FLOATING WAVE-ENERGY DISSIPATION DEVICE

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to Taiwanese Invention Patent Application No. 113146378, filed on Nov. 29, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to an energy dissipation device, and more particularly to a floating wave-energy dissipation device.

BACKGROUND

A traditional protection method against coastal erosion typically adopts permanent structures such as seawalls, groins, bank protections, detached breakwaters, etc. to change coastal waves, tides, and current systems so as to achieve coastal protection. However, such permanent structures have negative impacts on ecology and natural scenery, and are often damaged by strong winds and typhoons. Therefore, in recent years, resources have been invested in other approaches such as use of artificial reefs, artificial capes and bays, fish-tail groynes, beach nourishment, sand fixation and beach restoration, etc., to improve shortcomings of the permanent structures.

Taiwanese Patent No. I655337 discloses an energy-dissipating system that includes at least one energy-dissipating device. The energy-dissipating device includes a frame unit and at least one energy-dissipating unit. The frame unit includes two front rod assembly bodies that are spaced apart from each other, two rear rod assembly bodies that are spaced apart from each other, and two inclined rod assembly bodies each of which connects a respective one of the front rod assembly bodies and a respective one of the rear rod assembly bodies, and that incline upward toward in the rear rod assembly bodies. The energy-dissipating unit is disposed in a transverse direction, is located between the inclined rod assembly bodies, and includes two transverse connecting rods that interconnect the inclined rod assembly bodies and that are spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction, and a plurality of energy-dissipating components that are disposed in the transverse direction and that are located between the transverse connecting rods. Each of the energy-dissipating components has two connecting end portions connected to the transverse connecting rods and spaced apart from each other, a central beam interconnecting the connecting end portions, and a plurality of energy-dissipating bristles spaced apart from each other, disposed on left side and right side of the central beam and extending outwardly. By means of the abovementioned structure, energy of the waves may be reduced to prevent coastal erosion.

Additionally, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and twelve others have attempted to prevent and control hurricanes by modifying the environment, and proposed a variety of methods for controlling and avoiding hurricanes in an application submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Jan. 3, 2008.

Their application discloses a floating device that weakens the hurricanes by drawing warm water from the sea surface and guiding it to the deep ocean through long pipes. The deep ocean becomes an important radiator. This process involves pushing the warm water of the sea surface downward to the deep ocean and continuously circulating it. In an alternative design of the main conduit, cold water may be transported to the sea surface through an auxiliary conduit and mixed with the warm water of the sea surface so as to cool the sea surface. According to their disclosure, due to impact of the winds and waves, temperature of the seawater becomes quite uniform within a few hundred feet below the sea surface, but the temperature begins to drop rapidly thereafter.

According to NASA, low temperature of the sea surface may cause dissipation of the hurricanes. For example. Hurricane Daniel dissipated in 1998 shortly after Hurricane Bonnie due to the low temperature of the sea surface.

Therefore, by changing the temperature of the sea surface, it is possible to achieve environmental modification, prevent and control hurricanes, or reduce intensity of the hurricanes, thereby reducing damages.

SUMMARY

Therefore, an object of the disclosure is to provide a floating wave-energy dissipation device that can alleviate at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art.

According to the disclosure, the floating wave-energy dissipation device is capable of adjusting temperature of seawater and is disposed on a sea surface. The floating wave-energy dissipation device includes a frame unit, a wave guide unit, a floating plate unit, a ship fin unit, a cooling unit, a heating unit, a positioning unit, a circuit supply system, a mobile driving unit, a central control unit, and a solar panel unit.

The frame unit is formed by a plurality of hollow tubes that are connected to each other and includes a front section, a middle section that is connected to the front section, and a rear section that is connected to the middle section. The wave guide unit has at least one wave guide board that is disposed at the front section. The floating plate unit has a plurality of float plates that are disposed on the frame unit. The ship fin unit has a plurality of fins that are fixedly disposed on a bottom portion of the rear section. The cooling unit includes a cooling controller that is disposed on a top portion of the frame unit and a cooling pipe that is connected to the cooling controller and that is disposed on the frame unit. The heating unit includes a heating controller that is disposed on the top portion of the frame unit and a heater that is connected to the heating controller and that is disposed on the frame unit. A positioning unit includes at least one positioning chain. A circuit supply system includes a power distribution host that is disposed on the top portion of the frame unit. The circuit supply system is capable of supplying power to the cooling unit and the heating unit. A mobile driving unit is mounted at the rear section of the frame unit, and includes a canvas rack, a canvas rack motor that controls the canvas rack, a bracing cable that is driven by the canvas rack motor and that is connected to the canvas rack, a pair of pulleys that are mounted at the rear section and that allow the bracing cable to pass thereover, a propeller unit that is disposed below the canvas rack, and a rudder that is disposed on a rear side of the propeller unit. A central control unit is mounted on the frame unit and is capable of receiving tidal information and atmospheric information for calculating an optimal operating position of the floating wave-energy dissipation device. The central control unit is capable of monitoring a current status of the floating wave-energy dissipation device via communication with satellite(s) and a control center, and commanding a movement of the floating wave-energy dissipation device. The floating wave-energy dissipation device is capable of receiving Global Positioning System (GPS) signals to determine a current position of the floating wave-energy dissipation device and is capable of automatically moving to a predetermined position by setting a moving path that constitutes of a plurality of pairs of coordinates. Each of the plurality of pairs of coordinates constitutes of a longitude and a latitude. The central control unit controls the cooling unit and the heating unit to operate when the floating wave-energy dissipation device moves to the predetermined position. A solar panel unit includes a plurality of solar panels that are disposed on the top portion of the frame unit. The solar panels is capable of converting energy of sunlight into electrical energy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiment(s) with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is noted that various features may not be drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a floating wave-energy dissipation device according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a frame unit of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a floating plate unit of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a wave absorbing net set of a wave absorbing unit of the embodiment after being assembled.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating an energy-dissipating brush assembly of the wave absorbing unit.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating the embodiment of the floating wave-energy dissipation device being positioned on a sea surface using a positioning unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before the disclosure is described in greater detail, it should be noted that where considered appropriate, reference numerals or terminal portions of reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements, which may optionally have similar characteristics.

It should be noted herein that for clarity of description, spatially relative terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “upper,” “lower,” “on,” “above,” “over,” “downwardly,” “upwardly” and the like may be used throughout the disclosure while making reference to the features as illustrated in the drawings. The features may be oriented differently (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative terms used herein may be interpreted accordingly.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 8, an embodiment of a floating wave-energy dissipation device capable of adjusting temperature of seawater is disposed on a sea surface 800. The floating wave-energy dissipation device includes a frame unit 10, a wave guide unit 20, a floating plate unit 30, a ship fin unit 40, a wave absorbing unit 50, a cooling unit 90, a heating unit 100, a positioning unit 60, a circuit supply system 1, a mobile driving unit 2, a central control unit 3, a solar panel unit 70, and a wind power generating unit 80.

Referring to FIG. 2, the frame unit 10 is formed by a plurality of hollow tubes that are connected to each other, and includes a front section 11, a middle section 12 that is connected to the front section 11, a rear section 13 that is connected to the middle section 12, and two longitudinal reinforcing tubes 14 that extend from the front section 11 to the middle section 12.

Referring further to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the front section 11 has two lower connecting tubes 111 that are connected to each other such that the lower connecting tubes 111 form a V shape, two upper connecting tubes 112 that are connected to each other such that the upper connecting tubes 112 form a V shape, and a front upright tube 113 that interconnects the lower connecting tubes 111 and the upper connecting tubes 112. As shown in FIG. 3, the lower connecting tubes 111 and the upper connecting tubes 112 are inclinedly disposed and gradually extend upward toward the front upright tube 113. As shown in FIG. 3, the front upright tube 113 is inclinedly disposed and extends outwardly and upward.

