JP6103449B2 - Tidal power panels and mooring lines - Google Patents

Description

      The present invention relates to a tidal current power generation facility that converts kinetic energy of a fluid of a tidal current such as the Kuroshio into rotational energy by a hydro turbine or the like and converts it into electric energy by a generator.

      Tidal current power generation and wind power generation have a common point by converting fluid kinetic energy into electrical energy. Wind power generation is used in land and in shallow water, and it is already in the late stage of growth when applied to the product life cycle, and a power generation nacelle with a huge windmill on a long cylindrical column is installed so as to be able to swivel. Is converging on global standards.

      Tidal current power generation is a theme that attracts attention as a natural energy after wind power generation. For example, the Kuroshio Current is a surface current that has a strong current zone that extends from the sea surface to a depth of about 200 m and has a width of 100 km, the direction of the flow is stable for a long period of time, and the flow speed varies daily and seasonally. Is also known to be relatively few. Unlike solar power generation that can generate electricity only on sunny days and whimsical wind power generation, the total power generation efficiency (total facility utilization rate) is close to 100%, making it a highly reliable and stable energy source that Japan needs It is pointed out that it can bear a considerable part of energy.

      However, compared to other renewable energy power generation methods that can be installed, inspected and repaired on the ground, tidal current power generation that must be carried out in the sea has been refrained from trying to put it to practical use because of the difficulty of the work. . For this reason, when applied to the product life cycle, it is still in the early stage of introduction, and several methods are finally entering the verification test. It has not yet been seen what system will become the global standard in the future.

  Japanese Patent No. 5656155 Multi-hull type tidal current power generation facility   Japanese Patent No. 5622013 Collective tidal power generation facility

  Report on Joint Research “Research on Ocean Current Power Generation” Marine Science and Technology Center Tokyo Electric Power Company September 1981   Renewable Energy White Paper Second Edition Chapter 6 Ocean Energy New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization December 2013

      The mainstream of tidal current power generation demonstrations that are currently being announced is heading toward a larger single-machine output. On the other hand, “Patent Document 1” and “Patent Document 2” have a larger single-machine output when a large number of power generation units having a small single-machine output are collectively used for the target tidal cross-sectional area that produces the same energy. He stressed that the L-square cube law should be used, which requires less material than using a small number of power generation units. Specifically, while many of the single tester's output is 1000kW class, it is of several tens of kW class that can be mass-produced by existing technology and existing equipment such as the transportation machinery industry that can be used in the current developed countries. He argued that there was a future in the design philosophy of densely loading a large number of power generation units with a small unit output in a grid.

      In addition, “Patent Document 1” is configured so that all installation work and inspection / repair work can be performed in the air in “Patent Document 2”, which is a major reason why tidal power generation is avoided. Work under the sea is almost unnecessary, and the hurdle to practical use is further lowered.

“Patent Document 1” and “Patent Document 2” solve most of the technical difficulties in the construction and operation of tidal current power generation. However, regarding the method of installing the power generation panel, only a part of the possibilities are presented, and the technical system is incomplete. For example, “Patent Document 1” shows only a method of fixing a power generation panel and a hull of a multihull ship and mooring a mooring line originating from a submarine foundation at a mooring point of the hull.
It is an object of the present invention to construct as many tidal current power generation technical systems as possible by disclosing as many geometric structures that can be put into practical use that were not found in "Patent Document 1" and "Patent Document 2".

      In “Patent Document 1”, mooring lines are moored to the two hulls on the left and right wings of a multihull ship in order to target a high-output power plant that suspends and fixes as many power generation panels as possible under the floating body. The geometric configuration for providing points is shown. If it is limited to the case where one power generation panel is suspended and fixed to the catamaran so as to be rotatable, different geometric configurations are possible. In this method, one mooring point is provided on each of the left and right sides of the power generation panel to which drag is applied during power generation. Providing this mooring point in a frame structure on a horizontal line passing through the point of action of the power generation drag is the first means for solving the problem.

      Two mooring lines, one each from the above two mooring points, are collected at the mooring relay point at an equal distance in the range of 2 to 20 times the width of the mooring point. Connect the base side mooring line extended from the seabed mooring foundation to the point. Here, an isosceles triangle with the width of the tidal power generation panel as the bottom and a longer oblique side is formed. The apex is called the mooring relay point, which is based on the mooring line that carries from the submarine mooring foundation to the mooring relay point. This is called a side mooring line. This geometrical configuration is similar to the relationship between the kite and the kite string, and by using this configuration, the kite can maintain a stable posture against the wind. The multiple of the length of the hypotenuse with respect to the base is considered to be about 3 to 7 times according to the empirical value of the eyelid, but the posture stabilizing action can be expected before and after that.

