JP2020200824A - Tidal flow power generator - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a tidal flow power generator which can efficiently generate power, is simple in a structure, and reduced in a manufacturing cost and an installation cost.SOLUTION: A tidal flow power generator 1 is formed into a double-pipe structure having an outer cylinder 9 and an inner cylinder 10 which is arranged inside the outer cylinder 9, smaller than the outer cylinder in a diameter, and shorter than the outer cylinder in a length. Inclined face parts 17 which are expanded in diameters in horn shapes toward both end parts of the outer cylinder 9 are formed at both end parts of the inner cylinder 10 in a longitudinal direction. Water wheels 20 having screws 22 which rotate by a tidal flow are arranged in the inner cylinder 10 in series in a plurality of pieces. A power generator 25 for generating power by the rotation of the water wheels 20 is arranged in an upper space 24 between the outer cylinder 9 and the inner cylinder 10. Support bases 13 are arranged at a lower side of a clearance between the outer cl 9 and the inner cylinder 10 at prescribed intervals in the longitudinal direction, both sides in a peripheral direction are partitioned by a partitioning wall, and a ballast 15 is accommodated between both the sides.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a tidal current power generation device capable of generating electricity by utilizing tidal current energy in the sea.

In recent years, renewable energy power generation equipment has been reviewed. For example, in the "Basic Ocean Plan" formulated based on the Basic Law on the Ocean, necessary efforts and examinations are made from the viewpoint of global warming countermeasures regarding natural energy that is endowed in the area under its jurisdiction and may be a future energy source. As for the progress, the direction of the government's efforts is indicated.
With the energy of ocean currents, which are steady currents such as tidal currents, Kuroshio currents, and Oyashio currents, tidal currents can be generated by turning propellers and turbines. In addition, there are many straits near Japan, such as the Kanmon Straits and Akashi Straits, where the flow velocity is high and the tide flow reverses with time, which is suitable for tidal current power generation.

For example, the tidal current power generation device described in Patent Document 1 has a first enlarged tubular portion and a second expanded tubular portion whose volume expands toward the opening of the end on both sides of a square tubular or cylindrical space provided in the central portion, respectively. A tubular body having an enlarged tubular portion is installed in the sea. Anchors are installed on the seabed via mooring wires provided at the four corners of the tubular body. The water turbine provided in the inner central portion of the tubular body rotates in response to the tidal current flowing in the first expansion cylinder portion and the second expansion cylinder portion, so that power can be generated by the generator.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-240786

However, in the tidal current power generation device described in Patent Document 1, the tubular body is formed by attaching a corrosion-resistant steel plate to the frame of the pipe for the first enlarged tubular portion, the central portion, and the second expanded tubular portion, and the floating body on the upper portion thereof. Power generation equipment such as generators are installed. Therefore, the tubular body has a complicated shape, and it is necessary to install the power generation facility separately from the tubular body, which causes a problem that the structure is complicated and the cost is high.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a tidal current power generation device capable of efficiently generating power, having a simple structure, and reducing manufacturing cost and installation cost. And.

The tidal current power generation device according to the present invention is provided in an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder which is arranged inside the outer cylinder and whose end is tapered toward the outer cylinder, and an inner cylinder. It is characterized by being equipped with a water turbine that rotates according to the tidal current and a power generation device that generates electricity by the rotation of the water turbine.
According to the present invention, the tidal current flowing from the outer cylinder is converged at the tapered end and flows in the inner cylinder at high speed, so that the water turbine is rotated at high speed to generate electricity by the power generator, and then the tidal current. Is diffused at the tapered end of the inner cylinder and flows out of the outer cylinder.

Further, it is preferable that the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder are partitioned by a partition wall and a support base in the circumferential direction, and the ballast is stored in the space partitioned by the partition wall and the support base.
Even if the outer cylinder is cylindrical, the posture of the tidal current power generator can be maintained with ballast, and the installation height in the sea can also be adjusted.

Further, it is preferable that a plurality of water turbines are installed in the same direction or in opposite directions.
If multiple turbines are installed in the same direction, the power generation by rotation can be improved, and if multiple turbines are installed in the opposite direction, power generation by rotation of the turbines can be continued even if the direction of the tidal current changes.

Further, it is preferable that the water turbine can rotate in the inner cylinder.
If the turbine is rotatable in the inner cylinder, power generation can be continued by changing the direction of the turbine even if the direction of the tidal current changes.

