Wave making device

Abstract

The wave making device comprises a caisson connected to an air blower and to a control valve mechanism comprising an exhaust valve adapted to move between a closed position and an open position, and a system adapted to move the exhaust valve and to maintain said exhaust valve into said position. The control valve mechanism is adapted to ensure continuously an air pressure within the caisson at least equal to the atmospheric pressure.

1 . An adaptive control artificial wave making device for generating wave with at least one specific wave pattern, at least at the surface of a liquid contained into a pool located in an air containing atmosphere having an ambient pressure, said surface of the liquid having an average liquid level, said wave making device comprising at least:
 a caisson adapted to be mounted at least partly into a pool containing a liquid, said caisson having at least one opening for the passage of liquid, at least an upper portion and a bottom portion intended to be immersed in the liquid of the pool below the average liquid level in the pool, wherein at least a part of the upper portion of the caisson is adapted to contain air when the bottom portion of the caisson is immersed into the liquid of the pool, and wherein said caisson having a face provided with an opening adapted, when the caisson is partly immersed into the liquid, to form a passage of liquid from the pool towards the caisson, and inversely;   an air blower adapted to create an outlet air flow with an air pressure at least equal to the atmospheric pressure;   an air pipe connecting the air blower to the upper portion of the caisson, so as to introduce air into the upper portion of the caisson whereby generating in said upper portion of the caisson an air pressure at least equal to the atmospheric pressure;   at least one control valve mechanism connected to the upper portion of the caisson, said control valve mechanism comprising at least one exhaust valve adapted to move between at least a substantially closed position and a substantially full open position, and a system adapted to move at least one exhaust valve and to maintain said at least one exhaust valve into one position selected from the group consisting of the substantially closed position, the substantially full open position and partly open positions comprised between the substantially closed position, the substantially full open position, whereby said control valve mechanism is adapted to ensure continuously air pressure within the caisson at least equal to the ambient pressure,   at least one submersible pressure sensor placed at a determined level for determining a parameter selected from the group consisting of liquid pressure, a difference of pressure at a liquid level of the caisson, a difference of pressure vertically below the opening of the caisson, whereby at said determined level, liquid is always present when the caisson is placed in the pool for generating wave, the said submersible pressure sensor measuring a difference of pressure of the liquid at the determined level into the caisson with respect to the ambient pressure and generating an electrical signal, and   a controlled command system receiving the electrical signal of the submersible pressure sensor, said controlled command system (a) determining moments selected from the group consisting of the moments when at least one exhaust valve has to be moved into a position selected from the group consisting of the substantially full open position and partly open positions comprised between the substantially closed position, the moments when at least one exhaust valve has to be moved into its substantially closed position, for achieving said specific wave pattern, and (b) emitting a signal towards the control valve mechanism for commanding the movement of the exhaust valve for achieving said specific wave pattern at least at the surface of the liquid contained into the pool.   
   
   
       2 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , wherein the caisson has a bottom face provided with an opening adapted, when the caisson is partly immersed into the liquid, to form a passage of liquid from the pool towards the caisson, and inversely. 
   
   
       3 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , in which the air blower is adapted to create an outlet air flow with an air pressure with an over pressure comprised between 0.05 10 5  Pa and 0.3 10 5  Pa above the atmospheric pressure, and so as to introduce air into the upper portion of the caisson whereby generating in said upper portion of the caisson an air over pressure comprised between 0.01 10 5  Pa and 0.3 10 5  Pa above the atmospheric pressure. 
   
   
       4 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , in which the submersible pressure sensor is placed in the bottom portion of the caisson. 
   
   
       5 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 2 , in which the submersible pressure sensor is located below the opening of the bottom face of the bottom portion of the caisson, at a determined level with respect to the bottom face of the caisson. 
   
   
       6 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , in which the submersible pressure sensor sends as signal, at least an electrical signal function of the measured difference of pressure, said electrical signal being of less than 100 mA. 
   
   
       7 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , in which the controlled command system is associated to a converter for converting the electrical signal of the submersible pressure sensor into a converted signal received by the controlled command system. 
   
   
       8 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , in which the system adapted to move the exhaust valve and to maintain said exhaust valve into one position selected from the group consisting of the substantially closed position, the substantially full open position and partly open positions comprised between the substantially closed position comprises at least one cylinder. 
   
   
       9 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , in which the system adapted to move the exhaust valve and to maintain said exhaust valve into one position selected from the group consisting of the substantially closed position, the substantially full open position and partly open positions comprised between the substantially closed position comprises at least one cylinder, said cylinder acting against the action of a return mechanism. 
   
   
       10 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , in which the system adapted to move the exhaust valve and to maintain said exhaust valve into one position selected from the group consisting of the substantially closed position, the substantially full open position and partly open positions comprised between the substantially closed position comprises at least one cylinder, said cylinder acting against the action of a return mechanism, said return mechanism being adapted for directing the valve towards its substantially closed position. 
   
   
       11 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 9 , in which the caisson is provided with an exhaust pipe for the exhaust of air from the caisson, whereby the cylinder is located within the exhaust pipe. 
   
   
       12 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , in which the ratio open surface of the exhaust valve or valves expressed in cm 2 /volume of the upper portion of the caisson is greater than 0.001. 
   
   
       13 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , in which the ratio open surface of the exhaust valve or valves expressed in cm 2 /volume of the upper portion of the caisson is comprised between 0.005 and 0.05. 
   
   
       14 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , in which the control valve mechanism comprises a pipe connecting the exhaust valve with the caisson, said pipe being provided at its end connected to the caisson, with a liquid blocking system adapted to prevent the passage of liquid and gas towards the exhaust valve, when the liquid level in the caisson is above a predetermined level. 
   
   
       15 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , in which the bottom of the caisson is open, said bottom being provided with a series of elements defining passages with a maximum width or diameter of less than 10 cm. 
   
   
       16 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , in which the blower is adapted to blow a volume of air of at least 30 litres per second per 200 litres of the upper portion of the caisson. 
   
   
       17 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , in which the bottom of the caisson has an opening having an open surface corresponding to 3% to 20% of the surface of the liquid of the pool. 
   
   
       18 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , in which the pool is located in a room, and in which the device comprise an exhaust pipe for exhausting air from the caisson outside the said room. 
   
   
       19 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 2 , in which the controlled command system comprises instructions for maintaining the exhaust valve or valves of the caisson in its substantially closed position for a time sufficient so that a sufficient amount of air from the blower is introduced into the caisson, so that part of said air is exhausted into the pool through the bottom opening. 
   
   
       20 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 19 , in which the instructions for maintaining the exhaust valve or valves of the caisson in its substantially closed position for a time sufficient so that a sufficient amount of air from the blower is introduced into the caisson are adapted for exhausting air into the pool for 1 second to 10 minutes per period of at least 45 minutes. 
   
   
       21 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , wherein the caisson has a bottom face provided with an opening adapted, when the caisson is partly immersed into the liquid, to form a passage of liquid from the pool towards the caisson, and inversely,
 in which the controlled command system comprises instructions for maintaining the exhaust valve or valves of the caisson in its substantially closed position for a time sufficient so that a sufficient amount of air from the blower is introduced into the caisson, so that part of said air is exhausted into the pool through the bottom opening, and   in which the instructions for maintaining the exhaust valve or valves of the caisson in its substantially closed position for a time sufficient so that a sufficient amount of air from the blower is introduced into the caisson are adapted for exhausting air for 5 seconds to 1 minute, per period comprised between 1 hour and 24 hours.   
   
   
       22 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , in which the caisson has a lateral wall in contact with the liquid of the pool outside the caisson, the said wall having a set of at least two openings selected from the group consisting of a set comprising an opening with a portion at least located below the average liquid level and an opening with a portion located above the average liquid level of the pool, a set comprising at least a first opening located above the average liquid level of the pool and a second opening located below the average liquid level, and in which at least one of said opening is provided with movable closing means, whereby enabling the passage of water from the pool into the caisson when said at least one opening is not closed by the movable closing means. 
   
   
       23 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , which comprises at least one additional means selected from the group consisting of air filtering means, treatment units for filtering air flowing into the blower, treatment units for treating air flowing into the blower, treatment units for filtering air pushed by the blower, treatment units for treating air pushed by the blower. 
   
