초록 ▼

A novel and useful method and apparatus for generating power from pressure changes over time within a fluid. The apparatus comprises a housing (10), and a double-sided piston (12) subject to the forces brought about by the variations in pressure of the surrounding fluid and by a restoring force such

A novel and useful method and apparatus for generating power from pressure changes over time within a fluid. The apparatus comprises a housing (10), and a double-sided piston (12) subject to the forces brought about by the variations in pressure of the surrounding fluid and by a restoring force such as a spring (20) or other mechanism. The resulting motion of the piston is transferred to power a generator, or is used to directly perform work. The apparatus is particularly applicable to placement in the ocean or sea where the rise and fall of the tides create the variations of pressure that drive the piston within the housing. A rising tide presents a higher pressure against the face of the piston pushing it towards the back of the housing and opposing the restoring force mechanism. A falling tide presents a lower pressure against the face of the piston allowing the restoring force to move it towards the front of the housing. Energy is harvested from the movement of the piston in one or both directions either by connection to a turbine coupled to a generator or by a linkage attached to the piston that is connected to a mechanical load such as a generator, pump, etc.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A power generation apparatus, comprising: a housing submerged in a surrounding body of water and having inner walls defining an interior space therein, said housing having one or more openings operative to allow water flow between a first chamber and the surrounding body of water;a piston slideab

