The present invention refers to a dam with a convex front .

Current existing dam technologies exploit sea currents at the seabed, where the transmission of energy is extremely low and, at surface level , the rise and fall of the wave and tide , obtaining very low yields due to the discontinuity of the wave motion .

Documents US-A1-2020/ 123724 and JP-A-H08 226112 describe prior art dams .

Obj ect of the present invention is solving the aforementioned prior art problems , by providing a dam with a convex front that allows capturing al l energy of the incident water mass , trans forming it into a continuous flow, in any sea condition . This dam thus makes it possible to exploit the energy of the sea motion to the maximum degree , which is concentrated in a "dynamic layer" that originates at the level of the sea surface and is located up to about 8 meters deep, in fact being exhausted at below this quota .

The " convex front" of the dam of the present invention allows a higher use of the potential and kinetic energy of the waves , for its subsequent trans formation into electrical energy .

The above and other obj ects and advantages of the invention, as will emerge from the following description, are achieved with a dam with a convex front such as that described in claim 1 . Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variants of the present invention form the subj ect matter of the dependent claims .

It is understood that all attached claims form an integral part of the present description .

The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments , provided by way of non-limiting example , with reference to the attached drawings , in which :

Figure 1 is a schematic view of a basic module of a preferred, but not limiting, embodiment of the dam according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic view similar to Figure 1 with an indication of the directions of the wave motions ;

Figure 3 is a side schematic view of the dam of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 4 is a schematic view of the dam of Figure 1 in its entirety .

With reference to the Figures , a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated and described . It will be immediately obvious that innumerable variations and modi fications ( for example relating to shape , dimensions , various colors and parts with equivalent functionality) can be made to what is described, without departing from the scope of the invention as appears from the attached claims .

The convex front dam system of the present invention is based on a front of at least two caissons 1 , parallel and interconnected to each other, preferably rhomboidal in shape , possibly j oined to the beams 6 , 8 of the dam, connected by rotation rests 5 as in Fig . 1 , capable of allowing rotations to possibly orientate the caissons 1 orthogonally to the incident wave front .

The caissons 1 are j oined together in the central part by the beam 6 , integrally sel f- adj usting the orientation of both caissons 1 along the direction of the wave .

A base module consisting of at least two caissons 1 ( as shown m Figure 1 ) supports a beam 8 on which the convex front 4 hinged on a roller rest 5 rests ( see Figure 3 ) . The final dimensions of the dam and the platform can be obtained as the sum of several modules side by side in series or in parallel ( see Figure 4 ) .

At the terminal interstices 13 o f each module , any hydraulic turbine (not shown) can be positioned, thanks to a suitable product , with opening on the sea side to obtain, through the Venturi ef fect , the maximum potential of electrical energy .

The sides of each caisson 1 are equipped with special vertical fins 2 arranged in a herringbone pattern, which trans form the wave , broken by the bow of the caissons 1 and conveyed by the convex front 4 , in counter-pressure with respect to the incident sea wave , counter-pressure that contrasts the thrust of the wave itsel f , contributing, together with the fins positioned on the keel , to the hori zontal stability of the dam and to the suction ef fect of the mass of water entering the penstock represented by the interstices 13 , thanks to the depression created by the expansion phase obtained at the exit of the flow from the interstices 13 and from the inverted funnel opening, created by the sterns of two contiguous caissons .

Any other fins 2 , herringbone and of suitable size and shape , can be positioned along the keel of the caissons 1 , in order to help counteract the possible deep ef fect of the waves , generating counter-stabili zing forces of the dam hori zontally and vertically .

The Torricelli columns 3 (better illustrated in Figure 3 ) contribute to the vertical stability of the structure , reducing the stress discharged on the anchors to the desired extent ; they also help to counterbalance the Archimedes principle , reducing the quantities of ballast 11 necessary to sink the structure to the desired levels .

The basic module , which implements the basic principle of the invention, consists of two caissons 1 , preferably rhomboidal , with the bow that breaks the incoming wave and the shape of the side that , in competition with the shape of the bow of the adj acent caisson 1 , accelerates the speed of the incident wave due to the Venturi ef fect .

The caissons 1 are laterally equipped with a series of vertical herringbone fins 2 , of suitable shape, size, profile and angle, aimed at creating stabilizing forces on the structure (salmon effect) .

The caisson unit 1 may have one or more pins in the upper part, around which both the connecting beam 6 between the caissons and the support beam 8 of the convex front of the dam can rotate.

Each caisson 1, represented in section in Figure 3, consisting of concrete and/or steel structures, has, in the lower part, the anchors, consisting of the bases 9 suitably fixed to the seabed and by connecting chains 10 fixed to the caisson itself, as shown in Figure 3.

