JP2009264119A - Ocean current power generation system dedicated to future of our dear earth and children - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem such that a technique for converting clean natural energy with a small amount of discharge of CO<SB>2</SB>into electric power, such as water turbine power generation, conduit type power generation, wind power generation, photovoltaic power generation, solar heat power generation, wave activated power generation, tidal power generation, geothermal power generation, ocean thermal energy conversion power generation or the like, has drawback and advantage today when global warming is an actual threat and cannot stably generate a large amount of electric power at low cost. <P>SOLUTION: The ocean current power generation system is configured to convert stable ocean current of Tsugaru Channel as an enormous amount of fluid energy into electric power by utilizing the working gateway of Seikan Tunnel. More specifically, a plurality of tunnel spaces exclusively used for generating electric power are formed by excavation while utilizing the working gateway as a passage way and power generation equipments are installed there. Water turbines are arranged at the ocean bed portions just above the equipments and connected to the equipments. The energy of the ocean current is converted into rotational energy via the water turbines, thereby generating electric power. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention uses an existing facility called a tunnel, which is free of infinite and free flowing ocean current energy that is naturally circulated.
It relates to a power generation system that converts to

Technologies that convert natural energy into electricity include turbine power generation using river flows, hydroelectric power generation, wind power generation, solar power generation, solar thermal power generation, wave power generation, tidal power generation using tidal currents, geothermal power generation, Experiments such as ocean thermal power generation have been conducted all over the world, and have already been put into practical use.

However, water turbine power generation and water channel power generation using river flow can be constructed at low cost, and there are many places in Japan that are relatively suitable for installation, but there is a drawback that the amount of power generation is small.

In terms of wind power, power generation is actively performed in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and many other countries. In Japan, there are many wind power generation facilities nationwide, and the installation of large-scale machines at promising points has been promoted due to the Sunshine project of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. Computer-controlled variable pitch blades are also being developed, and the amount of power generation is increasing year by year. However, wind power generation, which should be clean energy, is causing another pollution as the size increases. Noise, radio interference, landscape effects, wild animals and birds, safety associated with high-speed rotation of large blades,
Secondary disasters when facilities are destroyed by typhoons or lightning strikes. In the first place, in the case of our country, there is a term called seasonal wind.
It is very irregular depending on the weather of the day, and the wind force and direction are unstable. Therefore, it is no longer a pollution-free, safe and inexpensive power generation method.

Regarding photovoltaic power generation, the light energy conversion efficiency of the solar cell panel is as low as about 5%, and the silicon used for the panel is also expensive, so it is not cost-effective.
A large amount of new resources and costs will be consumed to produce the panels. In addition, there is a need to update the panel due to deterioration and wrinkles.
In addition, the light reception time and the number of days vary greatly depending on the region, and there are many problems because there are fateful problems such as snow, rain and day and night.

Regarding solar thermal power generation, solar heat is collected by a heat collector, steam is generated, and a steam turbine is rotated to generate electricity. For practical use, expensive capital investment is expected, and there is a fatal problem of how to deal with the same snowfall, rain, and day and night as solar power generation.

With regard to wave power generation, a method of generating electric power by compressing an up-and-down motion of a wave and a swaying motion such as a wave with an air pump and turning an air turbine.
If 1/4 of the wave energy hitting the UK's land of 2300km can be used, half of the UK's total electricity consumption can be covered by wave power generation.
However, wave energy is extremely unstable, and there are many unknown aspects such as technological development and development costs for power converters and durability against wave breaking force. In Japan, the experiment is in operation off the coast of Yamagata Prefecture, but it is still in the development stage.

Regarding tidal power generation using tides, power generation has already been carried out in the Bay of Fungi, which is the border between France, the US and Canada. A dam is created at the entrance of the bay and dammed at the sluice gate at high tide, and the water turbine is turned off at low tide and the water turbine is turned.
Therefore, it is necessary to make a dam, and the suitable land where the difference in tidal range is large is limited.
In addition, there are drawbacks, such as the time when electricity can be generated by tidal power and the demand pattern of electricity do not match.

For geothermal power generation, a well of about 300m to 2000m is dug, steam from 100 ° C to 200 ° C is taken out from the underground, and is led to a turbine to generate power.
Many impurities in the vapor adhere to the well and must be removed frequently. In contrast to artificially generated steam, the steam pressure and temperature are low and thermal efficiency is inferior, so the power generation of a single machine is small. However, although the construction unit cost is high, there are advantages such as no fuel costs and simple equipment configuration.

Regarding ocean thermal power generation, it uses the temperature difference between hot water (20 ° C to 30 ° C) on the surface of the ocean and deep cold water (4 ° C to 7 ° C), and heats low boiling point media such as ammonia and chlorofluorocarbon in warm seawater. Then, it is vaporized and the steam is used to generate electricity. The used steam is cooled with cold water and circulated. It is still experimental.

However, each of the above-described power generation methods using natural energy has advantages and disadvantages, and does not stably generate large-capacity electricity that is cheaper than thermal power generation.
The present invention generates power by converting fluid energy, which is a flow in the Tsugaru Strait, into rotational energy via a water turbine. This method is exactly the same as the method of generating power by converting the flow energy of water and steam generated by hydropower, thermal power, and nuclear power into rotational energy via a turbine, and can be reliably taken out as electricity.

Naturally, the proposed system that generates power by combining the rapid current and existing facilities can also be applied to the Dover Channel in the UK and France. Rather, the water depth is as shallow as 60m.
Because of the stable geology, the power generation system using the Dover tunnel seems to be easier to construct.
In addition, the demand for electricity in Britain and France is very high and environmental issues are severe, so they are craving for clean and inexpensive electricity.
I don't know when both countries notice this tunnel-based ocean current power generation system and apply for an international patent.
Before they decided, I decided I had to hurry to acquire it in Japan.

