초록 ▼

An improved ocean energy converter having a semi-submerged device designed to harvest energy from the ocean. Each device is connected to others to form long lines forming an interconnected array of ocean energy devices that are anchored at right angles to the prevailing ocean waves. The front and ba

An improved ocean energy converter having a semi-submerged device designed to harvest energy from the ocean. Each device is connected to others to form long lines forming an interconnected array of ocean energy devices that are anchored at right angles to the prevailing ocean waves. The front and back sections of each energy module have internal ballast. Each device has a submerged inverse curved wing sections attached to floating stabilizer tubes. The trailing edge of the wings has several struts attached which support propellers that drive internal air compressors. The air compressors are connected together and connected to the other air compressors in the array of devices and those in turn are connected to a high pressure line leading underwater to an onshore air turbine electric generator connected to the local power grid.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. An ocean energy module for converting ocean energy into useful energy comprising: a. a focuser comprising a surface having a leading edge and a lateral edge shaped to condense and amplify ocean wave energy, wherein the leading edge is at least 30 feet below the surface of the water and

I claim: 1. An ocean energy module for converting ocean energy into useful energy comprising: a. a focuser comprising a surface having a leading edge and a lateral edge shaped to condense and amplify ocean wave energy, wherein the leading edge is at least 30 feet below the surface of the water and the trailing edge is from two feet above to two feet below the surface of the water, wherein the surface is generally at an angle of 45 degrees near the leading edge, horizontal near the trailing edge, and curved therebetween; b. a stabilizer member connected to the focuser to provide support to the focuser; c. an unenclosed energy absorber unit positioned near the trailing edge of the focuser to convert wave energy to compressed air while allowing the rear of the energy absorber to exhaust a spent wave quickly causing the least distortion of a passing pressure wave which allows the pressure wave to reform quickly with minimum energy loss. 2. The ocean energy module of claim 1, wherein the energy absorber unit is positioned generally upright. 3. The ocean energy module of claim 1, wherein the energy absorber unit is rotatable backwardly and away from to an incoming wave about a generally horizontal axis in order to shed any excessive energy of the oncoming wave. 4. The ocean energy module of claim 1, wherein a. the leading edge further comprises a front buoyancy member, wherein the front buoyancy member can be adjusted to change the height of the leading edge and b. the trailing edge further comprises a rear buoyancy member, wherein the rear buoyancy member can be adjusted to change the height of the trailing edge, wherein changing the height of the leading edge and/or the trailing edge adjusts an angle of the focuser. 5. The ocean energy module of claim 1, wherein the focuser is ballasted with water. 6. The ocean energy module of claim 1, wherein the energy absorber unit comprises a constantly changing programmable solid state suspension to provide a high torque characteristic of the propeller. 7. The ocean energy module of claim 1, wherein the energy absorber unit is made from high strength composite. 8. The ocean energy module of claim 1, wherein the stabilizer tube is positioned behind the focuser and the energy absorber unit. 9. The ocean energy module of claim 1 further comprising a. a high pressure hose that carries the compressed air away from the energy absorber unit and b. an air turbine generator that converts the compressed air into electrical energy. 10. The ocean energy module of claim 1 further comprising a. a slack mooring system to secure the module, wherein the mooring system comprises a mooring cable and a submerged float to support the majority of the weight of the mooring cable; b. an onboard computer; and c. an electro-pneumatic controller controlled by the onboard computer to adjust the height of the leading edge of the focuser. 11. A method for converting ocean wave energy into usable electrical energy comprising: a. creating a surging breaker wave by slowing the forward movement of an ocean pressure wave as it approaches a plurality of energy absorber units, wherein the step of creating a surging breaker wave comprises engaging the ocean pressure wave with a focuser with a surface, a leading edge, and a trailing edge; said surface having a slope of 45 degrees near the leading edge, a slope approaching zero degrees near the trailing edge, and curved therebetween; said leading edge lying at least 30 feet below the ocean surface, and said trailing edge lying from zero to two feet below the ocean surface; b. directing the surging breaker wave through the energy absorber units while exhausting a spent surging breaker wave quickly causing the least distortion of the ocean pressure wave which allows the ocean pressure wave to reform quickly with minimum energy loss; c. converting energy from the surging breaker wave into compressed air; d. carrying the compressed air to one or more turbine generators; and e. converting pneumatic energy from the compressed air to electrical energy. 12. The method of claim 11 further comprising: adjusting the angle of the focuser by adjusting the contents of buoyancy members positioned near the leading and trailing edges of the focuser. 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the contents of the buoyancy members includes water and air. 14. The method of claim 11 wherein the energy absorber units are generally upright. 15. The method of claim 11 wherein the energy absorber units are rotatable backwardly and away from an incoming wave about a generally horizontal axis in order to shed any excessive energy of the wave. 16. The method of claim 11 further comprising accumulating and combining the compressed air from a plurality of the energy absorber units to smooth out the cyclical nature of the ocean wave energy. 17. A network of two or more ocean energy modules for converting ocean energy into useful energy using naturally occurring processes to amplify, condense and convert ocean's kinetic energy, each module comprising: a. a focuser comprising a surface having a leading edge and a trailing edge shaped to condense and amplify ocean wave energy, wherein the surface comprises a slope of approximately 45 degrees in the front half and an approximately horizontal section near the trailing edge, the leading edge comprises a front buoyancy member, wherein the front buoyancy member can be adjusted to change the height of the leading edge and is at least approximately 30 feet below the surface of the water and the trailing edge comprises a rear buoyancy member, wherein the rear buoyancy member can be adjusted to change the height of the trailing edge and is from approximately zero feet to approximately two feet below the surface of the water and wherein the focuser is ballasted with water; b. one or more stabilizer members connected to the focuser to provide support to the focuser; c. an energy absorber unit constructed of high strength composite positioned near the trailing edge of the focuser to convert wave energy to compressed air, wherein the energy absorber unit is positioned generally upright but can rotate back and away from an oncoming wave about a generally horizontal axis in order to shed any excessive energy of the oncoming wave and wherein the energy absorber unit comprises a high torque characteristic through constantly changing programmable solid state suspension; d. a high pressure hose that carries the compressed air away from the energy absorber unit; and e. an air turbine generator that converts the compressed air into electrical energy. 18. An array of interconnected ocean energy conversion devices for converting large areas of ocean waves into useful energy comprising: a. a plurality of ocean energy modules deployed so as to intercept ocean energy and direct said ocean energy to a plurality of unenclosed absorber units, wherein each ocean energy module is attached to an adjacent ocean energy module through a flexible coupling between a focuser and a first stabilizer tube and a fixed attachment to a second stabilizer tube; b. a plurality of air compressors, wherein each air compressor is connected to a high pressure hose through a one way valve, wherein the high pressure hose connects through the plurality of ocean energy modules to accumulate air pressure from the plurality of air compressors; c. a mooring to the ocean bottom approximately every 1,000 feet of array; d. an underwater transmission system to shore; wherein the focuser comprises a surface having a leading edge and a lateral edge shaped to condense and amplify ocean wave energy, wherein the leading edge is at most approximately 30 feet below the surface of the water and the trailing edge is from approximately two feet above to approximately two feet below the surface of the water, wherein the surface is generally at an angle of 45 degrees near the leading edge, horizontal near the trailing edge, and curved therebetween.