JP3530871B2 - Hydro, wave and wind energy converters - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention belongs to the technical field of a wind-and-wave energy conversion device for converting into energy such as electric power by utilizing water flow, wave force, and wind force on the surface of water or underwater.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, power generation using wave power or wind power has been attracting attention as an environmentally friendly energy using natural energy and is being developed. Conventionally, various inventions have been proposed for wind power generation, and converting strong building wind around a high-rise building into power generation energy is disclosed in JP-A-8-200204, JP-A-8-128384, and JP-A-4 -3031
The technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-200204 has been proposed as No. 81 gazette and the like, and a power generator using a propeller-type wind turbine is controlled to move efficiently on a rail provided on the side surface of the building. Often used for energy conversion.
The one disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 128384 is also a power generation device using a propeller-type wind turbine in the middle of the wind passage, in which a wind guide passage is fixed on the roof of a high-rise building, and disclosed in the above-mentioned JP-A-4-303181. The disclosed technology is to install a wind turbine generator having a wind receiving part having a semi-cylindrical recess in a high-rise building. Furthermore, the present inventors have already proposed a robust wind energy conversion device having a simple structure as Japanese Patent Application No. 11-337189.

Although various inventions have been proposed for wave power generation, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-1407 / 1995 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-224750 have been proposed to utilize the energy that a wave on the sea surface moves up and down at a certain position. Japanese Patent No. 2526391 proposes that not only the energy that the sea surface moves up and down at a fixed position due to waves but also the temperature difference is converted into energy. Furthermore, an invention in which a propeller-type water turbine is rotated by a stream of water in a river or a tidal stream to convert energy is also proposed in JP-A-5-339927.

[0004]

By the way, although conventional wind power generation has been put into practical use, wave power generation is practically used as much as wind power generation in Japan, which is surrounded by a vast sea. The reality is not.
The reason is that the energy conversion value due to the vertical movement of the sea surface is small with respect to the manufacturing cost of the device. Further, the device utilizing the water flow of the river as proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-339927 has a limited use area, and the use of the tidal current causes the amount of energy to be a manufacturing cost of the device. The problem was that it was small. A propeller-type water turbine cannot efficiently convert energy unless the diameter is increased, so it does not rotate unless the flow is fast, and it is not suitable for use on the sea or in rivers. As a turbine type, a horizontal turbine with a blade extending in the lateral direction is also conceivable. However, since only the lower radius portion of the turbine can be used, efficient energy conversion requires that the turning radius of the turbine be increased and the propeller is There was a problem that it is not suitable for use on the sea or in a river as with the model water turbine. Further, since the wave energy has a low conversion efficiency, the energy conversion device has to be used in a large area, resulting in a high equipment cost and a large energy fluctuation, which makes it difficult to use.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is the flow of water (seawater) on the water surface or in water,
A device that efficiently converts waves and wind on the sea into energy such as electric power, has a robust structure and has a lower equipment cost, and efficiently converts hydropower, wave power and wind power on the surface of water or underwater. It is to provide a device for converting into energy.

[0006]

