Floating off-shore power generation apparatus using ionic polymeric metal composite

Abstract

The present invention relates to a floating offshore power generation apparatus using an ionic polymer-metal composite, including: a floating body floating on water; an ionic polymer-metal composite that is attached to the floating body and generates electricity by bending in a vertical or horizontal direction according to the flowing state of sea water; a rectification unit that converts, into a direct electric current, the electricity generated in the form of an alternating electric current in the ion polymeric metal composite; and a load unit that is connected to the rectification unit and supplies or stores the produced electricity. According to the present invention, ionic polymer-metal composites having hydrophilicity are attached to one floating body instead of complicated mechanical parts vulnerable to the offshore environment, thereby facilitating maintenance and increasing power generation efficiency per unit area.

Claims

1. A floating offshore power generation apparatus using an ionic polymer-metal composite, comprising: a floating body floating on water; an ionic polymer-metal composite attached to the floating body and generating electricity when bending by the flow of ambient water on which the floating body floats; a rectification unit for converting electricity of an alternating current generated by the ionic polymer-metal composite into a direct current; and a load unit connected to the rectification unit and for storing or supplying the electricity produced, wherein the floating body has a ring shape, and the ionic polymer-metal composite is in the form of a plurality of the ionic polymer-metal composites, each having a cantilever shape, and arranged at regular intervals along a circumference of the floating body.

2. The floating offshore power generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the floating body is in the form of a plurality of the floating bodies that are stacked in a vertical direction to form a module having a cylinder shape.

3. The floating offshore power generation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of the floating bodies has an inner cylinder disposed in the floating body, and an electrical wire is received in the inner cylinders and connected to the plurality of the floating bodies.

4. The floating offshore power generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ionic polymer-metal composites are arranged in a radial direction and fixed to the floating body, with an end of each ionic polymer-metal composites extending inward from an inside surface of the floating body, and an opposite end of each ionic polymer-metal composites extending outward to protrude from an outside surface of the floating body.

5. The floating offshore power generation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the ionic polymer-metal composites are arranged on the circumferential surface of the floating body in parallel relation to one another.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a floating offshore power generation apparatus using an ionic polymer-metal composite according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of an assembled body in which a plurality of the apparatuses of FIG. 1 is assembled in a vertical direction;

(3) FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating an assembled body in which a plurality of apparatuses of FIG. 1 is assembled in a vertical direction; and

(4) FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a state in which a module including a plurality of floating bodies of FIG. 1 is accommodated in a buoy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. A description or illustration about structures, effects, and advantages that the ordinarily skilled in the art can easily appreciate is simplified or omitted but a description or illustration will be focused on parts that closely relate to the present invention.

(6) As illustrated in FIG. 1, a floating offshore power generation apparatus using an ionic polymer-metal composite according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a floating body 20 having buoyancy so as to float on water, an ionic polymer-metal composite 40 that is attached to the floating body 20 and generates electricity by bending in a vertical or horizontal direction according to the flowing state of sea water, a rectification unit (not shown) that converts the electricity of an alternating electric current generated in the ionic polymer-metal composite 40 into a direct electric current, and a load unit (not shown) that is connected to the rectification unit and supplies or stores the produced electricity.

(7) The floating body 20 has a ring shape and can be made of any material as long as the floating body 20 can float on water. In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a plurality of the floating bodies 20 is stacked and assembled in a vertical direction, forming a module 100 having a cylinder shape. When the module 100 floats on sea water, it is vertically or horizontally arranged. The floating body 20 has an inner cylinder 60 taking a hollow tube form therein. An electric wire 80 that electrically connects a plurality of floating bodies 20 in parallel or series to each other extends through the hollow of the inner cylinder 60. The parallel connection of the floating bodies 20 increases the electric current and the series connection of the floating bodies 20 increases the electric voltage. On the other hand, the series connection and the parallel connection may be combined to increase the electrical power.

