JP2009270491A - Ocean current power generating system in english channel - 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 CO2 into electric power, such as water turbine power generation, conduit type power generation, wind power generation, photovoltaic 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 generate a large amount of electric power stably at low cost. <P>SOLUTION: The power generation system is configured to convert stable ocean current of English Channel as an enormous amount of fluid energy into electric power by utilizing the Channel Tunnel. More specifically, a plurality of tunnel spaces exclusively used for generating electric power are formed by excavation while using the facilities of the Channel Tunnel as a passage way, and power generation equipments are installed there. Turbine wheels are arranged on the ocean bed portions just above the equipments and connected to the equipments. The fluid energy of the ocean current is converted into rotational energy via the turbine wheels, thereby operating the power generation equipments. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a power generation system that converts naturally circulating energy flowing freely and free of charge into electricity through a water turbine installed in water using an existing facility called a tunnel.

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 are being carried out around the world, such as ocean thermal power generation, and are being 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 suitable for installation, but there is a drawback that the amount of power generation is small.

Regarding wind power, there are wind power generation facilities around the world, including Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Japan, and the installation of large aircraft at promising points is being promoted. 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. These include noise, radio interference, landscape effects, wild animals and birds, safety associated with high-speed rotation of large blades, and secondary disasters when facilities are destroyed by typhoons or lightning strikes. Countermeasure costs for these problems are also increasing.
In the first place, the wind is very irregular depending on the season and the weather of the day, and the wind and direction are unstable. Therefore, it can no longer be said that it is a pollution-free, safe, and efficient power generation system with respect to power generation costs.

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. It is still in the development stage.

As for tidal power generation using tides, 240 MW has already been generated in France, and a power plant is operating in the Bay of Fungi, which is the border between the US and Canada. This method creates a dam gate at the entrance of the bay, and generates electricity by rotating a reversible cylindrical water turbine with seawater that passes through the gate during tidal periods.
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.

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.

Each of the above-mentioned power generation methods using natural energy has advantages and disadvantages, and does not stably produce electricity with a large capacity at a lower cost than thermal power generation.
The present invention operates a generator by converting fluid energy, which is a flow in the English Channel, into rotational energy via a water wheel. This method is exactly the same as the method of generating electricity by converting fluid energy such as water, steam, and gas generated by hydropower, thermal power, and nuclear power into rotational energy via a turbine or turbine, and can be reliably extracted as electricity. It is.
Moreover, since it is not necessary to convert into steam or gas flow energy unlike thermal power and nuclear power generation, the effective use efficiency of energy is high.

The English Channel is shallow with a depth of 60m, and the geology is stable as if the tunnel was excavated by the shield method. Therefore, the installation of the ocean current power generation system using the English Channel tunnel is easier and cheaper than the construction using the Seikan tunnel in Japan.

Explanation of the positional relationship between the English Channel and the English Channel tunnel.
The English Channel is located between the UK and the European continent, and the currents flowing between them are very fast.
The total length of the English-French Strait tunnel is 50K500m, and the strait is 37K900m.
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 is just increasing. Both Britain and France have very high demand for electricity and are particularly harsh on environmental issues. The main cause of global warming is fossil fuel that emits CO2. The price of the fossil fuel crude oil and coal is expected to rise rapidly and continue to rise in the future. Moreover, the fossil fuel will eventually be exhausted. Searching for such clean alternative energy is an urgent task.

Many people know that the ocean has infinite energy. 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.
On the other hand, in the case of the English-French Channel, the current flow is fast, the width and direction are constant, and the flow rate is huge. 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 the English Channel 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 an unoccupied and free energy such as an ocean current, electricity can be stably supplied in large quantities at a low cost.
Moreover, although the management of the English-French Strait Tunnel is severe, such as the management company going bankrupt in 2006, in addition to the conventional transportation business, a great added value of electricity is born.

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 the English Channel tunnel, multiple power generation facilities can be installed and large-capacity power generation is possible.

In the 37K900m section of the strait, several connecting pits are excavated from the service tunnel, several power generation chambers are created, and the generator is operated by turning a water turbine installed on the seabed. The generated electricity is taken out to the ground using a service tunnel.

There is a seabed 60m below the surface of the English Channel. The draft line of a large ship is about 35m in depth, and if a power generator is installed in the sea at a depth of 40m or less that does not hinder navigation, it will not affect navigation of the ship.
At this depth, they will not be subject to natural disasters such as hurricanes and strong seasonal winds in winter.

Since the blades of the water wheel rotate at the same speed as the ocean current, there is very little impact on fish and other marine products.

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, because underwater work is expected to increase due to maintenance, etc., it is the UK and France that has the world's leading shipbuilding technology, diving technology, and diving machinery and equipment. It will be useful for other ocean development.

There are a lot of industries that need cheap and stable power.
If this plan is realized, it not only helps to prevent global warming, but also can produce cheap and clean electricity that does not require fuel costs, so it can make a significant contribution to industries that consume a large amount of electricity.

It is explanatory drawing which showed the implementation method of an ocean current power generation system.

Explanation of symbols

1 Water surface of English Channel 2 Turbine blade rotation image 3 Turbine blade 4 Image of ocean current flowing

Claims (1)

The present invention is a power generation system that attempts to convert a fast-flowing ocean current in the English-French Channel, which is a flowing natural energy, into electricity using an English-French Channel tunnel.
Specifically, several dedicated tunnel spaces for power generation will be excavated using the facilities of the English-French Strait tunnel as a passage, and power generation equipment will be installed here. A turbine is installed and connected to the bottom of the sea, which is directly above the facility, and the generator is operated by converting the flow energy of the ocean current into rotational energy with the blade of the turbine.
Usually, it is very dangerous to install power generation facilities under the seafloor, which seems to be technically difficult, costly and time-consuming. Therefore, all these problems can be cleared. This is the main idea of this system.