Light-weight portable marine and hydrokinetic energy converter
Abstract
Approved for Public ReleaseEnergy is the lifeblood for the modern Marine Corps, but such dependence also adds pressure, risk, and vu,lnerability to our soldiers, in particular for expeditionary forces. The Ground Renewable Expeditionary Energy Network System (GREEN,S) offers a good solution for sustainable energy in the field, however, also comes with its limitations. The energy source is not 24, hours/day and subjected to weather conditions, thus it is not always dependable. The current GREENS design is heavy and its applica,tion is limited by deployability. However, the modular design opens the door for alternative sources of energy. A lightweight, compa,ct, efficient, and reliable energy source is thus critical. In this proposal, we propose a light-weight, portable, highly efficient,energy conversion modular compatible to GREENS to harvest in-situ energy from the ocean to provide reliable, easy, and cheap renewab,le energy to the Marine Corps. The proposed energy harvesting device can harvest both ocean waves and ocean current energy on a 24/7, basis. The system weighs 50-80 lbs., and can fit into a backpack to be carried around by soldiers on mission. The system can be dep,loyed or retrieved by a single soldier in less than 20 min with ease. Once deployed into the ocean, the system can harvest an averag,e of 300-500 W power continuously on a 24/7 basis without maintenance. The energy per mass will be increased significantly from 1.4,W/lbs. (GREENS 1kW station) to 6-10 W/lbs., 4.3-7.1 times more power per weight. The system is modular and can be scaled up to provi,de more power if needed. The modular design also makes it possible to network with solar energy, wind energy, and diesel engine ener,gy to provide comprehensive and reliable energy to the Marine Corps.The success of this project will significantly reduce the depend,ence on fuel energy and relieve the energy demand pressure faced in modern warfare and decrease the pressure, vulnerability, and ris,ks of the power supply associated logistics. The operation range, endurance, and agility of the Marine Corps can be improved signifi,cantly. The proposed ocean waves and current energy conversion modular could also improve the sustainability and reliability of exis,ting GREENS in the case that solar energy is unavailable, such as at night and rainy day.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Dec 06, 2022
- Source ID
- N000142312100
Entities
People
- Lei Zuo
Organizations
- Board of Regents of the University of Michigan
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy