JP2016061184A - Power generation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a power generation system capable of efficiently generating power without applying a load to a compressor, by using compressed air manufactured by an air compressor used in a factory and the like.SOLUTION: A power generation system includes an air compressor for manufacturing compressed air, air equipment using the compressed air, an air tube for supplying the compressed air to the air equipment, a power generating portion disposed between the air compressor and the air equipment, and a first air tank disposed between the air compressor and the power generating portion. The air compressor, the first air tank, the power generating portion and the air equipment are communicated and connected through the air tube, a bypass air tube is disposed in a state of being branched from the air tube between the first air tank and the power generating portion, and joined to the air tube between the power generating portion and the air equipment, and power is generated by the power generating portion by utilizing the compressed air used in the air equipment.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a power generation system that generates electric power using compressed air produced from an air compressor used in a factory or the like.

  In factories that produce and manufacture industrial products and perform maintenance such as machine-related inspection, maintenance, and maintenance of existing products, the equipment and facilities installed there are used for water and electricity to operate them. In addition, compressed air is used. Especially in factories, an air compressor is provided in the factory in order to use compressed air.

In recent years, for the purpose of effectively using energy, a technique for generating electric power using compressed air used in a factory has attracted attention.
Patent Document 1 describes a power generator that supplies power by providing a generator in a pipeline of compressed air that is piped to a factory facility and supplied to an air cylinder or the like. In Patent Document 2, a pipe is connected to an exhaust port of a production facility where compressed air is supplied to an apparatus such as an air cylinder, and the generator is operated using the compressed air used in the facility to generate power. It describes the power generation system.

JP 2003-139039 A JP 2009-197746 A

  However, since the power generator of Patent Document 1 is directly connected to the pipeline used for the air cylinder, there is a possibility that compressed air cannot be sufficiently supplied to the air cylinder when a load is applied to the generator. In this case, a load is applied to the air compressor. The power generation system of Patent Document 2 generates power using exhaust wind pressure, but cannot efficiently generate power because the exhaust wind pressure is not constant.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and uses compressed air produced by an air compressor used in a factory or the like, and efficiently generates power without imposing a load on the air compressor. An object is to provide a power generation system capable of achieving this.

  The invention according to claim 1 is an air compressor that produces compressed air, an air device that uses the compressed air, an air tube that supplies the compressed air to the air device, and a space between the air compressor and the air device. And a first air tank provided between the air compressor and the power generation unit, and the air compressor, the first air tank, the power generation unit, and the air appliance are configured to connect the air tube. Via the air tube between the first air tank and the power generation unit, and merges with the air tube between the power generation unit and the air device. A bypass air tube for supplying the compressed air is provided to the power generation unit using the compressed air used in the air device. About the power generation system, characterized in that.

  The invention which concerns on Claim 2 is provided with the 2nd air tank provided between the said electric power generation part and the said air instrument, The said bypass air tube is the said air tube between the said 2nd air tank and the said electric power generation part, and The power generation system according to claim 1, wherein the power generation system is combined.

  The invention according to claim 3 relates to the power generation system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bypass air tube is provided with a relief valve.

  According to the present invention, an air compressor that manufactures compressed air, an air device that uses the compressed air, an air tube that supplies the compressed air to the air device, and a space between the air compressor and the air device. A power generation unit, wherein the power generation unit generates power using compressed air used in the air appliance, wherein a first air tank is provided between the air compressor and the power generation unit. Therefore, the compressed air produced by the air compressor can be stored in the first air tank, and the compressed air can be stably supplied to the air tube at a constant pressure. In the power generation system according to the present invention, an air compressor, a first air tank, a power generation unit, and an air appliance are communicated and connected via an air tube, and branch from the air tube between the first air tank and the power generation unit. And the bypass air tube which joins the air tube between an electric power generation part and an air instrument and supplies compressed air to an air instrument is provided. Therefore, even if the air device uses a lot of compressed air during power generation, the compressed air can be stably supplied from the bypass tube to the air device, and the air compressor is loaded more than necessary. There is no.

  According to the present invention, since the bypass air tube branches off from the air tube between the first air tank and the power generation unit, the compressed air can be provided to the air device more reliably and stably.

  According to the present invention, the second air tank provided between the power generation unit and the air appliance is provided, and the bypass air tube joins with the air tube between the second air tank and the power generation unit, so that it is further stable. Compressed air can be provided to the air device.

