US20080175728A1

US20080175728A1 - Oceanic Layers Modification Methods, Apparatus, Systems and Applications

Info

Publication number: US20080175728A1
Application number: US12/056,480
Authority: US
Inventors: Philip W. Kithil
Original assignee: ATMOCEAN Inc
Current assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG; ATMOCEAN Inc
Priority date: 2005-09-27
Filing date: 2008-03-27
Publication date: 2008-07-24
Also published as: WO2007038689A3; WO2007038689A2

Abstract

A method and apparatus for reducing the surface temperature of a large body of water by pumping deeper cooler water to an area near the surface. The deeper cooler water can be pumped using a self-deploying pump which is powered by waves which travel across the surface of the large body of water.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part application of Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Serial No. PCT/US2006/037912, entitled “Ocean Layers Modification Methods, Apparatus, Systems and Applications”, to Philip W. Kithil, filed on Sep. 27, 2006, designating the U.S., and the specification and claims thereof are incorporated herein by reference.
This application claims priority to and the benefit of the filing of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/720,864, filed on Sep. 27, 2005, entitled “Wave-driven Self-deploying Deep Water Pump and Application to an Ocean Thermocline System” to Philip W. Kithil. This application also claims priority to and the benefit of the filing of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/741,006, filed on Nov. 29, 2005, entitled “Wave-Driven Self Deploying Deep Water Pump and Application to an Ocean Thermocline Modification System” to Philip W. Kithil. Both of these applications are incorporated herein by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not Applicable.

COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method, apparatus, and system employing multiple units of the apparatus, and applications of the system, to alter the temperature and other characteristics of various layers including the surface layer of large bodies of water. Particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to a method, apparatus, and system employing multiple units of the apparatus, and applications of the system, which alters the upper layers including the surface layer of large bodies of water by moving water from one or more deeper layers toward the upper layers and/or surface layer thereof. Alternatively, embodiments of the present invention relate to a method, apparatus, and system employing multiple units of the apparatus, and applications of the system, which alter the temperature and other characteristics of large bodies of water by moving water from the upper layers or surface layer toward one or more deeper layers thereof. The other characteristics of the water may include but are not limited to chemical or biochemical constituents, oxygen content, other gas content, particulate matter, living organisms, expired organisms, and other suspended or dissolved components in the body of water.
2. Description of Related Art
Note that the following discussion refers to a number of publications by author(s) and year of publication, and that due to recent publication dates certain publications are not to be considered as prior art vis-a-vis the present invention. Discussion of such publications herein is given for more complete background and is not to be construed as an admission that such publications are prior art for patentability determination purposes.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002 0008155 by Herbert Uram, dated Jan. 24, 2002, entitled a “Method and System For Hurricane Control,” proposes a method and system for inhibiting or weakening the formation of hurricanes, by detecting the onset of a hurricane in a region of open water and immediately cooling the surface water in the open water region. In the described preferred embodiments of that application, the surface water is cooled by using one or more nuclear-powered submarines to pump cooler water at a depth in the open water region to the surface of the open water region.” This invention requires the detection at the onset of formation, while the hurricane is supposedly physically compact enough for several submarines to provide the pumping of cool deep water. That invention, however, requires that the size of a hurricane at its onset (assuming this is detectable and can be differentiated from other weather patterns) is orders of magnitude larger in geographic area than could be affected by even the entire US fleet of submarines. Further, there is no assurance that this proposed method would entirely erase an incipient hurricane, which possibly could re-generate if the weather system moves over warmer water. Therefore, a method and system is needed to reduce the hurricane intensity once it is formed and is heading for occupied land, ocean oil rigs, or other valuable structures.
Other efforts have been undertaken to diminish hurricane intensity, as cited in the following news article published electronically on Sep. 21, 2005 by MSN.com:

- “DENVER—It sounds like a great idea: Let's just blast hurricanes like Rita and Katrina out of the sky before they hurt more people. Or, at least weaken the storms and steer them away from cities. Atmospheric scientists say it's wishful thinking that we could destroy or even influence something as huge and powerful as a hurricane. They abandoned such a quest years ago after more than two decades of inconclusive government-sponsored research. Private companies have conducted tests on a much smaller scale, but have made little progress despite initially claiming to erase storm clouds from the atmosphere. “It would be like trying to move a car with a pea shooter,” said hydrometeorologist Matthew Kelsch of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. “The amount of energy involved in a hurricane is far greater that anything we're going to impart to it.”

