GB2428746A

GB2428746A - Buoyancy energy converter

Info

Publication number: GB2428746A
Application number: GB0515284A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Ian Johnston
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-07-26
Filing date: 2005-07-26
Publication date: 2007-02-07
Also published as: GB0515284D0; GB0606820D0

Abstract

A device potentially composed of a multiplicity of vertically orientated containers of any height which have liquid levels maintained by self-powered base pumps designed to run optimally by neutralizing liquid head pressure intensity. Energy extraction occurs in two phases. Phase 1 is where singular or clustered objects connected to drive shafts are evacuated at the base of a container, yielding energy from the natural phenomenon of buoyancy. External empty objects are caused to track the upward movement of these internal objects. Phase 2 is where these external objects are filled with liquid at the top of the containers, yielding natural potential energy. The magnitude of available energy is proportional to the number of containers. The time during which that energy is availability is proportional to the height of the containers. Operations are phased to overlap giving constant power yield in the form of rotational torque intended to turn permanent magnet (NIB) generator shafts. The device can be installed anywhere, including underground, operates 24/7, requires no external power input, produces no environmental pollutants of any kind and lends itself to enhancements using all the latest technologies. As shown, a potentially buoyant object 6 is connected eg by a chain 4 to an output shaft 10 (which may drive an electrical generator 15 ) and is movable vertically inside a liquid-filled container 1. The object 6 is repeatedly filled with and emptied of liquid to make it repeatedly non-buoyant and buoyant, respectively, so that the object 6 moves up and down, driving the output shaft 10.

Description

Detailed Description

Important Note The descnption following details the methodologies involved in realising this invention In so doing, the intention is to provide a catalyst for the numerous technologies and materials existing today. The author acknowledges that this document merely brings another possibility to the attention of far more qualified people who hopefully arc capable of viable commercial instantiation Figure 1 illustrates in practical terms the general principles of this device. Item 1 is the fluid container; the most obvious shape for this is cylindrical as it can be onentated vertically and already exists in many forms.

A wider section is shown existing at the top of the container. Two areas are marked. The area marked as item 2 represents as an example the volume of liquid expelled from the potentially buoyant object (6). The area marked as item 3 represents the volume of liquid potentially avaiLable for delivery into external objects(one of which is shown for example as item 7). Item 4 is a connection (for example a chain) attaching item 6 to a drive axle (10) It can be seen that by increasing the height of item I has the effect of increasing the time during which item 6 exhibits force in the form of torque on the drive axle. Similarly increasmg the size of item 6 increases the magnitude of that torque Item 7 would also be higher, increasing the potential energy available for conversion.

Note that internal object stabilization attachments (37) would be required, especially if the shape of item 6 varied to any degree Item 5 is a schematic representation of a pump main barrel. A detailed descnption of this component is mcluded below but for this discussion the schematic shows the possible positioning The pump barrel extends into a base tank (11) with the intention of raising liquid back into the higher container.

Item 8 is a level surface providing the rest" position of the potentially buoyant object (6) From this a pipe with a tap (12) protrudes out from the base of the top tank. The tap is operated automatically by the action of the external object(s) (7).

Item 9 is a pipe with a tap allowing expelled fluid into the external object(s). lhe tap is operated automatically by the action of the mternal object(6) Item 14 represents a gearing mechanism while item 15 represents an electrical generator.

Figure 2 illustrates the internal mechamsms of a typical fluid container. Item 13 represents a support bar for 2 sprockets spanned by a simple linked chain (4). lhe buoyant object (6) is shaped in such a way as to be supported by the chain and balanced on ascent. Connections to the shaft (10) are made in such a way that a collection of the illustrated container mechanisms act in a torque-additive way Item 16, the top sprocket, is a "freewheel" device which allows the buoyant object (6) to descend when evacuated of air.

TIus device also has a connection to the external object(s) to allow "trackmg' Item 17 is a flexible tube supplying air thereby allowing the evacuation of liquid when the tap (12) is opened at the time the potentially buoyant object is seated on the level surface (8) The natural pressure of the enclosing fluid holds the object stationary while the liquid is being expelled. When the air supply is switched off the object becomes buoyant and the additive torque is available on the shaft Figure 3 illustrates in some detail the components of the base pump and supporting pistons The central pump barrel (5) protrudes through the base of the top container into the base tank (11), The top and base of the barrel have non-return valves such that liquid cannot escape from top to base. The pump piston has a similar valve fitted such that when moved upwards the valve is naturally shut; when moved downwards the valve opens. See figure 4 and the section immediately below for further information.

Either side of the main pump barrel are the so-called supporting pistons( 18) Any number of these can be used to support one main barrel. Their purpose is to allow the header pressure of the top container liquid to tension the supporting extension spnngs( 19) so as to equahse the header pressure. They are necessary because the pressure to be equalised is "through pressure" which is not available in the main barrel due to the emplacement of the non-return valves. The extension springs cater for a small range of change in height, that is, consider items 2 and 3 (figure 1). Tension adjusters enable the fine tuning of the spring tension. If the height of the water at the top increases by a large value (for instance to increase the power yield) the springs are either replaced or augmented with the additive effect of extra springs.

The support pistons are open-ended. Leakage is prevented with the use of membranes (20) suitably formed to allow free movement of the support pistons within their barrels Both the main barrel piston and support piston actuators are attached to a common control rod (21) together with the springs. The downward movement of the rod is restricted thereby ensuring that where any imbalance occurs between header pressure and tensioning springs (for example while setting up) the balancing pistons will not be over-extended. Positioning of the pistons within the barrels is achieved with the use of low-tension springs (22) which ensure the lateral position of the piston whilst moving vertically.

