ITMI20110328A1 - TRANSPORTABLE ELECTRICITY GENERATION SYSTEM FROM VEGETABLE MATERIALS - Google Patents

Description

â € œTransportable system for generating electricity from plant materialsâ €

DESCRIPTION

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of application

The present invention refers to an energy generation system, and in particular to a system for the generation of electrical energy starting from plant materials, which can be used in rural areas lacking infrastructures.

Description of the known art

In many situations, the need is particularly felt to have available energy generation systems, in particular electricity, which can be located and used in places that are partially or completely lacking in infrastructure, especially in remote or disadvantaged areas. , such as rural agricultural areas of developing countries, and which are based on renewable sources.

In fact, the known systems based on traditional fossil fuels, for example diesel engines in combination with electric generators, have the obvious disadvantage of the need to be continuously supplied with fossil fuel (for example, diesel oil), which can be difficult. or expensive, or even sometimes impossible, in the context considered of rural areas lacking infrastructure.

In other words, these systems, even if they are portable, do not give energy self-sufficiency to the places in which they are installed, which remain dependent on the need for remote refueling of fuel not available locally. This can be particularly penalizing, since the places of origin of the fuel can also be very far from the aforementioned places.

Therefore, now referring to energy generation systems based on renewable energies, various solutions are known, which exploit available natural resources, even in the rural areas mentioned above (for example, water or wind energy) . However, this requires the construction of expensive plants (for example wind or hydroelectric plants) which, obviously, cannot be moved.

A further type of known energy generation systems are solar energy collectors, whether they are photovoltaic systems for the transformation of solar energy into electrical energy or solar thermal systems for the transformation of solar energy into thermal energy.

However, such solar energy collectors do not work in the evening and at night, and can offer reduced efficiency, even during the day, due to weather events.

The aforementioned known energy generation systems therefore appear not to be suitable for application in the context considered here, due to the various drawbacks highlighted above.

The main purpose of the present invention is to devise and make available an electricity generation system, based on renewable raw materials, which can be easily deployed and used in areas lacking infrastructure, in order to at least partially obviate the drawbacks. hereinabove described with reference to the known art.

A further purpose of the present invention is to devise and make available a transportable system for generating electricity, based on renewable raw materials, which is able to operate continuously, day and night, without the use of fuels. traditional fossils.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This object is achieved by a system according to claim 1.

Further embodiments of this system are defined in the dependent claims 2 to 14.

A method for generating electricity from plant materials, according to the invention, is defined in claim 15.

A further embodiment of this method is defined in claim 16.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the system for generating electricity from plant materials according to the invention will result from the following description of preferred embodiment examples, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached figures, in which:

- figure 1 shows a simplified diagram of a system for generating energy from plant materials according to an example of the invention; in particular, figure 1 shows a sectional view of a system according to the invention, in one of its working configuration;

- figure 2 shows a simplified sectional view of a system according to the invention, in one of its transport configuration;

Figure 3 illustrates in greater detail an embodiment of a group for generating fuel oils starting from vegetable materials, included in the system of the invention;

- figure 4 shows a side view of the system according to the invention, in a transport configuration thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to Figure 1, a system for generating electrical energy 1 from plant materials is now described, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The electricity generation system 1 includes a fuel oil generation group 200 (which will later be referred to as â € œfuel generator group 200â €), which in turn includes a module 210 for the extraction of vegetable oils from materials vegetable oils and a 250 transformation module of the extracted vegetable oils into fuel oils (which will later be defined as â € œtransformation module 250â €).

The electrical power generation system 1 further comprises a main electrical power generation unit 300, which in turn comprises a combustion engine 320 and an electrical power generator 330 coupled to the combustion engine 320.

This group is defined as the â € œmainâ € electricity generation group since it is capable of producing electricity that can be supplied to the outside, and can be used for the needs of the area in which the electricity generation system 1 It is installed. In fact, as will be illustrated below, this main group of electricity generation is able to supply quantities of energy compatible with this use, continuously throughout the day.

The 320 combustion engine, known per se, is for example a diesel engine capable of running on fuel oils of vegetable origin.

The combustion engine 320 is coupled to an electric power generator 330, known per se, which, driven by the combustion engine 320, transforms the mechanical energy produced by the engine itself into electrical energy. The electric power generator 330 can be, for example, a transportable apparatus for generating electricity starting from mechanical energy, known per se. The availability of electric power generators having different electrical and mechanical characteristics, remaining within the functional and physical requirements of the present system, allows various embodiments of the system, suitable for a wide range of situations.

As an example, it should be noted that the main power generation group 300 can be sized to produce about 35-40 kW of energy, thus satisfying the entire energy needs, for example, of a hospital located in an area lacking in infrastructure, where the system can be transported and installed.

In accordance with a further example of implementation, the main group 300 is sized in such a way as to produce approximately 24 kW of energy, thus satisfying the energy needs of a different application context (for example, a small rural village).

The electric power generator 330, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises means 340 for the transmission of the electricity generated, configured to connect with a local electricity distribution infrastructure, such as can be found, for example, in the aforementioned hospital in a remote area.