The federal government attempted hurricane modification with a program called “Project Stormfury.” The idea was raised during the Eisenhower administration after several major storms hit the East Coast in the mid-1950s, killing 749 people and causing billions in damages. But it was not until 1961 that initial tests were conducted on Hurricane Esther with a Navy plane releasing silver iodide crystals. Some reports indicate winds were reduced by 10 percent to 30 percent. During Project Stormfury, scientists also seeded hurricanes in 1963, 1969, and 1971 over the open Atlantic Ocean far from land. Researchers dropped silver iodide, a substance that serves as effective ice nuclei, into clouds just outside of the hurricane's eyewall. The idea was that a new ring of clouds would form around the artificial ice nuclei. The new clouds were supposed to change rain patterns and form a new eyewall that would collapse the old one. The re-formed hurricane would spin more slowly and be less dangerous.
Sometimes the experiments appeared to work. Hurricane Debbie in 1969 was seeded twice over four days by several aircraft. Researchers noted that its intensity waxed and waned by up to 30 percent. For cloud seeding to be successful, clouds must contain sufficient supercooled water that is still liquid even though it is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit (zero degrees Celsius). Raindrops form when the artificial nuclei and the supercooled water combine. But scientists also learned that hurricanes contain less supercooled water than other storm clouds, so seeding was unreliable. And, hurricanes grow and dissipate all on their own, even forming new walls of clouds called “concentric eyewall circles.” This made it impossible to determine whether storm reductions were the result of human intervention. Project Stormfury was abandoned in the 1980s after spending hundreds of millions of dollars. Other storm modification methods that have been suggested include cooling the tropical ocean with icebergs and spreading particles or films over the ocean surface to inhibit storms from evaporating heat from the sea.
Occasionally, a suggestion is made that a nuclear weapon be used to shatter a storm. Researchers say hurricanes would dwarf such measures. For example, Hurricane Rita measured about 3,500 miles (5,600 kilometers) in irregular circumference and 350 miles (560 kilometers) across. According to the center for atmospheric research, the energy released by a hurricane equals 50 to 200 trillion watts or about the same amount of energy released by exploding a 10-megaton nuclear bomb every 20 minutes.”
There is thus a present need for a wave-driven pump which can be used to incrementally diminish the hurricane intensity by affecting the primary energy source, namely warm ocean surface water, by modestly decreasing upper ocean heat content over a large region in the path of a hurricane within 24 to 48 hours before landfall, and preferably, to avoid undue negative effects on ocean life from continuously cooling the upper ocean even when no hurricanes are evident, there is a need to enable the optimum number of pumps directly in the path of the hurricane for only a day or two before the hurricane passes across the region.
The paper titled “Hydrodynamic Performance of Wave-Driven Artificial Upwelling Device”, Journal of Engineering Mechanics, July 1999, Clark C. K. Liu et al., discloses a tube with valve at the top and a buoy, operating in a manner similar to the present invention. However with the valve at the top, the tube must be rigid; otherwise it would collapse from the ambient water pressure created on wave upslopes. The only application cited in this paper is to increase fish production (“open ocean mariculture”).
In the paper “Artificial Upwelling Using the Energy of Surface Waves” appearing in Oceanology, vol. 27 no. 3, 1987, by N. V. Vershinskiy et al., the device likewise utilizes a rigid tube which moves up and down on successive wave peaks and troughs, with the tube having a valve at the top. The device is held in place by an anchor assembly and ballast to maintain vertical orientation of the tube. The applications cited include increasing primary production, and modifying local weather patterns by changing the upper water layer heat content.
In the Journal of Ocean Engineering Vol. 5, 1997, pp 235-242, “The Isaacs Wave-Energy Pump: Field Tests Off the Coast of Kaneohe Bay, Hi.” by Gerald Wick et al., cites a wave energy pump for creating electrical power. The pipe/valve configuration delivers water under pressure to a power generator.
In the Journal of Ocean Engineering, Vol. 3, 1976, pp 175-187, “Utilization of the Energy in Ocean Waves” by John D. Isaacs, et al., cites a similar wave energy pump which produces a steady flow of water exiting a tube above the waves, to generate power. In this version, the tube is rigid and the valve is located near the top at 10% depth vs. pipe length.
U.S. Patent Publication No. US2004/0071566, to Hill, Jr. dated Apr. 15, 2004, suggests a rigid tube with heavy piston therein to generate pumping action. The base of the device is permanently positioned on the ocean floor. Numerous applications are cited.
Houser et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,377 describes a “mass displacement wave energy conversion system” comprising a platform, manifold, and reciprocating pump which is anchored to the sea floor and produces pressurized water to produce energy.
Assaf et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,274 proposes a ship pulling a series of deflectors which push deep water to the surface, thereby modifying local weather conditions.
Blum et al., in U.S. Patent Publication No. US2002/0009338, dated Jan. 24, 2002, suggests underwater tubes in which buoyant substances are released at the bottom, causing an upwelling in the tubes, thus altering the surface water conditions, temperature, etc.
Cowan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,850 describes a fixed device to generate power, comprising a hollow base on or near the sea bottom.
Simmons, U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,052 describes a transportable apparatus for extracting energy from waves. The device includes a wheel-shaped float and wheel-shaped anchor.
Windle, U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,157 describes a power generator comprising a piston in a cylinder.
Bromicki, U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,544 suggests local weather modification adjacent to water bodies by pumping deep water to the surface. The only method proposed is using wave motion attached to underwater paddles that rotate, supposedly forcing deep water upward.
Hofer et al., in U.S. Patent Publication US2005/0031417, dated Feb. 10, 2005, uses entrained bubbles released underwater to bring up deep water.
Uram, U.S. Patent Publication US2005/0133612 suggests pumping deep water to the surface in the vicinity of a tropical cyclone, using a nuclear powered submarine which follows the cyclone path.
