Energy from waves

WavePlane A/S is a development company based in Aarhus, currently detail designing and building the first full-scale wave plane.

It looks a little like a spaceship, and maybe one day this vessel will take us to a world fuelled by renewable energy (Photo: Waveplane A/S)

It looks a little like a spaceship, and maybe one day this vessel will take us to a world fuelled by renewable energy (Photo: Waveplane A/S)

 

The wave plane is a V-shaped construction anchored with the tip facing the incoming waves. In front, below the surface line, the wave plane is equipped with an artificial beach that makes the capture of the wave energy more efficient. The wave plane is symmetrical in its construction. On each side the water from the waves is caught in different heights through an inlet divided into separate levels.

Further into this inlet the water is let tangentially into the turbine pipe. Through this process it is sought to maintain as much of the water’s kinetic energy as possible in consideration of the manageable volume. The kinetic energy is converted into a rotating stream of water in the turbine pipe. At the end of the turbine pipe – which is at the end of the two ”legs in the V-shape” – the turbine pipe bends back- and downwards. It is so to be able to bring the end of the drive train outside the turbine pipe. From the turbine the water is led back into the sea. By means of a gear box the turbine runs a generator, which is connected to the electrical grid.

The principal in the concept of the wave plane is protected through outtaking patents in a wide range of countries.

Further reading

Waveplane A/S website

Article produced by Eilif Ursin Reed 06.05.2010

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