(8) When a plurality of floating bodies 20 is assembled in a vertical direction, as illustrated in FIG. 2, an upper end of the inner cylinder is provided with internal screw threads, and a lower end of the inner cylinder is provided with external screw threads. The threaded portion of the inner cylinder 60 undergoes a sealing process for hermetic sealing of the inner cylinder 60. As long as the hollow of the inner cylinder 60 can be sealed, the inner cylinders of the floating bodies can be connected to each other in any manner, aside from the screwing manner.

(9) The ionic polymer-metal composite 40 may be a metal composite based on an ionic polymer among electro active polymers (EAPs). Specifically, the ionic polymer-metal composite is a material in which ions in a polymeric thin film move when external force is applied thereto, producing electricity. The ionic polymer-metal composite 40 has a characteristic of producing electricity even when physical stimulation of a low frequency band is applied, unlike a conventional piezoelectric element. Therefore, it is suitably used on sea water which continuously flows. Specifically, since the ionic polymer-metal composite 40 is a hydrophilic metal, electricity can be produced even under water. Therefore, the ionic polymer-metal composite 40 can be used in offshore environment and can be easily maintained.

(10) The ionic polymer-metal composite 40 according to the embodiment of the present invention takes the form of a film having a predetermined length. A plurality of ionic polymer-metal composites 40 is fixed in the form of cantilevers to the circumferential surface of the floating body 20 and is arranged at regular intervals along the circumference of the floating body 20. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the ionic polymer-metal composites 40 are fixedly arranged in a radial direction along the circumference of the floating body 20. An end of the ionic polymer-metal composite 40 protrudes from the inside surface of the floating body 20 and the remaining end of the ionic polymer-metal composite 40 protrudes from the outside surface of the floating body 20. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 2, respective ends of the ionic polymer-metal composite 40 can bend when they come into contact with sea water. Therefore, compared with a cantilever structure in which only one end protrudes from an outside surface of a floating body, the ionic polymer-metal composites 40 can receive more frequent physical stimulation. Since the ionic polymer-metal composites 40 are connected in parallel with each other while they are arranged along the circumference of the floating body 20, it is possible to increase the amount of an electric current.

(11) Although not illustrated in the drawings, pendulums may be attached to the respective ends of the ionic polymer-metal composite 40 to increase the range of bending motion of the ionic polymer-metal composite 40. The pendulums increase the range of the bending motion of the ionic polymer-metal composite 40 having a cantilever structure in a vertical direction, thereby increasing electricity generation efficiency.

(12) FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a state in which a cylindrical module 100 in which a plurality of floating bodies 20 is assembled is accommodated in a buoy B. The buoy is a floating device (sea mark) that is installed in a predetermined position on the surface of a water body. The buoy is connected to a chain or rope 2 and anchored to the bed of a water body using an anchor or a sinker 1. The module 100 is mounted in the buoy, thereby serving as a floating power generation apparatus.

(13) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the module 100 floats on the surface of water and is arranged in a vertical direction. The ionic polymer-metal composites 40 are partially attached to the floating body 20 bend up and down along movement of waves, thereby producing electricity.

(14) Although not illustrated in the drawings, according to another embodiment, the module may be installed in a horizontal direction when it is accommodated in the buoy. In this case, the ionic polymer-metal composites may produce electricity by bending in the horizontal direction due to tidal force.

(15) According to the present invention which has been described so far, since the ionic polymer-metal composites can be attached to one floating body instead of complicated mechanical parts that are vulnerable to the offshore environment, it is possible to facilitate maintenance and increase efficiency of production of electricity per unit area.

(16) Features and technical advantages of the present invention have been broadly described to help the scope of the present invention that is disclosed in the accompanying claims be well understood. Further, although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. Furthermore, various changes and modifications of the present invention made within the technical sprit of the present invention are appreciated as included in the scope of the claims of the invention defined by the accompanying claims.

(17) The present invention relates to a floating offshore power generation apparatus using an ionic polymer-metal composite. More particularly, the present invention can be used in the field of production of floating offshore power generation apparatuses in which a plurality of ionic polymer-metal composites is attached to a floating body to form a structure that is suitable for offshore power generation.