HYDROKINETIC ENERGY BASED POWER GENERATION SYSTEM

Abstract

A hydrokinetic energy based power generation system is described, including several modules filled with fluid or vacuum and anchored to a stream bed of water body, multiple basic units associated with each module for converting hydrokinetic energy into electrical energy, wherein each basic unit includes two springs affixed with a top and bottom portion of the modules in such a way that the hydrokinetic energy induces vibrations within the springs, a cylindrical tube positioned between the springs, and contained with a ferromagnetic fluid, two fixed magnets and a movable magnet, wherein the movable magnet oscillates in between the fixed magnets due to the induced disturbances caused by waves/ocean and repulsive forces caused by the fixed magnets, an electric coil associated with the tube, for generating electric current by harnessing the relative motion of the movable magnet and electric coil due to electromagnetism phenomenon and in accordance with laws of electromagnetic induction.

Claims

1) A hydrokinetic energy-based power generation system, comprising: i. plurality of modules 1 each having at least one secured cavity, wherein said modules 1 are filled with fluid or vacuum and are moored to a streambed 3 of a water body 2 by means of one or more anchor(s) 4; ii. plurality of basic units 6 mounted in association with each of the said modules 1 for converting hydrokinetic energy of said water body 2 into electrical energy, wherein each of the said basic unit 6 comprises: a. at least two springs 7 affixed with a first 8 and second 9 portion of said modules 1, wherein said springs 7 are subjected to hydrokinetic energy which induces oscillatory motion in said springs 7; b. a cylindrical tube 10 housed in between said springs 7, contained with a ferromagnetic fluid, two fixed magnets 11 and a movable magnet 12, wherein said movable magnet 12 moves in a to and fro or oscillatory motion due to the induced disturbances and repulsive forces caused by said fixed magnets 11; c. an electric coil 13 employed in association with said tube 10, wherein relative motion of said movable magnet 11 and electric coil induces electric current in the said coil 13 due to electromagnetism phenomenon; and iii. a voltage processing unit connected to each of said basic units or modules or both as necessary for converting the form of said electric current from AC (Alternating Current) to DC (Direct Current) and limiting the supply rate of the converted direct current.

2) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ferromagnetic fluid forms multiple toroidal shaped O-rings within the tube 10 over the edges of the magnets 11-12 in order to aid movement of said movable magnet 12.

3) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said voltage processing unit comprises an AC to DC converter or an AC to AC converter and a charge controller.

4) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said basic units 6 are positioned in said modules 1 based on a two-dimensional face centered cubic (FCC) arrangement.

5) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ferromagnetic fluid is preferably transformer oil based.

6) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said magnets 11, 12 are preferably formed of alloys of rare earth elements with a coating of zinc or stainless steel.

7) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fluid may be air or any other fluid with comparable density.

8) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said basic units are separated from each other by a defined distance in order to insulate each other from any magnetic interference for the adjacent basic unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the aspects of the disclosed embodiments will become better understood with regards to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of the encasements or ‘modules’ anchored with the stream bed of a water body (i.e., oceans, rivers, sea etc.);

[0026] FIG. 2 illustrates a sectional side view of one of the encasements or ‘modules’ contained with the ‘basic units’ as explained in the exemplary embodiment of the aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0027] FIG. 3 illustrates a top sectional view of the encasements or ‘modules’ representing the placement of the ‘basic units’ within the encasements or ‘modules’; and

[0028] FIG. 4 illustrates a profile view of one of the encasements or the ‘module’ representing the placement of ‘basic units’ as per the exemplary embodiment of the aspects of the disclosed embodiments

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The following description includes the preferred best mode of one embodiment of the aspects of the disclosed embodiments. It will be clear from this description of the invention that the invention is not limited to these illustrated embodiments but that the invention also includes a variety of modifications and embodiments thereto. Therefore, the present description should be seen as illustrative and not limiting. While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, it should be understood, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0030] In any embodiment described herein, the open-ended terms “comprising,” “comprises,” and the like (which are synonymous with “including,” “having” and “characterized by”) may be replaced by the respective partially closed phrases “consisting essentially of,” “consists essentially of,” and the like or the respective closed phrases “consisting of,” “consists of,” the like.

[0031] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” designate both the singular and the plural, unless expressly stated to designate the singular only.

[0032] As used herein the term “buoyancy” refers to a force exerted on an object that is wholly or partly immersed in a fluid.

[0033] As used herein the terms “modules” and “encasements” are used interchangeably with each other while explaining the aspects of the disclosed embodiments.

[0034] The aspects of the disclosed embodiments relate to a wave energy-based power generation system, for converting the hydrokinetic energy into useful electrical energy. The system is deployed on the upper surface of a water body, wherein the system comprising multiple ‘modules’ cascaded together, floats over the water body (i.e., oceans, rivers, sea etc.) in order to capture and convert the sinusoidal movement of water into useful electrical energy.

[0035] The system is so developed that it is capable of producing a large power output that can be used for operating big and vital electric units/appliances and may be deployed for utility scale power generation applications. The system works on the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction for generating utility scale electrical energy, wherein multiple ‘modules’ are cascaded together, while each module itself comprises of multiple ‘Basic Units’ cascaded together. The system harnesses the magnetic flux of powerful rare-earth magnets or magnets of comparable magnetic intensity for converting and harnessing the reciprocation motion of waves or hydrokinetic energy into electrical energy.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 1, a front view of the hydrokinetic energy-based power generation system is illustrated, wherein the system comprises of multiple cuboidal shaped encasements or ‘modules’ 1 that have cavities. The encasements/modules 1 are filled with defined amount of air or vacuum or any other fluid with comparable density in order to increase the volume, thereby increasing the buoyancy force. The encasements/modules 1 are deployed in a water body 2 and are moored with the stream bed 3 of the water body 2 by means of anchor(s) 4 and cables. One or more anchors 4 and cables 5 are used depending on the number of ‘modules’ 1 that are to be deployed on the surface of the water body 2.

