Ceto IP Pty Ltd.

Structural Monitoring Systems Ltd

Jonathan Pierre Fievez

Laurence Drew Mann

Greg John Allen

Nigel Laxton

Ruud Caljouw

Daniel Bryan Taylor

David Kessel

Lawrence Drew Mann

A closed-loop hydraulic apparatusfor converting wave energy comprises a pumpfor pumping a fluid through the apparatus. The pumpincludes a bodydefining a chamber, and a pistonthat partitions the chamberinto a working sideand a blind side. A buoyant actuator is connected to the piston. An inletis connected to the working sideof the chamberso that the fluid is able to flow from the inletand into the working sideof the chamber. An outletis connected to the working sideof the chamberso that the fluid is able to flow from the working sideof the chamberto the outlet. A hydraulic controlleris operable to control the pumpby controlling the pressure of the fluid at the inletand the outletso as to optimise the output of the pumpin response to tidal variations and/or sea state. The pressure of the fluid at the inletand the outletis controlled in accordance with a control algorithm.

Hydraulic apparatus

A wave energy conversion system for harnessing wave energy in a body of water and converting the harnessed wave energy to pressurized fluid, and also a method of deploying such a wave energy conversion system. The wave energy conversion system comprises a unit including a buoyant structure responsive to wave motion, at least one pump and at least one tether adapted to be operably connected between the pump and a fixture below the unit, whereby movement of the buoyant structure relative to the fixture in response to wave motion converts harnessed energy to pressurized fluid. The unit is adapted to be deployed by moving the tether into coupling engagement with the fixture upon actuation of the pump in a manner causing movement of the tether into engagement with the fixture.

Deployment system

An apparatus is provided for harnessing ocean wave energy, wherein the apparatus relieves excessive loadings on components to avoid damage thereof in adverse wave conditions. The apparatus includes a buoyant actuator and a pump anchored within the body of water. Fluid at high pressure is pumped ashore by the pump, energy is extracted as useful work at an on-shore plant, and the resultant reduced pressure fluid is returned to the offshore pump to be re-energized. The buoyant actuator is operably connected to the pump by tether and is buoyantly suspended within the body of water above the pump. The buoyant actuator is provided with a connector that includes a damping mechanism configured to maintain a substantially rigid connection between the hollow body and the tether until such time as loading therebetween exceeds a prescribed load whereupon the damping mechanism facilitates limited relative movement therebetween to relieve the loading.

Wave energy conversion

An apparatus () monitors the condition of a component () by measuring the conductivity to air flow of a sealed cavity () formed on the surface of the component (). The apparatus () comprises an unregulated pressure source () that is coupled to the cavity () via a fluid flow restriction (). A measurement system () provides a measurement of, or related to, the volumetric air flow through the restriction (), and calculates a conductivity index CI to air flow of the cavity in accordance with the equation CI=flow/pressure difference. In this equation 'flow' is the volumetric flow of air through the flow restriction and 'pressure difference' is the difference in pressure across the cavity with reference to atmospheric or ambient pressure. In the event that a crack traverses the cavity and provides a flow path to the atmosphere, the conductivity index CI will be a non-zero value. The higher the conductivity index the larger the crack.

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Melville, Australia

Jonathan Pierre Fievez