UK Patent Application GB 2044843, dated Mar. 3, 1980, filed by BP Company, with Duckworth et al. as inventors, describes a pump for wave energy production.
Welczer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,463 describes a wave motor to convert sea energy to mechanical energy.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a water pump comprising a floatable portion, a flexible submergible portion, the floatable portion connected by an inelastic flexible connector to a rigid submergible portion, whereby gravity maintains tension between the floatable portion and the rigid submergible portion. The floatable portion can be cylindrical and can be provided with a spool section to allow the flexible submergible portion and/or the inelastic flexible connector to wrap around the spool section for storage and transportation.
The rigid submergible portion preferably has a density greater than that of seawater such that it sinks when disposed therein. The spool portion preferably unwinds due to the force of gravity upon reaching a surface of a body of water.
In the water pump, the floatable portion can optionally be integral with the flexible submergible portion. In addition, the flexible submergible portion can assume a tubular shape and can optionally have slits to allow water to escape. Further, the flexible submergible portion can comprises two or more diameters.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a rigid submergible portion preferably has a valve for permitting entry of water into the water pump upon downward motion, or upon upward motion of the water pump. In one embodiment, the valve preferably comprises a butterfly valve.
An embodiment of the present invention relates to a system for modification of surface water characteristics by using a plurality of the water pumps of the present invention. A plurality of the water pumps can be tethered together.
An embodiment of the present invention relates to a water pump comprising a floatable portion, a flexible submergible portion, and a rigid submergible portion, the floatable portion is preferably connected to an upper end of said flexible submergible portion and the rigid portion is preferably connected to a lower end of said flexible submergible portion, whereby gravity maintains tension between the floatable portion and the rigid submergible portion. As with other embodiments of the present invention, one or more openings can be disposed near an upper end of the flexible submergible portion. In addition, the floatable portion can comprise a spool shape.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the floatable portion can be a sealed upper end of the flexible submergible portion with air entrapped therein.
An embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for modifying at least a portion of a body of water which includes using wave action to move water having a temperature less than that of water near a surface of the body of water from a depth to an area near a surface of the body of water. The water is preferably transported through one or more flexible cylinders. The method can include wave action raising and lowering a floatable element.
In an embodiment of the present invention, a non-elastic member can connect the floatable element to a bottom portion of a pump. One or more valves reduce and/or prevent water from escaping from a bottom portion of a pump.
An embodiment of the present invention relates to pumping cooler water found at ocean depths toward the ocean surface water which is warmer, causing a mixing of the cooler and warmer water with resulting temperature decrease in the surface water.
Another embodiment of the present invention relates to using ocean wave energy to drive a pump according to embodiments of the present invention brings the cooler water toward the surface. In another embodiment, the pump of the present invention comprises a floatable element.
Another embodiment of the present invention relates to an elongated flexible cylinder to convey the cooler deep water to the surface. The elongated flexible cylinder may comprise structural elements to counteract deformation of the flexible cylinder. In another embodiment of the present invention, a rigid cylinder is preferably attached to the bottom of the elongated flexible cylinder, the rigid cylinder having a valve which opens when the flexible and rigid cylinders move down and which closes when the flexible and rigid cylinders move up. The up and down motion is preferably caused by waves acting on the floatable element.
Another embodiment of the present invention relates to spooling the flexible cylinder around the floatable element, to provide economical storage and transport, and efficient deployment of the invention when dropped in the water. In this embodiment, the floatable element is preferably spool-shaped and provided with eyebolts at each end, to which is optionally attached a cable sling at the apex of which is preferably attached a cable running down to the base. The cable sling preferably travels through slots in the floatable element, such that the floatable element resides in an upright position once deployed, due to the force of the cable sling pulling against the slots. By maintaining an upright orientation, a communications antenna is optionally mountable, as well as control devices, on the portion of the floatable element that remains above water.
In another embodiment, two rigid cylinders are preferably provided and are attached at each end of the flexible cylinder. In this embodiment, the uppermost cylinder is preferably provided with a valve which opens when the cylinder moves up and closes when the cylinder moves down. The up and down motion is preferably caused by waves acting on the floatable element.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the flexible cylinder is optionally folded in such a manner that some air is trapped within the folded material. Upon deployment, the entrapped air is forced upward into the floatable element by water entering into the flexible cylinder as it extends down into the ocean. Another embodiment of the present invention relates to an angular collar releaseably attached near the top of the rigid cylinder and permanently attached to the floatable element. The angular collar preferably provides parachute-like stabilization when the pump is ejected into the air from a plane or ship. The angle of the angular collar preferably becomes reversed from impact with the water, thereby separating it from the rigid cylinder and extracting the floatable element and the flexible cylinder from their folded stored position inside the rigid cylinder. As indicated above, the rigid cylinder and attached flexible cylinder preferably fill with water as they extend toward the deep ocean. The water preferably forces the residual air contained within the folds upward into the floating element.
In yet other embodiments of the present invention, a system employs multiple wave-driven pumps of one or more embodiments of the present invention which redistribute ocean layers, thus resulting in hurricane intensity reduction; modification of overland weather patterns caused by ocean regions cycling to cooler or warmer conditions, for example El Nino/La Nina cycles; cooling the upper ocean adjacent to coral reefs to reduce bleaching from warm oceans; enhancing primary production of the ocean, namely phytoplankton, which also preferably increases the food supply for zooplankton and the entire food chain, thus preferably improving ocean fisheries; phytoplankton also preferably absorb CO₂and emit O₂to act against global warming, and when consumed by higher species such as Salps, excrete carbon pellets which sink to the ocean floor; to mitigate harmful changes of ocean pH to become less alkaline; to mitigate hypoxia or anoxia water conditions by introducing vertical currents; and to compensate for excess freshwater flowing into the ocean from melting icecaps or glaciers which could have adverse effects on thermohaline circulation patterns.
Other embodiments of the invention can optionally relate to methods for deploying multiple pumps across a wide expanse of ocean; tethering multiple such devices to maintain equal spacing and provide more or less stationary positioning; providing electronic apparatuses on the pumps such that the pumps can respond to commands, provide location or ocean condition information, pumping rates, and the like; optimizing an array of the pump devices, such that ocean surface conditions are modified in an efficient manner using a minimum number of the pump devices, and the like.
In an embodiment of the present invention which reduces hurricane intensity, pumps are preferably deployed semi-permanently in ocean regions such as the Gulf of Mexico, and can be enabled about 24 to about 48 hours prior to a hurricane passing through the region. In a sub-embodiment thereof, when not being used to reduce hurricane intensity, the pumps preferably remain disabled, to avoid negative effects on the ocean environment that might occur if the pumps operated continuously. In this embodiment, pump density can optionally be high, with spacing approximately 50 m to 250 m, thus giving the quick response time needed. Since hurricane intensity is greatly affected by the time spent over warm water, and the upper ocean heat content, it is preferable to activate the pump array in a manner which maximizes the time duration as well as the temperature change seen by the hurricane as it passes by.
In the embodiment of the present invention for increasing primary production (phytoplankton) by pumping higher nutrient deep water upwards, thereby increasing CO₂absorption and mitigating global warming, and/or to increase the food chain to support greater wild fish populations, the pump spacing can optionally be 500 m to 2 km, and the pumps can operate more or less continuously. In the CO₂absorption application, large arrays of pumps can be deployed globally to achieve the desired absorption. Assuming ocean surface area of 372 million km̂², and 2,000 arrays of pumps each covering 100,000 km̂², the total area covered is 200 million km̂²or 54% of the ocean surface. But since photosynthesis is sunlight-dependent, a seasonal adjustment of 50% operation is necessary to calculate potential CO₂absorption. In recent research it was found that a type of zooplankton, “Salps”, converts CO₂into carbon pellets at the rate of 4,000 tons per day per 100,000 km̂². Thus up to 5.3 billion tons of CO₂could be sequestered annually by this system, which amounts to nearly 20% of current global CO₂production by mankind. Unlike power-plant CO₂, transportation-generated CO₂is diffusely generated by our hundreds of millions of vehicles, ships, and planes, and obviously is not amenable to capture at the source.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the pumps can simultaneously improve ocean wild fish populations across widespread regions of the ocean, as the entire food chain benefits from the increased primary production. However, wild fish enhancement can be accomplished on a sub-global scale, for instance in the 200-mile exclusive economic zones adjacent to our coasts. In this application, arrays of upwelling pumps with spacing from 500 m to 2 km could operate more or less continuously to provide the higher nutrient surface water needed to enhance the food chain, benefiting every level of species.
In another embodiment of the present invention, more-oxygenated surface water is preferably pumped downward. This embodiment is preferably used in areas of the water body suffering from low-oxygen bottom conditions which wipe out bottom-feeding species. In this embodiment, the valve is located in a cylinder at the top of the tube and configured to open on wave upslope and close on wave downslope. The tube is weighted with an open cylinder at the bottom. The water column inside the tube thus moves downward and exits at the base, where it mixes with the lower-oxygen ambient water to reverse the hypoxic/anoxic condition. In some applications it can be desirable to alternate upward and downward pumps, thereby creating a vertical current to enhance even more the mixing effects.
In another embodiment of the present invention, large influxes of freshwater are preferably mitigated from melting glaciers and icecaps, which can negatively impact global ocean circulation, particularly in the North Atlantic. The excessive freshwater can prevent the circulation from “overturning”, with dramatic effects on weather patterns worldwide. By installing large numbers of upwelling and/or downwelling pumps in the North Atlantic region, the mixing-in of excess fresh meltwater is improved and the overturning circulation is maintained.
Another embodiment of the present invention relates to ocean acidity and to ocean warming “hotspots” which adversely affect coral reefs, an important link in the ocean food web. By absorbing CO₂as described above, the ocean pH is higher than otherwise would be the case, mitigating the greater acidity which is harmful to the calcium carbonate found in living coral. Furthermore, in some cases upwelling pumps can be deployed in deeper waters adjacent and “upstream” from coral reefs that are at risk from too-warm summertime ocean hotspots. The cooler water brought to the surface can thus wash over the coral reefs, providing the necessary mitigation of the hotspot conditions.
Objects, advantages and novel features, and further scope of applicability of the present invention will be set forth in part in the detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a part of the specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The drawings are only for the purposes of illustrating one or more preferred embodiments of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1A is a front view drawing illustrating an embodiment of the present invention wherein a pump is disposed in a large body of water and a wave is forcing the floating element up;