[0037] As the encasements or ‘modules’ 1 are filled with air or have vacuum or any other fluid of comparable density, the fluid consequently experiences a buoyant force as per the Archimedes principle that keeps it afloat the water body. Elucidating the same, the formula for calculating buoyant force is F.sub.B=−Vρg, where F.sub.B is the buoyant force, V is the volume of the encasement, ρ is the fluid density and g is the gravitational acceleration. So, as the air or vacuum or any other fluid with comparable density is filled inside the encasement 1, the volume occupied by the encasements 1 increase which in turn increases the amount of buoyant force (F.sub.B). The increase in the buoyant force enables the encasements 1 to float on the upper surface of water body 2.

[0038] The cavities of each of the encasements house plurality of ‘basic units’ that convert the hydrokinetic wave motion into electrical energy. Each of the encasements or ‘modules’ 1 is employed with multiple ‘basic units’ 6 that harnesses and convert the hydrokinetic energy of a water body 2 into electrical energy. The ‘basic units’ 6 are installed in the encasements in a face centered cubic (FCC) arrangement (two dimensional 2D), these ‘basic units’ are separated from each other by a defined distance in order to insulate each other from any magnetic interference for the adjacent unit.

[0039] The module 1 may have dimensions of 65×39 inches and is capable of employing approximately 1400 basic units. These basic units 1 in association with each other may generate a substantial amount of electrical energy and may have a power rating that is approximately 5 kilowatt (kW). All the modules 1 are capable of being cascaded in series or parallel in order to form an array which may generate required electrical energy for utility scale applications.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 2, a sectional side view of the proposed device is illustrated, wherein each of the basic units 6 comprises various components that includes at least two springs 7, a cylindrical tube 10, ferromagnetic fluid, two fixed magnets 11, one movable magnet 12, an electric coil 13. The springs 7 are mounted in the modules 1, preferably in a vertical orientation and are affixed with the top 8 and bottom 9 portions of the modules 1. The springs 7 have a proximal and distal end, wherein the proximal end of a primary spring is connected to the top portion 8 and the distal end of the secondary spring is connected to the bottom portion 9 of the modules 1.

[0041] The engagement of springs 7 is in such a manner that the distal end of the primary spring and proximal end of the secondary spring are connected to the tube and facilitate amplification of oscillatory motion. As the modules 1 are floating on the surface of water body, the disturbances/hydrokinetic energy (i.e., waves, tides etc.) caused at the water surface 2 are transferred to the springs which in turn induces vibrations/jerks in the springs 7. These vibrations completely depend on the frequency of disturbances that are induced within the water body or in other words the amplitude of the wave 2. In between the distal end of the primary spring and proximal end of the secondary spring is the placement of the tube 10.

[0042] The cylindrical tube 10 is made up of glass or any other material with comparable properties especially the friction coefficient with respect to metals coated over magnets (in this embodiment but not limited to zinc or stainless steel) and is housed with a ferromagnetic fluid, two fixed magnets 11 and a movable magnet 12. The magnets are preferably formed of alloys of rare earth elements with a coating of zinc or stainless steel. The ferromagnetic fluid is a liquid substance that becomes strongly magnetized in the presence of strong magnetic field. Illustratively, the liquid is transformer oil-based liquid. The magnetism of the fluid increases with the increase in the nearby magnetic field. The ferromagnetic fluid forms multiple toroidal O-rings' on the exposed outer peripheral surfaces or edges of the magnets 11, 12, wherein the circular rings formed amplify the magnetic field of both the fixed 11 and movable magnet 12 and also reduces the friction between the magnet and cylindrical tube 10. The friction is so minimal that the movable magnet 12 almost floats within the tube and experiences almost negligible dampening effect due to sliding friction. The fixed magnets 11 are placed at the top and bottom portion of the cylindrical tube and the movable magnet 12 is placed in between both the fixed magnets 11.

[0043] Both the fixed magnets 11 and the movable magnet 12 are positioned in such a way that the south pole of the top fixed magnet faces the south pole of the movable magnet and similarly the north pole of the bottom fixed magnet faces the north pole of the movable magnet. Such arrangement is introduced in order to enable repulsive force in between the fixed magnets and movable magnet. The magnets that are employed within the cylindrical tube 10 are rare earth magnets having strong magnetic flux but any other magnetic material of comparable or higher magnetic flux can be substituted.

[0044] The movable magnet 12 therefore oscillates in between the fixed magnets 11 due to the vibrations induced by the springs as well as repulsion caused by the fixed magnets 11. All these arrangements force the movable magnet 12 to oscillate with maximum frequency. The outer surface of the cylindrical tube 10 is wrapped with an electric coil 13, wherein the relative motion of the movable magnet 12 and electric coil induces an electric current in the electric coil 13 in accordance with the law of electromagnetic induction.

[0045] The electric current is generated in the form of Alternating Current (AC) which can be converted into Direct Current (DC) for storage purposes. The system is therefore installed with a voltage processing unit that comprises an AC to DC converter and a charge controller. The AC to DC converter is a circuit implemented for converting the input of alternating current into direct current. In another embodiment an AC-to-AC converter may also be used.

[0046] The charge controller is connected with AC to DC converter that limits the rate at which the direct current is supplied further. The charge controller supplies the regulated direct current to a rechargeable battery or a capacitor or another form of energy storage device. More batteries can be employed based on the amount of electrical energy that is to be stored within the batteries.

[0047] Although the field of the invention has been described herein with limited reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternate embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention.