JP7365813B2 - hydroelectric power generation equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a hydroelectric power generation device installed in a waterway such as an agricultural waterway, water supply/sewerage waterway, industrial waterway, small river, etc., and particularly relates to an improvement in operation for raising water from the waterway.

A hydroelectric power generation device is a system that uses the kinetic energy of running water to generate electricity. Among these hydroelectric power generation devices, small ones are used by being installed in waterways such as agricultural water (for example, Patent Document 1). Hydroelectric power generation equipment installed in such waterways is pulled up from the waterway for maintenance when replacing the turbine blades, gears, oil seals, etc. However, in the event of an emergency such as rising water, flooding or damage to the hydropower generation equipment may occur. In order to prevent this, it is necessary to pull the fish out of the waterway in a timely manner.

A crane truck may be used to lift the water from the waterway, but a crane truck may not be ready immediately when needed. In Patent Document 1, as a mechanism for pulling up a water turbine, a support with a water turbine blade installed at the lower end is supported so as to be movable up and down via a guide mechanism with respect to a base fixed to a waterway, and a wire rope is used. A mechanism is used to raise and lower the machine vertically.

JP 2015-14219 Publication

However, the configuration of vertically lifting the water turbine blades as in Patent Document 1 requires a guide for lifting and lowering the blades, a wire rope hanging mechanism, etc., resulting in large-scale equipment and high costs.

As a new configuration to solve these problems, we have newly added a hydroelectric power generation module that includes a water wheel and a generator that generates electricity by the rotation of the water wheel, a pair of waterway fixing bodies installed on both sides of the waterway, and A rotary beam whose both ends are rotatably supported by a fixed body, and whose base end is joined to the rotary beam and extends in a cantilever shape from the rotary beam to support the hydroelectric power generation module, and whose lower end is connected to the waterway. a rotating mount that can rotate up and down between a submerged position in which the water wheel is located below the water surface of the waterway and a standby position in which the entire water turbine is located above the water surface of the waterway; A hydroelectric power generation device has been developed that includes a rotation device that rotates a pedestal.

According to this configuration, the rotating pedestal supporting the hydroelectric power generation module is cantilevered by a rotating beam that is connected at one end to a rotating device and rotates the rotating pedestal. Therefore, the configuration for lifting a hydroelectric power generation module including a water turbine is made more compact. Further, the rotating device is configured to be driven by a motor.

In this way, lifting devices have been improved from manual to electric, but in the event of an emergency due to flooding caused by torrential rain, etc., members of associations that manage irrigation canals rush in to raise the water turbines. However, if the water suddenly rises due to torrential rain, etc., it may be delayed to pull the water turbine out of the waterway, resulting in overflow or damage to the hydroelectric power generation equipment.

An object of the present invention is to provide a hydroelectric power generation device that can quickly operate a water turbine to a safe position in an emergency such as a surge of water.

A hydroelectric power generation device of the present invention is a hydropower generation device comprising a water wheel, a hydropower module having a generator that generates electricity by the rotation of the water wheel, and a support device that supports the hydropower module,
The support device includes a pair of waterway fixing bodies installed on both sides of the waterway, a rotating beam whose both ends are rotatably supported by each of the waterway fixing bodies, and a rotary beam that is joined to the rotating beam and is connected to the rotating beam. The water wheel extends and supports the hydroelectric power generation module, and is rotatable up and down between a submerged position in which the lower end of the water wheel is located below the water surface of the waterway and a standby position in which the entire water turbine is located above the water surface of the waterway. a rotating pedestal, and a rotation device having a drive source and connected to one end of the rotating beam to rotate the rotating pedestal,
A water level sensor for detecting a water level was installed in the waterway, and a control device was provided for driving the drive source and controlling the attitude of the hydroelectric power generation module in accordance with the water level detected by the water level sensor.

According to this configuration, by driving the drive source of the rotating device and rotating the rotating frame according to the water level detected by the water level sensor, the operation to change the attitude of the water turbine to a safe attitude can be quickly performed without manual intervention. I can do it. As a result, it is possible to reduce the burden on the water flow of hydroelectric power generation equipment, and it is possible to prevent water from overflowing from waterways, especially in emergencies when water increases due to localized heavy rain, etc., and to prevent damage to hydropower generation equipment. can.

The control device may control the attitude of the hydroelectric power generation module from the submerged attitude to the standby attitude by driving the drive source when a predetermined signal is input from the water level sensor.
The predetermined signal is, for example, an alarm signal such as an ON signal, or a water level signal continuously given from a water level sensor, which is a signal when the water level signal exceeds a threshold value. The control device determines whether or not the threshold value is exceeded. These determined signals are signals arbitrarily determined by design or the like, and are determined by, for example, determining appropriate signals through testing and/or simulation.
According to this configuration, the water turbine can be quickly and safely pulled up from the waterway in an emergency due to an increase in water due to torrential rain or the like.

The power generating apparatus may further include remote control means for driving the drive source and remotely controlling the attitude of the hydroelectric power generation module. According to this configuration, even if the water turbine cannot be raised due to a problem with the water level sensor or the like, the drive source can be driven from the remote control means to forcibly raise the water turbine. Therefore, the water turbine can be reliably pulled up in an emergency.

The drive source may be an electric motor, and the rotating device may include the motor and a speed reducer that reduces rotation of the motor.
In this invention, the speed reducer may have a self-locking function to prevent reverse rotation of the motor. In this case, the speed reducer can reliably prevent the motor from rotating in reverse, thereby improving reliability. For example, a helical gear type reducer may be used as the reducer having a self-locking function.

A power source for driving the drive source may be supplied from a grid connection.
A battery may be used as a power source for driving the drive source.

A hydropower generation device of the present invention is a hydropower generation device comprising a water wheel, a hydropower module having a generator that generates electricity by rotation of the water wheel, and a support device for supporting the hydropower module, the support device is a pair of waterway fixing bodies installed on both sides of the waterway, a rotary beam whose both ends are rotatably supported by each of the waterway fixing bodies, and a rotary beam connected to the rotary beam and extending from the rotary beam. a rotating mount that supports a power generation module and can rotate up and down between a submerged position in which the lower end of the water turbine is located below the water surface of the waterway and a standby position in which the entire water turbine is located above the water surface of the waterway; and a rotation device that has a drive source and is connected to one end of the rotation beam to rotate the rotation pedestal, and a water level sensor that detects the water level is installed in the waterway, and the water level detected by the water level sensor is A control device is provided that drives the drive source accordingly and controls the attitude of the hydroelectric power generation module. Therefore, in the event of an emergency such as a surge in water, the water turbine can be quickly operated to a safe position.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a submerged attitude of a hydroelectric power generation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of portion II in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the hydroelectric power generation device in a state where it is installed in a waterway and in a state where it is being pulled up. FIG. 3 is a side view of the hydroelectric power generation device in a submerged position. FIG. 3 is a side view of the hydroelectric power generation device in a standby position. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the standby posture of the hydroelectric power generation device when viewed from the opposite side from FIG. 1. FIG.

[First embodiment]
A hydroelectric power generation device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.
<Schematic configuration of the entire hydroelectric power generation device>
As shown in FIG. 3, this hydroelectric power generation device is installed in a waterway 1, and generates power by rotating a water turbine 2 caused by water flow. The waterway 1 is an agricultural waterway, an industrial waterway, a small river, etc., and in the example shown in the figure, the waterway wall is composed of a bottom wall portion 1a made of concrete or the like and side wall portions 1b, 1b on both sides.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, this hydroelectric power generation device includes a hydroelectric power generation module 3, a support device 4 that supports this hydroelectric power generation module 3 in a waterway 1, and a control device 5 described later. The support device 4 includes a pair of waterway fixing bodies 11, 11, a rotating beam 14, a rotating frame 6, and a rotating device 15.

A pair of waterway fixing bodies 11, 11 are installed on both shoulders, which are both sides of the waterway 1, respectively. Bearing units 13, 13 are installed on these waterway fixed bodies 11, 11, and the rotating beam 14 is rotatably supported by the bearing units 13, 13 at both ends in the longitudinal direction. The rotating frame 6 is connected to a rotating beam 14 to support the hydroelectric power generation module 3, and has a submerged position in which the lower end of the water turbine 2 is located below the water surface S of the water channel 1, and a submerged state in which the entire water turbine 2 is located above the water surface S of the water channel 1. It can be rotated up and down between the standby position and the standby position. The rotation device 15 has a motor 15a as a driving source, and is connected to one longitudinal end of the rotation beam 14 to rotate the rotation pedestal 6.

<Waterway fixing body 11>
The waterway fixing body 11 includes a fixing beam 11a with a downward L-shaped cross section installed along the inner surface from the upper surface of the side wall 1b of the waterway wall, and a part of the fixing beam 11a in the longitudinal direction that is overlapped on the fixing beam 11a. The fixed body upper member 11b is attached with bolts and nuts (not shown) so that the attachment position can be changed. A bearing unit 13 is installed on this fixed body upper member 11b. The fixed body upper members 11b, 11b on both sides of the water channel 1 are connected to each other by a connecting member 12.

<About hydroelectric power module 3>
As shown in FIG. 1, the hydropower module 3 includes a water turbine 2 and a generator 8 that generates electricity by rotating the water turbine 2. The generator 8 is, for example, a permanent magnet synchronous type.
The water wheel 2 is normally provided so as to be submerged in the flowing water of the waterway 1, and converts water power into rotational power. The water turbine 2 is a propeller type whose rotational axis O1 is parallel to the direction of water flow in the waterway 1, and has a plurality of blades 2a (five in the illustrated example) extending radially around the rotational axis O1. are doing.
The water turbine 2 is oriented with the front facing upstream of the water flow and the gear box 9 located on the back.

A rotating shaft (not shown) of the water turbine 2 is rotatably supported by a bearing (not shown) installed in a gear box 9. The rotation of the water turbine 2 is accelerated by a gear train (not shown) such as bevel gears that mesh with each other in the gear box 9. The output shaft of the gear box 9 is connected to the input shaft (not shown) of the generator 8 via a transmission shaft (not shown) in a column 10 that extends in the vertical direction.

<About the rotating beam 14>
One longitudinal end of the rotating beam 14 is connected to a rotating device 15 by a coupling 16. The rotating beam 14 is composed of a square pipe with a rectangular cross section, and shape-compatible parts 41 are attached to both ends. As shown in FIG. 2, the rotating beam 14 is rotatably supported by the bearing unit 13 via a shape-compatible component 41, and connected to the coupling 16. The bearing unit 13 includes a rolling bearing such as a ball bearing in a pillow-shaped shaft box, and has an alignment function. The coupling 16 is preferably configured to absorb some inclination of both shafts connected, for example, a chain coupling.

<About the rotating mount 6>
As shown in FIG. 1, the rotating pedestal 6 is a frame-like pedestal that is attached to the side surface of the rotating beam 14 so as to extend in a cantilevered manner. The rotating frame 6 includes two parallel cantilevered frame members 18, 18 whose base ends are welded or the like to the side surfaces of the rotating beam 14, and an installation plate that spans between these cantilevered frame members 18, 18. 19, and a generator stand 20 mounted on the installation plate 19. The two cantilever frame members 18, 18 are each made of an angle member or the like, and are provided facing inward and upward from each other. The base end of each cantilever frame member 18 is joined to the flat side surface of the rotating beam 14 by welding or the like.
The generator 8 is installed with an output shaft perpendicular to the installation plate 19 by a generator stand 20 attached to the installation plate 19 . A support column 10 extending from the output shaft is attached below the installation plate 19.