With reference again to Figure 1, it should be noted that the fuel oil generation group 200 is operationally connected to the main electric power generation group 300 so as to supply the latter with said fuel oils as fuel for the engine. combustion 320.

In particular, in the embodiment shown in fig. 1, the main power generation assembly 300 further comprises a tank 310 for a fuel. Furthermore, the tank 310 is connected by means of connection 290 to the transformation module 250, so that the fuel oils of vegetable origin, generated at the transformation module 250, are collected and stored in the tank 310.

The connection means 290 are for example made by means of a duct in which fuel oils of vegetable origin can flow, either by force of gravity, if the slope of the duct is prepared for this purpose, or, preferably, for the action of a pump (not shown in fig. 1) which the fuel generator set 200 can be equipped with.

It should be noted that the main power generation unit 300 includes fuel supply means 350, per se known, which connect the combustion engine 320 and the tank 310. Such fuel supply means 350, comprising a conduit transporting oils, are adapted to supply to the engine 320 the fuel oils taken from the tank 310 as fuel necessary for the operation of the combustion engine 320. Therefore, the fuel oils of vegetable origin stored in the tank 310 constitute a reserve of fuel to which it can continuously draw on the 320 combustion engine, thus ensuring the possibility of continuous operation, as will be better illustrated below.

In an alternative embodiment, the main power generation unit 300 does not comprise the tank 310, the connecting means 290 are configured to be connected to one or more tanks external to the system 1, and the fuel supply means 350 are configured to connect the 320 fuel engine to such one or more external tanks.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the main electricity generation group is a co-generation group of electrical and thermal energy. In this case, the thermal energy produced by the combustion engine 320, during its operation to drive the electric generator 330, is collected and conveyed, by means of collection and distribution of thermal energy, not shown in fig. 1, so that it can itself be used.

Optionally, in a further embodiment, the system 1 can comprise a heat sink module.

As shown again in fig. 1, the electricity generation system 1 further comprises a solar energy collector and transformer group 400 (which will later be also referred to as â € œcollector and transformer group 400â €), suitable for transforming solar energy into electrical energy.

This collector and transformer assembly 400 can be made by means of numerous different solutions known per se.

A preferred embodiment involves the use of photovoltaic panels, capable of transforming solar energy into electrical energy.

Further embodiments envisage, for example, the use of thermal solar panels, further equipped with converters for the conversion of the thermal energy produced by the thermal solar panels into electrical energy; or, alternatively, the combined use of photovoltaic solar panels and thermal solar panels.

According to further embodiments, the collector and transformer group 400 comprises solar concentration systems with the use of high-performance photovoltaic cells or `` stirling cycle '' motors, or other energy production systems starting from solar energy, per se. © known.

The collector and transformer group is operatively connected to the fuel oil generation group 200, to supply an electrical energy for activating the fuel oil generation group 200, by means of electrical power supply means 410, per se known, comprising for example electrical cables and, optionally, voltage and / or current converters.

It should be noted that, in the embodiment shown in fig. 1, the collector and transformer group 400 is also operationally connected to the main power generation group 300, to supply an electrical energy for activating the main power generation group 300, by means of further electrical power supply means 420 of known per se, including for example electric cables and, optionally, voltage and / or current converters. This is useful if also this main group 300 requires, for example, a limited amount of energy to start the engine 320 or to keep the fuel oils stored in the tank 310 at temperatures suitable for making them usable in an optimal way.

In a different embodiment included in the invention, applicable when the main group for generating electricity 300 is energetically self-sufficient, the collector and transformer group 400 is configured to supply activation electric energy to the fuel generator group 200 only. .

Some details on how to use the activation electric energy will be provided below, during a more detailed description of the fuel generator set 200.

It should be noted that the aforementioned activation electrical energy is an â € œauxiliaryâ € energy, in the sense that it is mainly used for the operation of system 1, and is additional and separate from the electricity that can be supplied to the external, that is the energy produced by the system itself.

The above observations do not exclude that, in a further embodiment of the invention, a part of the auxiliary energy generated by the collector and transformer group 400 is supplied as additional energy usable towards the outside, by means of further means of transmission of electrical energy 341. In this case, this additional energy, adding to the energy supplied through the transmission means 340, allows an improvement in the overall performance of the system 1. This embodiment advantageously allows to make the most of the € ™ energy produced by the collector and transformer group 400, if it is greater than the requirement necessary for system 1 to function. The available quantity of said additional energy of solar origin depends on the performance of the collector and transformer group 400 installed, and varies over time, depending on the conditions of solar exposure.

In accordance with a still further embodiment, a part of the energy generated by the collector and transformer group 400 is used to charge a pack of electric batteries, with which the fuel generator group 200 can be equipped. In this case, advantageously , the electric battery pack can use the energy loaded in them to power the fuel generator group 200, increasing its operating autonomy, even when the manifold and transformer group 400 is not active.

Considering again the functional energy aspects of the system, it is important to note that the electricity produced by the electricity generation system 1 is advantageously much higher than the activation electric energy it needs to function.