Explanation of the positional relationship between the Tsugaru Strait and the Seikan Tunnel.
The total length of Seikan Tunnel is 53K850m, Honshu side 13K550m, Strait 23K300m, Hokkaido side 17Km.
The seabed is 140m below the surface of the Tsugaru Strait, and the Seikan Tunnel is just 100m below it, and the train is running.
In the 23K300m section of the strait, a plurality of connecting pits are excavated from the work pit, several power generation chambers are created, and a generator is installed to generate electricity.
The electricity generated is taken to the ground using a working mine and a cable or other unused pit.
Makoto Katsurai, “Handy Book Electric” Ohmsha Ryohei Murata “The Sea Determines the Future of Japan” Naruyamado Shoten Ryuzo Asbestos “Hydrodynamics” Natsume Ishi Ushiyama “Introduction to Refreshing Energy Windmill” Sanseido

The demand for electricity only increases year by year. In Japan, about 60% of the energy required for power generation is fossil fuel that emits CO2, which is thought to cause global warming. 80% of the raw materials are imported. Crude oil soars and is expected to continue to rise in the future. Moreover, fossil fuels will eventually be exhausted. Searching for alternative energy is an urgent task.

Many people know that enormous energy is hidden in the sea. In fact, he is working on wave power generation, tidal power generation, and ocean temperature difference power generation.
However, all methods have weaknesses, and inexpensive mass production of electricity has not been realized.
There is a large tidal current in the sea near Japan, but the direction, width, and flow rate are not stable, and it is hardly used as energy.
On the other hand, in the Tsugaru Strait, the width is constant and the flow velocity, flow rate and direction are almost stable. However, the issue was how to extract the energy of this flow in any way.
Usually, it is difficult to think of installing power generation facilities under the seabed.
This is very dangerous and requires technical difficulties and enormous costs and construction.
Therefore, the inventor focused on Seikan Tunnel.
The present invention uses the existing equipment to convert the flow energy possessed by the ocean current into rotational energy via a water turbine installed on the seabed, and to generate power, and to solve the problem. Is.

  Since the present invention uses unused and free energy called ocean currents, a large amount of electricity can be stably supplied at low cost.

If the blades and other structures of the turbine wheel are hollowed out and the buoyancy in the sea is used, an ultra-large rotating device can be installed, and attachment / detachment and transfer accompanying maintenance are easy.
For changes in current speed such as summer / winter and tides, the combination of rotating gears can be automated by computer control, and the number of rotations can be controlled while increasing or decreasing the speed.
Considering the length of Seikan Tunnel, multiple power generation facilities can be installed, and large-capacity power generation can be performed.

The electricity generated is delivered to the ground using a working pit and cable pit or other unused pit.

Because it is installed in the sea below 50 meters, it does not affect the navigation of the ship and does not suffer from natural disasters such as typhoons. The only problem is strengthening earthquake resistance.

Since it rotates at the same speed as the ocean current, it has little effect on fish and other animals and plants.

Since the power generation facilities are underwater and under the seafloor, there is no impact on noise and scenery, and humans cannot easily approach them and do not pose any danger to the surroundings.
On the other hand, it is expected that work in the water will increase due to maintenance, etc., so development and improvement of new diving technology, diving vessels, diving machinery and equipment have progressed,
It is considered useful for another ocean development.

There are a lot of industries that need cheap and stable power.
If this plan is realized, it will not only help prevent global warming, but it can produce cheap and clean electricity that does not require fuel costs, so industries that rely on fossil fuels may also change.
If the survey is conducted, I think that there is still an area suitable for the installation of the ocean current power generation system.
For example, the exit side of Seikan Tunnel.
For this reason, if there is a suitable place in other countries, Japan can lead the world and provide technical guidance and provision of ocean current power generation systems.

It is a figure explaining the implementation method of an ocean current power generation system.

Explanation of symbols

1 Tsugaru Strait Water Surface 2 Turbine Blade Rotation Image 3 Turbine Blade 4 Ocean Current Flow Image

Claims (1)

In the Sea of Japan, the Yamato Basin and the ocean currents that have slowly submerged in the Japan Basin are circulating due to changes in temperature and salinity.
The current that has flowed up is swept away by the Tsushima Current that flows northward, and is pulled up by the Oyashio Current that moves southward while rising to the narrow topography behind the horse in the Tsugaru Strait. It is also accelerated by the Pacific tide, which has a greater tide difference than the Sea of Japan.
This is the origin of the early flow of the Tsugaru Strait, which is called the “Shippai River”.
The flow rate is said to be 10 knots at the fastest, and even a large ship of tens of thousands of tons can be easily washed away and stranded if it becomes impossible to navigate due to engine trouble.
These are permanent flows created by the submarine structure of the Sea of Japan and the topography and tidal currents of the Tsugaru Strait, so they are stable in summer and winter.
The idea is a power generation system that attempts to convert this stable, unused, massive flow of natural energy into electricity using the working tunnel of the Seikan Tunnel.
Specifically, several working tunnels for power generation are excavated using the working mine as a passage, and power generation facilities are installed here. A water turbine is installed and connected to the sea floor part directly above this facility, and the flow energy of the ocean current is converted into rotational energy by the blades of the water turbine to generate electricity.
Usually, it is very dangerous to install power generation facilities under the sea floor, and it seems that technical difficulties, cost and construction time will be enormous. However, the existing Seikan Tunnel that has been operating safely for over 20 years will be installed. All these problems can be cleared for use. This is the main idea of this system.