FR2604487A1 - Submerged hydraulic generator/collector - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention represents a hydraulic generator/collector submerged in the upstream flume, buried within the bank or barrage of a watercourse with a medium or steep slope, the latter, accentuated by this shallow barrage, creates a calmed reserve of water with a difference in potential. A convergent pipeline fitted with its water inlet grid with a gate for stopping or isolating the generator, collects, acclerates and directs the current of water towards the spiral line, which, overlying a funnel, gives rise to the gyration and horizontal distribution of this water to a wheel of vertical axis fitted with curved blades, which is centred in the vortex. Under this wheel, using gravity, a siphon sucks up and discharges the turbulent water at the outlet of the funnel, behind the barrage, via an anti-swell divergent pipeline opening out at the bottom of the bed of the watercourse, in the downstream flume. This generator partially takes up from the watercourse a certain volume for its constant operation, at a high flow rate, at low pressure, and at low rotational speed of the wheel, which can be mechanically multiplied, so as to actuate an electric receiver or an irrigation pump.

Description

 The present invention relates to a submerged wheel hydraulic sensor or generator, with a vertical axis, at low speed, with high flow rate and low water pressure in horizontal gyration in a vortex caused by a volute surmounting a funnel. The complex is located in the forebay either within the bank or the submerged reservoir of a medium or steep gradient.

 This so-called submerged reservoir creates a reserve of tranquilized water, with potential difference between the forebay and the downstream reach. Thus partially captured at the bottom of the bed, 1 at constant flow, the water regularly drives the generator.

 This hydraulic generator of robust and durable construction is able to resist the powerful dynamic energy of accelerated water, as well as the combined aggressions of erosion and corrosion.

 In the spirit of research for renewable natural energy that is white coal, and since our ancestors, the flow of water has always fascinated by its enormous potential for free energy, but poorly developed by the rudimentary technique of the time. With poor performance, the water mills have become obsolete, with great regret for the picturesque and the charm of our environment.

 Currently, tidal energy and potential energy from large national dams are profitable, but expensive investment, difficult to locate geographically, without risk of rupture by earthquake, landslide or in case of conflict.

 The present invention aims to rehabilitate inexpensive site development, the old water mills, by a horizontally rotating wheel which receives on all its blades, the accelerated dynamic pressure of the water, with improved flow by more suitable technology.

 This generator is suitable for all rivers with a certain gradient allowing the construction of a submerged reservoir.

The overflow of stream flow escapes by overflowing above the reservoir, causing floating or semi-floating objects. Other advantages of this present invention will appear on reading the description and the attached figures for the production of this hydraulic generator having two applications on one and the same principle; these applications including data for illustration but not limitation.

 CASANOVAS patent no. 74 41062 describes another type of submerged generator, placed on the bottom of the watercourse where it acts on blades in a vertical and horizontal position, of variable inclination depending on the flow, disappearing in the opposite direction to the current when the force is low or zero.

 This device is too complex, of uncertain reliability, by the multiplicity of joints that can be blocked at any time, by seizure or by penetration of objects driven by the current.

 The present invention resulting from the same principle of capture and generation offers two types of embodiment that can be implemented - Figure 1 shows the first type of generator, seen from above, buried within the bank of the right bank.

- Figure 2 shows the side view across the bank of the right bank.

- Figure 3 shows the front view, upstream, water sensor side.

- Figure 4 shows the sectional view of the wheel.

- Figure 5 shows the bottom view of the wheel with its curved blades.

- Figure 6 shows two generators opposite, buried within the bank, left bank and right bank.

- Figure 7 shows the second type of twin generator and submerged within the reservoir at the bottom of the bed, upstream side of the stream.

- Figure 8 shows the side view of the submerged generator, across the left bank.

- Figure 9 shows the front view, upstream on the water sensor side.

- Figure 10 shows the top view in perspective.

 The invention of the first type of hydraulic generator buried within the bank (19) is placed laterally at the bed of the watercourse, below the level of the upstream reach (1), according to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

 A submergible reservoir (12 constitutes a reserve of tranquilized water at potential difference between the forebay (1) and the downstream reach (11).

