IE20220088A1 - A Hydro Turbine Assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for increasing hydro turbine efficiency in waterflows having heads less than 2m comprising a water container that directs water into the hydro turbine and increase efficiency from 30% to 60%.

Description

: A Hydro Turbine Assembly Summary The present invention relates to an assembly that improves efficiency of devices that generate energy from flowing water, particularly to increasing the efficiency of a hydrokinetic hydro turbine assembly for use in rivers, streams and weirs with low head depth.

Introduction In recent times there has been an increasing and urgent interest in generating electricity from sustainable sources, to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change. Renewable energy is preferred over nuclear and includes means to generate electricity from moving fluids like air (wind) and water (rivers and sea), as well as solar energy.

Hydropower depends on two important waterflow features, head and flow. Head is a vertical height of water and measured in metres and the more head, the higher the water pressure across the hydro hydro turbine and the more power it will generate, especially if the hydro hydro turbine is small. Larger hydro hydro turbines are sometimes used in water with low head heights to increase the power from such water flows. These larger hydro turbines are expensive.

Devices for capturing energy from river currents have been in existence for thousands of years and include Water Wheels, Francis Hydro turbines, and Archimedean Screw hydro turbines. Such devices require large flows of water or medium to high heads. The flow rates in m3 per second of different rivers are given below in Table 1: Water Flow m /s Stream 2 Small Rivers 2 to 10 Average Rivers 100 to 200 Very Big River >500 As can be seen below, a commercial (25kW) hydro hydro turbine needs a flow speedof about 1.7m3/Sec and a minimum head of 2m.

Table 2 Maximum Power Output (kW) Other devices have emerged aimed at working in smaller flows of water such as rivers, canals, weirs and waterfalls, i.e. flow rates below 50m /s. However problems with debris and water depth are major obstacles to efficient use of these smaller water volumes.

Debris can block water intake thereby reducing the volume and speed of water entering the hydro turbine. Debris can also be entangled in the hydro turbines that causes hydro turbine breakdown or total failure. Current Hydrokinetic hydro turbine designs are based on fins, blades or buckets mounted in a cylindrical fashion on horizontal or vertically mounted shafts. A water wheel is an example of such a device in which flowing water exerts a linear force on the fins, blades or buckets resulting in rotational force which through a series of shafts, gears, belts chain or pulleys can be used to turn a generator and in turn generate electricity.

In some devices the power generation unit can be mounted directly to a separate water flow shaft but these devices require large head depths that are sometimes achieved by river bed dredging with consequential damage to the local ecosystem.

Most modern water hydro turbines have an efficiency rating of between 80 and 95% but these devices require high heads of water, e.g. 10m. Low head but high volume water flows are more problematic as the head depth is often less than a meter.

Undershot water wheels are employed for low head depth water flows, however their real world efficiencies are notoriously low, i.e. between 10 and 30% efficiency.

There is a need to increase the efficiency of hydroelectric hydro turbines for use in water flows with low head depth.

Statements of Invention According to the invention there is provided a device for generating electricity more efficiently from flowing water comprising a water container attachable to a hydro turbine unit and said water container channels water into the hydro turbine unit.

Preferably the water container comprises A first end comprising a water entry A second end comprising a water exit and means to attach to a hydro turbine unit A water flow manager iii) The moving water flow manager can increase or decrease the water flow speed into the hydro turbine unit.

The device may have more than one flow manager.

The water flow manager is positioned at the water container first or second end.

Preferably the water flow manager is at the water container first end when placed in a river and at the water container second end when placed on a weir or waterfall.

The water flow manager may be slidable or hinged door or sluice gate.

The water flow manager may narrow the water container first or second end by 10% to 70% when the device is placed in a river or stream. Preferably the water flow manager covers 30 to 60% of the water container first end.

The water flow manager may create a bow wave in at the water container first end to increase the head water height, thereby increasing the speed and volume of water entering the water container first end.

The water container attached to a turbine unit may increase the power generation of the hydro turbine unit, above the power generated without the water container or without a water container without the water flow manager.

The flowing water may have a head depth of between 0.1m and 1m, preferably the flowing water has a head depth of between 0.2m and 1m and more preferably the flowing water has a head of 0.3m or 1m.

The flowing water may be a river, sea, waterfall or weir, more preferably the flowing water is a river or weir.

The flowing water may have a flow speed of between 0.05m3/second and 0.75m3/second, preferably the flow speed is between 0.05m3/second and 0.5 m /second and more preferably the flow speed is between 0.05m3/second and 0.3 m /second.

Preferably the water entry comprises a filter, the filter may be curved and prevents fish and debris entering the water container.

The modular device may be composed of one or more of wooden, composite, metallic or plastic material.

Preferably the modular device is metallic and more preferably the metal is aluminum and/or steel.

