Power generation from moving water
The application pertains to a process for subsea power generation and fluid utilization from open water currents. In one embodiment the process comprises channeling water from a subsea current through a pipe system constructed to withstand subsea pressures; creating a water hammered pressurized fluid within the pipe system; directing the water hammered pressurized fluid through a delivery valve; and using the water hammered pressurized fluid.
1 . A process for subsea power generation and fluid utilization from open water currents, comprising:
channeling water from a subsea current through a pipe system constructed to withstand subsea pressures;
creating a water hammered pressurized fluid within the pipe system;
directing the water hammered pressurized fluid through a delivery valve; and
using the water hammered pressurized fluid; wherein the using comprises one or more of: power generation, fluid transport, desalination, pressure exchange, fluid pressurization, energy storage, and downstream processing.
2 . The process of claim 1 wherein the pressure exchange comprises transferring pressure from the water hammered pressurized fluid to a secondary fluid without mixing the water hammered pressurized fluid and the secondary fluid.
3 . The process of claim 1 wherein the water hammered pressurized fluid is created by cyclically closing a valve within the pipe system.
4 . The process of claim 3 which further comprises monitoring pressure, flow rate, and valve performance and transmitting data to a surface platform or control station.
5 . The process of claim 1 which further comprises:
transporting the pressurized fluid to a higher elevation reservoir, a surface platform, or a land-based facility; or
integrating the pressurized fluid with an infrastructure selected from the group consisting of offshore wind turbine towers, offshore platforms, bridges, oil rigs, subsea processing or fluid handling facilities, floating production storage and offloading vessels, coastal facilities for energy or fluid applications, or any combination thereof.
6 . The process of claim 1 which further comprises concentrating the subsea current at an intake of the pipe system.
7 . The process of claim 1 which further comprises diffusing flow.
8 . The process of claim 1 wherein the using comprises driving a hydroelectric turbine for generating electricity.
9 . The process of claim 1 wherein the using comprises pressure exchanging to transfer hydraulic power to a secondary fluid for downstream applications.
10 . The process of claim 1 wherein the using comprises fluid transport through subsea pipelines.
11 . The process of claim 1 which further comprises storing the pressurized fluid in a subsea hydraulic pressure storage device.
12 . The process of claim 11 wherein said device comprises pressure vessels configured to hold pressurized fluid.
13 . The process of claim 11 wherein said device comprises a subsea fluid displacement energy storage device.
14 . The process of claim 1 wherein the using comprises transferring pressurized fluid to a higher elevation reservoir located on an offshore platform, wind turbine tower, or floating vessel, or bridge, or oil rigs, or FPSOs, or coastal facilities, onshore structure, or offshore structure, or any combination thereof.
15 . The process of claim 14 which further comprises discharging the transferred pressurized fluid to a hydroelectric turbine located at a lower elevation to convert potential energy into power.
16 . The process of claim 1 which further comprises deploying a second pipe system in parallel to aggregate pressurized fluid.
17 . The process of claim 1 which comprises channeling water from a subsea current of below 50 meters.
18 . The process of claim 1 which further comprises anchoring at least a portion of the pipe system with a structural anchoring mechanism selected from the group consisting of suction anchors, gravity-based foundations, pile-driven supports, or hydrodynamically shaped bases.
19 . The process of claim 1 wherein the using comprises driving a turbocharger pressure exchanger to transfer pressure or power to a secondary fluid.
20 . The process of claim 1 wherein the using comprises powering subsea hydraulic actuators, machinery, or both.
21 . The process of claim 1 which further comprises employing anti-fouling coatings, biofouling-resistant materials, or both.
22 . The process of claim 1 which further comprises employing one or more sediment flushing channels.
23 . A method for transforming fluid velocity into power in a subsea environment, comprising:
capturing fluid from a subsea current using an intake system configured to channel fluid into a pump chamber;
amplifying the velocity pressure of the captured fluid within the pump chamber by cyclically actuating a valve to create a water hammer effect;
releasing the amplified pressure fluid through a delivery valve operatively connected to the pump chamber;
transporting the released amplified pressurized fluid via an output conduit to at least one downstream application selected from the group consisting of: a subsea turbine for energy generation, or a higher elevation reservoir for energy storage, or a surface or land-based facility for storage or downstream processing, or a subsea pressure exchanger for hydraulic energy transfer; and
utilizing the transported released amplified pressurized fluid for at least one application selected from the group consisting of: power generation, or subsea fluid transport, or reverse osmosis desalination, or pressure amplification for industrial processes, or energy recovery.
24 . The process of claim 23 which comprises transferring energy from the subsea pressure exchanger to a secondary fluid without mixing the amplified pressurized fluid and the secondary fluid and wherein the energy transfer efficiency exceeds 90%.