In fact, the energy produced by system 1 derives mainly not from the energy generated by the collector and transformer group 400, but from the transformation of the chemical energy stored in the plant material used as raw material, and therefore depends on the other, from the quantity of material that the system 1 is able to handle.

It is important to highlight that, in one embodiment of the invention, the 320 combustion engine is configured to consume a first quantity of fuel oils, in one unit of operating time. On the other hand, the fuel oil generation group 200 is configured to generate, when active, in the same unit of operating time, a total quantity of fuel oils greater than said first quantity of fuel oils consumed by the combustion engine. 320, so that a second quantity of fuel oils, generated in the unit of operating time by the fuel oil generation group 200, can be stored as a fuel reserve, where the second quantity of fuel oils is equal to the difference between the total quantity of fuel oils and the first quantity of fuel oils.

In a further embodiment of the invention, in which the main power generation unit 300 comprises the tank 310, connected by means of connection 290 to the fuel generation unit 200, and further connected to the combustion engine 320 by means 350, system 1 is configured to assume two possible operating conditions.

In a first operating condition, in which the fuel generation unit 200 is active, the said first quantity of fuel oils is received in the tank 310, in the unit of operating time, by means of the connection means 290, and It is supplied, by means of the fuel supply means 350, to the fuel engine 320; the said second quantity of fuel oils, in the same unit of operating time, is received, by means of the connection means 290, and is stored in the tank 310, to constitute the said fuel reserve.

In a second operating condition, in which the fuel generator assembly 200 is deactivated, said fuel reserve is used by the fuel engine 320, which draws it through the fuel supply means 350, to operate even while the fuel generator 200 is deactivated.

According to a further embodiment, the electric power generation system 1 further comprises an electric-electronic monitoring and control module, configured to command, control and monitor the operating processes of the said fuel generator group 200, the main group for the generation of electrical energy 300, collector group and transformer 400. This electrical-electronic monitoring and control module can include, for example, a computer, operationally connected to each other, and also electronic sensors of relevant variables (for example temperature, electrical power, and so on). via) installed in various points of the system itself, and also actuator elements (for example, with reference to elements shown in fig. 1 and 2, for the ignition of the press 203, or of the motor 320, for the activation of the pumps 253, 255, 265, 267 and so on). This electrical-electronic monitoring and control module is known per se, and therefore is not further described here.

With reference now to Figures 1, 2 and 4, it should be noted that the electricity generation system 1 further comprises a support and containment structure 100 (which will sometimes be referred to in the following as a â € œcontainerâ € 100).

The support and containment structure 100 can be transported as a unit, ie as a single container.

In the support and containment structure 100 the said fuel oil generation group 200, the main electricity generation group 300 and the solar energy collector and transformer group 400 are housed in total, so that the entire energy generation system electric 1 is unitarily transportable.

It should be noted that the property of system 1 of being â € œunitary transportableâ € implies that it is possible to transport the entire set of groups making up the system, including all the operational links between them that allow the system to function. In this way, it is possible to deploy and operate the system, after transport to a desired place, even without the need to proceed on site to assembly parts of the system.

Advantageously, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, the support and containment structure 100 has a substantially parallelepiped shape, having a plurality of walls. Said plurality of walls of the container 100 comprises a first wall 101, which can be defined as "lower" because it is intended to be placed (in a working configuration) directly or by means of supports on a platform or on a ground; the first wall 101 constitutes a main support for the fuel generator unit 200 and for the main electricity generation unit 300, which can be mounted thereon, for example.

The plurality of walls of the container 100 also comprises a second wall 102 (parallel and opposite to said first wall 101), which can be defined as â € œuperiorâ € because it is intended to cover the system 1 above, and in particular the manifold and transformer assembly 400. Wall 102 is shown in Figures 2 and 4.

The plurality of walls of the container 100 comprises, as side walls, a third wall 103 (visible in Figures 2 and 4), on one side of the parallelepiped where the fuel generator assembly 200 is housed; a fourth wall 104, in which the main power generation unit 300 is housed, on the opposite side of the parallelepiped with respect to the wall 103; a fifth wall 105 (indicated, in the sectional view of Fig. 2, as the bottom wall); a sixth wall 106 (not visible in the sectional view of Fig. 2 and shown in Fig. 4).

It should be noted that, in one embodiment, on one or more of the aforementioned walls, preferably on the wall 104 near the main group 300, there are air intakes for a heat sink module with which the system 1 can be equipped.

Thanks to the fact that it is housed in a single container 100, the electricity generation system 1 can assume different configurations, in particular a transport configuration and a working configuration.

In a transport configuration, illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, the container 100 is completely closed, so that the entire electricity generation system 1 is contained therein and completely separated from the external environment by said plurality of container walls 100.

In the embodiment of Figure 2, the container 100 further comprises a supporting wall 107 of the collector and transformer assembly 400, placed parallel to the second wall 102 so as to create inside the container 100, when closed, a seat 108 in which The manifold and transformer group 400 is located. This seat 108, in the transport configuration, completely encloses and protects the manifold and transformer group 400, in its rest position.

Figure 1, already described above, illustrates in section the system 1 in a working configuration, that is, a configuration assumed when the electricity production system 1 is operational.

It should be noted that, in order to allow the system 1 to pass from said transport configuration to said working configuration, one or more of the plurality of walls of the container 100 are configured to be partially or totally open and / or removed.

According to an embodiment, one or more of the plurality of walls of the container 100 comprise for this purpose one or more doors, hinged on one side and opening on the other, in order to make said walls partially or totally openable.

In the aforementioned working configuration of system 1, the collector and transformer assembly 400 assumes its own working position, in which it is exposed to solar radiation.

For this purpose, the second wall 102 of the container 100 is open and / or removed, totally and / or partially (for this reason, it is not visible in fig.

1). In further embodiments of the invention, mechanical lifting means are provided, such as for example a mechanical arm driven by a motor, suitable for raising the collector and transformer assembly 400 to a higher working position, with respect to the rest position, after opening or removing the second wall 102.

According to a further embodiment, the collector and transformer assembly 400 comprises further photovoltaic and / or solar panels, supported by a suitable frame structure. These further panels, in the rest configuration, are contained in the container 100, folded in such a way as to be substantially parallel to one or more of the side walls 103, 104, 105, 106. In the working configuration, the frame structures which support these further panels, after the opening of one or more of said side walls, are deployed so that the aforementioned additional panels are exposed to solar radiation, being positioned substantially on the same plane as the photovoltaic and / or solar panels placed on the internal support wall 107. This embodiment advantageously allows an increase in the energy generated by the collector and transformer assembly 400.

Furthermore, in the working configuration of system 1, an opening is provided for the introduction of vegetable material destined to feed the extraction module 210 of the fuel oil generation group 200.

For this purpose, the third wall 103 of the container 100 is partially or totally open and / or removed (and therefore not visible in fig. 1).

In particular, according to an embodiment example, the wall 103 comprises two doors, hinged to the sides of the wall 103 and which can be opened in the center of the wall 103, so as to allow a complete opening of the wall 103, in the working configuration, starting from a closing position, secured by means of locks, assumed in the transport configuration.

Optionally, in different embodiments, also one or more of the remaining side walls 104, 105, 106 can be partially and / or totally open and / or removed, for example to facilitate access to operators for maintenance of the system 1, o the removal of waste produced by system 1, or the replacement of parts of system 1.

For example, in one embodiment, each of the side walls 105 and 106 comprises two doors, hinged in the center and openable at the sides of the respective wall. These doors can be opened by rotating around their own hinge, until they reach an orthogonal position with respect to the starting position, thus determining, on the respective â € œlongâ € sides of the container 100, two large access openings.

According to further embodiments, not shown, the container 100 can comprise internal bulkheads between the different elements of the system 1.

In accordance with an embodiment, these bulkheads define a space inside the container 100, suitable for accommodating the said doors of the side walls 105 and 106, which can slide towards the inside of the container 100, once opened as described above.

It is important to point out that, advantageously, the container 100 complies with container standards commonly used for the transport of goods by trucks, trains or ships.

In particular, according to an example of realization, the container 100 is a â € œstandard containerâ € of 20â € ™, with dimensions of 6m in length, 2.5m in width and 2.5m in height. It is completely closed in the transport configuration, and allows the opening of one or more walls, in the working configuration, as already described.

In a further embodiment, the container 100 is a â € œstandard containerâ € of 40â € ™, with dimensions of 12m in length, 2.5m in width and 2.5m in height.

Thanks to the aforementioned characteristics of the container 100, the system 1 can be easily transported to the place of installation, however remote it may be.

By way of example, system 1 can be transported by ship, in an ordinary freight ship (container ship), from the country where system 1 is built to a port in the country where it is to be used. From the ship, it can be unloaded and then loaded onto a truck, using systems and methods for moving â € œcontainersâ € commonly found and used in ports. Therefore, system 1 can be transported by truck to the place where it is to be deployed and used, for example in a remote rural area lacking in infrastructure.

Once in the place of installation, the system 1 can be made operational easily and in a short time, simply by reconfiguring the container 100, as described above, so that the system 100 passes from its transport configuration to its working configuration.

The fuel oil generation group 200 will now be illustrated in more detail, referring to Figure 3.

In particular, the illustrated embodiment refers to a fuel oil generation group 200 based on the transformation of vegetable material consisting of seeds, and more particularly of oilseeds of plants belonging to the Euphorbiacee family, for example â € œJatropha curcasâ € . Plants of this family, the same family to which castor and cassava also belong, are widespread in countries possibly recipients of this system, and this provides a wide range of choice, depending on the specific place / country of installation envisaged.

It should be noted that a fuel oil generation unit, having substantially the same structure described below, is capable of treating plant materials even of a different type than those mentioned above.

The fuel oil generation unit 200 comprises a loading element 201, into which the oil seeds are loaded, for example manually, and a hopper 202 for containing the loaded oil seeds.