<About the rotating device 15>
As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the rotating device 15 includes an electric motor 15a that is a driving source that can rotate in forward and reverse directions, and a speed reducer 15b that reduces the rotation speed of the motor 15a and transmits it to the rotating beam 14. It is installed together with the bearing unit 13 on the fixed body upper member 11b of the waterway fixed body 11 via the rotating device pedestal 17 at the location of the speed reducer 15b. The reducer 15b has a self-locking mechanism that prevents reverse rotation of the motor 15a. For example, a helical gear type reducer can be used as the reducer 15b having a self-locking function. The rotating device pedestal 17 is one of the components that constitute the waterway fixed body 11.

<About the control system>
As shown in FIG. 3, a water level sensor Sa for detecting the water level is installed upstream of the water turbine 2 in the waterway 1, and the control device 5 is a driving source according to the water level detected by the water level sensor Sa. The attitude of the hydroelectric power generation module 3 is controlled by driving the motor 15a.

For example, the water level sensor Sa outputs an alarm signal (for example, an ON signal) when the water level reaches a preset level that should be taken into consideration, or continuously detects the water level of the waterway 1 and sends the signal to the control device 5. give. The preset water level is determined as appropriate through experiments, simulations, etc., taking into consideration the amount of water increase per unit time in the waterway 1 due to torrential rain, torrential rain, etc. For example, when an alarm signal is input as a predetermined signal from the water level sensor Sa, the control device 5 drives the motor 15a to control the attitude of the hydroelectric power generation module 3 from the submerged attitude to the standby attitude. Alternatively, when the control device 5 receives continuous water level signals from the water level sensor Sa and determines that the water level has exceeded the threshold, the control device 5 drives the motor 15a to keep the hydroelectric power generation module 3 in a submerged position. Control posture to posture.

The water level sensor Sa is, for example, a float type sensor that detects changes in the water surface by moving a float (not shown) up and down as the water surface S rises and falls, but is not limited to the float type sensor. . As the water level sensor Sa, various types of water level sensors can be applied, such as an ultrasonic type that detects the water level by receiving ultrasonic waves reflected on the liquid surface, a capacitance type, and a pressure type. be. It is also possible to install the water level sensor Sa on the downstream side of the water wheel 2 in the waterway 1 or near the water wheel.

Power for driving the motor 15a is supplied from a grid connection 21, and the control device 5 constitutes a circuit 22 that is energized in a control box by a command from a water level sensor Sa or a control center. Inside the control box, if electricity is not supplied from the receiving circuit 23 for the water level sensor Sa, the receiving circuit 24 for control signals such as Wi-Fi, and the grid connection 21 (in the case of abnormal weather such as torrential rain, power outage may occur). A discriminating circuit 26 for discriminating the situation and switching to a battery (power source) 25, and a battery 25 are housed at least.

When the water turbine 2 in the submerged position (FIG. 4) is raised from the waterway 1 for safety in the event of water increase due to torrential rain, the control device 5 causes the circuit 22 to By driving the motor 15a and rotating the rotary beam 14 via the reducer 15b, etc., the rotary pedestal 6 is rotated 90 degrees. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the hydroelectric power generation module 3 is completely raised from the water surface and placed in a horizontal standby position. FIG. 3 shows the attitude of the rotary pedestal 6 during the attitude change.

Even in the unlikely event that a malfunction occurs in the water level sensor Sa, the water turbine 2 can be forcibly raised using commands (control signals such as Wi-Fi) from the control center Cs as a remote control means. Specifically, when the receiving circuit 24 receives the Wi-Fi etc. control signal, the control device 5 causes the circuit 22 to drive the motor 15a to rotate the rotating beam 14 via the reducer 15b etc. By rotating, the rotating pedestal 6 is rotated by 90 degrees. Therefore, the water turbine 2 can be reliably pulled up in an emergency. Moreover, if a camera (not shown) capable of photographing the attitude of the water turbine 2 is installed near the water turbine 2, and a monitor (not shown) that outputs the image taken by the camera is installed in the control center Cs, the water turbine 2 This visualization improves the reliability of the work of pulling up and operating the water turbine 2.