The middle section 12 has two lower linking tubes 121 that are respectively connected to the lower connecting tubes 111, two upper linking tubes 122 that are respectively connected to the upper connecting tubes 112, and two vertical reinforcing tubes 123 each of which interconnects a respective one of the upper linking tubes 122 and a respective one of the lower linking tubes 121.

The rear section 13 includes a first lower horizontal tube 131 that extends in a first direction (X), two rear upright tubes 132 that are oblique to a second direction (Z) which is perpendicular to the first direction (X) and that are connected respectively to two ends of the first lower horizontal tube 131, a first upper horizontal tube 133 that extends in the first direction (X), that is connected to top ends of the rear upright tubes 132, and that is spaced apart from the first lower horizontal tube 131 in the second direction (Z), a rear horizontal tube 134 that extends in the first direction (X) and that is spaced apart from the first lower horizontal tube 131 and the first upper horizontal tube 133 in a third direction (Y) which is perpendicular to the first direction (X) and the second direction (Z), two first side tubes 135 each of which has one end that is connected to a bottom end of a respective one of the rear upright tubes 132 and another end that is connected to the rear horizontal tube 134, two second side tubes 136 each of which has one end that is connected to a respective one of the top ends of the rear upright tubes 132 and another end that is connected to the rear horizontal tube 134, and two support frame members 137 that are respectively connected to the second side tubes 136 and each of which has a V shape.

The wave guide unit 20 includes two wave guide boards 21 that are disposed at the front section 11. Each of the wave guide boards 21 has a triangular shape. One of the wave guide boards 21 is mounted between the lower connecting tubes 111 and another one of the wave guide boards 21 is mounted between the upper connecting tubes 112.

As shown in FIG. 5, the floating plate unit 30 includes a plurality of floating plates 31 that are disposed at the middle section 12 and the support frame members 137.

Referring to FIG. 2, the ship fin unit 40 includes two fins 41 that are fixedly disposed on a bottom portion of the rear section 13. In this embodiment, the fins 41 are fixedly disposed on a bottom portion of the rear horizontal tube 134 at two ends.

Referring to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the wave absorbing unit 50 includes a wave absorbing net set 51 that is disposed on the frame unit 10, and an energy-dissipating brush assembly 52 that extends downwardly from the frame unit 10.

The wave absorbing net set 51 has a net-like structure, and includes two first wave absorbing nets 511, a plurality of second wave absorbing nets 512, a plurality of lower springs 513, a plurality of third wave absorbing nets 514, and a plurality of upper springs 515. The first wave absorbing nets 511 are disposed on two sides of the front section 11 and two sides of the middle section 12. The lower springs 513 are connected between the first side tubes 135 and the second wave absorbing nets 512. The third wave absorbing nets 514 are mounted between the second side tubes 136, are spaced apart from each other and are located between the first upper horizontal tube 133 and the rear horizontal tube 134. The upper springs 515 are connected between the second side tubes 136 and the third wave absorbing nets 514. The first wave absorbing nets 511 connect the lower connecting tubes 111, the upper connecting tubes 112, the front upright tube 113, the lower linking tubes 121, and the upper linking tubes 122. The second wave absorbing nets 512 are mounted between the first side tubes 135, are spaced apart from each other and are located between the first lower horizontal tube 131 and the rear horizontal tube 134.

The energy-dissipating brush assembly 52 has a tree branch-like structure, and includes a plurality of first energy-dissipating brushes 521 that are mounted on a bottom portion of each of the first lower horizontal tube 131, the second wave absorbing nets 512 and the third wave absorbing nets 514, and a plurality of second energy-dissipating brushes 522 that are mounted on the rear horizontal tube 134. A heightwise length of each of the first energy-dissipating brushes 521 is smaller than a heightwise length of each of the second energy-dissipating brushes 522. A distal end portion of each of the first energy-dissipating brushes 521 and the second energy-dissipating brushes 522 are splayed. In this embodiment, each of the first energy-dissipating brushes 521 and the second energy-dissipating brushes 522 is formed by a plurality of nylon ropes that are bundled together. In an alternative embodiment, each of the first energy-dissipating brushes 521 and the second energy-dissipating brushes 522 may be formed by steel cables having splayed ends.

