Patents by Inventor WOUTER ADRIANUS PRINS

WOUTER ADRIANUS PRINS has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11136963
    Abstract: The invention provides an underwater energy storage system (UW-ES system) comprising a reservoir structure (5), which is resting at the bottom (4) of a waterbody (1), such as a sea, an ocean, a waterway, etc. The reservoir structure has a pressurizing reservoir (7A, 7B) with a deformable wall structure (17A, 17B) and a depressurizing reservoir (8A, 8B) with a rigid wall structure (6, 14, 18A, 18B), which are holding a working liquid (9) separated from the water (2) of the water body. Energy is stored and retrieved by displacing part of the working liquid from the depressurizing reservoir into the pressurizing reservoir, and vice versa, respectively. Therein use is made of the hydrostatic pressure of the water (2) acting on the deformable wall structure of the pressurizing reservoir. The UW-ES system is compact and economical, and allows for highly synergistical integration with various power take-off systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: RIJKSUNIVERSITEIT GRONINGEN
    Inventors: Wouter Adrianus Prins, Marijn Van Rooij, Antonios Iacovou Vakis, Bayu Jayawardhana
  • Publication number: 20200400123
    Abstract: The invention provides an underwater energy storage system (UW-ES system) comprising a reservoir structure (5), which is resting at the bottom (4) of a waterbody (1), such as a sea, an ocean, a waterway, etc. The reservoir structure has a pressurizing reservoir (7A, 7B) with a deformable wall structure (17A, 17B) and a depressurizing reservoir (8A, 8B) with a rigid wall structure (6, 14, 18A, 18B), which are holding a working liquid (9) separated from the water (2) of the water body. Energy is stored and retrieved by displacing part of the working liquid from the depressurizing reservoir into the pressurizing reservoir, and vice versa, respectively. Therein use is made of the hydrostatic pressure of the water (2) acting on the deformable wall structure of the pressurizing reservoir. The UW-ES system is compact and economical, and allows for highly synergistical integration with various power take-off systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: WOUTER ADRIANUS PRINS, MARIJN VAN ROOIJ, ANTONIOS IACOVOU VAKIS, BAYU JAYAWARDHANA
  • Patent number: 9951747
    Abstract: The invention relates to extracting kinetic energy from surface waves. Therein, at least one float (8) is kept floating in the area of the surface waves, while a working fluid is held in a reservoir structure (2, 3). The float is connected to a fluid displacement structure in such manner that an individual surface wave, which causes an upward stroke of the float, moves the working fluid within the reservoir structure in such manner that the potential energy of the working fluid is increased. Before the wave has reached the float, the wave is detected by a sensor (7). Based on said detection, a prediction is calculated of the amount of kinetic energy available in the wave. Tuned to said prediction, an energy transmission structure of the fluid displacement structure is adjusted for realizing the energy conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignees: RIJKSUNIVERSITEIT GRONINGEN
    Inventor: Wouter Adrianus Prins
  • Publication number: 20160237980
    Abstract: The invention relates to extracting kinetic energy from surface waves. Therein, at least one float (8) is kept floating in the area of the surface waves, while a working fluid is held in a reservoir structure (2, 3). The float is connected to a fluid displacement structure in such manner that an individual surface wave, which causes an upward stroke of the float, moves the working fluid within the reservoir structure in such manner that the potential energy of the working fluid is increased. Before the wave has reached the float, the wave is detected by a sensor (7). Based on said detection, a prediction is calculated of the amount of kinetic energy available in the wave. Tuned to said prediction, an energy transmission structure of the fluid displacement structure is adjusted for realizing the energy conversion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Applicant: RIJKSUNIVERSITEIT GRONINGEN
    Inventor: WOUTER ADRIANUS PRINS