   
       24 . The adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1 , which comprises at least two distinct caissons connected to a same air blower through a piping system provided with a valving system for controlling the flow of air towards the first caisson and the flow of air towards the second caisson, whereby each caisson has at least one control valve mechanism connected to the upper portion of the caisson, said control valve mechanism comprising an exhaust valve adapted to move between at least a substantially closed position and a substantially full open position, and a system adapted to move the exhaust valve and to maintain said exhaust valve into one position selected from the group consisting of the substantially closed position, the substantially full open position and partly open positions comprised between the substantially closed position, the substantially full open position. 
   
   
       25 . A method for generating artificial wave at the surface of a liquid contained in a pool located in a room, in which an adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1  is used, in which the air from the caisson is exhausted outside the room or towards a treatment station, said method comprising at least the following steps:
 creating by means of the air blower of an outlet air flow with an air pressure at least equal to the atmospheric pressure towards at least one caisson having its bottom portion immersed into the liquid, whereby generating in the upper portion of the caisson an air pressure at least equal to the atmospheric pressure;   controlling by the working of at least one exhaust valve associated to the upper portion of the caisson between at least a substantially closed position and a substantially full open position, by the system adapted to move said at least one exhaust valve and to maintain said at least one exhaust valve into one position selected from the group consisting of the substantially closed position, the substantially full open position and partly open positions comprised between the substantially closed position, the substantially full open position, whereby said control valve mechanism is adapted to ensure continuously air pressure within the caisson at least equal to the ambient pressure, whereby the pressure within the caisson varies so as to generate a liquid flow between the caisson and the pool;   determining a parameter selected from the group consisting of liquid pressure, a difference of pressure at a liquid level of the caisson, a difference of pressure vertically below the opening of the caisson, by at least one submersible pressure sensor placed at a determined level for determining, whereby at said determined level, liquid is always present, the said submersible pressure sensor measuring a difference of pressure of the liquid at the determined level into the caisson with respect to the ambient pressure and generating an electrical signal,   transmitting the electrical signal to a controlled command system for (a) determining moments selected from the group consisting of the moments when at least one exhaust valve has to be moved into a position selected from the group consisting of the substantially full open position and partly open positions comprised between the substantially closed position, the moments when at least one exhaust valve has to be moved into its substantially closed position, for achieving said specific wave pattern, and (b) emitting a signal towards the control valve mechanism for commanding the movement of the exhaust valve for achieving said specific wave pattern at least at the surface of the liquid contained into the pool.   
   
   
       26 . A method for generating artificial wave at the surface of a liquid contained in a pool located in a room, in which an adaptive control artificial wave making device of  claim 1  is used, in which the air from the caisson is exhausted outside the room or towards a treatment station, said method comprising at least the following steps:
 creating by means of the air blower of an outlet air flow with an air pressure at least equal to the atmospheric pressure towards at least one caisson having its bottom portion immersed into the liquid, whereby generating in the upper portion of the caisson an air pressure at least equal to the atmospheric pressure;   controlling by the working of at least one exhaust valve associated to the upper portion of the caisson between at least a substantially closed position and a substantially full open position, by the system adapted to move said at least one exhaust valve and to maintain said at least one exhaust valve into one position selected from the group consisting of the substantially closed position, the substantially full open position and partly open positions comprised between the substantially closed position, the substantially full open position, whereby said control valve mechanism is adapted to ensure continuously air pressure within the caisson at least equal to the ambient pressure, whereby the pressure within the caisson varies so as to generate a liquid flow between the caisson and the pool;   determining a parameter selected from the group consisting of liquid pressure, a difference of pressure at a liquid level of the caisson, a difference of pressure vertically below the opening of the caisson, by at least one submersible pressure sensor placed at a determined level for determining, whereby at said determined level, liquid is always present, the said submersible pressure sensor measuring a difference of pressure of the liquid at the determined level into the caisson with respect to the ambient pressure and generating an electrical signal,   converting the electrical signal by a converter into a converted signal,   transmitting the converted signal to a controlled command system for (a) determining moments selected from the group consisting of the moments when at least one exhaust valve has to be moved into a position selected from the group consisting of the substantially full open position and partly open positions comprised between the substantially closed position, the moments when at least one exhaust valve has to be moved into its substantially closed position, for achieving said specific wave pattern, and (b) emitting a signal towards the control valve mechanism for commanding the movement of the exhaust valve for achieving said specific wave pattern at least at the surface of the liquid contained into the pool.