  According to the present invention, since the relief valve is provided in the bypass air tube, the compressed air can be supplied from the bypass tube to the air device according to the amount of compressed air used in the air device.

(A) is a figure which shows the electric power generation system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, (b) is an enlarged view of a branch part. It is a figure which shows other embodiment of the electric power generation system which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of embodiment of an electric power generation part. It is a figure which shows the usage example of the electric power generation system which concerns on this invention, (a) is a figure before use, (b) is a figure which shows the state after use.

  A preferred embodiment of a power generation system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a power generation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a power generation system 1 according to the present invention includes an air compressor 2 that manufactures compressed air, an air device 3 that uses compressed air, and an air tube 4 that supplies compressed air to the air device 3. , A power generation unit 5 provided between the air compressor 2 and the air appliance 3, and a first air tank 6 provided between the air compressor 2 and the power generation unit 5, from the air compressor 2 to the air appliance 3 The air tube 4 communicates and is connected.

  The air compressor 2 is a device that produces compressed air from air in the atmosphere, and is not particularly limited as long as it can produce compressed air, and devices such as a turbo compressor and a volume compressor can be used. The power generation system 1 according to the present invention can generate electricity by the power generation unit 5 using compressed air produced by the air compressor 2. In addition, the air compressor 2 may be provided with a device (drain trap or the like) for treating drain mixed with impurities such as water vapor, dust, dust, oil and rust contained in the atmosphere generated during air compression. preferable. By removing the drain, it becomes possible to supply clean compressed air, and it is possible to reduce troubles such as failure during power generation.

  The air device 3 operates using a differential pressure between atmospheric pressure and compressed air, and discharges the compressed air into the atmosphere during or after operation. Specific examples of equipment used in the factory include air cylinders, air showers, air chippers, air cutters, concrete breakers, pile drivers, root hammers, rock drills, and air pile drivers. Never happen. When the air device 3 uses the compressed air supplied from the air compressor 2, the compressed air flows through the air tube, and the compressed air is also supplied to the power generation unit 5 provided between the air compressor 2 and the air device 3. Electricity is obtained by generating electricity by flowing. At this time, the pressure of the compressed air supplied to the air device 3 is set based on the gauge pressure of the air device 3 to be used.

  The air tube 4 communicates and is connected from the air compressor 2 to the air device 3, and the compressed air produced by the air compressor 2 is supplied to the air device 3 when the compressed air flows in the air tube. The diameter of the air tube is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately changed according to the gauge pressure of the used air device 3 (air cylinder, chipper, air shower, etc.) and the supply amount of compressed air. The material of the air tube 4 is not particularly limited, and rubber, plastic, metal and the like are preferably used.

  A bypass air tube 41 is provided in the air tube 4. As shown in FIG. 1A, the bypass air tube 41 branches from the air tube 4 between the first air tank 6 and the power generation unit 5, and the air tube between the power generation unit 5 and the air device 3. 4, and compressed air is supplied to the air device 3.

  In the power generation system 1 according to the present invention, the pressure of the compressed air may decrease excessively when the power generation unit 5 generates power. In this case, compressed air having a pressure required for the air device 3 is supplied via the air tube 4. There is a risk that it will not be. Therefore, by providing the bypass air tube 41, the compressed air having a necessary pressure can be stably provided to the air device 3 via the bypass air tube 41. Further, a load is applied to the air compressor 2 to supply compressed air when using an air appliance in a factory, but the power generation system 1 according to the present invention is provided with a bypass air tube 41 to generate air when generating power. The compressor 2 is not loaded more than this time.

  In the power generation system 1 according to the present invention, the air tube 4 is preferably configured so that compressed air is preferentially supplied to the power generation unit 5. At this time, as shown in FIG. 1 (b), the bypass air tube 41 is formed so as to be substantially perpendicular to the air tube 4, becomes a substantially T-shaped path, branches from the air tube 4, and The air tube 4 is joined. Thereby, compressed air can be preferentially supplied to the power generation unit 5. At this time, the diameter of the bypass air tube 41 may be smaller than the diameter of the air tube 4 so that compressed air is preferentially supplied to the power generation unit 5.

  The bypass air tube 41 is preferably provided with a relief valve 7 which is a pressure control valve. Thereby, according to the quantity of the compressed air used for an air instrument, compressed air can be supplied to an air instrument from a bypass tube. Specifically, the relief valve 7 opens when the inlet pressure becomes higher than the set pressure value compared to the outlet pressure, or opens when the outlet pressure becomes lower than the set pressure value. It is preferable to provide it.

