WO2000005464A1

WO2000005464A1 - Recreational wave pool

Info

Publication number: WO2000005464A1
Application number: PCT/AU1999/000589
Authority: WO
Inventors: Brian Victor Waldon
Original assignee: Adquest Pty. Ltd. (As Trustee For The Oliver Family Trust)
Priority date: 1998-07-21
Filing date: 1999-07-21
Publication date: 2000-02-03
Also published as: AUPP477898A0

Abstract

A wave pool (110) comprises an endless canal (112) for receiving water and having an interior and exterior periphery (111, 113). A wave generating means in the form of a wave blade (117) is positioned in and driven along the canal (112) to generate waves propagating along the canal (112).

Description

Recreational Wave Pool

Field of the Invention

The following invention relates to a recreational wave pool. More particularly, though not exclusively, the invention relates to a pool in the form of a circular canal surrounding a central island and an apparatus for generating waves in the canal, the waves moving continuously around the canal.

Background of the invention

Conventional wave pools having wave making facilities generally rely on the method of placing the wave making device at one end of the pool. The conventional wave making device produces a wave which travels to the other end of the pool and breaks into white water. Various types of wave making devices are known, for example a typical wave making device operates by drawing water from the pool and then expelling the water with such a force that waves are generated.

Conventional methods of generating waves in pools have the disadvantages that, due to the placement of the wave making device at one end, a relatively small area in which people may experience the waves is produced. This has the further disadvantage that overcrowding may occur and surfing the generated waves could be dangerous due to the number of people crowded into the restricted area.

Object of the Invention It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

Summary of the Invention

There is disclosed herein a wave pool comprising: an endless canal for receiving water and having an interior and exterior periphery, and wave generating means positioned in said canal and adapted to generate waves propagating along said canal.

Typically, said wave generating means comprises a wave blade adapted to be driven along said canal. Preferably, said wave blade is provided with a concave leading face for generating said waves.

The wave blade may be adapted to be driven in both clockwise and anticlockwise directions, said wave blade being rotatable about a generally vertical axis for orienting said leading face with respect to the driven direction of said wave blade. Preferably, said concave leading face is swept back with respect to the direction of travel of said wave blade.

Preferably said wave blade is provided at said inner periphery of said canal and adapted to propagate waves along said canal and towards said outer periphery of said canal. Alternatively said wave blade is provided at said outer periphery of said canal and adapted to propagate waves along said canal and towards said inner periphery of said canal.

Preferably said wave blade is driven along a track.

Typically said canal comprises a deep water zone adjacent said inner periphery of said canal, a wave forming reef positioned radially outwardly of the deep water zone and a gutter zone radially outwardly of the reef..

The wave pool may further comprise water recirculation means adapted to draw water from said outside periphery of said canal and deliver said drawn water back into said canal. Preferably said water recirculation means is adapted to deliver water to said canal adjacent a bottom thereof in a direction generally opposing a direction of propagation of said waves. The wave pool may further comprise fan means adapted to provide an "offshore" wind in a direction generally opposing a direction of propagation of said waves.

Preferably said water recirculation means is adapted to deliver said water to said canal in a direction generally opposing a direction of propagation of said waves.

Preferably said wave pool further comprises fan means adapted to provide an "off-shore" wind.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a wave pool;

Figure 2 is a schematic cross-section elevation view of the canal of another wave pool;

Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of a wave generating apparatus; Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of the pool of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a schematic plan view of the pool of Figure 1 ;

Figure 6 is a schematic plan view of another wave pool;

Figure 7 is a schematic cross-section elevation view of the pool of Figure 6 taken at section 7-7; Figure 8 is a schematic cross-section elevation view of the pool of Figure 6 taken at section 8-8;

Figure 9 is a schematic cross-section elevation view of the pool of Figure 6 taken at section 9-9;

Figure 10 is a schematic front elevation view of a wave blade; Figure 11 is a plan view of the wave blade of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a schematic and elevation view of the wave blade of Figure 10;

Figure 13 is a schematic plan view of an alternate wave blade;

Figure 14 is a schematic front elevation view of the wave blade of Figure 13; Figure 15 is a schematic end elevation view of the wave blade of Figure 13; Figure 16 is a schematic plan view of the wave pool of Figure 6 depicting the high pressure wave booster jet arrangement; and

Figure 17 is a schematic cross-section elevation view of an alternative wave pool.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

In Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a wave pool structure 10. An island 11 is surrounded by a circular annular canal 12. In the embodiment depicted, the wave shore line is indicated at 13 at the inside of the canal 12. Wave generating means in the embodiment of Figure 1 is provided at the outer periphery of the canal 13 and includes a track 15 to be described below. A roof 14 covers the canal 12. In the embodiment of Figure 1, waves are generated at the outer periphery of the canal 12 so as to emanate with components directed around and toward the island 11. Wave riders can leave the wave and step onto the shore 13 as shown.

In an alternative configuration, the wave generating apparatus can be provided at the inside of the canal 12, that is, at the outer periphery of the island 11. In Figure 2, the shore 13 is at the outer periphery of the canal 12. The wave generating apparatus includes an endless track 15 which extends about the island 11 and upon which a train 16 is driven. Extending from the train 16 and into the canal 12 is a blade 17 which serves to generate waves. The blade 17 has concavely curved wave generating surfaces 30 as shown in Figure 3. Either one of the opposing wave generating surfaces 30 will form the leading face of the blade, depending on the direction of travel of the blade. Accordingly the blade can be driven in the clockwise or counterclockwise directions so as to form left and right handed waves. Each wave generating surface 30 is swept back with respect to the direction of travel such that the shape of the blade in plan view is generally triangular. The blade 17 has wheels 18 which are associated with tracks 24 in a subsidiary canal 19. Tracks 24 are provided on the floor of the subsidiary canal 19 which communicates with the main canal 12. An array of posts 20 are provided as a safety barrier between the subsidiary canal 19 and the main canal 12. Wire mesh safety nets might also be associated with the barrier posts 20. The waves would pass through this mesh.

A water recirculation system includes a recirculation pipe 21 through which filtered water from a filtration unit 22 passes, via the train 16 to the blade 17. Recirculated water exits the blade 17 in this embodiment via water outlets 23. Such recirculated water may be delivered through the blade in high pressure pulses to assist in generation of the waves. The recirculated water may be delivered to the canal in various other manners.

Water is drawn from drainage gutters at positions within the canal nearby the shore 13 by appropriate pump means through the filtration unit 22 for recirculation purposes.

The canal 12 includes a deep water zone 25, a reef 26 and a gutter zone 27. It is intended that the waves generated by the blade 17 create an unbroken swell in the deep water zone which then breaks into white water over the reef 26.

The shape and propagation of the waves generated by the apparatus of Figure 2 is shown in Figure 4.

In an alternative arrangement as shown in Figure 5 and corresponding to the arrangement of Figure 1, the track 15 is situated at the outer periphery of the canal 12 with the waves generated formed as shown and propagating not only along the canal but across the same toward the shore 13. The idea of the present invention is to provide an endless wave where the surfer can enjoy a long reliable tube, and to efficiently provide waves for beginners and the board rider enthusiasts in general. The principal idea of the wave generating means is to produce a long rideable wave which maintains a constant size, unlike other wave pools which are known. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are also intended to provide a much larger beach and white water area than existing wave pools. The train 16 drags or pushes the blade or paddle 17 around the inner or outer periphery of the canal. As the train moves the wave blade around the canal, it pushes a wave out in front of it. The train can travel clockwise or anti-clockwise, forward or reverse. Accordingly, left-handed or right-handed waves can be generated.

The wave is pushed through the mesh fence associated with the barrier posts 20 into the deep water 25 where it quickly forms into an unbroken wave because the depth is too deep at this stage for the wave to break. As the wave travels over and onto the first reef 26, the wave is forced to pitch over and break, forming a long surf able wave.

On the bottom of the pool there can be provided reverse current water jets directing water in a direction generally opposite the direction in which the waves propagate, thereby producing a current opposite to the direction of the waves so as to reduce a possible sweeping current produced by the circulating waves.

Beneath the roof 14, i.e. on the ceiling, there can be located reverse direction fans to produce "off-shore" wind, travelling in the opposite direction to that of the waves. A board walk could be provided over the top of the track 15. Another board walk or bridge could cross the canal.

It should be appreciated that modifications and alterations obvious to those skilled in the art of recreational wave pools are not to be considered as beyond the scope of the present invention. For example, the endless canal need not be circular when viewed in plan. It might alternatively be in the form of an oval, or other endless shape. As a further alteration, the paddle might be rotated by means other than a train as described. For example, the blade might run along a submerged track and be drawn therealong by a tension member such as a chain or wire. A particularly preferred embodiment of the recreational wave pool is depicted in Figures 6 through 9. The plan view of Figure 6 shows the general layout of the wave pool 100. Again a generally circular island 111 is surrounded by an endless canal 112. The canal 112 is surrounded by a shoreline 113 which is concentrically arranged with respect to the island 111 at a first end 113a to the rear of the island. The shoreline 113 extends further away from the island 111 at a second opposing end 113b at the front of the island, providing a main beach area 134 and providing for a relatively wide section of canal 112 as compared to that provided at the rear of the island.

The wave blade 117 circulates around the canal 112 adjacent the island 111. Here the wave blade 117 is suspended from and driven along an overhead track 115. The track 115 and wave blade 117 may be covered by a board walk viewing area 130, with a safety net / mesh 131 depending from the edge of the board 130 isolating the circulating wave blade 117 from the main canal area 112 so as to protect the surfers from impacting the wave blade 117. The central area of the island 111 may be provided with a central lagoon 132 for various still water activities.

The cross section of the canal 112 may vary around a periphery of the island 111 so as to vary the shape of the wave generated around the island, enabling surfers to choose their preferred surfing location about the island according to the wave form and size. Figure 7 depicts the cross section of the canal around the rear side of the island

111. The floor 133 of the canal 112 in the deep water zone 125 adjacent the wave blade 117 slopes gently upwardly until it meets an artificial reef 126 which protrudes upwardly with the leading face 126a inclined in excess of 45° to the horizontal. This artificial reef 126 extends generally concentrically around the island 111 and promotes breaking of the wave. A narrow gutter zone 127 is provided outside the reef 126 with a steeply sloped artificial beach 134 providing the shoreline 113 at the rear of the island. The synthetic beach 134 should be formed of a soft synthetic material so as to minimize damage to any surfers impacting the same. Only a narrow region is provided at this rear side of the island for surfing, with the rear side of the island mainly being utilised for formation and growth of the wave as it passes around the rear of the island.

A drainage gutter system 135 draws water from the canal 112 which has been pushed toward the shoreline 113 as a result of the wave propagation and current. The water extracted in the drainage gutter system 135 is filtered if desired and pumped back into the canal 112 via reverse direction water jets 136 which point in a direction generally opposite to that of the wave propagation so as to reduce the sweeping current which would typically be produced by the circulating waves. The reverse direction water jets will preferably be located on the floor 133 of the canal 112, in the deep water zone 125 adjacent the artificial reef 126. The recirculated water may also be introduced into the canal 112 in a pulsating manner through high pressure volume wave booster jets 137 positioned at the inner periphery of the canal 112 in a manner further discussed below.

As per the first embodiment, reverse direction fans 138 may be suspended from the roof 114 of the wave pool structure, with the fans 138 producing a wind travelling in a direction generally opposite to that of the waves so as to produce a desirable "off-shore" wind enhancing the shape of the waves.

The cross section of the canal 112 at the side of the island depicted in Figure 8 is similar to that at the rear side of the island depicted in Figure 7, except that the gutter zone 127 gradually widens out and the synthetic beach section 134 forming the shore line 113 also gradually flattens out, providing for an increased area for riding waves formed by the artificial reef 126.

The main surfing area is provided at the front end of the island 117, with the cross section of this surfing area of the canal 112 being depicted in Figure 9. The main wave is formed and breaks at the artificial reef 126 and can be surfed from the reef at its formation across the relatively broad gutter zone 127. The floor of the gutter zone

127 gently slopes up towards a wide synthetic beach section 134 which provides for reforming of the wave in a gently sloped shallow white water area. The drainage gutter system 135 will receive water from various locations across the width of the beach 134.

The wave blade 117 itself may be in any of various forms with a particularly preferred form being depicted in Figures 10 to 12. The wave blade 117 depicted in these Figures is suspended from and driven along the overhead track 115 by way of a support assembly 140. The support assembly 140 can be rotated about a vertical axis to adjust the angle at which the wave blade 117 passes through the water and to enable reversing of the wave blade 117 so that it can be driven in the opposite direction (ie clockwise versus anti-clockwise) so as to produce both left and right hand waves. As best depicted in Figures 6 and 11, the wave blade 117 should preferably be oriented such that the leading face 117a generating the waves is swept back in relation to the direction of travel. Whilst the preferred form of the wave blade 117 provides a single leading face 117a, which can be rotated to provide for travel in the opposite direction, an alternative form of wave blade will provide two opposing leading faces which are each swept back, as per the wave blade 17 depicted in Figure 2. Providing for rotation of the wave blade 117 enables for adjustment of the angle by which the leading face 117a is swept back. Variation of this angle will effect the shape of the wave formed.

It is also preferred that the wave blade support assembly 140 can be rotated about a horizontal axis which will enable the entire wave blade 117 to be pivoted up and out of the water. It may be desirable to pivot the wave blade 117 out of the water during its motion through the canal 112 once the blade 117 has formed a wave to the required shape and form, enabling the wave to propagate along the canal without further influence from the wave blade 117. The blade may also be tilted a small angle so as to effect the wave shape.