1. A power generation apparatus, comprising: a housing submerged in a surrounding body of water and having inner walls defining an interior space therein, said housing having one or more openings operative to allow water flow between a first chamber and the surrounding body of water;a piston slideably disposed within said housing and operative to divide said interior space into said first chamber and a second chamber, edges of said piston being sealed against said inner walls of said housing thereby preventing water flow between said first chamber and said second chamber, said piston having a first side in communication with said first chamber and a second side opposite thereto in communication with said second chamber;wherein due solely to positive changes in pressure of the surrounding body of water exerted on said first side of said piston, said piston slideably moves within said housing to compress said second chamber;a restoring force member coupled to said piston whereby due solely to negative changes in pressure of the surrounding body of water exerted on said first side of said piston, said restoring force member exerts a force on said piston whereby said piston slideably moves within said housing to expand said second chamber;wherein said piston compresses said second chamber when the force exerted by the positively changing pressure of the surrounding body of water exceeds that exerted by said restoring force member;wherein said piston expands said second chamber when the force exerted by the negatively changing pressure of the surrounding body of water is less than that exerted by said restoring force member; andwherein said one or more openings are channeled to a mechanical load for transferring the energy generated by said piston to perform useful work. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said restoring force member is disposed in said second chamber and connected to said second side of said piston. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said restoring force member is disposed in said first chamber and connected to said first side of said piston. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said one or more openings are connected via one or more pipes to a turbine coupled to an electrical generator, whereby energy generated by movement of said piston due to pressure changes in the surrounding body of water is converted to electricity by rotation of the turbine caused by the flow of water in the pipe. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a mechanical linkage connected to said piston and operative to transfer motion of said piston to a device for performing mechanical work. 6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said mechanical work comprises driving an electric generator. 7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said mechanical work comprises driving a pump. 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movement of said piston within said chamber is due solely to changes in pressure of the surrounding body of water and not to any mechanical linkages extending to the surface of said body of water. 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the positive and negative changes in pressure are caused by said housing rising and falling in said water. 10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the positive and negative changes in pressure are caused by the natural phenomena of waves in an ocean. 11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the positive and negative changes in pressure are caused by the natural phenomena of tides in an ocean. 12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is disposed in the ocean or sea, wherein the natural phenomena of a rising tide causes pressure derived forces against the first side of said piston to increase and wherein the natural phenomena of a falling tide causes pressure derived forces against the first side of said piston to decrease. 13. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a mechanical linkage and mechanism connected to said piston on one end and connected to an electrical generator or pump on the other end and operative to convert reciprocal motion of said piston into rotary motion for the generator or pump. 14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one or more operating parameters of said restoring force member are configured such that the distance traveled by said piston in said housing is an optimal length. 15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the force exerted by the surrounding body of water is proportional to fluid pressure which varies in accordance with a depth of said apparatus within the surrounding body of water. 16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said restoring force member comprises one of the following: a compressible gas or liquid, one or more bladders, one or more springs, one or more magnets, one or more sections of elastic material and one or more pieces of piezoelectric material. 17. A method of generating power, the method comprising: submerging a housing in a surrounding body of water, said housing having inner walls defining an interior space therein and having one or more openings operative to allow water flow between a first chamber and the surrounding body of water;disposing a piston within said housing dividing said interior space into said first chamber and a second chamber, said piston having a first side in communication with said first chamber and a second side opposite thereto in communication with said second chamber;sealing edges of said piston against said inner walls of said housing thereby preventing water flow between said first chamber and said second chamber;wherein due solely to positive changes in pressure of the surrounding body of water exerted on said first side of said piston, said piston slideably moves within said housing to compress said second chamber;providing a restoring force member coupled to said piston whereby due solely to negative changes in pressure of the surrounding body of water exerted on said first side of said piston, said restoring force member exerts a force on said piston whereby said piston slideably moves within said housing to expand said second chamber;channeling said one or more openings to a mechanical load for transferring the energy generated by said piston to perform useful work;wherein said piston compresses said second chamber when the force exerted by the increasing pressure of the surrounding body of water exceeds that exerted by said restoring force member; andwherein said piston expands said second chamber when the force exerted by the decreasing pressure of the surrounding body of water is less than that exerted by said restoring force member. 18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising converting movement of said piston due to pressure changes in the surrounding body of water to electricity by rotation of a turbine, wherein said one or more openings of said housing are connected by way of pipe to the turbine which is coupled to an electrical generator. 19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising transferring motion of said piston to a device for performing mechanical work via a mechanical linkage connected to said piston. 20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the surrounding body of water comprises seawater, wherein the natural phenomena of a rising tide causes pressure derived forces against the first side of said piston to increase and wherein the natural phenomena of a falling tide causes pressure derived forces against the first side of said piston to decrease. 21. An apparatus for generating power for use in an ocean or sea, comprising: a closed hollow housing submersible in a surrounding body of seawater undergoing water pressure variations over time caused by natural phenomena of rising and falling tides in the ocean or sea, said closed hollow housing including at least one completely submersible opening through which seawater from the surrounding body of water enters and exits said closed hollow housing;at least one moveable wall with a first face and a second face opposite said first face, said at least one moveable wall operative to partition said closed hollow housing into a first chamber and a second chamber;wherein fluid from the surrounding body of water fills the first chamber of said closed hollow housing and wherein the second chamber of said closed hollow housing is sealed from contact with seawater by said at least one moveable wall;wherein the first face of said at least one moveable wall in contact with seawater in said first chamber of said closed hollow housing;wherein a first force, caused solely by increased pressure in the surrounding body of water due to a rising tide is applied against the first face of said at least one moveable wall;a restoring force subsystem operative to provide a second force in opposition to the first force being applied against the first face of said at least one moveable wall and to cause said at least one moveable wall to move in an opposite direction caused solely by decreased pressure in the surrounding body of water due to a falling tide;wherein said moveable wall compresses said second chamber when the force exerted by the increasing pressure of the surrounding body of water exceeds that exerted by said restoring force member;wherein said moveable wall expands said second chamber when the force exerted by the decreasing pressure of the surrounding body of water is less than that exerted by said restoring force subsystem; andwherein power is generated through harnessing the first force and the second force to do useful mechanical work. 22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said one or more openings are connected via one or more pipes to a turbine coupled to an electrical generator, whereby energy generated by movement of said at least one moveable wall due to pressure changes in the surrounding body of water is converted to electricity by rotation of the turbine caused by the flow of water in the one or more pipes. 23. The apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising a mechanical linkage connected to said at least one moveable wall and operative to transfer motion thereof to a device for performing mechanical work.