The fuel generator assembly 200 then comprises a press 203, for example a continuous screw press, operating by electricity, connected to the hopper 202 to receive the seeds to be squeezed. The press 203 operates a squeezing of the seeds received, and for its own functioning, it is powered by the aforementioned activation electric energy of the fuel generator group 200; for this purpose, the press 203 is operatively connected, by means of the electrical power supply means 410, to the manifold and transformer assembly 400.

The press 203, by squeezing the oil seeds received, produces vegetable oils, which are collected in a collection tank for vegetable oils 204.

Overall, the loading element 201, the hopper 202, the press 203 and the collection tank 204 form the module 210 for extracting vegetable oils from vegetable materials, illustrated previously with reference to Figure 1. As described above, the Extraction module 210 is capable of extracting vegetable oils from vegetable materials, especially oilseeds.

It should be noted that, according to a different embodiment, the loading element 201 and the hopper 202 are not included in the extraction module 210; in this case, the press 203 is connected to a loading element and a hopper external to the system, to be fed with vegetable materials.

In addition to vegetable oils, from the squeezing of the oil seeds derive waste materials, which can be considered as â € œpelletâ €, which in turn can be recovered for other uses. For a collection of this â € œpelletâ €, the extraction module 210 provides a pellet transport screw 205, which connects the collection tank 204 to a waste material collector 206, for example a bin.

The vegetable oils extracted from the extraction module 210 are sent, for a subsequent processing stage, to the transformation module 250 of vegetable oils into fuel oils, illustrated previously in Figure 1.

The transformation module 250 first of all comprises a vegetable oil collection tank 252, connected to the collection tank 204 by means of a first vegetable oil duct 251, so that the extracted vegetable oils contained in the collection tank 204 are conveyed through the first duct of vegetable oils 251 and are stored in the collection tank of vegetable oils 252.

The transformation module 250 also comprises a first tank for acid water 254 and a second tank for acid water 256, intended to contain acid water used as a reagent in a subsequent reaction step.

The transformation module 250 further comprises an oil reactor 260, configured to carry out the reactions necessary for the transformation of vegetable oils into crude fuel oils, reactions known per se.

To this end, the oil reactor 260 receives vegetable oils and acid water as reactants.

The vegetable oils, stored in the oil collection tank 252, are conveyed to the oil reactor 260, through a second oil duct 258, by a first oil pump 253.

The acid water, contained in the first tank for acid water 254, is conveyed, by means of a centrifugal pump for acid water 255, into the second tank for acid water 256. From the second tank for acid water 256, by means of flow control of acid water 257 (for example, a metering pump for acid water 257), a controlled quantity of acid water is conveyed through a second line of acid water 259 to the oil reactor 260.

The oil reactor 260, in order to carry out the transformation reactions of vegetable oils into crude fuel oils, using acidic water as a reagent, must operate at temperatures much higher than the ambient temperature, typically around 90 ° C. Therefore, it requires thermal energy, which is supplied to the oil reactor 260 by a per se known heater 261, which receives activation electrical energy from the collector and transformer assembly 400, through the electrical connection means 410 , and transforms this activation electrical energy into thermal energy.

According to an alternative embodiment, in which the collector and transformer assembly 400 comprises thermal solar panels, the thermal energy necessary for the oil reactor 260 is supplied directly by such thermal solar panels.

According to a further embodiment, in which the main group 300 is a cogeneration group of electrical and thermal energy (option already mentioned above), the thermal energy necessary for the oil reactor 260 is supplied by the same main group 300 of system 1.

The crude fuel oils, produced by the reactor 260, are stored in a decanting apparatus 262 for crude fuel oils, in which these crude fuel oils are decanted to produce decanted fuel oils, which are conveyed to a decanted oil storage apparatus 264 via a third oil duct 263.

Diatomaceous earth can be added to the accumulation apparatus 264, which is mixed with the decanted oils, by means of a stirrer, in order to capture solid residues suspended in the oils.

From the aforementioned decantation, further waste materials also derive, in the form of sludge, which in turn can be recovered for other uses. Such sludge settles in a lower part of the decanted oil accumulation apparatus 262, from which, by means of a sludge extraction pump 265, through a sludge duct 266, it is conveyed to the aforementioned collector of waste material 206, for example a bin, included in the vegetable oil extraction module 210.

It should be noted that, in further embodiments, in which oilseeds of different types are processed, to produce respective oils of different types, the materials deriving from the decantation and collected in the collector 206 can be, instead of waste, materials that can be used for other uses, such as, for example, feed, fertilizers or glycerin.

The decanted fuel oils are finally drawn from the decanted oil storage apparatus 264 by a second oil pump 267, and passed through a filtering stage, capable of filtering these decanted fuel oils (in particular, to filter the aforementioned diatomaceous earth which blocked parts of residues suspended in the oils) thus generating ready-to-use fuel oils. In the example of Figure 3, the filtering stage comprises a first press filter with cloths 268 for oils, and a second safety filter 269 for oils, placed in series.

It should be noted that, in one embodiment of the invention, the processes of transformation of vegetable oils into fuel oils, described above, result in output fuel oils having chemical-physical characteristics in accordance with the analytical parameters provided for by the UNI / TS Standards (of December 2009) referring to class A oils.

