GB2313879A

GB2313879A - Energy generating device

Info

Publication number: GB2313879A
Application number: GB9711422A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Roy Filewood
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-06-04
Filing date: 1997-06-04
Publication date: 1997-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 2017-06-04
Also published as: GB2313879B; GB9611608D0; GB9711422D0

Abstract

An energy generating device comprises a container (1) having a lower part which is provided with means (3) for producing a controlled opening which when fully opened will open the major part of the underside of the container (1) and in its closed position closes off effectively the entire base of the container (1). Turbine means (7) are seated in the lower part of the container (1) and accessible to the opening and lifting means (11) are provided for lifting the weight of the container (1). An electricity generating means is connected to the turbine means. The arrangement is such that when the container (1) is placed in a suitable volume of water and with the opening means (3) providing a small opening in the region of the turbine means (7), the container (1) will sink allowing water to pass into the container (1) by flowing through the turbine means (7), the turbine means (7) being connected to an electrical generating device so that rotation of the turbine means (7) causes generation of electricity, and when the container (1) reaches a lower level the opening means (3) is opened to its fullest extent and the lifting means (11) is employed to lift the container (1) to its original position, without the necessity of lifting the water contents of the container (1), for a repeat of the operation.

Description

ENERGY GENERATING DEVICE This invention relates to an energy generating device.

Following current energy trends, it has been shown to be desirable to provide a source of energy, the generation of which does not cause any pollution and additionally does not use up the available resources of the planet. Thus many attempts have been made to generate power, particularly electricity, using the nonsonsumable natural resources which are available.

These in the past have induded hydro electric schemes making use of available running water, tide and wave power and the use of windmills.

All of these sources of energy futfil the above requirement but, in many cases, have the disadvantage that the equipment used to generate them is very expensive and is often incompatible with the amount of power produced for the cost of the initial equipment and maintenance thereof.

The present invention seeks to provide an energy generating device which does not cause pollution, makes use of the natural non-consumable resources of the planet and is relatively inexpensive in terms of the cost of the initial generating equipment.

According to the invention, there is provided a energy generating device comprising a container having a lower part which is provided with opening means for producing a controlled opening which when fully opened will open the major part of the underside of the container and in its closed position doses off effectively the entire base of the container, turbine means seated in the lower part of the container and accessible to the opening, lifting means for lifting the weight of the container and an electricity generating device connected to the turbine means, the arrangement being such that when the container is placed in a suitable volume of water and with the opening means providing a small opening in the region of the turbine means, the container will sink allowing water to pass into the container by flounng through the turbine so that rotation of the turbine causes generation of electricity, and when the container reaches a lower level the opening means is opened to its fullest extent and the lifting means is employed to lift the container to its original position without the necessity of lifting the water contents of the container for a repeat of the operation.

If desired, the container may be provided with buoyancy arrangements so that its position in the water and its rate of descent can be controlled.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings in which FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an energy generating device in a raised position prior to operation; FIG. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the container descending to generate electricity; FIG. 3 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 2 but showing the container being lifted; FIG. 4 is a perspective schematic view of one form of generating device in accordance with the invention; FIG. 5 is a view of the device of Fig. 4 in side view and; FIG. 6 is a plan view of the device shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring firstly to Figs. 1 to 4, there is shown a container 1, which as shown is of a rectangular construction having openable slats 3 pivoted so as to move between a closed position in which the slats lie parallel to the base of the container and open position in which the slats extend at right angles thereto.

Mounted across the middle of the container is a support 5 which carries a turbo generating arrangement 7. In the present embodiment, the entrance 9 to the turbo generator is arranged to be permanently open.

Lifting means 11 shown purely schematically are provided for lifting the container 1.

The operation of the device will now be described : Starting from a position in Fig. 1 it will be observed that in this position, the slats 3 are in the position parallel to the base of the container 1 thus shutting off the base of the container 1 apart from the entrance 9 which provides access to the turbo generator 7.

In this situation, the weight of the container 1 will cause the container to sink downwardly into the water as is shown in Fig. 2, water entering the container 1 by way of the turbo generator 7 which, as a result of the passage of the water, will cause rotation of the turbine and the generation of electricity. The output wiring of the generator 7 is not shown. On reaching its lowermost position i.e. when no further water can enter the turbine 7 with sufficient force to rotate it, the end of the generating cycle has been reached.