Partially captured at the bottom of the still water reserve bed of the forebay (1), the water passes through a protective grid (2), vertical, submerged, semi-floating anti-objects harmful to the proper rotation of the wheel (6), then crosses the threshold of the stop or isolation door (3) of the generator included in the support wall of the bank (13), engages in the converging pipeline (4) which accelerates it and directs it towards the volute (5) in gyration, is distributed on the periphery of the wheel (6), crosses it radially between its curved blades (7) to yield its considerable dynamic energy (see fig. 4 and 5).

 In the funnel (8) where the wheel (6) is centered, the water, subjected to the centripetal force of the vortex, is sucked up by gravity into the siphon (9) placed under the wheel which directs it and discharges it. behind the retainer (12) by the divergent anti-swirl pipe (9 ') opening at the bottom (10) of the downstream reach (11) thus avoiding defusing by air intake. The flow of the watercourse not taken by the generator escapes by overflowing above the submerged reservoir (12) causing undesirable floating objects.

 A valve with free air piping (not shown in the figures) allows defusing and draining the generator after closing the stop door (3), in order to ensure inspection visits and maintenance work by access hatch in the slab (16) of the sealed well (16) (17).

 The advantage of this first type of construction in the bank of the watercourse is appreciable for transmitting the mechanical energy of the generator to the surface, with the aim of installing the electric or hydraulic receiver there under shelter.

 The generator is suspended by two bearings (18) with long-life greased tapered rollers, impervious to any contamination, capable of lasting resistance to the strong constraints of weight and hydrodynamic force.

 These so-called bearings (18) are contained in a ribbed pyramidal support (15) and bolted with a seal on the periphery of the volute (5). The assembly rotates and the support is fixed inside a watertight well (17) retaining around the periphery (16) the embankment earth of the bank (19). This well favors the extraction of the generator by winching in the event of an incident or maintenance work.

 The invention of the second type of hydraulic generator is immersed in the bottom of the bed of the watercourse, the forebay- (1 ') according to Figures 7,8 and 9.

This generator consists of elements identical to the first type of construction, but contained within the submerged reservoir (19 ') given its restricted location in a canyon where the banks are steep.

 The protective grid (2 ') inclined at 450 downstream, deflects semi-floating objects up the reservoir (12') and stops excessively large stones entrained by the current.

 The converging pipe (4 ') is common in case of generator twinning with opposite direction of rotation, according to Figure 7. A double stop or isolation door (3') open back to back allows the deactivation of one or both generators depending on the seasonal flow.

The watertight well (s) (17 ') of the pyramidal supports (15') being submerged, an access airlock (20) is arranged in the removable slab (16), forming a protective sheath for the tree (14) of wheel and ensures the passage by ladder for the control of the bearings (18 ')
The flow of the watercourse not sampled by the generator (s) escapes by overflowing above them and the submergible reservoir (12 ').

In the upstream reach (1 '), at a certain distance from the protective grid (2'), a very wide door (22) closed horizontally, on the bottom of the bed, during the operation of the generator (s), opens downstream vertically to bear on the abutments (21) of the banks supporting the banks, revealing the entrance to a bypass or bypass channel (23) which completely catches and deflects the stream flow (according to figure 8)
This bypass channel or'pass (23) runs under the generators by dividing into double divergent pipes before the confluence of the two siphons (24) then crosses the threshold of the foot of the reservoir (25) to lead to the bottom of the course of water (10 ') in the downstream reach (11'), which safely guarantees control, maintenance work and the removal of the protective grid.

 The valve, with its defusing piping for the generator (s), the controls for the shutdown or isolation doors, and the bypass pass through the shaft protection sheath (20) with the access ladder to bearings.

 The advantage of this second type of construction lies in its reduced location, being within the reservoir (19 ') (12') very practical in mountainous areas.

 Other advantages are appreciable for the environment: the flora and fauna are preserved by a discreet infrastructure; the transfer of aquatic animals is relatively easy. A walkway (not shown in the figures) is recommended to fix and shelter the receiver over the watercourse, while ensuring access to the generators by the protective shaft of the shaft (20).