In accordance with a further embodiment, further substances can be added to said fuel oils, for example to keep these oils at a level of viscosity such as to be immediately usable, after a machine stop, when the fuel engine is started. 320.

The fuel oils ready for use, generated by the transformation module 250 of the fuel generator group 200, and available downstream of the filtering stage 268, 269, are then conveyed by means of connection 290 to the tank 310 of the main generator group. electrical energy 300, in which they are stored, as previously illustrated in Figure 1.

Referring again to Figure 3, it should be noted that the parts of the fuel generator assembly 200, described above, are mounted in the container 100 (more specifically, they can be mounted on the first wall 101 of the container 100, either directly or by means of a base) and they are connected together in an operational configuration, as illustrated above, even before transport to an installation site.

With reference to the functional aspects of the electrical energy generation system 1, previously described, a method of generation of electrical energy from vegetable materials, implemented by means of this system, will now be described.

This method comprises the steps of: supplying a fuel generator assembly 200 of the system 1 with plant materials; supplying the fuel generator assembly 200 with an activation energy, by a solar energy collector and transformer assembly 400 of the system 1; extracting vegetable oils, from said vegetable materials, by means of a module for extracting vegetable oils from vegetable materials 250 of the fuel generator assembly 200; transforming the extracted vegetable oils into fuel oils, by means of an oil transformation module 250 of the fuel generator group 200; supplying said fuel oils to a main power generation unit 300 of system 1; generating electric energy, by the main unit 300, by an electric generator 330 driven by a combustion engine 320, powered by said fuel oils.

It should be noted that this method provides for carrying out the aforementioned steps of refueling, feeding, extracting, transforming, supplying, generating while said fuel generation unit 200, main electricity generation unit 300, solar energy collector and transformer unit 400 they are connected to a support and containment structure 100 of the system 1 suitable for unitarily transporting the system 1.

In a further embodiment, the method provides that the fuel generator group 200, the main electric power generation group 300 and the collector and transformer group 400 are operationally connected to each other, as already illustrated in detail, so that the system 1 can operate in two different operating conditions, depending on whether the fuel generator set 200 is active or inactive.

The fuel generator group 200 is active when it operates to generate fuel oils, which can happen when it is powered by raw material (for example oil seeds) and at the same time has an electrical activation energy.

Therefore, in a first operating condition of operation of the system 1, in which the fuel generator assembly 200 is active, the method according to the embodiment described herein provides for the steps of: supplying a fuel generator assembly 200 with vegetable materials; powering the fuel generator group 200 with activation energy, by means of a collector and transformer group 400; extracting vegetable oils, from said vegetable materials, by means of an extraction module 250 of vegetable oils from vegetable materials of the fuel generator group 200; transform the extracted vegetable oils into fuel oils, by means of an oil transformation module 250 of the fuel generator group 200, so that, in an operating time unit, the oil transformation module 250 generates a quantity total fuel oil greater than a first quantity of fuel oil consumed, in the same unit of operating time, by a combustion engine 320 of a main power generation group 300 of system 1; supplying said total amount of fuel oils to said main power generation group 300; feeding the fuel engine 320 with said first quantity of fuel oils; storing, in said unit of operating time, as a fuel reserve, a second quantity of fuel oils equal to the difference between said total quantity of fuel oils and said first quantity of fuel oils; generating electrical energy, by the main unit 300, by an electrical generator 330 driven by the combustion engine 320, fed by said first quantity of fuel.

In a second operating condition of operation of the system 1, in which the fuel generator group 200 is deactivated, the method comprises a step of generation of electrical energy, by the main group 300, by the electric generator 330 driven by the engine combustion unit 320, fed by said fuel reserve, stored during said first operating condition of system 1.

It should be noted that, in a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the fuel oils generated by the fuel generator group 200 during the first operational phase are stored in a tank 310 of the main group 300, from which the combustion engine draws 320, both during the first and during the second operating condition of system 1.

In a further embodiment of the method, the aforementioned step of transforming the extracted vegetable oils into fuel oils comprises the steps of: transforming the extracted vegetable oils into crude fuel oils, by means of reactions in an oil reactor 260; transforming crude fuel oils into decanted fuel oils, by decanting, for example, in an oil decanting apparatus 262; transforming decanted fuel oils into fuel oils by filtration, for example in a filter stage 268, 269.

Some of the embodiments of the method described above benefit from the fact that the overall quantity of fuel, in particular of fuel oils, generated by the fuel generator group 200 according to the present invention, is typically considerably higher than the average quantity of fuel worn by the 320 engine.

In fact, when it is installed and functioning, the fuel generator unit 200 of the present invention, as already described, for example with reference to Figure 3, is typically capable of producing about 20 kg / hour of fuel oils, treating about 60 kg / hour of oil seeds.

Furthermore, the yield of the fuel oils of vegetable origin, thus produced, is such that the combustion engine 320 consumes about 8-9 kg / hour of these fuel oils to drive the electric generator 330 in order to reach the quantity of typically required energy (for example, as already mentioned, 35-40 kW).

