GB2138510A

GB2138510A - Apparatus for generating hydro power

Info

Publication number: GB2138510A
Application number: GB08309599A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas George Leach
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-04-08
Filing date: 1983-04-08
Publication date: 1984-10-24

Abstract

Water is directed by a divided manifold 3 through inclined nozzles 4 to drive a turbine rotor connected to electric generator 6. Control valves 2 can be operated in succession in response to a frequency error signal. Additional electrical loads, such as immersion heaters, may be switched in when consumer consumption falls. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved apparatus for generating hydro-power This invention relates to an apparatus for generating powerfrom the flow of water. Such apparatus is generally used for example for generating electricity from reservoirs orstreams of water.

This invention comprises of a waterturbine assembly and governing equipment.

The object ofthe invention is to provide power in a diverse range of situations. The turbine is an axial flow impulse machine, comparable in hydraulic terms to the well known Pelton Wheel. However, as may be seen from the description given below, there is an inherent facility in the design to provide many nozzles which play jets of wateron the periphery ofthe rotor.

This enables great versatility in in operation as any numberofnozzles may be open orshutatanytime.

The control equipmentfortheturbine, as may beseen from the description below, is able to make maximum advantage of the versatility oftheturbine by operating flow control valves which meter water into the nozzles.

Fora better understanding of the invention reference will now be made byway of example to figures 1-4. Referringfirstto Figure 1 fortheturbine.

Water flows under pressure via waterfeed and screen chamber 1 through any one of several flow control valves 2 to separate waterfeed pipes contained in the manifold 3 and from there is directed by any number of nozzles 4 as jets on to rotor 5. Under pressure from the jets of water the rotor revolves and drives a pulley wheel linked to a generator 6 by means of a continuous belt. The speed of revolution is determined firstly by the head ofwater, secondly by the amount of water and the breaking effect of the generatorwhich is proportional to the amount of electrical power which the generator may be producing.

The operation ofthe governing system may be seen by reference to Figure 2, LOAD CONTROL.

The load control compensatesforvariations in the amount of electricity used by consumers using the power supplied bythe generator by adding in extra electrical loads as normal consumption declines. This has the effect of controlling the speed and frequency ofthe generator.

Afrequency detector 1 compares the actual fre quencyofthegeneratorwith a reference frequency and produces a voltage proportional to frequency error. This voltage is the control input signal to power controllers 2. When normal consumption is high, frequency is low and power controllers are off. When normal consumption is low, frequency is high and power controllers are on, and immersion heaters 3 in hot water tanks 4 are switched on . This system may be used as the only speed control on the generator set or in conjunction with thewaterflowsystem on the turbine.

The load control system may be augmented by a flow control system to the turbine, the working of which may be seen by reference to Figure 3.

The purpose ofthe flow control system is to alter directlythe operation oftheturbine when variations in the normal consumption load are too large to be accommodated bythe load control system. The generatorfrequency is measured as in the load control system by frequency detector 1 and transmitted to the logic circuits 2. If the generatorfrequency rises above a reference frequency then a valve 3 is closed. If generatorfrequency continues to rise the valves are closed in succession.

If generatorfrequencyfalls, the valves open. The logic circuits may also be augmented by other monitoring devices (e.g. flood detector 4).

The effect of the turbine design and ofthe governing systems is that a wide variety of operating sites with extremelyvariableclimaticconditions may be safely used to generate power of consistent and reliable characteristics.

In an alternative embodiment ofthe invention the water is directed obliquely on to the rotor. For a better understanding ofthis reference will be made byway of example to figure 4/4. Water enters an annular manifold 3 and is directed by one or more nozzles 4 at an oblique angle on to the rotor 5 or 6. A large diameter rotor 5 or a small diameter rotor 6 or any size in between may be installed in the apparatus without making any change in the apparatus otherthan to alter the angle ofthe axis ofthe nozzles, as measured from a tangent two the annular manifold.

Bythis means a standard set of parts may be used to provide an efficient turbine for a wide variety of water pressures. This embodiment ofthe invention may use identical control equipment to that described above forthe first embodiment figures 1-3.

In addition as in the previous embodiment the design can accommodate a large number of small jets (upto ten) which means that fora given rate of water flow nozzle diameters are smaller, and therefore impel the rotor blades efficiency.

1. An apparatusforgenerating powerfromwater in which several jets ofwater may be directed on to the turbine rotor by a number of nozzles which are so disposed that the jets of water impinge on the rotor at an angle of less than 90 measured from the axis of rotation of the rotor.