      There can be a plurality of variations in the first means. The above-mentioned first means that when a tidal power generation panel is imitated as a kite, it looks like a kite flying with two kites, but in reality the hull that suspends and fixes the panel vertically The force for maintaining is applied, and has the same effect as a kite whose posture is controlled by three or more kites. Therefore, tidal power generation panels do not require more than two mooring lines on the left and right for posture stabilization.

      However, the tidal current power generation panel generates various turbulences including Karman vortex by interaction with the tidal current, and yawing force is applied to the hull as a reaction. If a mooring point is provided at a position below the action point of power generation drag due to the positional relationship from the sea surface, the tidal current power generation panel generates a rotational force that lifts the bow to the mooring point and sinks the stern. If a mooring point is provided at the front of the hull so as to counteract this rotational force, and the third and fourth auxiliary mooring lines are provided between the mooring relay points, the action of suppressing the yawing force of the hull will work. . This geometric configuration is the second means for solving the problem.

      There is a buoyancy center in the approximate center of the hull. The Kuroshio strong current zone is about 200m below the sea level, so the vertical length of the tidal current power generation panel is often about 200m. In order to suspend and fix the tidal power generation panel at the center of the hull length, the hull length exceeds 400 m. I think this is a bit too long. It would be advantageous if the length of the hull could be shortened and suspended and fixed from a position close to the bow. If a suspension point is provided at such a position, there is a suspension / fixation point ahead of the center of buoyancy. In order to join, the hull is in a forward-facing position. On the other hand, when the mooring point is lowered below the center of drag, a rotational force that lowers the stern about the mooring point acts. If a mooring point is provided at a position that balances these two forces, the hull is kept horizontal even when a power generation load is applied. This geometric configuration is the third means to solve the problem.

      The power generation unit loaded on the tidal power generation panel is designed to respond to the tidal current flowing in from the front. Yes. It is geometrically possible to provide a tidal power generation panel with a bottom mooring foundation and mooring lines symmetrically. Such a mooring type tidal power generation vessel can also operate against a tidal current whose direction of ocean current is reversed four times a day depending on the time of day. This geometric configuration is the fourth means for solving the problem.

      The present invention does not arrange a small number of large turbine generators in tidal power generation, but a system in which a large number of small turbine generators are integrated in a tidal power generation panel is excellent in terms of performance and has economic rationality, We showed that we can play a part in realizing a hydrogenated society, and disclosed four geometric configurations for moored tidal power ships equipped with such power generation panels. In putting tidal power generation into practical use by adopting tidal power generation panel method, by selecting a plan suitable for a given condition from these, the degree of freedom of development increases, and practical application with the right direction can be realized sooner. effective.

It is a front view of a mooring type tidal power generation ship. (Example 1) It is a side view of a mooring type tidal current power generation ship. (Example 1) It is a side view of a mooring type tidal power generation ship having three or more mooring lines. (Example 2) It is a side view of the mooring type tidal current power generation ship which suspends a power generation panel ahead from the buoyancy center. Example 3 It is a side view of a tidal current mooring type tidal power generation ship. Example 4

FIG. 1 is a front view of a catamaran tidal power generation ship according to the present invention as seen from the bow side, and FIG. 2 is a side view thereof. The contents of the multihull type tidal power generation facility in “Patent Document 1” are almost the same as the drawings, but in “Patent Document 1” mooring points of two mooring lines are provided on the side of the hull, but in FIG. The point 7 is provided on a horizontal line passing through the center of action of the power generation drag of the frame structure of the tidal power generation panel 8. In both figures, the two mooring lines 6 on the ship side gather to the mooring relay point 5 and connect to the mooring line 4 on the foundation side, and the submarine foundation 3 buried in the bedrock of the seabed 2 is a huge The situation of receiving a strong tension was shown. This geometrical configuration corresponds to “Claim 2 ” of “Claims”.