Therefore, the â € œsecond quantity of fuelâ € of the method according to the present invention is accumulated with a speed of about 11-12 kg / hour to form the aforementioned fuel reserve, which system 1 can draw on while the fuel generator unit 200 is disabled.

On the basis of this quantitative example, it can be deduced that if the fuel generator group 200 remains active even for only about 10 hours a day (which, at the typical latitudes of the context considered here, is less than the period of daylight in each season, and therefore to the actual period of generation of activation energy by the collector and transformer group 400), it is able to produce not only the fuel to operate the electric generator 330 during this period, but also to generate a reserve of fuel such as to make the electric generator 330 operate also during the remaining 14 hours.

This means that the system described is able to guarantee a continuous operation of the main electricity generation group, and therefore to generate electricity continuously over the entire 24-hour period, thus guaranteeing, advantageously, an energy self-sufficiency to the area in which it is installed.

It should be noted that, beyond the quantitative example reported, the system can be sized to operate even in the presence of a shorter period of activity of the fuel generator set 200.

For example, if the main unit is sized to produce 24 KW of energy, the relative consumption of the 320 fuel engine is reduced to about 5-6 kg / hour; therefore, the accumulation of fuel reserve occurs at a speed of about 14-15 kg / hour, which implies that, in this case, about 8-9 hours of operation of the fuel generator group 200 are able to produce enough fuel to allow the operation of the main group 300 for the entire period of 24 hours a day.

Furthermore, in the aforementioned embodiment which involves the use of a battery pack, the activation electricity is available not only when the collector and transformer group 400 is exposed to sunlight, as possible during the day, but also subsequently, on the basis of the electricity previously loaded into the battery pack by the collector and transformer group 400, during the latterâ € ™ s period of activity.

As can be seen, the main purpose of the present invention is achieved by the previously described system for generating electricity from plant materials, by virtue of its own characteristics.

In fact, the electricity generation system of the present invention is unitarily transportable, so that it, completely assembled and remotely prepared, can be easily and quickly deployed wherever it is needed (in particular, in remote areas lacking infrastructures), using methodologies of standard transport (for example by ship and / or truck) and can be immediately operational on site, without the need for further assembly or construction.

At the same time, the electricity generation system of the present invention achieves the further aim of making the area in which it is located and installed energetically self-sufficient. In fact, this system uses only renewable raw materials available in this area, thus being totally free from the constraints and disadvantages posed by traditional fossil fuels, in terms of cost and difficulty of supply. Furthermore, the system according to the present invention is able to guarantee, as previously shown, a constant and continuous generation of electrical energy, both day and night.

To the embodiments of the system for generating electricity from plant material described above, a person skilled in the art, in order to meet contingent needs, will be able to make changes, adaptations and replacements of elements with other functionally equivalent ones, also jointly with the known art, also creating hybrid implementations, without departing from the scope of the following claims. Each of the features described as belonging to a possible embodiment can be realized independently of the other described embodiments.

Claims (16)

