Long distance transmission of offshore power

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for long distance transmission of offshore generated power. A turbine is located offshore. The turbine can be mechanically coupled to a generator. A guided surface waveguide probe is electrically coupled to the generator and configured to launch a guided surface wave on a terrestrial medium.

Therefore, the following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a turbine placed within a body of water;   a generator mechanically coupled to the turbine; and   a guided surface waveguide probe electrically coupled to the generator, the guided surface waveguide probe being configured to launch a Zenneck surface wave on a terrestrial medium.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the guided surface waveguide probe is one of an array of guided surface waveguide probes configured to control the direction in which the Zenneck surface wave is launched on the terrestrial medium; and   each guided surface waveguide probe in the array of guided surface waveguide probes is electrically coupled to the generator.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the guided surface waveguide probe comprises a charge terminal elevated over the terrestrial medium configured to generate at least one resultant field that synthesizes a wave front incident at a complex Brewster angle of incidence (θ i,B ) of the terrestrial medium. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising a feed network electrically coupled to the charge terminal, the feed network providing a phase delay (Φ) that matches a wave tilt angle (Ψ) associated with the complex Brewster angle of incidence (θ i,B ). 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the charge terminal is height adjustable. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the guided surface waveguide probe is electrically coupled to the generator with a transmission line. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the turbine is a helical turbine. 
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising:
 a guided surface wave receive structure configured to obtain electrical energy from a Zenneck surface wave traveling along a terrestrial medium; and   a transmission line electrically coupled to the guided surface wave receive structure and to an electric grid, thereby presenting a load to the guided surface wave receive structure.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the Zenneck surface wave has a wave front incident at a complex Brewster angle of incidence (θ i,B ) of the terrestrial medium 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising an impedance matching network electrically coupled between the Zenneck surface wave receive structure and the transmission line. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the guided surface wave receive structure comprises a magnetic coil. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the guided surface wave receive structure comprises a linear probe. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the guided surface wave receive structure comprises a tuned resonator. 
     
     
         14 . A method, comprising:
 generating power with an off-shore generator electrically coupled to a guided surface waveguide probe;   transmitting the power to the guided surface waveguide probe; and   launching, with the guided surface waveguide probe, a Zenneck surface wave along a terrestrial medium at a complex Brewster angle of incidence (θ i,B ) with the terrestrial medium.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the guided surface waveguide probe is one of an array of guided surface waveguide probes, the array of guided surface waveguide probes being configured to directionally launch the guided surface wave along the terrestrial medium; and   launching the guided surface wave along the terrestrial medium further comprises directionally launching the guided surface wave.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , the Zenneck surface wave having a field strength based at least in part on the power from the generator. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising providing a phase delay (Φ) that matches a wave tilt angle (Ψ) associated with the complex Brewster angle of incidence (θ i,B ). 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising receiving the Zenneck surface wave using a guided surface wave receive structure. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the Zenneck surface wave is a first Zenneck surface wave;   the guided surface waveguide probe is a first guided surface waveguide probe; and   the method further comprises launching, with a second guided surface waveguide probe electrically coupled to the guided surface wave receive structure, a second Zenneck surface wave.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising generating power with the generator using a turbine coupled to the generator.