 The drive shaft of the rote is made of unalterable metals, turned with a shoulder (26) or an attached ring, to abut on the upper bearing (18) capable of supporting the weight of the rotating assembly; grooves (14 ') house the keys to secure the wheel on its shaft (14).

The wheel, with its longitudinally curved blades, is cast in unalterable metals, resistant to erosion, and is locked on its shaft by an external conical nut (27)
The number of blades (7) depends on the diameter of the wheel, from 8 to 14, in order to avoid a pressure drop by friction or excessively large flow drag, detrimental to the best performance. The silting up of the watercourse cannot seriously compromise the efficiency of the generator given the rapidity of the flow and the violent mixing of the captured water.

 Depending on the size of the watercourse, the generator can be doubled, quadrupled or sextupled within the bank or the reservoir according to figures (6) (10),; they can be controlled remotely, independently, according to needs and variations in flow.

 The production of these two types of generator sensors. consists of adjustable and transportable elements, in laminated materials, in reinforced concrete or poured on site according to the characteristics of the model.

 The joints and the walls must offer an internal finishing surface devoid of roughness detrimental to the best laminar flows of the water streams.

 Among these two types of cdnstruction, it can be envisaged in the event of a slight gradient, to modify to the detriment of the power collected, the first type of generation under the bank, by capturing, accelerating, creating the vortex in the volute and the rotation of the open wheel.

 It is understood that the present invention is in no way limited to the embodiment described and shown which constitutes an example to which many modifications can be made without departing from the present invention.

Claims (10)

 1) Device for capturing hydraulic energy, characterized by its immersion in the forebay, either buried within the bank or submerged within the reservoir of a medium or steep slope, accentuated by this so-called reservoir which creates a reserve of tranquilized water at potential difference comprising a vertical shaft wheel, centered in the vortex of a volute funnel, called to be connected to an electric receiver or to an irrigation pump and to a set of pipes forming an acceleration convergent, a suction siphon and a divergent anti-backwater evacuation of water behind the reservoir, at the bottom of the forebay.  2) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the partial capture of a certain volume of liquid in the still water reserve, by means of a converging acceleration pipe with entry on the bottom of the river , ensures the absence of air penetration.  some  3) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that - low submerged reservoir allows a reserve of tranquilized water with difference in petertielt the immersion of the generator (s) within it, in the second type of construction and the overflow of the water reserve.  4) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a protective grid situated laterally and parallel to the bank or obliquely, inclined 450 downstream, on the bottom of the river, in the forebay, stops or deflects floating or semi-floating objects up the containment to be entrained by the overflow.  5) Device according to claim 1 and 2 characterized in that a stop or isolation door stops the generator, in case of insufficient water flow or maintenance work, understood that a valve with its open air piping ensures defusing and drainage for access.  6) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that a scroll creates the gyration of the accelerated water current and distributes it to the periphery due to the wheel, to the upper part of the funnel.  7) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a wheel made of unalterable metals, cast, assembled by keys on the vertical drive shaft and locked by nut at its base, supports the longitudinally curved blades.  8) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that a siphon surmounted by a funnel placed under the wheel, sucks by gravity and centripetal force the vortex of water, evacuating it towards the downstream reach by the divergent anti-backwater pipe leading to the bottom of the stream. Claims  9) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that a ribbed pyramidal support suspends by two long-term greased bearings the wheel with its vertical drive shaft. This said support is contained in a watertight well with an airlock for controlling the bearings and the wheel. The generation assembly is bolted to the periphery of the volute on a joint that can be extracted from the well by winching in the event of damage or major repairs.  10) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that a bypass line or bypass between the upstream and downstream reach, deviates under the generator (s) and the reservoir. The entire flow of the watercourse, of the second type of generation, by means of a very wide door, located in front of the protective grid, closed on the bottom of the upstream watercourse, during the operation of the generator which opens downstream perpendicular to discover the entrance, in order to safely drain the generators.