CLAIMS 1. Electricity generation system (1) from plant materials, comprising: - a fuel oil generation unit (200), comprising an extraction module (210) of vegetable oils from vegetable materials and a transformation module (250) of the vegetable oils extracted in said fuel oils; - a main power generation unit (300) comprising a combustion engine (320) and an electric generator (330) coupled to the combustion engine (320); - a solar energy collector and transformer group (400), for the transformation of solar energy into electrical energy (400); characterized by the fact that: - the fuel oil generation group (200) is operationally connected to the main electricity generation group (300) so as to supply said fuel oils as fuel for the combustion engine (320); - the solar energy collector and transformer group (400) is operationally connected to the fuel oil generation group (200) to supply electrical energy to activate the fuel oil generation group (200); and further characterized in that it comprises a unitarily transportable support and containment structure (100), in which said fuel oil generation unit (200), main electricity generation unit (300) and energy collector and transformer unit solar panels (400) are housed as a whole, so that the entire electricity generation system (1) is transportable as a whole. System (1) according to claim 1, wherein: - the combustion engine (320) is configured to consume a first quantity of fuel oils, in a unit of operating time; - the fuel oil generation group (200) is configured to generate, when active, in the said operating time unit, a total quantity of fuel oils greater than the said first quantity of fuel oils consumed by the combustion engine (320) in the same unit of operating time, so that a second quantity of fuel oils, generated in the unit of operating time by the fuel oil generation group (200), equal to the difference between said total quantity of fuel oils and said first quantity of fuel oils, both storable as a fuel reserve. System (1) according to claim 2, wherein the main power generation unit (300) comprises a tank (310) connected by connecting means (290) to the fuel generation unit (200), and further connected to the combustion engine (320) by means of fuel supply (350), and in which the system (1) is configured so that: - in a first operating condition in which the fuel generation unit (200) is active, the said first quantity of fuel oils is received, in the said unit of operating time, by means of the connection means (290), in the tank (310) and is supplied, by means of the fuel supply means (350), to the fuel engine (320); the said second quantity of fuel oils is received, in the said unit of operating time, by means of the connection means (290), and stored in the tank (310), to constitute the said fuel reserve; - in a second operating condition in which the fuel generation unit (200) is inactive, the fuel engine (320) is configured to draw, by means of the fuel supply means (350), from said fuel reserve , to operate even while the fuel generator (200) is inactive. System (1) according to claim 3, wherein the fuel oil generation assembly (200) is active when it receives said activation electrical energy from the solar energy collector and transformer assembly (400). System (1) according to claim 1, wherein said vegetable materials are oil seeds. System (1) according to claim 5, wherein the fuel oil generation group (200) comprises a press (203), configured to produce vegetable oils by squeezing oil seeds, a reactor (260) for the transformation of said vegetable oils into crude fuel oils, a decanting apparatus (262) for the transformation of said crude fuel oils into decanted fuel oils and a filtering stage (267, 268) for the transformation of said decanted fuel oils into fuel oils. System (1) according to claim 1, wherein said fuel engine (320) is a diesel engine configured to operate by being powered by fuel oils of vegetable origin. System (1) according to claim 1, wherein the main power generation assembly (300) comprises means for transmitting electrical power (340) to a local power distribution infrastructure. System (1) according to claim 1, wherein the solar energy collector and transformer assembly (400) comprises photovoltaic panels. System (1) according to claim 9, wherein the solar energy collector and transformer assembly (400) further comprises thermal solar panels. System (1) according to claim 1, wherein the solar energy collector and transformer assembly (400) is further operationally connected to the main electric power generation group (300) to provide an electrical energy for activating the main group (300). System (1) according to claim 1 wherein the supporting and containing structure (100) comprises a plurality of walls, so that: - in a transport configuration of the system (1), the support and containment structure (100) is completely closed, so that the entire electricity generation system (1) is contained in it and completely separated from the € ™ external environment from said plurality of walls of the support and containment structure (100); - in a working configuration of the system (1), one or more of the said plurality of walls of the support and containment structure (100) are configured to be partially and / or completely opened and / or removed, so as to allow a Exposure to sunlight of the solar energy collector and transformer group (400) and to allow the introduction of plant material, destined to feed the extraction module (210) of the fuel oil generation group (200). System (1) according to claim 12, wherein the supporting and containing structure (100) has a substantially parallelepiped shape, and said plurality of walls of the supporting and containing structure (100) comprises: - a first wall (101), intended to constitute a main support for mounting the fuel generator unit (200) and the main electricity generation unit (300); - a second wall (102), parallel and opposite to the first wall (101), intended to cover the system (1) from the top; - a third wall (103), on one side where the fuel generator unit (200) is housed; - a fourth wall (104), on one side where the main electricity generation unit is housed (300); - a fifth wall (105) and a sixth wall (106). System (1) according to claim 1 wherein the support and containment structure (100) is in accordance with a container standard used for the transport of goods by truck, train or ship. 15. Method of generating electricity from plant materials, by means of an electricity generation system (1), comprising the steps of: - refueling a fuel generator (200) of the system (1) with plant materials; - supplying the fuel generator group (200) with an activation energy, by means of a solar energy collector and transformer group (400) of the system (1); - extracting vegetable oils, from said vegetable materials, by means of a module for extracting vegetable oils from vegetable materials (250) of the fuel generator group (200); - transforming the extracted vegetable oils into fuel oils, by means of an oil transformation module (250) of the fuel generator group (200); - supplying said fuel oils to a main unit for generating electricity (300) of the system (1); - generating electric energy, by the main unit (300), by an electric generator (330) driven by a combustion engine (320), powered by said fuel oils; the method being characterized by the fact that it includes the phase of: - carry out the aforementioned steps of refueling, feeding, extracting, transforming, supplying, generating, while the said fuel generation group (200), main electricity generation group (300), solar energy collector and transformer group (400 ) are connected to a support and containment structure (100) suitable for unitarily transporting the system (1). Method according to claim 15, comprising, in a first operating condition of the system (1), the steps of: - refuel the fuel generator (200) with vegetable materials; - supplying the fuel generator group (200) with an activation energy, by the collector and transformer group (400); - extracting vegetable oils, from said vegetable materials, by means of the extraction module (250); - transform the extracted vegetable oils into fuel oils, by means of the oil transformation module (250), so that, in a unit of operating time, the oil transformation module (250) generates a total quantity of fuel oils greater than a first quantity of fuel oils consumed, in the same unit of operating time, by the combustion engine (320) of the main group (300); - supplying said total quantity of fuel oils to said main electricity generation group (300); - feeding the fuel engine (320) with said first quantity of fuel oils; - storing as a fuel reserve a second quantity of fuel oils, in said unit of operating time, equal to the difference between said total quantity of fuel oils and said first quantity of fuel oils; - generating electrical energy, by the main unit (300), by means of an electrical generator (330) driven by the combustion engine (320), powered by said first quantity of fuel; the method further comprising, in a second operating condition of the system (1) in which the fuel generator unit (200) does not receive the activation electric energy, the step of: - generating electrical energy, by the main unit (300), by the electrical generator (330) driven by the combustion engine (320), powered by the said fuel reserve, stored during the said first operating condition of the system (1) .