| CPC F03B 13/16 (2013.01) [H02K 7/1892 (2013.01)] | 5 Claims |
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1. A hydrokinetic energy-based power generation system, comprising:
i. a plurality of encasement modules (1), each of the plurality of modules having an encasement housing, the housing forming a cavity, wherein each cavity is filled with a gas and the plurality of modules (1) are moored to a streambed (3) of a water body (2) by one or more anchors (4), each of the plurality of modules configured to float on a surface of the water body;
ii. a plurality of basic converter units (6) mounted inside each of the plurality of modules (1), each basic unit of the plurality of basic units being operable to convert a hydrokinetic energy of the water body (2) acting on each of the plurality of encasement modules into electrical energy, wherein each of the plurality of basic converter units (6) comprises:
a. two springs (7) wherein the two springs (7) are subjected to the hydrokinetic energy of the water body, the hydrokinetic energy inducing oscillatory motion in the two springs (7);
b. a cylindrical tube (10) housed in between the two springs (7) such that an endpoint of a first of the two springs connects a first end portion of the cylindrical tube to a first inner side of the encasement housing of one of the plurality of modules, and an endpoint of a second of the two springs connects a second end portion of the cylindrical tube to a second inner side of the encasement housing of the one of the plurality of modules, the second inner side being opposite the first inner side, such that the cylindrical tube is movable by oscillatory motion of the two springs, the cylindrical tube containing a ferromagnetic fluid;
c. two fixed magnets (11) fixed within the tube and a movable magnet (12) within the tube, wherein the movable magnet (12) slides freely within the tube relative to the fixed magnets and relative to the tube upon movement of the cylindrical tube due to movement caused by both the motion of the two springs and by repulsive forces between the movable magnet and the two fixed magnets (11), wherein the ferromagnetic fluid forms a toroidal shaped ring within the tube (10) between an edge of the movable magnet (12) and an inner surface of the tube (10) to thereby reduce a sliding friction between the movable magnet and the tube; and
d. an electric coil (13) connected wrapped around the tube (10);
wherein relative motion of the movable magnet (12) and the electric coil induces an electric current in the electric coil (13); and
wherein in each encasement module, every basic converter unit located therein is connected to the encasement housing only by the two springs (7); and
iii. a voltage processing unit connected to each of the basic units or to each of the plurality of modules, or to both for converting the electric currents of the basic converter units (6) from alternating current to direct current.
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