FIG. 1B is a front view drawing illustrating an embodiment of the present invention wherein the pump is disposed in a large body of water and the weight of the pump is pulling the pump assembly down as a floating element rides down the back slope of a wave;

FIG. 2A is a drawing illustrating an embodiment of the present invention wherein the floating element of the present invention is connected to an open-top cylinder by a connecting member;

FIG. 2B is a perspective view drawing illustrating an embodiment of the present invention wherein a flexible cylinder is wrapped around a spool-shaped floatable element;

FIG. 2C is a side view drawing illustrating an embodiment of the present invention wherein a flexible cylinder is wrapped around a spool-shaped floatable element;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view drawing of an embodiment of the present invention wherein a flexible cylinder is depending from a spool-shaped floatable element;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view drawing illustrating an embodiment of the present invention wherein multiple flexible cylinders, each wrapped around a spool-shaped floatable element, are deployed from a floating apparatus;

FIG. 5A is a perspective view drawing of an embodiment of the present invention wherein a drag-inducing collar is removably disposed on a ridged bottom portion;

FIG. 5B is a close up view illustrating one embodiment of how a collar can be snap-fitted to a ridged bottom portion;

FIG. 6 is a top view drawing illustrating an embodiment of the present invention wherein a plurality of structural elements is positioned about a circumference of a flexible cylinder; and

