifying oscillations therein in response to wave action. Wave-driven oscillations result in periodic upward ejections of portions of the water inside the tube that can be collected in a reservoir that is at least partially positioned above the mean water level of the body of water, or pressurized by compressed air or gas, or both. Water within such a reservoir may return to the body of water via a turbine, thereby generating electrical power (making the device a wave engine), or else the device's pumping action can be used for other purposes such as water circulation, propulsion, or cloud seeding.