Abstract
A wave panel assembly (10) for a wave en-ergy extracting apparatus, comprising a base member (12) configured to be anchored to the bottom (14) of a water basin, and a wave panel (20) pivotably connected to the base member at a first lower end (22) of the wave panel by means of a pivot connection (16). The wave panel is configured to perform a reciprocating movement in relation to a pivoting axis of the pivot connection when the wave panel is located in water and is subjected to the influence of moving water, and the wave panel has a first side surface (24) configured to face away from the direction of movement W of the moving water and a second side surface (26) configured to face towards the direction W of movement of the moving water. The wave panel (20) is provided with a float member (18) arranged at the first side surface (24) of the wave panel, in a position between the first lower end (22) and a second top end (23) of the wave panel. Also disclosed is a wave energy extracting apparatus (50) comprising a wave panel assembly.
Claims
1-9. (canceled)
10. A wave panel assembly for a wave energy extracting apparatus, comprising a base member configured to be anchored to the bottom of a water basin and a wave panel pivotably connected to the base member at a first lower end of the wave panel by means of a pivot connection, the wave panel being configured to perform a reciprocating movement in relation to a pivoting axis of the pivot connection when the wave panel is located in water and is subjected to the influence of moving water, and the wave panel having a first side surface configured to face away from the direction of movement W of the moving water and a second side surface configured to face towards the direction W of movement of the moving water, wherein the wave panel is provided with afloat member arranged at the first side surface of the wave panel, in a position between the first lower end and a second top end of the wave panel, wherein the float member is arranged to incline the wave panel, in a rest position, in a direction towards the direction of movement W of the water at an angle of approximately 5 to approximately 40 in relation to a vertical position A of the wave panel.
11. The wave panel assembly according to claim 10, wherein the float member extends essentially along the entire width of the first side surface of the wave panel.
12. The wave panel assembly according to claim 10, wherein the float member is adjustably arranged at the first side surface of the wave panel.
13. The wave panel assembly according to claim 10, wherein the float member has a cylindrical shape.
14. The wave panel assembly according to claim 10, wherein the wave panel is arranged to perform a reciprocating movement between an angle of approximately 45 and an angle of approximately +55 in relation to a vertical position of the wave panel.
15. The wave panel assembly according to claim 10, wherein the float member is arranged on the first side surface of the wave panel.
16. The wave panel assembly according to claim 10, wherein the float member is arranged at a distance from the first side surface of the wave panel.
17. A wave energy extracting apparatus comprising a wave panel assembly according to claim 10, and further comprising an arrangement for extracting energy generated by the movement of the wave panel.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The invention will now be described in more detail, with reference being made to the enclosed schematic drawings illustrating different aspects and embodiments of the invention, given as examples only, and in which:
[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates schematically the principle of an apparatus for extracting wave energy according to prior art,
[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates schematically a wave panel assembly according to the present invention,
[0024] FIG. 3 illustrates schematically an embodiment of a wave panel assembly according to the present invention,
[0025] FIG. 4 illustrates schematically another embodiment of a wave panel assembly according to the present invention,
[0026] FIG. 5a illustrates schematically an embodiment of a wave energy extracting apparatus according to the present invention, and
[0027] FIG. 5b illustrates schematically another embodiment of a wave energy extracting apparatus according to the present invention.
[0028] Elements that are the same or represent corresponding or equivalent elements have been given the same reference numbers in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0029] In FIG. 2 is shown a wave panel assembly 10 according to the invention. The wave panel assembly is designed to constitute a part of a wave energy extracting apparatus, as will be described later. The wave panel assembly 10 comprises a base member 12 configured to be anchored to the bottom 14 of a water basin. The wave panel assembly further comprises a wave panel 20 pivotably connected to the base member 12, at a first lower end 22 of the wave panel, by means of a pivot connection 16. The pivot connection may for example be a hinge connection or any other suitable connection allowing the wave panel to pivot about a pivot axis of the pivot connection. The wave panel 20 is configured to perform a reciprocating movement in relation to a pivoting axis of the pivot connection 16 when the wave panel is located in water and is subjected to the influence of moving water. The wave panel has a first side surface 24 configured to face away from the direction of movement W of the moving water and a second side surface 26 configured to face towards the direction of movement W of the moving water.