FIGS. 7A and 7B are top and side views respectively of a butterfly valve disposed within an embodiment of the pump of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B. As illustrated therein, pump 10, which is preferably disposed in a large body of water, such as an ocean, gulf, or sea, preferably has floating element 12 attached to an upper portion of cylinder 14. Rigid bottom portion 16 is preferably attached to a bottom portion of cylinder 14. Although not required, weighted base 18 is optionally attached to rigid bottom portion 16. One or more valves 20 are preferably provided at a lower portion of pump 10. Valves 20 are most preferably disposed on, within, or adjacent to rigid bottom portion 16. Cylinder 14 preferably comprises a flexible material, such as polyethylene film. In one embodiment, one or more slits or openings 22 can be disposed on a side portion of cylinder 14. In another embodiment of the present invention, floating element 12 can optionally be eliminated. If floating element 12 is eliminated, flexible cylinder 14 is preferably sealed in an air tight manner at its upper portion. In this embodiment, water that is forced into cylinder 14 through rigid bottom portion 16 preferably travels toward the sealed upper end, thus forcing entrapped air toward the sealed upper end. Because the air is entrapped in the upper portion of cylinder 14, the upper portion of cylinder 14 thus effectively becomes floating element 12.
In another embodiment of the present invention, illustrated in FIG. 2A, floatable element 12 is preferably not connected to flexible cylinder 14, thus negating the need for slits or openings being disposed in the side of cylinder 14. In this embodiment, inelastic connecting member 24 is preferably used to connect floatable element 12 to rigid cylinder 13. In one embodiment, cylinder 14 is preferably wound around floating element 12 as illustrated in FIGS. 2B-4.
As illustrated in FIG. 2B, an alternative embodiment of the present invention preferably comprises one or more attachment points 40, which can be for example eyebolts, which are preferably disposed at a central portion of each end of spool-shaped cylinder 42. One or more first cables, ropes, slings, wires, cords, and/or the like (“first cable”) 44 preferably connect each of attachment points 40 together. Near a central portion of first cable 44, a proximal end of a second cable, rope, wire, cord, and/or the like (“second cable”) 46 preferably connects thereto. A distal end of second cable 46 preferably connects to a heavy base. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 2C, one or both sides of the spool-shaped cylinder 42 can optionally be provided with one or more grooves or protrusions 48 which prevent or otherwise resist the rotation of spool-shaped cylinder 42 with respect to first cable 44.
In an embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 4, numerous wound spools can be packed together and stored on a rack or in a box. In this embodiment, the spools can be allowed to consecutively roll off of the rack and/or can optionally be connected to one another such that deployment of one causes each consecutive pump to be pulled off of a traveling vehicle. In addition, as further illustrated in FIG. 4, if multiple pumps 10 are deployed in an ocean region and are tethered to one another, thus reducing interference with passing boats, the tethering further preferably provides a “sea anchor” effect for the tethered pump units.
Because a bottom portion of cylinder 14 preferably comprises valves 20, rigid bottom portion 16, and optionally weighted base 18, when a spooled pump enters the water, this heavier portion sinks toward the bottom while floating element 12 preferably remains at the surface. This causes the spooled pump assembly to be unrolled and thus results in pump 10 becoming installed. In this embodiment, while ridged base portion 16 is sinking to the bottom, water is funneled into flexible cylinder 14 the action of ridged base portion 16 sinking through the water. When flexible cylinder 14 is fully unwound, flexible cylinder 14 is substantially full of water which is at a temperature approximately equal to that of the water which lies directly outside flexible cylinder 14 at a corresponding depth. As waves then cause the entire pump unit to move up and down, cool water is then drawn into the base and successively moved upward with each wave “stroke”, forcing the uppermost water out through the slits formed at the top of the flexible cylinder just beneath the surface water line. Over time, the continued wave pumping action deposits cool water at the top where it mixes with warmer surface water, leading to an averaging of the temperature difference that formerly existed.
Alternative embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B. As illustrated therein, the construction of pump 10 is substantially similar as in previous embodiments, except that flexible cylinder 14 is preferably folded and stowed within rigid bottom portion 16 and not wrapped around floating element 12. In these embodiments, floating element 12 can be stowed within rigid bottom portion 16. Although FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate an embodiment of the present invention wherein flexible cylinder 14 is folded within rigid bottom portion 16 in such a manner that an floating element 12 is disposed beneath folded cylinder 14, and thus adjacent valves 20, upon studying this application, those skilled in the art will recognize that flexible cylinder 14 can be folded in such a manner that floating element 12 is disposed on top of folded cylinder 14 and folded cylinder 14 is thus adjacent valves 20.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, illustrated in the top view drawing of FIG. 6, flexible cylinder 14 is optionally supplemented with one or more structural elements 30. Structural elements 30 preferably extend substantially parallel with cylinder 14 and along substantially the entire length thereof. Structural elements preferably comprise tubular sections which have diameters substantially less than that of cylinder 14. In one embodiment, structural elements 30 are preferably formed by stitching or fusing the material of cylinder 14 onto itself so that approximately 2 cm to 3 cm diameter tubes are formed on the outside of the main tube. Each of these tubes preferably comprises a single continuous opening and have open top portions and open bottom portions, such that when the pump is deployed, the structural tubes fill with water. When filled with water, these smaller tubes provide extra rigidity and increase the ability of cylinder 14 to resist a collapsing force.
FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate a preferred valve 20 of an embodiment of the present invention, comprising two movable flaps 21′, 21″ connected at a common central line.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the pump is preferably comprised of a floatable element which rides on the surface waves of a large body of water. A heavy rigid cylinder, with an open top and bottom, is attached by an inelastic cable to the floatable element, and has a valve arrangement, preferably butterfly-type, incorporated therein. A greatly elongated flexible tube is attached to the upper edge of the rigid cylinder and preferably contains the inelastic cable. Due to buoyancy of the tube material, the tube extends from the heavy rigid cylinder upward toward the floatable element. The upper end of the tube material remains underwater during operation, and is open at the top, allowing water being pumped upward to escape during each wave cycle. A weight optionally may be attached to the bottom of the rigid cylinder. As waves pass by the floatable element, it moves up and down from wave action. Because it is fixedly connected to the rigid cylinder, this causes the entire pump to move up and down. As the pump moves down, the force of water acting from beneath the valve forces the valve open, replenishing water from the deeper layer into the rigid cylinder and allowing water at the top of the flexible cylinder to escape and mix into the adjacent upper water layer. As the pump apparatus begins to move up from the wave action, pressure from the water contained in the rigid cylinder and flexible tube causes the valve to close, thus forcing the entire column of water upward. On the next down stroke, water at the top of the flexible tube is released to mix with adjacent water. In an alternative embodiment, slits may be disposed in the side of the flexible tube to allow the escape of water, in addition to or rather than escaping when the tube moves downward to release the water. In another embodiment, the uppermost portion of the flexible tube may be of a different diameter than the main portion of the tube, for instance bell shaped, to change the volume of pumped water allowed to mix on each down stroke. In an alternative embodiment, the floatable element may be provided with an apparatus to maintain one portion in the water and another portion out of the water; and the portion in the water may have a roughened surface to increase the friction against the water. The roughened surface may consist of a fishscale effect, providing more friction in one direction of wave action than in the other direction of wave action. This preferably allows the up and down motion of the floatable element to more closely match the wave up and down motion, thus gaining efficiency.
Over many wave cycles, the continuous up and down motion fills the flexible tube with deep ocean water which continually escapes through the top just below the surface. This generates mixing of the deeper water into the surface water.
As a further preferred embodiment, when multiple pumps are deployed in an ocean region, optionally they may be tethered to one another at the base, to avoid interference with passing boats, and to provide a “sea anchor” effect for the multiply tethered pump units, thereby maintaining relative position of the adjacent pumps.
Methods and manners for deploying the numerous required pumps include loading the pumps on one or more containers on a ship, which then is operated across swaths of ocean while allowing the pumps to sequentially roll off into the ocean where they unwind and thus self-deploy. Alternatively, the multiple pump units can be dropped from cargo airplanes flying over the ocean.
In another embodiment, in some oceanic regions, the pumping of cold deep water also will introduce nutrients to the surface. In such regions, this can enhance algae production which take in CO₂and produce oxygen. In some oceanic regions, the present invention's ability to stimulate algae production can produce the side benefit of reducing greenhouse gas (CO₂) concentration levels and thus slowing global warming. Additionally, reducing the dissolved CO₂in ocean water will increase the pH and counteract trends toward more acidic oceans. This trend is detrimental to calcium shell formation, needed by many ocean life forms to grow and form the basis of the ocean food chain.
Various embodiments of the present invention also optionally comprise a solar-rechargeable battery or other energy generating and/or storage device. Upon receiving an electronic command a small electromechanical device can release the stored energy to tighten or loosen a noose positioned just below the open top of the tube. Alternatively, the stored energy may open or close either the primary valve contained in the rigid cylinder, or a second valve installed in the tube a distance below the top of the tube. When either the noose is tightened or the lower or upper valve is closed, pumping action ceases. The noose-like apparatus may be fabricated from a material which is predisposed to lie in a straight line. Therefore, when the opening command is provided, this predisposition causes the noose to assume a larger circumference, allowing the water pressure inside the tube to expand the formerly closed area and allowing water to again exit the open end of the tube.
In a further embodiment, the pump unit can be disabled by nullifying the up and down motion of the buoy on wave peaks and troughs. This is preferably accomplished by a controllable take-up and release mechanism which on wave upslopes is counterweighted to release a portion of the inelastic cable and on wave downslopes is spring loaded or otherwise designed to take up a portion of the inelastic cable. The controller may include an accelerometer which measures the buoy acceleration on wave upsiopes and downslopes and determines buoy vertical displacement, said displacement being compensated for in the manner stated, thereby nullifying the vertical motion of the entire unit.
Given the elongated dimension of the tube, to gain efficiency it may be desirable to install additional valves at various points. This can be accomplished by installing one or more rigid cylinders with similar butterfly-type valves as provided in the rigid base. The up and down motion thus preferably causes the valves to open and close. The tube is preferably attached at the top edge and bottom edge of the intermediate rigid cylinders, thus providing a continuous enclosure from the base to the top.
Although the invention has been described in detail with particular reference to these preferred embodiments, other embodiments can achieve the same results. Variations and modifications of the present invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and equivalents. The entire disclosures of all references, applications, patents, and publications cited above and/or in the attachments, and of the corresponding application(s), are hereby incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. A water pump comprising a floatable portion, a flexible submergible portion, said floatable portion connected by an inelastic flexible connector to a rigid submergible portion, whereby gravity maintains tension between said floatable portion and said rigid submergible portion.