2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the jets of water are directed on to the turbine rotor at an angle substantially more than 0 measured from the axis of the rotor such that various diameters of rotor may be fitted in the apparatus.

3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 and Claim 2 whereinthe numberof nozzles is morethan four.

4. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, Claim 2 and Claim 3 wherein the flow of water in each nozzle is controlled so that the aggregate volume of water directed on to theturbine rotor may be altsred in stages by opening or closing one or more nozzles.

5. An apparatus as claimed in one or more ofthe previous claims wherein the turbine rotor is linked by mechanical means to an electricity generating set.

6. An apparatus as claimed in ClaimS, wherein each nozzle is control led by a servo system which is actuated byelectronicequipmentwhenthefrequency ofthe electricity generated varies from a reference frequency.

7. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improved apparatus for generating hydro-power This invention relates to an apparatus for generating powerfrom the flow of water. Such apparatus is generally used for example for generating electricity from reservoirs orstreams of water. This invention comprises of a waterturbine assembly and governing equipment. The object ofthe invention is to provide power in a diverse range of situations. The turbine is an axial flow impulse machine, comparable in hydraulic terms to the well known Pelton Wheel. However, as may be seen from the description given below, there is an inherent facility in the design to provide many nozzles which play jets of wateron the periphery ofthe rotor. This enables great versatility in in operation as any numberofnozzles may be open orshutatanytime. The control equipmentfortheturbine, as may beseen from the description below, is able to make maximum advantage of the versatility oftheturbine by operating flow control valves which meter water into the nozzles. Fora better understanding of the invention reference will now be made byway of example to figures 1-4. Referringfirstto Figure 1 fortheturbine. Water flows under pressure via waterfeed and screen chamber 1 through any one of several flow control valves 2 to separate waterfeed pipes contained in the manifold 3 and from there is directed by any number of nozzles 4 as jets on to rotor 5. Under pressure from the jets of water the rotor revolves and drives a pulley wheel linked to a generator 6 by means of a continuous belt. The speed of revolution is determined firstly by the head ofwater, secondly by the amount of water and the breaking effect of the generatorwhich is proportional to the amount of electrical power which the generator may be producing. The operation ofthe governing system may be seen by reference to Figure 2, LOAD CONTROL. The load control compensatesforvariations in the amount of electricity used by consumers using the power supplied bythe generator by adding in extra electrical loads as normal consumption declines. This has the effect of controlling the speed and frequency ofthe generator. Afrequency detector 1 compares the actual fre quencyofthegeneratorwith a reference frequency and produces a voltage proportional to frequency error. This voltage is the control input signal to power controllers 2. When normal consumption is high, frequency is low and power controllers are off. When normal consumption is low, frequency is high and power controllers are on, and immersion heaters 3 in hot water tanks 4 are switched on . This system may be used as the only speed control on the generator set or in conjunction with thewaterflowsystem on the turbine. The load control system may be augmented by a flow control system to the turbine, the working of which may be seen by reference to Figure 3. The purpose ofthe flow control system is to alter directlythe operation oftheturbine when variations in the normal consumption load are too large to be accommodated bythe load control system. The generatorfrequency is measured as in the load control system by frequency detector 1 and transmitted to the logic circuits 2. If the generatorfrequency rises above a reference frequency then a valve 3 is closed. If generatorfrequency continues to rise the valves are closed in succession. If generatorfrequencyfalls, the valves open. The logic circuits may also be augmented by other monitoring devices (e.g. flood detector 4). The effect of the turbine design and ofthe governing systems is that a wide variety of operating sites with extremelyvariableclimaticconditions may be safely used to generate power of consistent and reliable characteristics. In an alternative embodiment ofthe invention the water is directed obliquely on to the rotor. For a better understanding ofthis reference will be made byway of example to figure 4/4. Water enters an annular manifold 3 and is directed by one or more nozzles 4 at an oblique angle on to the rotor 5 or 6. A large diameter rotor 5 or a small diameter rotor 6 or any size in between may be installed in the apparatus without making any change in the apparatus otherthan to alter the angle ofthe axis ofthe nozzles, as measured from a tangent two the annular manifold. Bythis means a standard set of parts may be used to provide an efficient turbine for a wide variety of water pressures. This embodiment ofthe invention may use identical control equipment to that described above forthe first embodiment figures 1-3. In addition as in the previous embodiment the design can accommodate a large number of small jets (upto ten) which means that fora given rate of water flow nozzle diameters are smaller, and therefore impel the rotor blades efficiency. CLAIMS

7. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the electrical load on the generating set is stabilised by electronically switching extra electrical appliances on or off according to variations in the frequency of the electricity generated.