  For example, when the pressure in the flow path on the air compressor side (the flow path from the compressor 2 to the relief valve 7) reaches a certain value, a part of the compressed air in the flow path is discharged to the air appliance side to discharge the compressor side. The pressure in the flow path can be maintained at a constant value. At this time, the relief valve 7 is a part of the compressed air in the flow path on the air compressor side when the pressure in the flow path on the air appliance side (the flow path from the relief valve 7 to the air appliance) becomes a certain value or less. May be discharged to the air device side. As a result, the pressure in the flow path on the air device side can be kept constant, and the compressed air can be stably supplied to the air device 3. At this time, the pressure of the compressed air when the relief valve 7 discharges the compressed air to the air device side may be changed according to the gauge pressure of the air device 3 to be used, or provided in the flow path on the air device side. It may be changed according to the set pressure of the second air tank 8 to be described later.

  The first air tank 6 is a device that stores compressed air produced by the air compressor 2, and is provided between the air compressor 2 and the power generation unit 5. By providing the first air tank 6, the pulsation of the air pressure discharged from the air compressor 2 can be leveled, and a sudden pressure drop in the system can be prevented when a large amount of compressed air is consumed temporarily. As a result, the compressed air can be stably supplied to the power generation unit 5 and the air device 3. Further, the first air tank may be provided with a pressure gauge, a safety valve, a pressure switch, and the like, and the size of the first air tank 6 can be appropriately changed according to the use situation.

  The power generation system 1 according to the present invention may be provided with a second air tank 8. The 2nd air tank 8 is an apparatus for storing the compressed air which flowed through the electric power generation part 5 or the bypass tube 41, and is provided between the electric power generation part 5 and the air appliance 3, as shown in FIG. Yes. At this time, the bypass air tube 41 may be formed so as to merge with the air tube 4 between the second air tank 8 and the power generation unit 5. Thus, the compressed air is stored in the second air tank, thereby leveling the pulsation of the pressure of the compressed air. Thereby, the pressure of the compressed air supplied to the air device 3 can be kept constant, and the compressed air can be stably supplied to the air device 3. Further, the second air tank may be provided with a pressure gauge, a safety valve, a pressure switch, and the like, and the size of the second air tank can be appropriately changed according to the use situation.

  The power generation unit 5 generates power using the compressed air produced by the air compressor 2 and has an air motor 9, a transmission 10, and a generator 11 as shown in FIG. Thereby, according to the electric power generation system 1 which concerns on this invention, it becomes possible to generate electricity using the compressed air used for the air fixture 3 used in a factory, and to obtain electricity.

  The air motor 9 has a transmission mechanism (not shown) and a rotating shaft 91, and converts the power of the compressed air supplied from the air compressor 2 into rotational driving. As shown in FIG. 3, the compressed air is supplied from the inlet 9a of the air tube 4 to the transmission mechanism that transmits the force of the compressed air to the rotary shaft 91, and is discharged from the outlet 9b. Thereby, it becomes possible to convert the energy of the compressed air supplied from the air compressor 2 into a rotational force.

  The air motor 9 is not particularly limited as long as the energy of the compressed air can be converted into a rotational force, and a piston type, a valve type, or the like is preferably used.

The transmission 10 is a device that converts the rotational speed of the rotary shaft 91 of the air motor 9, and is provided between the air motor 9 and the generator 10. The transmission 10 includes a first rotating shaft 101 connected to the rotating shaft 91 of the air motor 9, a second rotating shaft 102 connected to the generator 11, and the first rotating shaft 101 and the second rotating shaft 102, respectively. The gears 101a and 102a are attached, and the gears 101a and 102a are engaged. Thereby, the transmission 10 can transmit the rotation from the air motor 9 to the generator 11.
Further, the transmission 10 is provided with a bearing (not shown) for supporting the first rotating shaft 101 and the second rotating shaft 102.

  The size and ratio of the gears 101a and 102a of the transmission 10 can be changed as appropriate according to the compressed air supply capability of the generator 11 and the air compressor 2. Furthermore, the material of the gear is not particularly limited, and metal, resin, and the like are preferably used. The transmission 10 is not particularly limited as long as the rotation of the first rotation shaft 101 and the second rotation shaft 102 can be synchronized, and a configuration in which a pulley is provided on each rotation shaft to transmit the rotation via a V-belt, A lining belt or the like may be provided.

  The generator 11 is a device that generates electricity using the rotational force transmitted from the air motor 9. Specifically, by receiving a rotational force from the second rotating shaft 102 of the transmission 10, an induced current flows through a coil provided in the generator 11, and power can be generated. This makes it possible to generate electricity using compressed air produced from the air compressor 2 and obtain electricity.

  In the power generation system according to the present invention, the scale of the generator 11 is not particularly limited, and the design can be appropriately changed according to the air discharge amount of the air compressor. For example, the generator 11 can select a small-sized, medium-sized or large-sized generator according to the compressed air supply capability (discharged air amount, output, etc.) of the air compressor 2.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a usage example of the power generation system according to the present invention. From the air compressor 2 to an air chipper 31 that is an air device, communication and connection are established via an air tube 4. The compressed air produced by the air compressor 2 is stored in a first air tank 6 provided between the air compressor 2 and the power generation unit 5. The power generation unit 5 is provided between the air compressor 2 and the air chipper 31 and forms an electric circuit with the illumination 13.

  While the operator is not using the air chipper 31, since compressed air does not flow through the air tube, power generation is not performed and lighting is not turned on (see FIG. 4A). On the other hand, the compressed air is discharged while the operator is using the air chipper 31, and the compressed air flows through the air tube. Therefore, the power generation unit 5 generates electricity to generate electricity, and the lighting is turned on (FIG. 4 ( b)). Moreover, it replaces with illumination and the electric power obtained by electric power generation at this time may be stored in a storage battery, and may be used for the installation in another factory, etc.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b), the air tube 4 bypasses the air tube 4 without passing through the power generation unit 5, and joins the air tube 4 to supply compressed air to the air device 3. An air tube 41 is provided, and the relief valve 7 is provided in the bypass air tube 41. At this time, for example, when the pressure of the first air tank 6 is set to 0.8 to 1.0 [MPa] and the pressure of the compressed air when the air chipper 31 is used is set to 0.5 [MPa], the power generation unit 5 generates power. When the pressure of the compressed air decreases and the pressure of the flow path on the air device side (the flow path from the relief valve to the air device) becomes equal to or less than the gauge pressure (0.5 [MPa]) of the air chipper 31, The relief valve 7 discharges a part of the compressed air in the flow path on the air compressor side to the air device side. Furthermore, by providing a pressure gauge 14 that measures the pressure of the compressed air in the air tube on the inlet side and the outlet side of the power generation unit 5, the operator can check the use status of the compressed air.

  Moreover, the number of the air devices 3 connected to the power generation system 1 according to the present invention is not particularly limited, and a plurality of air devices 3 may be connected. By connecting a plurality of air appliances 3 and the power generation unit 5, if even one air appliance 3 is used, the power generation unit 5 can continuously generate power, and it can be expected that the power generation efficiency is improved. In particular, there are many facilities that operate for 24 hours in factories, and it is possible to obtain a considerable amount of power generation by using the compressed air used in such facilities.

The power generation system according to the present invention is applied not only to air compressors installed in factories but also to small air compressors used in general households, thereby generating power using compressed air used in general households. It becomes possible to do. Further, the present invention can be applied to a portable air compressor used at a construction site where there is no power supply facility.
Thus, the energy of the compressed air produced from the air compressor can be used more effectively by generating power with the power generation system according to the present invention.

  The power generation system according to the present invention is suitably used for facilities that use compressed air.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Power generation system 2 Air compressor 3 Air apparatus 4 Air tube 41 Bypass air tube 5 Power generation part 6 1st air tank 7 Relief valve 8 2nd air tank

Claims (3)

An air compressor for producing compressed air;
An air device using the compressed air;
An air tube for supplying the compressed air to the air device;
A power generation unit provided between the air compressor and the air appliance;
A first air tank provided between the air compressor and the power generation unit,
The air compressor, the first air tank, the power generation unit, and the air appliance are connected and connected via the air tube,
Bypass air that branches from the air tube between the first air tank and the power generation unit, joins the air tube between the power generation unit and the air device, and supplies the compressed air to the air device A tube is provided,
A power generation system that generates power by the power generation unit using compressed air used in the air appliance. A second air tank provided between the power generation unit and the air appliance;
The power generation system according to claim 1, wherein the bypass air tube merges with the air tube between the second air tank and the power generation unit.   The power generation system according to claim 1, wherein the bypass air tube is provided with a relief valve.

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