US 12,492,673 B2
Recirculating inertial hydrodynamic pump and wave engine
Garth Alexander Sheldon-Coulson, Portland, OR (US); and Brian Lee Moffat, Portland, OR (US)
Assigned to Lone Gull Holdings, Ltd., Portland, OR (US)
Filed by Lone Gull Holdings, Ltd., Portland, OR (US)
Filed on Jun. 27, 2025, as Appl. No. 19/253,607.
Application 19/253,607 is a continuation of application No. 18/946,827, filed on Nov. 13, 2024, granted, now 12,366,223.
Application 18/946,827 is a continuation of application No. 18/597,749, filed on Mar. 6, 2024, granted, now 12,173,682, issued on Dec. 24, 2024.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/452,676, filed on Mar. 16, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0327434 A1, Oct. 23, 2025
Int. Cl. F03B 13/14 (2006.01); F03B 13/22 (2006.01); F04F 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC F03B 13/142 (2013.01) [F03B 13/22 (2013.01); F04F 7/00 (2013.01); F05B 2220/61 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A buoyant wave energy converter, comprising:
an upper chamber adapted to confine a first fluid reservoir and a gas pocket;
an injection tube fluidly coupled to the upper chamber, wherein the injection tube is adapted to impel a fluid into the first fluid reservoir when the buoyant wave energy converter oscillates about a waterline with the upper chamber adjacent to the waterline;
an annular working-fluid return channel around the injection tube, wherein an upper end of the annular working-fluid return channel is fluidly coupled to the upper chamber and adapted to exchange gas with the gas pocket;
a working-fluid turbine pipe adapted to fluidly couple the upper chamber to the annular working-fluid return channel;
a turbine in the working-fluid turbine pipe, wherein the turbine is adapted to generate electricity from a flow of the fluid through the working-fluid turbine pipe; and
a working-fluid return opening that fluidly couples the annular working-fluid return channel to the injection tube, and wherein the working-fluid return opening is adapted to recycle the fluid from the annular working-fluid return channel to the injection tube.
 
14. A method of converting wave energy, the method comprising:
capturing energy from waves of a body of water with a buoyant wave energy converter, the buoyant wave energy converter comprising an upper chamber adapted to confine a first fluid reservoir and a gas pocket, an injection tube fluidly coupled to the upper chamber, wherein the injection tube is adapted to impel a fluid into the first fluid reservoir when the buoyant wave energy converter oscillates about a waterline with the upper chamber adjacent to the waterline, an annular working-fluid return channel around the injection tube, wherein an upper end of the annular working-fluid return channel is fluidly coupled to the upper chamber and adapted to exchange gas with the gas pocket, a working-fluid turbine pipe adapted to fluidly couple the upper chamber to the annular working-fluid return channel, and a turbine in the working-fluid turbine pipe, wherein the turbine is adapted to generate electricity from a flow of the fluid through the working-fluid turbine pipe, and a working-fluid return opening that fluidly couples the annular working-fluid return channel to the injection tube, and wherein the working-fluid return opening is adapted to recycle the fluid from the annular working-fluid return channel to the injection tube; and
using the captured energy to power a computing system coupled to the buoyant wave energy converter.