Introduction First Design Second Design Neptune 1 Neptune 2
Hybrid Linear Generator
In the simple linear generator design we see that the slow movement of the waves is the main drawback to this type of direct drive energy converter.
What is needed is to speed up the movemment of the generator, to increase its equivalent RPM.
Since gears, particulary the rack and pinion arrangement, do not work we determined that this can be done with levers, particularly with compound levers, provided the linear generator is made to fit the arc the end of the last lever arm.
We then made a model of this design with a stator diameter of 8 feet (2.4 m) and achieved eqivalent rotational speeds of over 100 RPM for part of the stroke from prime mover input of 8 inches per 2 seconds on the up / down force from the point absorber.
See photo next column.
It became obvious once we tested this arrangement that this was not a good design for the following reasons:
1. the reciprocation movement put large stresses on
the device and would require heavy construction
to build a device to endure for at least 1 year;
2. the violent movement of the translator from one
direction to a stopped position then to the
opposite direction does not produce electricity
evenly when compared to one-way rotational
generators.
3. The device is already one half of an 8 foot
diameter generator so why not just find a way to
convert the reciprocal motion of the prime mover
(the bobbing point absorber float) into one-way
rotational motion and drive a regular spinning
generator.
See Neptune 1