The tidal current power generation device according to the present invention is provided in an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder which is arranged inside the outer cylinder and whose end is tapered toward the outer cylinder, and an inner cylinder. It is characterized in that a plurality of power generation units including a water turbine that rotates by the current of the water turbine and a power generation device that generates power by the rotation of the water turbine are connected.
By connecting and arranging a plurality of power generation units provided with an inner cylinder, a water turbine, and a power generation device inside the outer cylinder, power generation can be performed with higher efficiency and can be held in a stable posture even in the sea.

Further, the power generation device may be installed between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder.
It is not necessary to install a separate facility for storing the power generation device in a liquid-tight manner, which helps reduce the manufacturing cost.
Further, it is preferable that the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder are formed by connecting substantially arcuate plate-shaped segments in the circumferential direction and the axial direction, and the tapered end portion of the inner cylinder is formed of a steel plate.
The present invention can be formed by assembling an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder into segments, which is easy to assemble and has high durability in the sea.

In the tidal current power generation device according to the present invention, the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder are doubly arranged, and a water wheel is arranged inside the inner cylinder to generate power with the power generation device. It is easy to use and the manufacturing cost and installation cost can be reduced.

It is the schematic perspective view of the tidal current power generation apparatus by 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder. It is sectional drawing which is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder. It is sectional drawing of the tidal current power generation apparatus by 2nd Embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the tidal current power generation apparatus by 3rd Embodiment. It is a perspective view of the tidal current power generation apparatus according to 4th Embodiment. (A) and (b) are schematic diagrams showing a tidal current power generation device according to a modified example.

Hereinafter, the tidal current power generation device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
1 to 4 show a tidal current power generation device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The tidal current power generation device 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a double-tube type power generation cylinder 2 installed in the sea, an anchor 3 for mooring the power generation cylinder 2 at a predetermined position in the sea, and a power generation cylinder. It is roughly provided with a float 4 for supporting 2 in the sea. The anchor 3 is connected to the lower part of the power generation cylinder 2 via a mooring rope 6. The float 4 is connected to the upper part of the power generation cylinder 2 via a hanging rope 7 to prevent the vertical position of the power generation cylinder 2 from fluctuating. If the anchor 3 is installed, the float 4 does not have to be installed.

Next, the power generation cylinder 2 of the tidal current power generation device 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the power generation cylinder 2 includes a substantially cylindrical outer cylinder 9 and an inner cylinder 10 mounted inside the outer cylinder 9. Both the outer cylinder 9 and the inner cylinder 10 are assembled in a staggered manner in the circumferential direction and the axial direction using the RC segment 11 as a segment used for, for example, tunnel construction.
The RC segment 11 is arranged inside the concrete so that the steel portion does not corrode, and the surface is covered with the concrete. The RC segment 11 is plate-shaped and formed in an arcuate shape, and is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape by connecting a plurality of RC segments 11 in the circumferential direction and the axial direction.

The outer cylinder 9 and the inner cylinder 10 each construct a segment ring by connecting a plurality of RC segments 11 in the circumferential direction via joints, and connect the arc-shaped main girder surfaces of the RC segments 11 to each other. By connecting in a staggered manner via a joint, they are connected in the axial direction and each is formed in a tubular shape. The inner cylinder 10 has a relatively small diameter because the segment ring is constructed with a smaller number than the outer cylinder 9, and its axial length is also shorter than that of the outer cylinder 9. As the segment, a concrete segment may be adopted instead of the RC segment 11.

As shown in FIG. 2, the power generation cylinder 2 is fixed by installing a plurality of support bases 13 as substantially fan-shaped partition walls at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction below the inner center of the outer cylinder 9, and each support is provided. The bottom portion of the inner cylinder 10 is connected to the upper concave portion 13a of the base 13. In a space sandwiched between the outer cylinder 9, the inner cylinder 10, and the support base 13, both sides of the support base 13 in the circumferential direction are sealed by partition walls 14. Ballasts 15 are housed in a plurality of small spaces divided into support bases 13 in the space partitioned by the outer cylinder 9, the inner cylinder 10, and the partition wall 14.

The ballast 15 may be gravel, earth and sand, stone, concrete, iron material, or the like, or seawater, fresh water, or the like. The space of the ballast 15 partitioned by the pair of partition walls 14 is set to a width of, for example, about 1/4 yen in the circumferential direction of the bottoms of the outer cylinder 9 and the inner cylinder 10 (see FIG. 4). As a result, the ballast 15 is stored in the bottom of the outer cylinder 9 and the inner cylinder 10 in a quarter circle, so that the ballast 15 is well-balanced in the sea even if the outer cylinder 9 has a cylindrical shape, and the ballast 15 is seated on the bottom against rolling. The correct position and posture can be secured.

Further, trumpet-shaped inclined surface portions 17 whose diameters gradually increase toward the inner surfaces of both side end portions of the outer cylinder 9 are fixed to both ends of the inner cylinder 10 in the longitudinal direction (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The inclined surface portion 17 has a tapered cross-sectional view, is made of a steel plate such as a corrosion-resistant steel plate, and is manufactured in advance at a factory or the like. The inclined surface portion 17 may be fixed from the end of the inner cylinder 10 to the inside of the end of the outer cylinder 9, or may reach the end of the outer cylinder 9 and be fixed.
A plurality of, for example, two water turbines 20 are installed inside the inner cylinder 10. Each turbine 20 includes a shaft portion 21 and a plurality of screws 22 fixed to the shaft portion 21. The screw 22 is fixed to the tidal current A direction side with respect to the longitudinal direction of the shaft portion 21.

A power generation device 25 connected to each turbine 20 is installed in the upper space 24 between the inner cylinder 10 and the outer cylinder 9. The power generation device 25 can generate power by receiving the transmission of the rotation of the water turbine 20. A plurality of water turbines 20 are arranged in series in the inner cylinder 10. In the present embodiment, a plurality of water turbines 20 are arranged in series in the inner cylinder 10, and a plurality of power generation devices 25 connected to each water turbine 20 are installed in the upper space 24, so that the power generation capacity can be increased. ..

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the upper space 24 forms a liquid-tight closed space by the inner cylinder 10, the outer cylinder 9, the inclined surface portions 17 provided before and after the inner cylinder 10, and the partition walls 14 on both the left and right sides. doing. As a result, it is possible to prevent seawater from coming into contact with the power generation device 25 installed in the upper space 24 and causing an electric leakage or failure. The upper space 24 in which the power generation device 25 is installed may be set to a smaller space by liquidally partitioning both ends in the circumferential direction by a partition wall installed separately from the partition wall 14.

The tidal current power generation device 1 according to the first embodiment has the above-described configuration, and then its installation method and usage method will be described.
As the power generation cylinder 2, for example, an inner cylinder 10 having a relatively small diameter and a short length is assembled on the ground at the inner center of an outer cylinder 9 composed of RC segments 11, respectively. Therefore, first, the lower portion of the outer cylinder 9 is assembled by the RC segment 11 into an arc-shaped cross section. Next, the support bases 13 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the center of the lower portion of the outer cylinder 9, and the lower portion of the inner cylinder 10 is cross-sectioned on the RC segment 11 having a radius of curvature smaller than that of the RC segment 11 of the outer cylinder 9. Set in an arc shape. The ballast 15 is housed between the support bases 13, and both ends of the support base 13 in the circumferential direction are closed by partition walls 14.

Then, the water turbines 20 are installed at predetermined intervals in the upper portion of the inner cylinder 10, and the upper portion of the inner cylinder 10 is further assembled by the RC segment 11 to form a cylindrical shape. Next, the trumpet-shaped inclined surface portions 17 are connected to both ends of the inner cylinder 10, and the power generation device 25 is installed on the upper portion of the inner cylinder 10. Further, the upper portion of the outer cylinder 9 is assembled with the RC segment 11 to tightly seal the upper space 24.
After that, the completed power generation cylinder 2 is transported to the sea area where the required ocean current energy can be obtained by a tugboat, the mooring rope 6 is connected to the power generation cylinder 2, and the anchor 3 is placed on the seabed. Further, the float 4 is connected to the power generation cylinder 2 via the suspension rope 7 to obtain buoyancy, and the tidal current power generation device 1 is installed in the sea.