Solenoids (23) are depicted here providing the vertical movement to create the vacuum within the pump barrel Tuned activation is necessary.

The orientation of the pump and supporting cylinders could he other than shown here, To ease maintenance and support, a horizontal implementation could be more suitable Figure 4 is a more detailed view of the main pump barrel. The suggested form of a Non-Return Valve (NRV) (28) is a variation of a "clack valve" It is a simple flap moving up and down guided by piilars in such a way that pressure from the top closes it while pressure from below opens it.

The top NRV (24)is required to open due to high pressure when a vacuum is created at the barrel base by the pump upstroke It also ensures that the container header pressure is held off in the rest position. The piston NRV (25) is required to be shut to enable a vacuum to be produced during the upward movement and open to "move through" captured liquid from the base. I'he base NRV (26) is open allowing liquid into the barrel when the vacuum exists and closed when the vacuum disappears after the pinup upstroke.

The pneumatic operation of the barrel and supporting pistons is a subject area capable of enhancements by experts in their field Item 27 represents a spring spacing mechanism enabling the piston within any barrel to move accurately up and down within the barrel. Pneumatic technology probably relegates this consideration to a non-requirement.

Figure illustrates the external object's usage and the means used to ensure it "tracks" the mtenial piston External to the top container (I), already described, a similar arrangement of chain and sprocket supports the movement of an external object (28) filled via tap (9) while at the head of the container. Variations on the design are of course possible but in the case shown the external container's potential energy produces additive torque on a second shaft (31) via a second freewheel device (30) In addition to the possibility of internal and external object energy being combined, there also exists the possibility of a proportion of the potential energy being used to mechanically run the internal pump(s), replacmg the solenoids described above.

A freewheel device is shown. It is an extension of the standard bicycle freewheel. To the rotating external chain sprocket is attached a pulleywheel (35) such that the action of the internal and external objects can affect one another. Utihsing a pulley (34) enables "tracking", that is, while the mternal object ascends it allows the empty external object(s) to ascend with it. Similarly, when the external object descends it allows the liquid-filled internal object(s) to descend in synchronism. In both cases there is the energy available to maintain the opening and closing of the required valves (depicted as "taps" in the above expIanatioi'.

Figure 6 is an isometnc illustrating in "square section" a possible implementation of the device Two axles are shown attached to gearboxes and generators Arrows show the expansion direction for scalmg. Some idea of the energy to be converted can be gamed by imagining a large air filled ball at the base of each of the towers. As stated previously, the air filled object can be any shape The small diagram at the base of the figure suggests additional external objects at the cost of extra connections Figure 7 depicts a molded air filled object, oval in section, circular in plan. Stabilisers (37) are shown The drainage aperture (38) serves as a "landing area" on the level surface (8) The action of natural pressure on top of the object causes the drainage aperture to "seal" sufficiently well whilst drainage is occumng. When the object is evacuated of liquid., closing the airline (17) causes the object to become potentially buoyant Figure $ illustrates possible ways in which the invention could be installed if adopted for self-sufficiency purposes. The collection and storage of rainwater could be used as an enhancement (36).

(The author is not aware of any renewable energy device that actively makes use of rainfall) Many scenarios are possible, including the use of the metal fabrication of the device in the structure of buildings (a) depicts the generation equipment above ground, the torque component is underground (b) depicts an above-ground implementation where in (c) the device is completely hidden Any building against which a device was placed could equally well be a tall office building although it is accepted that implementation enhancements would have to occur.

Note overall that the implementation of the invention suggested here relies on a simple chain running between two sprockets, one of those sprockets being connected to a gearbox and generator. None of the implementation details are complex; this has the desired effect of substantiating the note at the start of the detailed description section Most of the technology needed already exists.

In terms of the usage and distribution aspect of a new commodity, the user perception of worth can often be attributed to the ease whereby that new commodity can be acquired. The possibility of 100% environmentally friendly transport has been mentioned above. If the mechanisation of the replacement of stored charge in vehicles were to be made easier than filling with fossil fuel then the user would probably be persuaded to consider "clean and green" charge even if replacement of the charge medium was necessarily more frequent. A further encouragement would be the possibility of recharging the medium overnight in-house, effectively reducing car fuel costs for the following day.

Claims

Claims 1 A device to extract and convert natural energy yielded by any

objects affected by fluids elevated for the purpose of providing energy for conversion to usable power.
2 A device according to claim 1 that is capable of low-cost maintenance of elevated fluid levels for the purpose of continual energy provision 24 hours, 7 days a week
3 A device accordmg to claim 1 providing the first phase of power generation by converting the energy yielded by air filled objects evacuated at the base of containers of liquid.
4. A device according to claim I providing the second phase of power generation by converting the potential energy yielded by objects external to containers of liquid when filled at the head.
5. A device accordmg to claim I that may use accumulated wastewater and rainwater, suitably filtered, to enhance power delivery by reducing the proportion of power used for internal maintenance
6. A device according to claim I that needs no exposure to the external environment allowing installation anywhere, mcludmg underground.
7. A device according to claim I that produces no pollutants of any kind and yields its energy conversion as power in the form of rotational torque intended for turning permanent magnet generators.