2. The water pump of claim 1 wherein said floatable portion is cylindrical and is provided with a spool shape to allow said flexible submergible portion and/or said inelastic flexible connector to wrap around said spool shape for storage and transportation.

3. The water pump of claim 1 wherein said rigid submergible portion comprises a density greater than that of seawater.

4. The water pump of claim 2 wherein said spool portion is caused to unwind by gravity upon reaching a surface of a body of water.

5. The water pump of claim 1 wherein said floatable portion is connected to said flexible submergible portion.

6. The water pump of claim 1 wherein said flexible submergible portion can assume a tubular shape.

7. The water pump of claim 1 wherein said flexible submergible portion comprises slits to allow water to escape.

8. The water pump of claim 1 wherein said flexible submergible portion comprises two or more diameters.

9. The water pump of claim 1 wherein said rigid submergible portion comprises a valve permitting entry of water into said water pump upon downward motion or upon upward motion of said water pump.

10. The water pump of claim 9 wherein said valve comprises a butterfly valve.

11. The water pump of claim 1 wherein a plurality of said pumps are disposed to modify surface water characteristics.

12. The water pump of claim 1 wherein a plurality of the water pumps are tethered together.

13. A water pump comprising a floatable portion, a flexible submergible portion, and a rigid submergible portion, said floatable portion connected to an upper end of said flexible submergible portion and said rigid portion connected to a lower end of said flexible submergible portion, whereby gravity maintains tension between said floatable portion and said rigid submergible portion.

14. The water pump of claim 13 further comprising one or more openings disposed near an upper end of said flexible submergible portion.

15. The water pump of claim 13 wherein said floatable portion comprises a sealed upper end of said flexible submergible portion with air entrapped therein.

16. The water pump of claim 13 wherein said floatable portion comprises a spool shape.

17. A method for modifying at least a portion of a body of water comprising using wave action to move water having a temperature less than that of water near a surface of the body of water from a depth to an area near a surface of the body of water; wherein the water is transported through one or more flexible cylinders.

18. The method of claim 13 comprising wave action raising and lowering a floatable element.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein a non-elastic member connects the floatable element to a bottom portion of a pump.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein one or more valves reduce and/or prevent water from escaping from a bottom portion of a pump.