The cooling unit 90 includes a cooling controller 91 that is disposed on the top portion of the frame unit 10, and a cooling pipe 92 that is connected to the cooling controller 91 and that is disposed on the frame unit 10. The cooling controller 91 is disposed on the first upper horizontal tube 133, and the cooling pipe 92 is disposed in front of the first upper horizontal tube 133.

The heating unit 100 includes a heating controller 110 that is disposed on the top portion of the frame unit 10, and a heater 120 that is connected to the heating controller 110 and that is disposed on the frame unit 10. The heating controller 110 is disposed on the first upper horizontal tube 133, and the heater 120 is disposed behind the first upper horizontal tube 133 and is further away from the front section 11 relative to the cooling pipe 92.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 8, the positioning unit 60 includes a plurality of positioning chains 61, and an anchor windlass 62 that is disposed on the frame unit 10 and that is used to pull in the positioning chains 61. The positioning chains 61 are connected to the anchor windlass 62 and float in the sea. Upper ends of the positioning chains 61 are connected to the anchor windlass 62. One of the positioning chains 61 that is connected to the upper connecting tube 112 has an elastic linkage 611 that is connected to a bottom portion of the frame unit 10, and an anchor 612 that is connected to the elastic linkage 611. The elastic linkage 611 has a plurality of chain segments 613 and a plurality of spring sections 614 that are alternately interconnected.

The circuit supply system 1 includes a power distribution host 101 that is disposed on the top portion of the frame unit 10. The power distribution host 101 supplies power required to the cooling unit 90 and the heating unit 100 through at least one power supply cord.

The mobile driving unit 2 is mounted at the rear section 13 of the frame unit 10, and includes a canvas rack 201, a canvas rack motor 202 that controls the canvas rack 201, a bracing cable 203 that is driven by the canvas rack motor 202 and that is connected to the canvas rack 201, a pair of pulleys 204 that are rotatably mounted at the rear section 13 and that allow the bracing cable 203 to pass thereover, a propeller unit 205 that is disposed below the canvas rack 201, and a rudder 206 that is disposed on a rear side of the propeller unit 205.

The central control unit 3 is mounted on the frame unit 10 and is capable of receiving tidal information and atmospheric information for calculating an optimal operating position of the floating wave-energy dissipation device. The central control unit is capable of monitoring a current status of the floating wave-energy dissipation device via communication with satellite(s) and a control center, and commanding a movement of the floating wave-energy dissipation device. The floating wave-energy dissipation device is capable of receiving Global Positioning System (GPS) signals to determine a current position thereof and is capable of moving to a predetermined position by setting a moving path that constitutes of a plurality of pairs of coordinates. Each of the pairs of coordinates constitutes of a longitude and a latitude. When the floating wave-energy dissipation device moves to the predetermined position, the central control unit 3 controls the cooling unit 90 and the heating unit 100 to operate. When the floating wave-energy dissipation device moves to the predetermined position, the floating wave-energy dissipation device drops the anchor 612 which floats in the sea.

The solar panel unit 70 includes a plurality of solar panels 71 that are disposed on the top portion of the frame unit 10 at the middle section 12, and the solar panels 71 are configured to convert energy of sunlight into electrical energy.

The wind power generating unit 80 includes at least one wind turbine generator set 81 that is disposed on the top portion of the frame unit 10 at the middle section 12, and the wind turbine generator set 81 that is capable of converting wind power into electrical energy.

To further understand the functions of the components, the applied techniques, and the expected effects of the present disclosure, the following is a detailed explanation. It is believed that a deeper and more specific understanding of the present disclosure can be obtained from this.