The wave blade depicted in Figure 10 can be seen to be positioned just below the water surface 141 and extends into the water to approximately 2.5 metres from the canal floor 133 which is here approximately 6 metres below the water level 141. The leading face 117a of the wave blade 117 here has a width of the order of 17 metres. The leading face 117a presents a " scoop" form presenting a concave face as depicted in Figure 12. Such a concave face assists in generation of the wave form. The wave pool may have an overall diameter of the order of 200-300 metres. Figures 13 through 15 depict an alternate wave blade 217 which is driven from underneath. The wave blade 217 is mounted on a bogie train 216 which is driven along an endless track 215 in the floor of the canal. The wave blade 217 is rotatably mounted on the bogie train 216 again such that the leading face 217a can be oriented to travel in either direction and to adjust the angle of sweep of the wave blade 217. As is best seen from Figure 15, the wave blade leading face 217a is again of generally concave form.

Figure 16 depicts the general arrangement of the high pressure wave booster jets 137 which can be used to pulse water which has been retrieved from the drainage gutter system 135 back into the canal 112. The high pressure wave booster jet water outlets 137 are provided around the periphery of the central island 111, with outlets facing in both the clockwise and anti-clockwise directions. The outlets are all interconnected, with valving mechanisms being provided such that only outlets facing the same direction are opened. If waves are being generated in the clockwise direction, the valving mechanisms are operated such that intense pulses of water are pumped by pumps 146 through the wave booster jet water outlets 137 in the clockwise direction only to assist in formation of the waves. The wave booster jets 137 should be located toward the top of the water level. It is also envisaged that these wave booster jets 137 may at times be used without assistance from the wave blade 117. The wave booster jets are provided in pairs facing each direction so as again to provide for left hand and right hand waves. It is also envisaged that parts of the endless reef 126 might not be fixed, but adapted to be displaced by hydraulic or other means so as to further affect the form of the wave generated at various locations about the island. Whilst it is preferred that the wave blade 117 is located adjacent to the edge of the central island 111 , so as to propagate waves from the interior periphery of the canal 112 towards the outer periphery shoreline 113, it is also envisaged that the wave blade 117 and track 115 might be located toward the central region of the canal 112, so as to propagate separate waves toward the outer periphery shoreline 113 and toward the island 111. The cross section of such an arrangement is depicted in Figure 17. The wave blade 117 can be seen to be positioned toward the centre of a deep water zone 225, with first and second reefs 226, 226a being provided to the radial exterior and radial interior, respectively, of the wave blade 117. Waves will thus form and break over each of the reefs 226, 226a, enabling a surfer to choose between a larger wave propagating radially outwardly toward the shoreline 213 and main synthetic beach 234 or a smaller inwardly propagating wave propagating toward an inside beach 234a at the edge of the island 211. To avoid injury with collisions between the surfer and wave blade 117, it is again preferred that the wave blade be cased within safety nets 231. Again the wave blade 117 may be driven either from above, suspended from an overhead track 115 or may be mounted on a bogie train driven along a track in the floor of the canal.

Still further modifications which do not depart from the scope of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A wave pool comprising: an endless canal for receiving water and having an interior and exterior periphery, and wave generating means positioned in said canal and adapted to generate waves propagating along said canal.

2. The wave pool of claim 1 wherein said wave generating means comprises a wave blade adapted to be driven along said canal.

3. The wave pool of claim 2 wherein said wave blade is provided with a concave leading face for generating said waves.

4. The wave pool of claim 3 wherein said wave blade is adapted to be driven in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions, said wave blade being rotatable about a generally vertical axis for orienting said leading face with respect to the driven direction of said wave blade.

5. The wave pool of claim 3 wherein said concave leading face is swept back with respect to the direction of travel of said wave blade.

6. The wave pool of claim 2 wherein said wave blade is provided at said inner periphery of said canal and adapted to propagate waves along said canal and towards said outer periphery of said canal.

7. The wave pool of claim 2 wherein said wave blade is provided at said outer periphery of said canal and adapted to propagate waves along said canal and towards said inner periphery of said canal.

8. The wave pool of claim 2 wherein said wave blade is driven along a track.

9. The wave pool of claim 6 wherein said canal comprises a deep water zone adjacent said inner periphery of said canal, a wave forming reef positioned radially outwardly of the deep water zone and a gutter zone radially outwardly of the reef..

10. The wave pool of claim 6 further comprising water recirculation means adapted to draw water from said outside periphery of said canal and deliver said drawn water back into said canal.

11. The wave pool of claim 10 wherein said water recirculation means is adapted to deliver water to said canal adjacent a bottom thereof in a direction generally opposing a direction of propagation of said waves.

12. The wave pool of any one of claim 1 to 11 further comprising fan means adapted to provide an "off-shore" wind in a direction generally opposing a direction of propagation of said waves.