As seen, the bottom (keel) of the caisson 1 can be equipped with fins 2 positioned in a herringbone pattern of suitable size, shape and profile, suitable for generating a force contrasting that of the incident wave and stabilizing the caissons 1 vertically.

The inside of the caisson 1 is ballasted with the element 11 to obtain the desired level of the waterline of the dam or platform.

The empty spaces inside the box 1 can be used for storage of various kinds and services.

The upper part of the caisson 1 can be connected with adj acent caissons 1 by beams 6 , each including one or more central pins 7 for the possible rotation of the caisson 1 , aimed at dynamic positioning as orthogonal as possible to the incident wave .

On the upper part of each caisson 1 the convex front 4 is positioned on the beam 8 .

The caissons 1 incorporate several Torricelli columns 3 of appropriate section, positioned in an opportune way, to exploit the stabili zation principle created by the pressure in the columns and reduce the weight of the ballasts 11 and the stress on the anchor chains 10 , attributing part of the load to the pressure itsel f .

Each component of the system can be made with elements and materials suitable for the purpose for which it is intended .

The basic operating principle of the system of the present invention, with all its components , consists in the creation of forces that oppose those of the waves that strike the dams or floating platforms , exploiting scienti fic principles of fluid dynamics ( Torricelli , Venturi and Bernoulli - Coanda, Schrauberger ef fects ) , which allow the free energy of wave motion and atmospheric pressure to be used m the generation of stabili zing counter forces .

The practical implementation of the above basic principle is obtained with the construction of a front , or bridge , of boats ( Figure 4 ) consisting of caissons 1 , equipped with fins 2 (with a " salmon" ef fect ) supporting convex breakwater dams , platforms innovative floats and with the creation of Torricelli columns 3 , which sti f fen and stabili ze the entire floating structure .

The force of the waves incident hori zontally on the dams or on the floating platforms is contrasted by the shape of the fins 2 fixed vertically on the sides and on the keel of the caissons 1 which, due to the Bernoulli - Coanda effect , create an antagonistic force with respect to that of the incident wave .

The force of the waves incident vertically (upward and downward movements ) and the thrusts generating overturning moments on the floating structures ( dams or platforms ) are counteracted by the Torricelli columns 3 as the liquid in depression completely fills the column ( sealed at the top ) and acts as a solid integral part of the marine fluid layer underlying the submerged end of the column, while the pressure exerted by the columns 3 on the structure through the caissons 1 reduces the need for ballast to an equivalent extent .

The Bernoulli - Coanda effect, contrasting the horizontal forces of the incident wave and the effect of the Torricelli columns, contrasting the vertical forces and the overturning moments of the waves, significantly reduce the stresses that the chains 10 and the anchors 9 must amortize.

With reference to Fig. 2, which highlights the basic operating principle of the invention, it can be seen how the incident wave, inserting itself between the prows of two adjacent caissons 1, transforms its pressure, due to the Venturi effect, into velocity which, hitting the fins 2 positioned on the sides of the caissons 1, accelerates in the part exposed to the wave and creates a depression in the internal part (Bernoulli - Coanda effect) , thereby generating a contrasting force of the same magnitude as that which strikes the fin 2.

The overall stabilizing effects reduce the stresses exerted on the chains and anchors in the supplementary stabilization interventions. The incident wave front causes all the caissons 1 to rotate integrally ( thanks to the pins 7 and the lunettes 5 ) to meet the incident wave front as orthogonally as possible .

The wave strikes the structure of Figure 4 and the wave pressure is trans formed into sliding speed along the interstices 13 created by the walls of the caissons 1 and the convex front 4 , with the caissons 1 positioned in a direction orthogonally opposite to the wavy motion .

Figure 3 shows ( in section) the Torricelli columns 3 , integral with the caissons 1 , which stabili ze the floating structure with respect to vertical and torsional stresses .

In Figure 3 , the fins 2 placed under the keel of the caissons 1 are also better highlighted, with the function of generating forces contrasting the vertical and hori zontal thrusts of the wave motion .

The bow and stern of the caissons are connected to the anchoring bases 9 by anchoring chains 10 , suitably positioned in order to minimi ze the traction forces and the overturning moments acting on the floating structure .

The uniqueness of the dam system of the present invention, as described above , thus lies in the idea of exploiting the energy of sea motion to the maximum degree , which is concentrated in a "dynamic layer" that originates at the level of the sea surface and is placed up to about 8 meters deep, in fact running out below this altitude .

The convex front of the dam is an inventive arrangement that allows the highest use of the potential and kinetic energy of the waves , for its subsequent trans formation into electrical energy . The front of rhomboidal caissons 1 is a solution that , on the one hand, allows to create an acceleration of the mass of incoming water, with the maximum ef ficiency of the trans formation for energy purposes and, at the same time , thanks to the expansion phase at the outlet , allows reducing speed and wave height , contributing to the protection of port environments and coastal areas , which are currently at risk .