Referring to FIG. 1, when the floating wave-energy dissipation device is assembled, by virtue of the frame unit 10 being formed by the hollow tubes and by virtue of the floating plates 31 of the floating plate unit 30, the floating wave-energy dissipation device is capable of floating on the sea surface 800.

Furthermore, by virtue of the wave guide boards 21 of the wave guide unit 20 disposed at the front section 11, and by virtue of the lower connecting tubes 111 and the upper connecting tubes 112 being inclinedly disposed and gradually extending upward toward the front upright tube 113, the floating wave-energy dissipation device may move up and down with the waves. In addition, the ship fin unit 40 may guide the floating wave-energy dissipation device to be stable when the waves hit the floating wave-energy dissipation device.

Moreover, the wave absorbing net set 51 of the wave absorbing unit 50 may reduce energy of the waves, so when the floating wave-energy dissipation device of the present disclosure is moved to the predetermined position, impact from the waves received by the floating wave-energy dissipation device is reduced. Tension of the second wave absorbing nets 512 and the third wave absorbing nets 514 may be adjusted by cooperation between the lower springs 513 and the second wave absorbing nets 512 and cooperation between the upper springs 515 and the third wave absorbing nets 514.

Additionally, by virtue of the energy-dissipating brush assembly 52 of the wave absorbing unit 50, and by virtue of the end portions of the first energy-dissipating brushes 521 and the second energy-dissipating brushes 522 being splayed, the energy of the waves may be reduced.

The solar panel unit 70 may convert the energy of sunlight into electrical energy, and the wind power generating unit 80 may convert wind power into electrical energy. Additional electrical components consuming such electrical energy may be added to the floating wave-energy dissipation device.

The central control unit 3 may receive the tidal information and the atmospheric information to calculate the optimal operating position of the floating wave-energy dissipation device. The floating wave-energy dissipation device may receive GPS signals to determine its own position and set the moving path to the predetermined position. The moving path constitutes of pairs of coordinates, and each of the pairs of coordinates constitutes of a latitude and a longitude. The canvas rack motor 202 of the mobile driving unit 2 may drive the bracing cables 203 to adjust an optimal angle of the canvas rack 201 according to direction of winds. The propeller unit 205 in cooperation with the rudder 206 may move the floating wave-energy dissipation device to the predetermined position.

The cooling controller 91 of the cooling unit 90 is activated so that the cooling pipe 92 absorbs heat and cools the seawater, so temperature of the sea surface 800 is prevented from becoming too high and a large amount of seawater is prevented from being evaporated which may cause a low-pressure area, thereby preventing formation of a typhoon or a hurricane.

For example, when the weather calls for cloud seeding in areas where wildfires occur, the heating controller 110 of the heating unit 100 is activated and the heater 120 performs heating on water on the sea surface 800. The water then evaporates due to heat, thereby increasing atmospheric water vapor, and when water droplets condensed from clouds above the wildfire areas are large and dense enough, they collide and combine with each other, thereby forming raindrops and may continue to extinguish fire in a large scale.

It should be noted that performing cooling or heating on the seawater requires a plurality of the floating wave-energy dissipation devices in major hurricane generating areas and/or on possible paths thereof to cooperate with each other.

Therefore, by virtue of the present disclosure, the environment may be transformed, and hurricanes may be prevented and controlled.

In the description above, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiment(s). It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that one or more other embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific details. It should also be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” an embodiment with an indication of an ordinal number and so forth means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in the practice of the disclosure. It should be further appreciated that in the description, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of various inventive aspects; such does not mean that every one of these features needs to be practiced with the presence of all the other features. In other words, in any described embodiment, when implementation of one or more features or specific details does not affect implementation of another one or more features or specific details, said one or more features may be singled out and practiced alone without said another one or more features or specific details. It should be further noted that one or more features or specific details from one embodiment may be practiced together with one or more features or specific details from another embodiment, where appropriate, in the practice of the disclosure.

While the disclosure has been described in connection with what is(are) considered the exemplary embodiment(s), it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiment(s) but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.