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 is a structure which floats on a water surface and whose buoyancy can be adjusted by a foundation float of a predetermined water depth. Of the seawater before and after the seawater is generated in front of the wave traveling direction of the wave returning member by providing a wave returning member in front of the wave traveling direction of the The wave energy conversion device is provided with a water turbine that rotates according to the flow of water, and obtains energy by rotating the water turbine.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a second aspect of the present invention is provided.
According to the invention described above, in a structure levitating on a water surface whose buoyancy can be adjusted by a base levitation body of a predetermined water depth, a wave counter member is provided in front of the wave traveling direction of the structure, and a wave collides with the wave counter member. A water wheel that causes a forward flow and a backward flow by the water surface and that rotates by the forward and backward flow in front of the wave traveling direction of the wave return member is provided, and energy is obtained by the rotation of the water wheel, and the structure A wind force and wind energy conversion device, in which a wind direction member that rotates in accordance with the wind direction on the water surface is disposed in the upper portion, and a wind turbine is provided in the wind direction member, and energy is obtained by rotation of the wind turbine.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A preferred embodiment of the wave power and wind energy conversion system of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. First, when explaining the energy of waves, because the energy of waves on the ocean is swells and waves, the seawater on the sea surface only moves up and down at a fixed position. The energy conversion device that operates has low energy conversion efficiency. However, near the quay, the incoming waves collide with the quay on the sea surface and become a dragging wave, resulting in a large circulating tidal current.
It creates a flow that moves to the left and right. Therefore, the present inventors artificially provided a structure corresponding to the quay to artificially create a rippling wave and a pulling wave, and the front and rear (left and right) of seawater.
If you rotate or rotate the water wheel to the left or right according to the flow
The present invention has been accomplished by discovering that wave energy can be efficiently converted into energy for power generation and the like. That is, a corrugating member is provided as a structure corresponding to a quay, and the corrugating member creates a reciprocating back-and-forth flow and a recirculating flow in the vicinity, while the structure enables buoyancy adjustment by a basic levitation body of a predetermined water depth. Since it floats on the surface of the water, it follows large seawater movements such as ebb and flow of the tide, but it does not follow small seawater movements such as waves and it behaves like a fixed structure. This point is different from the behavior of ships and the like, and it has been found that efficient wave energy conversion can be performed by rotating a water turbine arranged in this structure. In addition, we found that the energy of wave power varies greatly depending on the weather, but if we focus on offshore wind power and use it together, we can further equalize the energy output.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. [Example 1] (1) Wave energy conversion part of Example 1 Fig. 1 is a side view of the entire and used state of this Example,
FIG. 2 is a plan view from above of a cross section of the structure of FIG. In Fig. 1, the wave condition near the quay A on the coast repeats the process in which the incoming wave B hits the quay A and reverses to become the outgoing wave C, and near the quay A on the shore changes from the offshore to the incoming wave B1. , And becomes a wave C to form a large circulating flow. In the present embodiment, a floating structure 1 that does not move up and down due to swells and waves that fluctuate in a short period on the sea, but follows up and down fluctuations of the tidal that changes daily.
The structure 1 is provided with a corrugating member corresponding to the quay A. However, this circulating flow occurs only in the vicinity of the structure 1, but no circulating flow occurs in the offshore region, and the sea surface is only moving up and down.

First, the structure 1 is constituted by a pair of foundation levitation bodies 2 so as to float while maintaining a constant height above the sea surface. The foundation levitation bodies 2 are provided with a plurality of buoyancy adjusting partitions 21. , A plurality of buoyancy adjustment chambers 22 are configured in the horizontal direction. A seawater inlet / outlet port 23 is provided on the bottom surface of each buoyancy adjusting chamber 22, and a compressed air supply port 24 is provided on the upper surface thereof.From the compressor (not shown), a distribution valve 241 and a compressed air pipe are provided in the compressed air supply port 24. Controlled compressed air is supplied via 242. And the rear end of each foundation float 2
Since the rope 251 was attached to each side of the 25, the other end of the rope 251 was fixed to an appropriate place on the seabed with anchors (not shown), etc., and the amount of seawater in each buoyancy adjusting chamber 23 was adjusted to adjust the foundation float. The posture of No. 2 can be maintained almost horizontal at a water depth of 3 to 5 m, which is about three times the wave height. In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, as a stabilizing member 26 for stabilizing when the foundation levitation body 2 is subjected to transverse waves and when the structure 1 is subjected to lateral wind, wing-like stability is provided on both sides. Board 261
A connecting stabilizer 262 is provided so as to connect the two foundation floats 2. A base frame 27 is provided on the upper surface of the base levitation body 2 for arranging a generator, which is an energy conversion device, and a pair of small platforms is located at a position slightly lower than the sea surface of the base frame 27.
271 is provided, and a pair of overhanging platforms 273 is disposed on the side surface at the position of the front end 272.
The wave energy conversion member 3 is provided on one side of the.