      In the operation mode, the tidal current power generation panel 8 is suspended and fixed by the rotating shaft structure 12 from the upper structure 11 corresponding to the deck of the hull 10 of the catamaran. FIG. 2 shows that the tidal current power generation panel 8 in the operation mode and the rotating shaft structure 12 provided in the upper structure 11 are rotated 90 degrees clockwise so that the inside of the ship (between the two hulls of the catamaran and the upper structure). The tidal current power generation panel 9 stored in the ocean space surrounded by the body is shown at the same time. In the storage mode, all maintenance work such as replacement of the power generation unit related to the tidal current power generation panel can be performed in the sea where the work is safe and easy, not in the sea where the work is difficult. This is a great merit of the moored tidal power generation ship according to the present invention.

      Suppose that the tidal power generation panel in Fig. 1 is facing the tidal current of 2 m / s. This geometrical configuration creates a partial weir that partially dams the tidal current and forcibly creates a pressure difference (water head). When the drag coefficient of this tidal current power generation panel is 1.3, a drag of 277 kg weight per m 2 is generated, which corresponds to about 27 cm of water head. This water head is a power generation unit, and the conversion diversion nozzle effect (the turbine drive area is small relative to the panel area, which causes the water flow to be throttled) causes the water flow to be accelerated per tidal current facing area of the tidal power generation panel An electric output of about 5 kW is generated, and a drag that balances the aforementioned drag is generated. At this flow rate, the power output per square meter of a general hydro turbine is about 2 kW, so that the power output per unit area of the tidal power generation panel system is considerably larger than twice.

      To imagine the scale of a tidal power generation panel, let's take an example of a moored tidal power generation ship with a length of 200m, a width of 150m, and a tidal current facing area of 30,000m2. This tidal power generation panel generates an output of about 150,000 kW and a total drag of the tidal power generation panel of about 9,000 tons when the tidal current is 2 m / s. Let's say that it was 12,000 tons, including the hull drag. When the angle of the mooring line with respect to the sea level is 30 degrees, the tension of the mooring line is 13,856 tons and the force that the tidal power generation panel pulls the hull downward is 6,928 tons. When a power generation state is entered with respect to a state where the ship is floating in an unloaded state, such a load is applied to the hull, and the draft of the hull becomes deeper. If the buoyancy of the hull is 20,000 tons or more, this scheme will hold because it will not become unstable with this level of load. This power generation amount is close to the middle of 330,000 kW of total output of the Kurobe River No. 4 power plant. When considered as a hydropower plant, this scheme is likely to be economically viable.

In this trial calculation example, the size and number of power generation units did not appear. This is because 1 m2 was used as a unit area, and the number of units was not necessary in this calculation. Although not shown in the table, from a practical standpoint, it is assumed that one power generation unit will share approximately 15m2 of the tidal current received by the tidal power generation panel. The cross-sectional area of the duct structure forming the outer shape of the power generation unit inserted and loaded in the duct-shaped receiving space formed by the assembly holding body of the tidal current power generation panel will be 12 to 10 m2. In that case, the required number is about 2,000. The number is large, but not enough. If the power generation unit is of this size, it can be mass-produced by existing technology and existing equipment such as the transport machinery industry, and can be handled by an automatic material handling device (automatic attachment / detachment device).
For example, if the target is 150,000 kW for total output, comparing the production of 150 kW machines with the individual production system and mass production of 2,000 75 kW machines with the mass production system, The effect of increasing the total amount of materials in proportion to the cube of the dimension L according to the L-square cube rule due to the large number of units (the latter is 42% of the former if it is a similar design), and the unit using the tidal power generation panel method The latter is overwhelmingly more economical, with the added benefit of a power output that is twice as high as that of a general turbine generator.

      The above description does not touch on the details of the structure of the power generation unit, which is the main component of the tidal current power generation panel, and the loading on the tidal current power generation panel. It has the same design concept as a power generation unit. Omitted to avoid duplication.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a moored tidal power generation ship having three or more mooring lines. When the hull starts to deviate from the front due to yawing, the tension of the third and fourth auxiliary mooring lines 22 emitted from the mooring relay point 5 always tries to minimize the distance between the mooring relay point 5 and the bow. A strong restoring force works to return the posture of the camera to the normal position.
The configuration of the auxiliary mooring line 22 and the auxiliary mooring point 23 generates a clockwise rotational force about the drag center 21 to which the power generation drag of the tidal current power generation panel 8 is applied. In order to generate a counterclockwise rotational force balanced with the rotational force, the mooring point 7 of the ship side mooring line 6 must be provided slightly below the drag center 21. This geometrical configuration corresponds to “Claim 3” of “Claims”.

