Wayback Machine: Bouncing Buoy Wave Generators- 1932 version
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02. 8.07
Proving once again that there is little new under the sun (or the waves) is this 1932 version of the wave power generators that we showed here and here. It works on the basis of an "inertia motor" where "When a wave starts to lift the hollow sphere, the massive weight inside, because of its inertia, resists the movement and exerts terrific pressure in the lower cylinder. Finally the inertia of the weight is overcome. Then it possesses momentum. When the sphere reaches the crest of a wave, the combined effort of the momentum and the recoil of the huge, semi-elliptic springs exerts an equal pressure in the upper cylinder. The tremendous pressure is applied to oil, which, in turn, operates a special turbine which runs a generator. The current is conducted to the shore by submarine cable." ::Modern Mechanix
Bouys like this have a tendency to "walk" unless massively anchored. A big environmental burden if numerous of them are needed to generate acceptable levels of juice. Icing up the cables and navigational inerference big issues too. That and the need to dissemble them for periodic maintenance explains why such designs are no longer being pursued
The science of today has solved all the problems of buoy power and is the new salvation of Humanity in effective clean power. Not on the surface and do have no oil or walking problems and so even attract life to them. This is 2007 and buoy power is now the future as cheaper than all other forms of power and just needs to be adopted to shut down coal and even nuclear power along with oil. We just don't need them anymore if we go passive power! The world just is slow to learn it and obey the needed course change.