<Effect>
According to the hydroelectric power generation device described above, by driving the motor 15a of the rotating device 15 and rotating the rotating frame 6 according to the water level detected by the water level sensor Sa, the water turbine 2 can be raised quickly without manual operation. It can be carried out. As a result, in the event of an emergency with increased water due to torrential rain or the like, it is possible to prevent water from overflowing from the waterway 1, and damage to the hydroelectric power generation device can be prevented.
Since the reducer 15b of the rotating device 15 is a helical gear type having a self-locking mechanism, the reducer 15b can reliably prevent the motor 15a from rotating in the opposite direction, improving reliability. can.

Although the rotating beam 14 may be deflected due to the weight of the hydroelectric power module 3, etc., when the bearing unit 13 is used, the attitude of the hydropower module 3 can be changed smoothly due to its centering function. When the coupling 16 has a tilt absorbing function such as a chain coupling, even if the rotating beam 14 is bent and the bearing of the bearing unit 13 is aligned and tilts, the tilt absorbing function of the coupling 16 will allow the rotation connected to it. No unbalanced load is applied to the device 15. Thereby, the rotating device 15 operates smoothly. Therefore, since power consumption is suppressed, even a commercially available battery power source can be sufficiently used as a power source for the rotating device 15.

Although the mode for carrying out the present invention has been described above based on the embodiments, the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not restrictive. The scope of this invention is indicated by the claims rather than the above description, and it is intended that all changes within the meaning and range equivalent to the claims are included.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Channel, 2... Water turbine, 3... Hydroelectric power generation module, 4... Support device, 5... Control device, 6... Rotating frame, 8... Generator, 11... Channel fixed body, 14... Rotating beam, 15... Rotating device, 15a...Motor (drive source), 15b...Reducer, 25...Battery, Sa...Water level sensor

Claims (7)

A hydropower generation device comprising a waterwheel, a hydropower module having a generator that generates electricity by rotation of the waterwheel, and a support device that supports the hydropower module,
The support device includes a pair of waterway fixing bodies installed on both sides of the waterway, a rotating beam whose both ends are rotatably supported by each of the waterway fixing bodies, and a rotary beam that is joined to the rotating beam and is connected to the rotating beam. The water wheel extends and supports the hydroelectric power generation module, and is rotatable up and down between a submerged position in which the lower end of the water wheel is located below the water surface of the waterway and a standby position in which the entire water turbine is located above the water surface of the waterway. a rotary pedestal, and a rotation device having a drive source and connected to one end of the rotary beam to rotate the rotary pedestal , the rotary beam being rotatably supported by a bearing unit, and the bearing unit comprising: It has a structure with rolling bearings inside a pillow-shaped axle box, and has an alignment function.
A water level sensor is installed in the waterway to detect a water level, and when the water level detected by the water level sensor exceeds a threshold value, the drive source is driven to change the attitude of the hydroelectric power generation module from the submerged attitude to the standby attitude. A hydroelectric power plant with a control device to control it. 2. The hydroelectric power generation device according to claim 1, wherein when a predetermined signal is input from the water level sensor, the control device drives the drive source to change the attitude of the hydropower generation module from the submerged attitude to the standby attitude. A hydroelectric power generation device that controls. The hydroelectric power generation device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a remote control means for driving the drive source and remotely controlling the attitude of the hydroelectric power generation module. In the hydroelectric power generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the drive source is an electric motor, and the rotating device includes the motor and a speed reducer that reduces the rotation of the motor. Hydroelectric power generation equipment. 5. The hydraulic power generation device according to claim 4, wherein the speed reducer has a self-locking function that prevents reverse rotation of the motor. The hydroelectric power generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a power source for driving the drive source is supplied from a grid connection. The hydroelectric power generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a battery is applied as a power source for driving the drive source.

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