Patent classifications
B63B2001/044
Inertial hydrodynamic pump and wave engine
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.
SORBENT EMITTER FOR DIRECT AIR CAPTURE OF CARBON DIOXIDE
An emitter apparatus is mounted on a marine structure powered by wind or marine hydrokinetic energy to disperse a carbon dioxide sorbent such as sodium hydroxide. The sorbent can be generated by reverse osmosis of seawater with electrolysis of the brine, or delivered from an external supply. Suitable marine structures include offshore wind turbines, marine hydrokinetic generators, offshore oil platforms, merchant vessels, and other fixed and mobile structures. Effective capture is made by dispersing a fine mist or fog of aqueous sorbent from nozzles with a particle size from a nozzle of less than 100 microns. The sorbent reacts with atmospheric carbon dioxide forming carbonates and bicarbonates, which drift and fall to the ocean surface, reducing surface acidity and capturing additional atmospheric carbon dioxide via absorption at the local ocean surface. The resulting carbonates sink to the ocean floor and are there sequestered.
DELIVERY OF A HIGH VOLUME OF FLOATING SYSTEMS FOR WIND TURBINES
Delivery of a high volume of floating systems for wind turbines can make floating wind economic. The delivery can involve the standard design of sections, such as “tubes” or “cans,” comprising a rolled plate and ring stiffeners. The delivery can then involve the transportation of the sections in block to an assembly site that is closer to the planned installation point. The sections are used to manufacture floating vessels, such as semi-submersibles, buoyant towers, and/or spars, at the assembly site, which can include a barge with cranes. For semi-submersibles, the delivery can then involve the installation of the Tower, the nacelle, and blades using the barge cranes. Alternatively, for spars or buoyant towers, the nacelle and blades can be installed at an off-shore location using a platform, such as a standard jack-up vessel or a crane jacket.
GEOSTATIONARY FLOATING PLATFORM
A system is demonstrated for heave neutralisation of semisubmersible platforms that can be built into any conceivable configuration of such platforms. That the system is also conceivably active and predicatively can be controlled can be concluded by analysing the appended calculation models. As an example FIG. 18, column E, is mentioned, wherein the water volume increments in the rise canister are 37 cubic metres for each half metre of wave height, so that, with reference to column A, from H=10.5 m to H=12 m is 4×37 148 cubic metres more than 150 tonnes—simultaneously with the air pressure, shown in column K, increasing from 123.86 to 131.05 kPa, a difference of just 6.19 kPa (0.0619 bar or 61.9 millibars). Large ballast volumes can be moved out and in of the system at small pressure changes and short response time.
FLOATING SUPPORT STRUCTURE COMPRISING A FLOATER AND A HEAVE PLATE WITH SECTION VARYING WITH DEPTH
The present invention relates to a floating support structure (1) provided with a main floater (2) and with a heave plate (3). Heave plate (3) comprises a section varying with depth. Furthermore, heave plate (3) has a minimum horizontal section Sd1 greater than horizontal section Sc of main floater (2).
FLOATING SUPPORT STRUCTURE COMPRISING A FLOATER AND A DAMPING PLATE WITH A ROW OF APERTURES
The present invention is a floating support structure (1) provided with a main floater (2) and a heave plate (3). Heave plate (3) comprises a single row of orifices (4), substantially parallel to the periphery of the heave plate.
Inertial hydrodynamic pump and wave engine
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.
WIND AND WAVE DESALINATION VESSEL
The present invention provides a novel floating and renewable energy-powered desalination vessel, which also functions as a wind turbine generator and wave energy generator platform. With energy derived from the wind and waves, the vessel performs reverse osmosis within a vertically positioned cylindrical section extending below a buoyancy chamber. The cylindrical section contains reverse osmosis membranes located above a seawater screening and filtration system, which serve as ballast. The entire vessel and power systems are configured to have the center of mass below the center of buoyancy, forming a vertically stable floating structure with minimum pitch, roll, and wave heave in high sea states. The electric power generated is utilized internally to produce desalinated water or hydrogen from the desalinated water's electrolysis, power an onboard data center, or power delivery to a shoreside power grid. In addition to a wind turbine generator and a wave energy generator, a photovoltaic array or a marine current generator may be utilized to power these applications. Alternatively, the desalination vessel operates with the assistance of shore-based power provided by cable.
REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER PRODUCTION APPARATUS
A reverse osmosis water production apparatus for use in a body of water includes a first section defining a buoyancy chamber and an elongate second section connected to the first section and configured to define an elongate chamber which extends downward beneath a waterline in use. The elongate chamber is provided with a plurality of elongate reverse osmosis membrane tubes, each tube containing a reverse osmosis membrane. A longitudinal axis of each reverse osmosis membrane tube is substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the elongate chamber and the reverse osmosis membrane tubes are arranged around a passage.
Offshore vessel for production and storage of hydrocarbon products
The present invention relates to a spread moored vessel for production and/or storing of hydrocarbons. The vessel comprises a laterally extending main deck, a symmetrical mooring arrangement for mooring the vessel to a seabed when the vessel is floating in a body of water and a longitudinal hull. The longitudinal hull further comprises a bow, a midbody, a stern, and a motion suppressing element protruding out from the longitudinal hull, below the vessel's maximum draught. The ratio between a maximum length (L.sub.wl) and a maximum breadth (B.sub.wl) of the longitudinal hull, at the vessel's maximum draught, is between 1.1 and 1.5. The specific hull shape with the particular length/breadth ratio and the motion suppressing element allows for favorable and uniform motions regarding of wave direction in relation to vessel heading.