At this point, it is necessary to raise the container 1 back to its starting position. However, with the weight of water in the container 1, lifting the container with the water in it would take up more power than has been generated by the turbo generator 7. Thus in order to reduce the effort needed to raise the container 1, the slats 3 at the bottom of the container are opened (Fig. 3) so that the container 1 can be lifted without any significant resistance from the water and it is therefore necessary only to raise the weight of the container itself. Because only a small amount of energy is therefore needed to raise the container 1 back to the starting position as shown in Fig. 1, an overall gain in generated power is achieved.

Once the container 1 has been raised again to its starting position, the slats 3 are again closed and the container is released to sink again into the water, generating a further cycle of electricity.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 show in schematic form a proposed form of the container 1, giving an idea of how the operation could work in practice. To this end the container 1 comprises a rectangular arrangement which can be best seen in Fig. 4. In the view in Fig. 4, the forward facing side of the container 1 has been removed so that the interior can be seen. Beneath the container 1 and attached by four legs 21 are three buoyancy tanks 23, which serve the dual purpose of controlling the rate of descent of the container 1 and enabling it to be floated back to the surface, thus dispensing with the necessity of having any lifting gear which would require the additional provision either of a plafform floating on the water or, if the container 1 is at the edge of the water, mounted on land. It will be appreciated that while this proposal makes the container self-contained, the invention also includes the possibility of having outside lifting means.

The base of the container 1 is divided into two by a central partition member 25 on which is mounted a turbo generator indicated diagrammatically at 27 and this is supported by means of a cross beam 29. The remaining area of the base of container 1 is largely taken up by the provision of openable slats 31 which as can be seen particularly in Fig. 5, are pivoted by pivots 33 (Fig. 5) in a horizontal plane so that the slats 31 can move from a closed position (which is shown on the right hand of Fig. 5) to an open position in which the slats 31 are arranged substantially at right angles to the base of the container (as shown on the left hand side of Fig.

5) so that the bottom of the container is effectively open. The actual arrangements for providing the generator and its output are not shown nor are the arrangements for controlling the buoyancy tanks, as these can be of any suitable known type.

A telescope arrangement 39 may be provided above the turbine 27 so that the inlet of water into the tank is controlled.

The telescope arrangement 39 is arranged to extend upwardly as the container 1 sinks so that the incoming water always exits from the turbine 27 above the level of water in the container 1.

Further provided on the side of the container are a pair of flaps 35 supported by triangular bracket arrangements 37 so that the flaps 35 are moveable between a closed position as can be seen in Fig. 5 and an open position as shown in Fig. 4. These flaps 35 can be used to assist in controlling the buoyancy since when in a closed position they will contain water, increasing the weight of the container ,but in the open position this water will have no effect.

It will be appreciated that the above described embodiment is only one of a number of forms falling within the scope of the invention and even in the form shown1 many variations can be provided.

For example, while a rectangular container has been shown, this may well be of other shapes such as circular. The siting of the buoyancy tanks could be varied and the middie tank could be omitted so as to reduce the surface area in contact with the water which will reduce the resistance to the raising of the container. To further increase the opening of the bottom of the container, the panel which is used to contain the aperture from the turbo generator could itself be openable and closable. The edges of the container 1 which are used to support the turbo generator could also be reduced in size to increase the opening.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the invention provides a generating device which can be of a relatively inexpensive construction which causes no pollution and uses irreplaceable consumables.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An energy generating device comprising a container having a lower part which is provided with opening means for producing a controlled opening which when fully opened will open the major part of the underside of the container and in its closed position closes off effectively the entire base of the container, turbine means seated in the lower part of the container and accessible to the opening, lifting means for lifting the weight of the container and an electricity generating device connected to the turbine means, the arrangement being such that when the container is placed in a suitable volume of water and with the opening means providing a small opening in the region of the turbine means, the container will sink allowing water to pass into the container by flowing through the turbine so that rotation of the turbine causes generation of electricity, and when the container reaches a lower level the opening means is opened to its fullest extent and the lifting means is employed to lift the container to its original position without the necessity of lifting the water contents of the container for a repeat of the operation.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container is provided with buoyancy arrangements so that its position in the water and its rate of descent can be controlled.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2. wherein the buoyancy arrangements comprise one or more buoyancy tanks which can be controllably filled with or emptied of water.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the buoyancy arrangements form the lifting means for raising the container.

5. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the opening means comprise pivotal slats movable between a first position in which they lie parallel to the base of the container so as to substantially close the base of the container and a second position in which they lie at right angles to the base of the container so as to substantially open the base of the container.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein, in addition to the slats, the opening means comprises a separate aperture adjacent to the turbine means for enabling access of water thereto.

7. An energy generating device substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.