Generalidades

Ocean waves have a huge energy that can be economically used for various purposes including the generation of electric energy. Despite the huge Brazilian seacoast, this energy is not used in the country. Meanwhile there are energy conversion facilities in operation in the world and a growing number of projects in installation and several researches in development.

The energy rate can be informed in kW / m of wave front and figures range from 7 to 100Kw / m. In the Brazilian coast we find rates ranging from 13Kw / m in the northeast to 25Kw / m of wave in the South. The challenge is to generate power at a competitive cost with conventional hydroelectric origin energy.

The wave power with some investment may become a competitive reality in the Brazilian energy matrix because it is much less variable than the wind energy whose use has been increasing in Brazil. As it is a clean and renewable source of energy it is a very competitive option from the ecological point of view and it has much less impact, under the visual aspect, than the use of wind or thermoelectric.

What is CEOOT?

CEOOT –Conversor Para Energia de Ondas Oceânicas Tuma (Tuma Converter for Energy of Ocean Waves) is a project that is being developed by TUMA Instalações from an own technology with the patent application requested in the INPI (Brazilian official department for this purpose).

The project has received the support of three research entities that are interested to work in its development: COPPE - UFRJ, School of Engineering of UFMG and CDTN - Centre for Development of Nuclear Technology - MCT



The principle of CEOOT operation

The method of conversion uses, as a working fluid, the fresh water that moves through the process in a closed circuit. The process begins from an atmospheric tank which is supplied with water that will be circled again. Water is aspirated by several devices that we name alternative pumps of double effect and that are installed in a vertical position.

The pistons move up and down inside the cylinders of the pump, driven by shafts that are coupled to floating blocks which in turn receive energy from waves. The displacement of the piston tends to be equal to the amplitude of the average wave. The lower and upper extremities of the cylinders are engaged, each one, to the suction pipe and to the exhaust pipe, both equipped with retention valves that will allow the flow in only one direction.The suction pipe is connected to the atmospheric reservoir and feeds the Pump with water coming from this. The exhaust pipe carries the water to a high pressure reservoir. A second high-pressure pipe carries the water to a hydraulic turbine type Pelton or Francis which is coupled to an electrical power generator.

Still in the high-pressure pipe it is installed a valve that regulates the flow of water to the turbine.

The high-pressure tank has two functions, accumulation and regulation of flow in order to allow the turbine to work homogenously and as if it were being fed by water held in a dam of a conventional hydroelectric facility.

The pressure of stabilizing the high pressure reservoir will be determined by the relation of the floating blocks weight and the area of the pump piston and limited by the resistance of the materials used for the water circulation.

Tuma Companies that provide those products and services:

TUMA Instalações