In the tidal current power generation device 1 according to the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the tidal current flows in the A direction from one opening of the outer cylinder 9 of the power generation cylinder 2 toward the other opening. The tidal current flowing in from one opening of the outer cylinder 9 is converged by passing through the trumpet-shaped inclined surface portion 17, the flow velocity is increased, and the rotation speed of the water turbine 20 is further increased in the inner cylinder 10. As a result, the power generation efficiency of the power generation device 25 can be improved. Moreover, since a plurality of water turbines 20 are arranged in series in the inner cylinder 10, the power generation efficiency and power generation output of the power generation device 25 can be improved.
The tidal current that has passed through the water turbine 20 shifts from the inner cylinder 10 to the trumpet-shaped inclined surface portion 17, so that the tidal current flows diffuse, the water pressure decreases, the flow velocity of the tidal current decreases, and the tidal current flows out from the other opening of the outer cylinder 9. Be made to. Further, in order to cope with the case where the tidal current changes in the direction of the tidal current and the tidal current flows from the opposite direction (B direction), a separate tidal current power generation device 1 is installed and the water turbine 20 is arranged in the opposite direction. It is good.

As described above, according to the tidal current power generation device 1 according to the first embodiment, the outer cylinder 9 has a simple cylindrical shape, and a trumpet-shaped inclined surface portion 17 and an inner cylinder 10 are provided inside the outer cylinder 9, and a plurality of inner cylinders 10 are provided. A water wheel 20 was installed. Therefore, the tidal current flowing from the outer cylinder 9 and flowing through the inclined surface portion 17 in the inner cylinder 10 is accelerated, and the plurality of water turbines 20 can be rotated at high speed to generate electricity, so that the power generation efficiency is high.
Moreover, the resistance of the tidal current flowing around the outer cylinder 9 is small, and the ballast 15 is stored in the lower part between the inner cylinder 10 and the outer cylinder 9, so that the correct posture can be maintained with respect to rolling. The height can be easily adjusted. Further, since the power generation device 25 of the water turbine 20 is installed in the liquid-tight upper space 24 between the outer cylinder 9 and the inner cylinder 10, it is possible to prevent electric leakage and failure.

Although the tidal current power generation device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and appropriate modifications and substitutions are made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Etc., all of which are included in the present invention. Hereinafter, other embodiments and modifications of the present invention will be described, but the description will be omitted by using the same reference numerals for the same or similar parts and members as those in the above-described embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows the tidal current power generation device 1A according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
In the power generation cylinder 2 of the tidal current power generation device 1A shown in FIG. 5, the tidal current is switched between a tidal current flowing in the A direction flowing from the left side and a tidal current flowing in the B direction flowing from the right side with respect to the outer cylinder 9. In the second embodiment, both current flows can be dealt with. In the tidal current power generation device 1A, a plurality of, for example, two turbines 20 installed in the inner cylinder 10 are the first turbine 20A and the second turbine 20B, and the screws 22 are installed in opposite directions with respect to the longitudinal direction of the shaft portion 21. Has been done.
That is, in FIG. 5, the first turbine 20A installed on the left side in the inner cylinder 10 has a screw 22 installed on the left side of the shaft portion 21 and the second turbine installed on the right side so as to correspond to the tidal current in the A direction. In 20B, a screw 22 is installed on the right side of the shaft portion 21 so as to correspond to the tidal current in the B direction.

According to the tidal current power generation device 1A according to the second embodiment, when the tidal current in the A direction flows into the outer cylinder 9 of the power generation cylinder 2, it is focused by passing through the trumpet-shaped inclined surface portion 17 to increase the flow velocity. It is allowed to flow into the inner cylinder 10. Then, the screw is rotated at high speed by the first water turbine 20A installed on the left side facing the A direction, and the power generation device 25A efficiently generates power. The tidal current that has passed through the first turbine 20A passes through the second turbine 20B, is diffused from the inner cylinder 10 to the inclined surface portion 17, and flows out from the opening of the outer cylinder 9.

Similarly, when the tidal current is switched from the tidal current in the A direction to the tidal current in the B direction, when the tidal current in the B direction flows into the outer cylinder 9, it is collected by the trumpet-shaped inclined surface portion 17 to increase the flow velocity in the inner cylinder 10. Inflow to. Then, the screw is rotated at high speed by the second turbine 20B facing the B direction, and the power generation device 25B efficiently generates electricity. The tidal current passes from the second turbine 20B through the first turbine 20A, is diffused from the inner cylinder 10 to the inclined surface portion 17, the flow velocity is reduced, and the tidal current flows out from the opening of the outer cylinder 9. Therefore, even if the direction of the tidal current is switched, the tidal current power generation device 1A can efficiently generate power.