      FIG. 4 is a side view of a moored tidal power generation ship that suspends the power generation panel 8 in front of the buoyancy center 24. A hull that suspends and fixes a tidal current power generation panel having a vertical dimension of 200 m around the center of buoyancy is approximately twice as long as a 400 m class length. The above-mentioned “third means for solving the problem” is to shorten this. Let me give you a numerical example. When the inclination angle of the ship-side mooring line 6 with respect to the sea surface is 30 degrees, the tidal power generation panel 8 is set to a length of 1 and the rotating shaft structure 12 that is the suspension / fixation position of the tidal power generation panel is approximately 0.43 forward from the buoyancy center 24 The counterclockwise rotational force caused by the drag generated when the mooring point 7 is positioned approximately 0.25 below the drag center 21 of the tidal current power generation panel and the clockwise rotational force generated by the buoyancy are balanced. The “third measure” is established. In this case, the total length of the hull can be shortened to 300 m or less, and the vertical dimension of the tidal current power generation panel can be brought closer to the total length of the hull. FIG. 4 illustrates this state.

      Not only the above-mentioned specific solution but generally the suspension / fixation position of the rotating shaft structure 12 is selected at any position from the buoyancy center 24 to the bow, and the position where the above-mentioned two rotational forces are balanced is obtained by calculation. A mooring point 7 can be provided at the position. In this geometric configuration, a very large rotational force is applied to the hull and the tidal power generation panel suspension / fixation part, so that a considerable mechanical strength is required. It is necessary to comprehensively judge the benefits of shortening the hull and the burden of increasing mechanical strength. This geometrical configuration corresponds to “Claim 4” of “Claims”.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a tidal current moored tidal power generation ship. A stern side submarine foundation 31, a stern side foundation mooring line 32, a stern side mooring relay point 33, a stern side mooring line 34, and a stern side mooring point 35 are provided symmetrically with the tidal power generation panel 8 as a symmetrical plane. ing.
As for the tidal current, a full tide and a low tide occur twice a day, and the direction of the flow is reversed four times. The geometric configuration of FIG. 5 can operate in response to tidal currents. The technology of bidirectional flow hydro turbine that can be applied to tidal flow has been established. There are a tidal period when the flow velocity of the tidal current is around the peak and a tide period where the flow is stopped, and power cannot be generated before and after the tidal period. However, in the fast tide period, there are many sea areas where the flow velocity is faster than that of general tides, and it is possible to compensate for the low rate of overall facility operation with the speed of the flow velocity. This geometrical configuration corresponds to “Claim 5” of “Claims”.

In Example 1 of the present invention, a tidal power generation panel of 30,000 m 2 is given as a numerical example, and an estimated output of about 150,000 kW was shown at a tidal current of 2 m per second. According to a certain company's document, the rated output of a wind power generator with a rotor diameter of 100 m is 3,000 kW. When compared with the rated output, the 50 wind power generators correspond to one moored tidal current power generation ship in the numerical example described above.
The components of a wind power generator are simple, with a solid foundation, struts, rotatable generator nacelle and wind turbine. On the other hand, the mooring-type tidal power generation ship has a tidal power generation panel suspended and fixed to a catamaran of about 20,000 tons moored to the submarine foundation and mooring line, and there is a power plant, hydrogen generation plant, control facility, etc. in the space on board. It is a complex plant complex placed. In light of industrial common sense, it would be judged that wind power generation would be cheaper than tidal power generation for the same rated output. However, the speed and direction of wind always fluctuate greatly, but fluctuations in the flow velocity and direction of the tidal current are extremely small compared to wind power. Compared to the total power generation efficiency (total facility utilization rate) obtained by dividing the total power generated by actual operation for one year by the total power generated by operating for the same period at the rated output, onshore wind power generation is 20% On the other hand, offshore wind power generation is rated as 30%, while tidal power generation can be expected to be 90%. If the unit price of power generation is compared based on the total annual power generation, the economics and maintainability of a moored tidal power generation ship using tidal power generation panels is extremely attractive.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Sea surface 2 Seabed 3 Submarine foundation 4 Foundation side mooring line 5 Mooring relay point 6 Ship side mooring line 7 Mooring point 8 Tidal power generation panel (in operation mode) 9 Tidal power generation panel in storage mode 10 Hull 11 Upper structure 12 Rotating shaft structure 21 Drag Center 22 Auxiliary Mooring Line 23 Auxiliary Mooring Point 24 Buoyancy Center 31 Stern-side Submarine Foundation 32 Stern-side Foundation Mooring Line 33 Stern-side Mooring Relay Point 34 Stern-side Ship-side Mooring Line 35 Stern-side Mooring Point

