Power plants – Motor having a buoyant working member
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-30
2001-03-06
Nguyen, Hoang (Department: 3748)
Power plants
Motor having a buoyant working member
C060S496000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06195991
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to buoyancy engines, and, more particularly, to one which is disposed on the sea floor to capture gas emitted by the earth. Buoyant gas is captured in the apparatus, which rotates a generator to convert the buoyant energy into electricity.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have been various designs for buoyancy engines which show alternative approaches to capturing a gas in a liquid environment.
Name
Patent No.
De Shon
4,683,720
De Shon
4,713,937
De Shon
4,742,242
De Shon
4,865,723
But, none have addressed the employment of a buoyancy engine in a subsea environment to capture naturally occurring gas emissions from sea vents and the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a buoyancy engine comprised of a plurality of gas holding spaces incorporated into a ring attached to a driveshaft which is supported on sealed bearings in the walls of the apparatus. The apparatus is mounted on the sea floor above vents in the sea floor. Gas, naturally occurring from pressures within the earth, spews from these vents. This gas is directed into the apparatus by a collector, and is introduced into the gas holding spaces at the 180 degree position of the ring. The gas holding spaces, filled sequentially with gas, ascend due to buoyant force, and impart a rotary motion to the driveshaft, which drives the electric generator attached to the other end of the driveshaft producing electricity. The gas holding spaces release the gas contained as they pass through the 360 degree positon. The ring and arms are sheathed with a hydrodynamically styled skin to reduce friction in the apparatus. All components are designed of materials resistant to heat and corrosion from both the salt in the seawater and the corrosive components of the gas captured.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a buoyancy engine of this character which capitalizes on the buoyant power released in gases emitting from the sea floor by capturing these gases in the gas holding spaces of a rotable ring to provide power to generate electricity by rotating an electric generator.
It is another object of the invention to provide apparatus of this character that is simple in construction and operation.
It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus of this character that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.
The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further sufficiently referred to in connection with the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, which represent one embodiment.
After considering this example, skilled persons will understand that many variations may be made without departing from the principles disclosed and I contemplate that employment of any structure, arrangements or modes of operation that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 257505 (1882-05-01), McMillan et al.
patent: 4333311 (1982-06-01), Kitabayashi
patent: 4675536 (1987-06-01), Bellamy
patent: 4981015 (1991-01-01), Simpson
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