WAVE ENERGY PLANT Russian patent published in 2004 - IPC

FIELD: conversion of falling sea wave energy into electricity. SUBSTANCE: power plant is installed in enclosed water area at distance of 50 m from shore. Wave energy plant has wave intake, flume, running wheels, flywheel, and generator. Wave intake is provided with underwater breaker whose slabs can vary depth of immersion to afford fall of waves of any height at desired point of running wheel. Operating element is made in the form of three bladed wheels. Running wheels are mounted above horizontal flume carrying frothed wave; in the process running wheels can rise above flume depending on wave height. Running wheels convey torque to flywheel through chain transmissions and freewheel clutches. Flywheel functions to accumulate energy thereby smoothing down intervals of wave incidence and to uniformly transfer rotary motion to generator by means of automatic variable speed unit. Underwater breakers capable of handling up to 3 m high waves are installed upstream of wave intakes at distance of 25 m from sea side to protect wave energy plant against storm and hurricane waves, upper slab of breaker being submerged to depth of 4.5 5 m. EFFECT: enhanced operating reliability of wave energy plant. 1 cl, 4 dwg