The wave energy converter 3 has a first
A horizontal water turbine 31 is provided as a component of the above. Horizontal turbine
31 is provided with a plurality of blades 32 so as to be orthogonal to the waves,
A driven generator 34 is connected to a shaft 33 of the horizontal water turbine 31, and the horizontal water turbine 31 is located in front of the traveling direction of the waves of the horizontal water turbine 31.
Horizontal turbine to cover the 1/4 circumference of the horizontal upper part of
A wave return plate 41 that also serves as a sea water guide plate that is the first wave return member 4 is fixedly provided over the entire width of 31, and the water wave and the incoming wave B2 are changed to a wave C2 that flows under the sea surface and the water turbine 3 Is rotated in the rotation direction D. Although the second wave returning member 5 is provided in front of the wave traveling direction of the first wave returning member 4, the oscillating plate 51 of the large second wave returning member 5 is provided on the overhanging platform 272. Freely swings up and down following the wave motion at the tip 273
(The two-dot chain line), the rocking plate 51 is attached to the tip of the rocking plate 51.
Is provided with a pair of arm members 52 extending from the rocking plate 51, and a large corrugating plate 53 having a large area of a semicircle having a substantially large semicircle and having a gap G with the rocking plate 51 is provided. Is provided with a float 54 so that almost half of the wave return plate 53 floats. When the wave B3 collides with the wave return member, a front-back flow is generated in the horizontal direction. The seawater is diverted from the gap G to the lower side, and a wave C3 is generated below the oscillating plate 51.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the wave energy conversion unit 3 has a small platform as a second structure.
Four vertical turbines 35 are installed on the left and right of 271. The vertical water turbine 35 is provided with a plurality of vane plates 352 perpendicular to the rotary shaft 351 of the vertical axis, and guide plates 36 are provided at the front and back so as to cover half of the vertical water turbine 35. It is arranged so as to rotate left and right with respect to the flow, and the left and right rotation of each vertical water turbine 35 (in this embodiment, the driving force for one-way rotation).
A generator 353 is connected to convert the electric power into electric energy. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, which is a front view of the structure of FIG. 2 as a negative cross section, the sea surface of each vertical water turbine 35 is the same as that of the structure 1 fixed to the seabed. Since it is in such a state, the state B4 of the gathering wave and the state C4 of the pulling wave
The vertical water turbine 35 repeats the rotating state and the pause state according to the flow.

[Operation] Since the wave energy conversion portion of the present embodiment has the above-mentioned structure, the rope 251 attached to the rear end portion 25 of the structure 1 by waves and ridges from the offshore.
Moored in, structure 1 was washed away by the waves and naturally framed 27
The front end 271 of the is located behind the wave progression and remains at a substantially constant position. Although the foundation float 2 of this embodiment is located at a water depth of about 3 m, this is because, depending on the height of the waves, seawater does not move up and down and is stable at this depth. Therefore, it follows large seawater movements such as ebb and flow of tides, but it does not follow vertical movements of small seawater such as waves and movements of coming and going waves and pulling waves, and it behaves like a fixed structure. The posture is kept horizontal at a constant height by the buoyancy adjusting mechanism of the levitation body 2. Then, a part of the waves and swells from the offshore is caused by the first corrugated plate 41 and the large second corrugated plate 53, and the seawater is transferred to the upper surface of the stabilizing member 262 of the structure 1 (B1, B2, B3, B4), and these corrugated members (4,
5) and flipped over the bottom surface of the stabilizer 262, and
2, C3, C4). Therefore, in the four vertical turbines 35, only the high-level wave drives the waterwheel, and the low-level wave retracts the lower side of the waterwheel. No
Therefore, the energy is converted by the well-known generator or the like connected to the vertical water turbine 35 by positively rotating in one direction.

However, depending on the size of the wave, the structure 1
On the upper surface of the stabilizing member 262 of the case where seawater is reciprocated by reverse waves (B1, B2, B3, B4) and reverse waves (C1, C2, C3, C4) by reversing members (4,5) There are also, but in this case as well, four vertical turbines
35 is forwardly rotated (or reversely rotated) by a gathering wave and reversely rotated (or normally rotated) by a drawn wave, but it is needless to say that energy can be converted also by this rotational driving force if only one of them is rotated. Further, in the horizontal water turbine 3, the gathering wave proceeds so as to cover the upper surface of the overhanging platform 272, and the upper half blade 31 is normally rotated in the direction of the arrow D. In cooperation with the wave-reflecting plate 41 that also serves to guide the seawater so that it does not hit the seawater, the lower half blades 31 are likewise rotated forward in the direction of arrow D, and as a result, the horizontal turbine 3 is in one direction. The energy is converted by a known generator or the like so as to generate only the positive rotation of. Further, in front of the traveling direction of the wave of the structure 1, the large wave return plate 52 having a large surface following the vertical movement of the sea surface efficiently causes a large amount of seawater to generate a pulling wave and a pulling wave, and the vicinity of the water turbine. By increasing the amount of seawater of the coming wave and the coming wave to increase the rotational force of the water turbine 3, the wave energy can be efficiently converted by the generator.

