A wave energy collection and conversion system that uses a compliant capture mechanism to enable the collection of wave energy over extensive distances without introducing damaging forces onto the collection structure. The system includes a flexible membrane in contact with or submerged under water, a plurality of power generation devices positioned on a sea floor, and lines that connect the flexible membrane to the power generation devices. The power generation devices each include a self-reeling mechanism and a turbine. As wave energy pushes the flexible membrane, the lines are reeled into and out of the corresponding power generation device(s). Rotation of the shaft, in turn, rotates a gear and rotator of the turbine, thus harnessing energy derived from the wave motion.

Wave energy convertor (WEC) 100 and related control methods. The WEC has at least one cell 102 of variable volume containing an energy transfer fluid and at least partially bounded by a movable flexible membrane 106, and the at least one cell has a substantially constant membrane pressure differential during at least part of a respective cell volume deflation or inflation stroke. Pressure differential between the exterior and interior surfaces of the membrane of the respective cell can be maintained as stable and constant as possible for a substantial part of the volume change during deflation and inflation of the membrane/cell. Membrane and/or cell inclination angle can range between 35 and 50. Chord ratio of the flexible membrane of at least one cell can be between 1.01 and 1.3 during operation. A control surface 108 can modify the available membrane surface or limit of operation of the membrane for operation and/or modify an internal wall or surface of the cell.

Disclosed herein is a wave energy converter that uses a flexible and inflatable chamber to absorb wave energy and convert it to electrical energy through the varying hydrostatic and hydrodynamic pressure at or below the water surface.

Methods, system and devices 10 for capturing wave energy are disclosed. A submersible wave energy capture device 10 comprises a tube 12 and a plurality of one-way valves 21, 31, 41. The tube 12 has a seawater inlet 11 at an upstream end 10u of the tube 12. The downstream end 10d of the tube 12 is communicable with an energy utilisation means 2 powered by seawater flow from the tube 12. The one-way valves 21, 31, 41 divide the tube 12 into a series of chambers 20, 30, 40. The chambers comprises elastic walls 22, 32, 42. These are deformable so as to alter an effective internal volume of each respective chamber 20, 30, 40. The valves 21, 31, 41, open to permit water flow within the tube 12 in a downstream direction, and close to resist water flow within the tube 12 in an upstream direction.

The TRAVELING WAVE PROPELLER, PUMP AND GENERATOR APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS include force or forces applied to an arc-like flexible sheet-like material to create a deformed crenated strip fin with strained-deformations. The strained-deformations take on a sinusoid-like form that express the internal energy state of the flexible sheet-like material after it has been configured into a crenated strip fin. After being incorporated into a mechanism with couplings that prevent the crenated strip fin from returning to its un-strained state, the strained-deformations persist. Actuators may be used to sequentially rotate vertebrae attached to the fins causing the travel of sinusoid-like deformations along the fins. In a fluid medium, the traveling waves of sinusoidal deformations may exert force on the fluid causing the fluid to move and/or creating thrust. Arched blades affixed to the fins facilitate propulsion on hard surfaces such as ice.

A floating piezoelectric assembly for generating energy from waves is provided. The assembly includes a flexible buoyant planar member, an elastic planar member coupled to the same, and two spaced-apart layers of piezoelectric elements extending on and firmly attaching to the top and bottom of the elastic planar member. The elements of a first of the layers are staggered relative to the elements of a second of the layers. The assembly includes a weighted planar member coupled to the buoyant planar member. According to a second aspect, the assembly comprises a first plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart elongate buoyant planar members, a second plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart elongate buoyant planar members, and a series of piezoelectric elements extending between the first and second plurality of buoyant planar members. The assembly further includes a plurality of elastic planar members to which respective ones of the piezoelectric elements couple.

A free floating wave energy converter includes at least one flexible pipe, adapted to float at a surface of a body of water, having an inlet end for receiving alternating slugs of water and air when the pipe is moored facing at an angle to a wave direction in the body of water and having an outlet end in fluid communication with a power takeoff and other devices, a plurality of supports attached to the pipe at spaced apart locations, each of the supports extending traverse to a longitudinal axis of the pipe and outwardly in opposite directions and at least two inflatable tubes attached to the supports on opposite sides of the pipe extending longitudinally substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipe, wherein the pipe is raised and lowered relative to the surface of the water by respectively inflating and deflating the tubes with a gas.

A wave energy converter can be dynamically tuned to achieve resonance with ocean swell by varying the geometry of an attached submerged water-filled vessel (41).

The invention relates to an installation having at least one caisson positioned at a given depth in a marine environment, said caisson including a rigid tank in which an oscillating plate moves, said oscillating plate being adapted to oscillate in relation to a vertical axis depending on fluctuations in the height of the water column created by the swell perpendicular to the plate, said tank and plate defining a chamber. The installation is characterized in that the chamber is sealed by a flexible hermetic pouch which is filled with a gas and deforms according to the oscillations of the oscillating plate, the pressure of the gas inside the pouch being adjusted so as to compensate for all or part of the weight of the water column perpendicular to the plate in the absence of swell.

A wave energy converter includes a surface float including a non-axisymmetric profile, a reaction plate configured to be submerged below a water surface, and more than one flexible tether, each mechanically coupled to both the surface float and the reaction plate, the reaction plate having a moment of inertia in pitch and roll greater than a moment of inertia in pitch and roll of the surface float.