The water container may be attached to the hydro hydro turbine unit permanently or removably attached to the hydro hydro turbine unit.

The water container may be permanently welded to the hydro turbine unit or manufactured as a single hydro electric generator.

The water container may be removably attached to the hydro turbine unit by locking or bolting means.

The water container may have an internally raised base.

The raised base may reduce in height from or near the water container first end towards the water container second end.

Most preferably the raised section of the base extends to a point where the turbine fin is fully submerged. The point may have an abutment.

This eliminates the water from being lifted with the turbine trailing fin and leaves a low presser which water can enter.

The water container and the hydro turbine unit may be of a spaceframe design and/or may be flat packed for transport.

The main section of the water container frame may fit a storage tank.

The water container may have a volume of 100 litres to 1000 litres, preferably 300 litres to 700 Litres.

The water container may be mounted in a flat pack interchangeable frame.

The hydro turbine may include a water wheel or conveyor system with fins or other meand known in the art to generate electricity from flowing water or fluids.

The hydro turbine preferably comprises an Undershot water wheel.

The current invention may be used in a flowing watercourse or other liquid flows to generate electricity whether that be a weir small waterfall, stream river or canal and may be interchanged for a water irrigation system through means of a pump.

The water container may be positioned on a raised section of the river or stream bed or on a weir and uses the falling fluid to produce power.

The device may be placed in an open flow with the water container first end facing the flow of water to harness the power from the flowing water.

Floats may be attached to the device, the floats may raise or lower the device according to the river depth.

The base of the device may comprise means to keep the water container and/or the first end within the water flow, preferably keeping the device fully submerged, particularly the hydro turbine in the hydro turbine unit. Having the hydro turbine in the hydro turbine unit fully submerged eliminates a trailing fin lifting water which reduces the efficiency.

For example the base may have a legs that can change the height of the device according to the conditions in the water flow.

The hydro turbine unit comprises a water exit allowing the water to flow back into the main flow of the river or stream.

The device may be placed on a weir or water fall wherein the water container first end is placed level with the top of the weir or waterfall.

The water container first end edge can be of various widths to accommodate different water flow conditions and maximize water entry into the water container.

The water container obviates the need for flood boards which interfere with the natural flow of the weir.

Excess water flows over the device and returns into the main flow of water .

For maximum water entry the first end of the water container may be fully open.

Two floats are attached to allow the device to raise and lower with the river or stream.

There is a watertight compartment for an alternator or water pump to be installed The device can be adapted to the seasonal variations in a river or streams water flow.

The device may be provided as a ready assembled product or as a kit of parts comprising a water container and a hydro turbine unit.

Description The current invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying Figures and embodiments.

Brief Description of the Figures: Fig. 1 shows the hydroelectric generator of the current invention with water container 100 and hydro turbine unit 150 with an Undershot Water Wheel 151.

Fig 2 shows the hydroelectric generator 1a on a weir 2.

Fig. 3a shows a hydroelectric generator 1b with angled panels 220, 230 and 240 and raised base 157 and Figure 3b illustrates the functionality of angled panels 220, 230 and 240.

Figure 4 shows the hydroelectric generator 1a with the water container 100 separated from the hydro turbine unit 150 and connectors 155.

Brief Description Modular hydroelectric device 1a and 1b generates electricity from flowing water 50 into water container 100, through debris screen 110 and water entry 120 with sluice gate 135, both fixed to frame 130. Sluice gate 135 acting as water flow manager has a threaded actuated system shown by 140. The hydro turbine unit 150 has an Undershot Water Wheel 151 with paddles 160 and axle shaft 170 mounted to frame 180, frame 180 is fixed together by nuts and bolts. Angled plates 220 are fixed to frame 130 and direct water to first water exit 165 into hydro turbine unit 150 to impact paddles 160, turn shaft 170 which is connected to an alternator (not shown). Raised base 190 has abutment 195 at base of Undershot water wheel 151.

Detailed Description Example 1 River Flow Figures 1 shows the preferred embodiment of a modular hydroelectric device 1a of the current invention, with a debris screen 110 at water entry 120 of water container 100 and a water flow manager sluice gate 135 positioned directly behind the screen 110 which is actuated by a threaded system 140. The direction of the water flow is indicated by the arrow 50. Sluice gate 135 ensures more rapid and consistent flow of water into the hydro turbine unit 150 to generate more electricity than would occur without the sluice gate 135 or without the water container 100. The Sluice 135 can be manually or automatically actuated. When the water container 100 is full to complete capacity the excess water flows back through the debris screen and falls simply into the open flow.

The sluice gate 135 is used to regulate the speed of flow and the height of the flow to the hydro turbine unit 150, to turn Undershot water wheel 151, by impacting paddles 160 and exits the hydro turbine at second water exit 168. Raised base 190 extends to an abutment 195 point where the turbine fin 160 is fully submerged.