(2) Wind Energy Conversion Part of Example 1 The ceiling of the structure 1 in FIG. 1 is, as shown in FIG. 4 (plan view of the sea part of the structure), the upper platform 28,
A wind energy converter 6 is provided. Here, on the sea, the traveling direction of waves and swells does not always coincide with the wind direction, and the horizontal windmill 62 having the wide blades 61 of the wind energy conversion device 6 has a wind direction different from that of the structure 1. Therefore, it is necessary to efficiently change the direction of the horizontal wind turbine 62. Therefore, a wind turbine substrate 63 is provided on the upper platform 28 via a rotating member 65 so as to be rotated by the direction blades 64, and the blade plate 61 of the horizontal wind turbine 62 is forward in the lower half so as to receive wind pressure in the upper half. The wind guide plate 66 and the wind guide plate 67 are provided in the rear of the horizontal wind turbine 62, and the upper half of the horizontal wind turbine 62 is provided with a plurality of blade plates 61 so as to be curved slightly toward the wind direction extending in the horizontal direction. Although the plurality of blades 61 are slightly curved in this embodiment, they may be flat plates having a straight cross section. And
In the case of strong wind, set the angle of the wind guide plate 66
It is increased by 68 so that the wind pressure is weakened so as to cover the lower half of the horizontal wind turbine 62 and a part of the upper half so that the blades 61 of the horizontal wind turbine 62 are not damaged. Is connected to a generator 68 so that wind power offshore can be efficiently extracted by the generator 67. Further, in the first embodiment, conversion energy for power generation or the like can be obtained if there is either wave or wind, and the energy output can be leveled by using wave power and wind power in combination.

[Embodiment 2] Next, an embodiment of a hydraulic energy conversion device for converting energy to tidal currents such as the Kuroshio, tidal currents in the morning and evening, and unidirectional flows of rivers will be described with reference to FIG. Follow along. That is, in a structure that floats on the surface of the water whose buoyancy can be adjusted by the basic levitation body 2 with a predetermined water depth, while mooring the structure with a rope (251) so as to control the attitude according to the flow direction, The vertical type water turbine 35 having the plurality of blade vanes 352 extending is arranged, but the device of the second embodiment is, as shown in FIG. 5, the first and the second of the above-described first embodiment. This is an apparatus excluding the wave-returning member, the horizontal water turbine 31, and members associated therewith, and since the names of the members are the same, the description of the configuration will be omitted. [Operation] The hydraulic energy conversion portion of the second embodiment is the structure 1
Moored with a rope 251 attached to the rear end 25 of
The structure 1 is naturally swept away by the tidal current and the front end 272 of the foundation frame 27 is naturally formed.
Is located behind the tidal current and stays at a substantially constant position.
The water level for the vertical turbine 35 of the second embodiment is adjusted by adjusting the buoyancy adjusting mechanism such as the buoyancy adjusting chamber 22 of the foundation levitation body 2 so that the water level is slightly lowered as compared with the first embodiment. Most of 352 exists in the sea below the sea level B5, and the flow of seawater is efficiently converted into the rotational drive of the water turbine.
Therefore, the device of the second embodiment operates if there is a seawater flow such as a rising tide or an ebb tide or a river flow even if there is no wave or wind, but if the flow is from the arrow J direction in FIG. The four vertical turbines rotate continuously in one direction. The vertical turbine 35, which is the main part of the hydraulic energy conversion portion of the second embodiment, is structurally easy to make long in the direction perpendicular to the sea surface, and can be made solid. Example 2
The vertical length of the vane 352 of the vertical water turbine 35 at
Although it was set to 3 m, it may be changed appropriately depending on the depth of the water flow,
It is also a feature of this embodiment that the design change of the vane plate 352 in the vertical direction is easy. In addition, also in the second embodiment, since the wind power energy conversion device 6 is provided on the upper platform 28, energy can be obtained if there is either tidal current or wind, and energy can be obtained by using the tidal current and wind power together. The output can also be leveled, and even with the device as in Example 1, the first and second wave-returning members are somewhat less efficient, but they can be used for tidal currents and river flows.

The tidal current such as the Kuroshio current is deeper than the sea level by a depth of 6
Since it is flowing at a position of about m at 6 knots, when utilizing the tidal current such as the Kuroshio, the wind energy conversion device 6 is rather an obstacle, so it is removed and the buoyancy adjustment mechanism of the foundation levitation body 2 is adjusted. The structure 1 is maintained in the state of being submerged in the sea, and the positions of the four vertical water turbines 35 in the hydraulic energy conversion section are set to a water depth of about 6 m to efficiently receive the energy of the tidal current and rotate it. In this case, the vertical length of the vane plate 352 of the vertical water wheel 35 may be about 5 m.

