Submersible power plant

Abstract

A submersible power plant 10 comprises a submersible enclosure 12 having at least one intake valve 16 for admitting water at high pressure from the surrounding sea into and air space in the enclosure. An air shaft from the air space 96 is in communication with the atmosphere for maintaining the air space at approximately one atmosphere. A pump for evacuating water collected in the enclosure includes a buoy 62 responsive to ocean swells. A piston shaft 58 connected to the buoy reciprocates in the center bore 60 of a vertical column 52 extending upward from the bottom of the enclosure. As the piston shaft rises inflow valves 72 admit water in the enclosure into a valve housing 70 in communication with the center bore. As the piston shaft falls water is discharged from the valve housing into the sea through a discharge valve 80 in the bottom of the enclosure.

1 . A submersible power plant comprising: 
 an enclosure for submersion in a surrounding body of water to a depth at which the water is under a selected high pressure,    an air shaft for maintaining said enclosure at a constant pressure of approximately one atmosphere,    at least one intake valve for admitting water at said selected high pressure from said surrounding body of water into said enclosure,    a pump chamber,    a piston shaft slidingly disposed in said pump chamber,    a buoy for floating at the surface of a body of water, said buoy experiencing vertical movement responsive to surface swells in the body of water, said buoy affixed to said piston shaft such that said piston shaft reciprocates in said pump chamber in cooperation with the vertical movement of said buoy,    at least one inflow valve for admitting water from said enclosure into said pump chamber but checking water from flowing out of said pump chamber, and    at least one discharge valve permitting discharge of water into the surrounding body of water from said pump chamber but checking water from flowing into said pump chamber,    upward motion of said piston shaft drawing water from said enclosure through said inflow valve into said pump chamber, and downward motion of said piston shaft forcing water out of said pump chamber through said discharge valve into the surrounding body of water, whereby approximately the same volume of water is evacuated from said enclosure as is admitted into said enclosure by said intake valve.