Next, the tidal current power generation device 1B according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the tidal current power generation device 1B according to the present embodiment, a plurality of, for example, two water turbines 20 are installed in series in the inner cylinder 10 of the power generation cylinder 2. A screw 22 is fixed to the shaft portion 21 of these water turbines 20, and a power generation device 25 is installed in the upper space 24 between the inner cylinder 10 and the outer cylinder 9. The shaft portion 21 of each turbine 20 is rotatably connected by a swivel shaft 28 installed in the vertical direction of the inner cylinder 10. Moreover, one end of the swivel shaft 28 is connected to the drive motor M installed in the upper space 24, and the swivel shaft 28 can rotate the water turbine 20 in the forward and reverse directions.

Therefore, under the control of the drive motor M, when the direction of the tidal current flowing from the outer cylinder 9 to the inner cylinder 10 is the A direction, the turning shaft 28 rotates the screw 22 of the water turbine 20 so as to face the A direction side. When the direction of the tidal current is in the B direction, the turning shaft 28 rotates the screw 22 of the water turbine 20 so that it faces the B direction. As a result, even if the tidal current is switched between the A direction and the B direction, the turbine 20 can be associated with each other to generate electricity efficiently.

Next, the tidal current power generation device 1C according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
The tidal current power generation device 1C according to the fourth embodiment is formed by connecting a plurality of (three in the figure) tidal current power generation devices 1, 1A, and 1B according to any one of the above-described embodiments in parallel. In this case, for example, assuming that three power generation cylinders 2 of the tidal current power generation device 1 are connected, the tangential portions of the adjacent outer cylinders 9 may be connected from the inner surface with bolts 29 and nuts 30 or the like. Alternatively, the outer peripheral surfaces of the three outer cylinders 9 may be connected by surrounding them with a frame 31, a steel material, a wire material, or the like.
According to the tidal current power generation device 1 according to the present embodiment, since a plurality of power generation cylinders 2 are connected in parallel, the posture in the sea is more stable and the power generation efficiency by the water turbine 20 is further improved.

Further, as a modification of the tidal current power generation device 1C according to the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8A, even if three power generation cylinders 2 are arranged so as to form a substantially triangular shape and connected to each other. Good. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 8B, three or more power generation cylinders 2 may be brought into contact with each other so as to form a quadrangle or another polygon. In this case, at least two or more of the power generation cylinders 2 are arranged in parallel.
In each of the above-described embodiments, a plurality of water turbines 20 are arranged in the inner cylinder 10, but it goes without saying that one turbine may be used.
The power generation cylinder 2 of each tidal current power generation device 1 to 1C can be assembled not only at a factory or a dog but also at a construction site at sea and submerged in the sea. Further, the power generation cylinder 2 is included in the power generation unit.

1 Tidal current power generation device 2 Power generation cylinder 3 Anchor 9 Outer cylinder 10 Inner cylinder 13 Support stand 14 Partition wall 15 Ballast 17 Inclined surface 20 Water turbine 20A First water turbine 20B Second water turbine 21 Shaft 22 Screw 24 Upper space 25 Power generation device 28 Swivel shaft M drive motor

Claims (7)

With the outer cylinder
An inner cylinder that is arranged inside the outer cylinder and whose end is tapered toward the outer cylinder.
A water turbine provided in the inner cylinder and rotating by the tidal current,
A tidal current power generation device including a power generation device that generates power by rotating a water turbine. The tidal current according to claim 1, wherein the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder are partitioned by a partition wall in the circumferential direction and a support base, and the ballast is stored in the space partitioned by the partition wall and the support base. Power generator. The tidal current power generation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of the water turbines are installed in the same direction or in opposite directions. The tidal current power generation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the water turbine is rotatable in the inner cylinder. With the outer cylinder
An inner cylinder that is arranged inside the outer cylinder and whose end is tapered toward the outer cylinder.
A water turbine provided in the inner cylinder and rotating by the tidal current,
A power generation device that generates electricity by rotating the water turbine,
A tidal current power generation device characterized in that a plurality of power generation units equipped with the above are connected in parallel. The tidal current power generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the power generation device is installed between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder. The outer cylinder and the inner cylinder are formed by connecting arcuate plate-shaped segments in the circumferential direction and the axial direction, and the tapered end portion of the inner cylinder is formed of a steel plate. The tidal current power generation device according to any one of the above items.

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