It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments unless the characteristics of the present invention are impaired, and the place where waves are generated is not limited to the ocean, but used in lakes and rivers. Of course, it is okay. Further, for example, although a generator was used in each of the above-mentioned embodiments for energy conversion, it goes without saying that various pumps may be used as motive power, and even in the ocean or in lakes or rivers where waves occur. Of course, it may be used.

[0020]

[0021]

As described above, according to claim 1,
According to the invention , in a structure levitating on a water surface that is made buoyancy-adjustable by a foundation levitation body of a predetermined water depth, a wave-reversing member is provided in front of the wave traveling direction of the structure, and a wave collides with the wave-reducing member. A water wheel that generates a forward flow and a backward flow on the water surface and that rotates by the forward and backward flow of seawater before the wave traveling direction of the wave return member is provided.
Since it is a wave energy conversion device that obtains energy by rotating the water turbine, part of waves and swells from offshore can be generated by the wave-reversing member to generate a gathering wave and a pulling wave, thereby efficiently rotating the water turbine. The effect is that the structure is relatively solid and the production cost can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention , in a structure levitating on the water surface, the buoyancy of which can be adjusted by a basic levitating body having a predetermined water depth, a wave returning member is provided in front of the wave traveling direction of the structure, A water wheel that causes a forward flow and a backward flow to the water surface when a wave hits the wave return member and is rotated by a forward and backward flow in front of the wave direction of the wave return member is provided. In addition to the above, a wind direction member that rotates in response to the wind direction on the water surface is disposed above the structure, and a wind turbine is provided in the wind direction member. Since it is a wind energy conversion device, in addition to the effect according to the above-mentioned claim 1, efficient wave energy and wind energy near the water surface and leveling the energy output to obtain high energy Doo is an effect that it can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment 1 of the present invention as a whole and in use.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the structure of FIG. 1 from above—a cross section of wave energy conversion portion;

3 is a front view in cross section of the structure of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the wind energy conversion portion in FIG. 1 from above the sea portion.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a preferred second embodiment (hydraulic energy conversion unit) of the present invention as a whole and in use.

[Explanation of symbols]

A ... Quay B, B1, B2, B3, B4 ... Sea surface of the wave C, C1, C2, C3, C4 ... Sea surface of backwash 1 ... Structure 2 ... Basic float 21 ... Buoyancy adjustment bulkhead 22 ... Buoyancy control room 23 ... Seawater gateway 24 ... Compressed air supply port 241 ... Distributing valve 242 ... Compressed air piping 25 ... rear end 251 ... rope 26 (261, 262) ... Stable member 27 ... Basic frame 271 ... Small platform 272 ... Front end 273… Overhanging platform 28 ... Upper platform 3 ... Wave energy converter 31 ... Horizontal water turbine 32,352,61 ... feather board 33 ... axis 34,353,69 ... Generator 35 ... Vertical turbine 351 ... Rotation axis 36 ... Information board 4 ... 1st wave return member (seawater guide member) 41 ... Reversing plate (seawater guide plate) 5 ... Second wave return member 51 ... Swing plate 52 ... Arm member 53 ... Reversing plate 54 ... Float 6 ... Wind energy converter 62 ... Horizontal windmill 63 ... Windmill substrate 64… Directional wings 65 ... Rotating member 66,67… Wind guide plate 68 ... cylinder

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F03B 13/22

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A structure levitating on a water surface, the buoyancy of which can be adjusted by a foundation levitator having a predetermined water depth, wherein a wave-reversing member is provided in front of the wave traveling direction of the structure, and a wave collides with the wave-reducing member. A water wheel that causes a forward flow and a backward flow by the water surface and is rotated by the forward and backward flow of seawater in front of the wave traveling direction of the wave return member is provided.
A wave energy conversion device characterized in that energy is obtained by rotation of the water turbine. 2. A structure levitating on a water surface, the buoyancy of which can be adjusted by a foundation levitation body having a predetermined water depth, wherein a wave-reversing member is provided in front of the wave traveling direction of the structure, and a wave collides with the wave-reducing member. A water wheel that causes a forward flow and a backward flow by the water surface and that rotates by the forward and backward flow in front of the wave traveling direction of the wave return member is provided, and energy is obtained by the rotation of the water wheel, and the structure A wave force and wind energy conversion characterized in that an wind direction member that rotates in accordance with the wind direction on the water surface is arranged at the upper part, and a wind turbine is provided at the wind direction member, and energy is obtained by rotation of the wind turbine. apparatus.