Abstract: An underwater apparatus for generating electric power from ocean currents and deep water tides. A submersible platform including two or more power pods, each having a rotor with fixed-pitch blades, with drivetrains housed in pressure vessels that are connected by a transverse structure providing buoyancy, which can be a wing depressor, hydrofoil, truss, or faired tube. The platform is connected to anchors on the seafloor by forward mooring lines and a vertical mooring line that restricts the depth of the device in the water column. The platform operates using passive, rather than active, depth control. The wing depressor, along with rotor drag loads, ensures the platform seeks the desired operational current velocity. The rotors are directly coupled to a hydraulic pump that drives at least one constant-speed hydraulic-motor generator set and enables hydraulic braking. A fluidic bearing decouples non-torque rotor loads to the main shaft driving the hydraulic pumps.

Abstract: An underwater apparatus for generating electric power from ocean currents and deep water tides. A submersible platform including two or more power pods, each having a rotor with fixed-pitch blades, with drivetrains housed in pressure vessels that are connected by a transverse structure providing buoyancy, which can be a wing depressor, hydrofoil, truss, or faired tube. The platform is connected to anchors on the seafloor by forward mooring lines and a vertical mooring line that restricts the depth of the device in the water column. The platform operates using passive, rather than active, depth control. The wing depressor, along with rotor drag loads, ensures the platform seeks the desired operational current velocity. The rotors are directly coupled to a hydraulic pump that drives at least one constant-speed hydraulic-motor generator set and enables hydraulic braking. A fluidic bearing decouples non-torque rotor loads to the main shaft driving the hydraulic pumps.

Abstract: A power-generating device located in or on the surface of the ocean for generating power utilizing the energy in ocean wave motion. The device is moored to the bow and stern at ˜45° to incoming ocean waves, and with a yawing capability to adjust to change in wave direction. The device delivers power to a shore grid via a submarine cable from a generator. A rotational driving torque to the generator is produced by two long counter-rotating drive tubes, which are held by bearings in the bow hull and the stern hull of the device. As an alternative, hydraulics may be employed for energy capture and power smoothing and used to provide the rotational torque through a hydraulic motor to drive a generator. The main body is partially submerged and has multiple pod floats connected to the structure by rocker arms with bearings through which the drive tubes pass or double-acting hydraulic rams between the arms and the main body, which capture energy through pod displacement and store it in accumulators.

Abstract: An underwater apparatus for generating electric power from ocean currents and deep water tides. A submersible platform including two or more power pods, each having a rotor with fixed-pitch blades, with drivetrains housed in pressure vessels that are connected by a transverse structure providing buoyancy, which can be a wing depressor, hydrofoil, truss, or faired tube. The platform is connected to anchors on the seafloor by forward mooring lines and a vertical mooring line that restricts the depth of the device in the water column. The platform operates using passive, rather than active, depth control. The wing depressor, along with rotor drag loads, ensures the platform seeks the desired operational current velocity. The rotors are directly coupled to a hydraulic pump that drives at least one constant-speed hydraulic-motor generator set and enables hydraulic braking. A fluidic bearing decouples non-torque rotor loads to the main shaft driving the hydraulic pumps.

Abstract: An integrated alternative energy roofing panel incorporates an array of solar concentrator tubes interconnected with transparent web to form a joined plate supported in frame elements with an attached working fluid manifold. The working fluid in the manifold is operatively in contact with the solar concentrator tubes for transferring heat from the tubes. In one exemplary construction, each of the solar concentrator tubes terminates in a conducting metal sleeve which extends beyond the frame element into the manifold. A safety glass panel is attached to one frame element beneath the joined plate. The joined plate and safety glass panel may be sealed to the frame elements to form a chamber and the chamber may be evacuated. A plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) are embedded in the web for supplemental lighting. An array of photovoltaic cells mounted to a top surface of the manifold and a battery are interconnected for powering the LEDs.

Abstract: An underwater apparatus for generating electric power from ocean currents and deep water tides. A submersible platform including two or more power pods, each having a rotor with fixed-pitch blades, with drivetrains housed in pressure vessels that are connected by a transverse structure providing buoyancy, which can be a wing depressor, hydrofoil, truss, or faired tube. The platform is connected to anchors on the seafloor by forward mooring lines and a vertical mooring line that restricts the depth of the device in the water column. The platform operates using passive, rather than active, depth control. The wing depressor, along with rotor drag loads, ensures the platform seeks the desired operational current velocity. The rotors are directly coupled to a hydraulic pump that drives at least one constant-speed hydraulic-motor generator set and enables hydraulic braking. A fluidic bearing decouples non-torque rotor loads to the main shaft driving the hydraulic pumps.

Abstract: A wind turbine power generation system incorporates a turbine rotor having a plurality of blades extending from a hub with each blade having an inner blade and an outer blade. A collar is provided on each blade with the inner blade extending between the hub and collar and the outer blade extending from the collar. A generator ring is carried by the collars and includes a generator rotor attached to the collars to rotate with the turbine rotor. A stator ring is supported from the generator rotor by a low friction interface for relative rotation with the generator rotor. A torque stay system prevents rotation of the stator ring for generation of power from the rotating turbine rotor as a linear distributed generator.

Abstract: A power-generating device located in or on the surface of the ocean for generating power utilizing the energy in ocean wave motion. The device is moored to the bow and stern at ˜45° to incoming ocean waves, and with a yawing capability to adjust to change in wave direction. The device delivers power to a shore grid via a submarine cable from a generator. A rotational driving torque to the generator is produced by two long counter-rotating drive tubes, which are held by bearings in the bow hull and the stern hull of the device. As an alternative, hydraulics may be employed for energy capture and power smoothing and used to provide the rotational torque through a hydraulic motor to drive a generator. The main body is partially submerged and has multiple pod floats connected to the structure by rocker arms with bearings through which the drive tubes pass or double-acting hydraulic rams between the arms and the main body, which capture energy through pod displacement and store it in accumulators.

Abstract: An integrated alternative energy roofing panel incorporates an array of solar concentrator tubes interconnected with transparent web to form a joined plate supported in frame elements with an attached working fluid manifold. The working fluid in the manifold is operatively in contact with the solar concentrator tubes for transferring heat from the tubes. In one exemplary construction, each of the solar concentrator tubes terminates in a conducting metal sleeve which extends beyond the frame element into the manifold. A safety glass panel is attached to one frame element beneath the joined plate. The joined plate and safety glass panel may be sealed to the frame elements to form a chamber and the chamber may be evacuated. A plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) are embedded in the web for supplemental lighting. An array of photovoltaic cells mounted to a top surface of the manifold and a battery are interconnected for powering the LEDs.

Abstract: A method is described of controlling a tethered, underwater, water current-driven turbine, power-generating device. A predetermined maximum depth and a predetermined minimum depth are set. In response to sensing depth of the device, an ascend protocol or a descend protocol are selectively invoked. These protocols maintain an operating depth of the device that is midway between the predetermined maximum depth and the predetermined minimum depth. The turbine includes variable-pitch rotor blades. A maximum allowable drag force load on the turbine rotors is selected. The pitch of the variable-pitch rotor blades on the turbine is adjusted such that the drag force loading of the device does not exceed a maximum design level.