[0030] The wave panel assembly 10 further comprises a float member 18 that is arranged at the first side surface 24 of the wave panel, between a first lower end 22 of the wave panel and a second top end 23 of the wave panel. The float member 18 can be mounted such that it is in contact with the side surface 24 or very close to the side surface, as shown in FIG. 3, or it can be mounted at a distance from the side surface, as shown in FIG. 4. If the float member is mounted relatively high up, the impact will be greater than if it is mounted lower down. Also, if the float member is arranged at a distance away from the wave panel, a longer distance will increase the impact of the float. Even if the wave panel for some reason should not be entirely immersed in the water, e.g. if the top of the wave panel surfaces above the water, the float member should always be located such that it is immersed in water.
[0031] The function of the float member is illustrated in FIG. 2. By arranging a float member 18 at the side surface 24 of the wave panel 20, on the side that is configured to face away from the direction of movement W of the moving water, the wave panel 20 will have a rest position, i.e. a position in which it is not influenced by any force from the moving water, that is inclined in the direction towards the other side of the wave panel 20 that does not have a float member. Or in other words, the rest position of the wave panel 20 can be described as being inclined and biased towards the direction from where it will be hit by the moving water. This will result in an improved energy transfer of the kinetic energy from the moving water to a movement of the wave panel 20 since the reciprocating movement of the wave panel 20 will be more evenly centred around the vertical direction A, i.e. around an approximately perpendicular angle to the bottom of the water basin and also the water surface. As already explained above, the energy of the moving water has its maximum at an angle perpendicular to the bottom of the water basin/water surface, and consequently, the more the movement of the wave panel is centred around the perpendicular angle, the better the effect.
[0032] In the illustrated example in FIG. 2, the float member is located such that the angle of the rest position for the wave panel 20 is 10 in relation to the vertical direction A. This will result in a pivoting movement of the wave panel 20, when hit by a wave, such that it will rotate past the vertical A and over to the opposite side of the vertical to a maximum angle of +30, and then back past the vertical A and past the rest position angle, to an approximate angle of 20 where it will reverse its direction again. It should be noted that the figures for the angles are only illustrative examples, and can vary substantially due to factors such as the height position and size of the float member 18, the distance of the float member 18 from the wave panel 20, the weight of the wave panel, details of the pivot connection 16 etc., and not least the water movement. It can be foreseen that the angle for the rest position can be of approximately 5 to approximately 40 in relation to a vertical position of the wave panel. Preferably, the angle is between 5 and 30, and more preferably between 5 and 20. With regard to the end points for the pivoting movement, it can be foreseen that the wave panel is arranged to perform a reciprocating movement between an angle of approximately 45 and an angle of approximately +55 in relation to a vertical position of the wave panel, preferably between an angle of approximately 35 and approximately +45, and even more preferably between an angle of approximately 20 and approximately +30.
[0033] The location of the float member 18 in relation to the wave panel 20 may vary since this has an impact on the rest position angle of the wave panel, as already mentioned. In FIG. 3 is schematically illustrated an embodiment where the float member is mounted directly on the first side surface 24 of the wave panel 20. In FIG. 4 is illustrated another embodiment in which the float member 18 is mounted such that it is located at a distance from the first side surface 24 of the wave panel 20.
[0034] The float member may also be adjustably arranged in the sense that it may be moved up or down in relation to the wave panel. Usually such an adjustment would be made before the wave panel assembly is installed in the water.
[0035] The wave panel assembly 10, according to the invention, can be used together with many different types of arrangements that extract the energy generated by the movements of the wave panel in order to make it possible to utilise the energy of the moving water in many different applications. Examples of such energy extracting apparatuses can involve different types of pump arrangements.
[0036] In FIG. 5a is schematically illustrated one possible embodiment of a wave energy extracting apparatus 50 comprising a wave panel assembly 10 according to the invention and an arrangement 40 for extracting energy generated by the movement of the wave panel. The energy extracting arrangement 40 comprises a torsion pump and the wave panel is attached to the pivoting shaft of the torsion pump. The kinetic energy of the reciprocating movement of the wave panel is thus transformed into kinetic energy of a rotating movement, and this can for example be directly transformed into electricity by means of a generator.
[0037] In FIG. 5b is schematically illustrated another possible embodiment of a wave energy extracting apparatus 50 comprising a wave panel assembly 10 according to the invention and an arrangement 40 for extracting energy generated by the movement of the wave panel. The energy extracting arrangement 40 comprises an arm 45 articulated in a wave panel, the arm having means for being connected to a compression cylinder acting as an energy reserve or being connected over a lever system to an electric generator thereby allowing energy to be transformed into electricity. A large pivoting movement of the wave panel 20 will have a large impact on the energy extracting arrangement 40, since the reciprocating movement of the arm 45 will be large. The invention shall not be considered limited to the illustrated embodiments, but can be modified and altered in many ways, as realised by a person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope defined in the appended claims.