Abutment 165 prevents water from been lifted with the turbine trailing fin and leaves a low presser which water can enter.

The devices of Figures 1a and 1b are secured by means like chains and anchors if necessary and 1a may use floats 500 for buoyancy.

Figure 2 shows the hydroelectric device 1b positioned at a stable angle into the water flow of a 1 meter high weir 500 receiving water at a flow speed of 50 litres per second through the debris screen 110, into the water container 100 and through sluice gate 135 and into hydro turbine unit 150.Making an allowance for gravity, and angle of device this increased the flow speed to 2m per second on exiting the device.

In a second weir trial with device 1b the sluice gate 135 positioned in front of the Hydro turbine Unit 150 was fully closed which allowed the water container 100 to fill with water. When the water container 100 was full the water flowed over the device 1b and back into the river. Sluice gate 135 was then opened until the exit volume of water from the hydro turbine unit 150 matched the volume entering the device 1b. This keeps the water container 100 full and allows maximum weight to force the fluid through the sluice gate 135.The flow speed through the sluice gate 135 increased from 2m per second to 3m a second despite the flow entering device remaining the same as the Trial1 (50lt a second).This shows the use of a water flow manger like sluice gate 135, gravity, and weight of water captured in the storage tank, was able to increase the flow speed by 50%.

The devices 1a and 1b did not require any further infrastructure and is fixed in place by way of fixing bolts.

The efficiency of the device 1a is significantly higher than reported real life efficiencies of approximately 30%. In fact the lowest efficiency of the device 1a is 40% at a flow speedof about 0.03m3/Sec and consistently between 50 and 60% at water flow rates between 0.04 m /Sec and 0.15 m /Sec , with a waterhead of 0.3m. This advantage is surprising and confirms the unexpected advantage of using a water container 100 with a waterflow manager sluice gate 135 attached to a hydro turbine unit to generate electricity more efficiently from water flows with a low waterhead depth.

In another low head depth trial, the device 1a was placed in a stream 300mm deep and a flow speed of 1m per second when the sluice gate 135 was fully opened.

The sluice gate 135 was lowered until it restricted the water flow with the effect of increasing the flow speed exiting the device 1a through the hydro turbine unit 150 to 1.5m per second.

When the device 1a is floating in an open flowing river or stream the sluice gate 135 is in an open configuration covering only half of the water container 100 water entry 120 which creates a bow wave in front of the device. This bow wave increases the head height of water, providing this extra volume, energy and speed to water flowing through the open section of the sluice gate 135. The flow 50 facing end of the water container 100 is angled downwards to keep this end in the water flow and also allows extra water into the water container.

Device 1a can increase the flow speed of any section of an open channel where it is placed, thereby eliminating the need to place it in the fastest flowing section where migrating fish travel. This is a clear advantage over other devices that need to be placed in the deepest and fastest flowing part of a stream or river, especially those with a low head depth.

Example 2 Referring to Figures 3a and 3b, hydroelectric generating device 1b has a the same components and structure as shown in Figures 1 and 2 except the water container 100 has 3 angled plates 220. Angled plates 220 further restrict water flow through the water container 100 and increase the flow speed into hydro turbine unit 150.

The angled panels 220 increase water flow speed at the constriction to make up for the reduction of space that the fluid occupies in the water container 100, according to Bernoulli’s Equation, i.e. as shown in Fig. 3b panels 220 constricts the flow at separate points as shown by the white dots. All these constrictions equal an increase in water flow speed into the turbine unit 150 until it returns to the natural flow of the river at the exit 168.

The panels also manage the flow of the liquid straightening it to flow to one point, the red point in fig 3b. This decreases the losses in speed caused by obstructions.

Figure 4 shows the water container 100 separated from hydro turbine unit 150 of hydroelectric devices 1a and 1b respectively.

Clearly the modular generators may include a means of flotation or ballast. It will be mounted in a flat pack interchangeable frame.

Claims (6)

1. A device for generating electricity more efficiently from flowing water comprising a water container attachable to a hydro turbine unit and said water container channels water into the hydro turbine unit.

2. A device of claim 1 wherein the water container comprises i) A first end comprising a water entry ii) A second end comprising a water exit and means to attach to a hydro turbine unit iii) a water flow manager

3. A device of claim 1 for use in water flows with waterhead depths of between 0.1m and 2m and a flow speedof between 0.05m3/second and 0.5m3/second.

4. A device of claim 2 wherein the water flow manager is one or more of a slidable or hinged door or sluice gate.

5. The device of any preceding claim wherein he water container is removably attached to the hydro turbine unit.

6. A kit of parts comprising a water container and a hydro turbine unit.