Claims (5)

      A frame structure and a flat aggregate holder supported by the frame structure, and the aggregate holder is configured to receive and hold a plurality of duct-shaped power generation units. The operation of inserting the automatic holding device into the assembly holder establishes mechanical coupling and electrical connection with the assembly holder, and the reverse operation of the power generation unit is performed by the automatic attachment device from the assembly holder. The mechanical coupling and the electrical coupling are configured to be released by the drawing operation, and the frame structure is provided with a plurality of mooring points that connect mooring lines originating from the submarine mooring foundation, and at the same position with respect to the tidal current. The mooring line receives the drag received from the tidal current by power generation by suspending and fixing the upper end to a hull such as a catamaran with large buoyancy, and the hull generates a mooring line that is slanted Responsible for the buoyancy that keeps the frame structure in a vertical position against the downward pulling force in the vertical direction, and if necessary, release it from the hull and rotate the frame structure at a right angle to keep it horizontal and keep it at sea. It becomes a moored tidal power generation ship that performs maintenance, and the power received from the tidal power generation unit is sent to the ship such as the catamaran by the electrical coupling, where the production of energy media such as hydrogen and direct power transmission are performed. A tidal power generation panel used for tidal power generation facilities.       In a mooring type tidal power generation vessel that vertically suspends and fixes a tidal power generation panel that is rotatable with respect to the hull between two hulls at the center of the buoyancy of a catamaran, on the horizontal line passing through the power generation drag center of the tidal power generation panel. The aforementioned mooring points are provided on the left and right sides of the frame structure, and the two mooring lines from the two mooring points are moored at an equal distance in the range of 2 to 20 times the distance between the mooring points. The tidal current power generation panel according to claim 1, wherein a foundation-side mooring line that is collected at a relay point and extended from a seabed mooring foundation is connected to the mooring relay point.       A mooring type tidal power generation ship that vertically suspends and fixes a tidal power generation panel that is rotatable with respect to the hull between two hulls at the center of the buoyancy of a catamaran, and passes slightly below the center of power generation drag of the tidal power generation panel. One mooring point is provided at each of the left and right sides of the frame structure on the horizontal line, and two ship side mooring lines originating from the two mooring points are in the range of 2 to 20 times the interval between the mooring points. By gathering at a mooring relay point at a distance and installing one or two auxiliary mooring lines at the mooring relay point and mooring at a mooring point provided at the front of the hull, the power generation drag center and the ship side mooring line can be moved vertically. The tidal current power generation panel according to claim 1, wherein the tidal power generation panel is formed by canceling the rotational force generated due to the separation by the tension of the auxiliary mooring line and connecting the foundation side mooring line extending from the seabed mooring foundation to the mooring relay point.       In a moored tidal power generation ship that vertically suspends and fixes a tidal power generation panel that is rotatable relative to the hull between the two hulls at a position upstream of the tidal current from the catamaran's buoyancy center, Rotation that generates drag applied to the drag center around the two mooring points on the tidal power generation panel by providing one mooring point on each side of the frame structure on the horizontal line passing below the center. The force is canceled by the reverse rotational force generated because the suspension point does not match the buoyancy center, and the two mooring lines on the ship side are in the range of 2 to 20 times the distance between the two mooring points. The tidal current power generation panel according to claim 1, wherein the tidal power generation panel is formed by collecting at a mooring relay point at equal distances and connecting a mooring line on a base side extending from the submarine mooring base to the mooring relay point.       Two mooring points, two ship-side mooring lines, one mooring relay point, and one base-side mooring line in the mooring-type tidal power generation method, in which the power generation panel is symmetrical in the longitudinal direction of the tidal current in the full tide direction and the ebb tide direction. The tidal current power generation panel according to claim 1, wherein a tidal current power generation panel according to claim 1, capable of dealing with a tidal current in which the direction of the water current is reversed depending on the time zone, is provided with a set of two mooring foundations in each, a total of two in front and rear.

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