JPH09242657A - Module type wave activated power generating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To guarantee stable operation of a power generating turbine by installing multiple modules constituted by an air column and a valve chamber on a frame arranged in sea water, and carrying out power generation leading to an air turbine after air generated by vertical movement of a water surface in an air column by wave makes in a normal condition. SOLUTION: A plurality of modules consists of an air column 2 and a valve chamber 3 are set on a long frame in which a plurality of buoys 8 having a sufficient capacity for floating the whole of a device on a water surface are set. A water surface in the air column 2 is moved vertically by wave motion, and thereby, a discharging valve 7 is closed when for example the water surface is moved downward, and an intake valve 6 is opened so as to suck a stem from a suction main pipe 4 into the air column 2. On the other hand, in a process when the water surface is moved upward, the discharging valve 7 is opened, and the intake valve 6 is closed so as to discharge air. Discharged air from each module is led into an air turbine 11 through a common discharging main pipe 5 to drive the air turbine 11 so as to generate power.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wave for generating electric power by attaching a module for collecting and converting a plurality of wave energy to a long frame installed in the sea and capturing the vertical movement of the water surface due to a wide range of waves. Regarding power generation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Wave power generation of a type in which an air turbine drives a generator by using the motion of the water surface to move up and down together with a wave in an air column in which a body is half immersed in water. As the device, there are floating floating devices such as boat buoys moored on the sea, and stationary devices in which a structural air column is installed on a base built on the quay or the bottom of the coast. All of these devices are devices systematically collecting a large number of mechanisms including a column for converting wave energy into air flow energy and an air turbine for power generation. Aiming to accommodate this to a wide range of wave energy, it becomes a considerably large-scale device, and especially under the condition that the structure must be able to withstand abnormal times of ocean weather, very robust structure, Robust mooring equipment is indispensable, and the conventional technology increases manufacturing and construction costs, increases the unit price of power generation, and makes it difficult to spread wave power generation.

[0003]

The characteristics of the energy of the waves that cause the sea surface to move up and down are that the distribution density per unit area is usually low and the pattern is mottled except when the weather is abnormal. When the energy of waves of this form is converted into flow energy of air to operate a generator using an air turbine, energy homogenization is very important. In the energy conversion method using the air column, the air flow occurs only in the process of the vertical movement of the water surface in the column, so that the operation of the air turbine is an intermittent operation that is breathtaking. Since the air flow is in the opposite direction when the water level rises and when it falls, the valve mechanism is used to turn the air flow into a one-way flow to operate the turbine to generate electricity, or to operate without a valve. Regardless of the direction in which air flows, a type turbine, which always rotates in a fixed direction, must be used to generate electricity. However, even if such measures are taken, the rotation of the generator becomes pulsating operation, and steady operation is difficult. Therefore, in the conventional technology, when planning a high-power wave power generation system, a system in which a large number of air columns and power generation turbines are combined and operated in parallel will be operated, resulting in economies of scale. Is difficult in principle. In addition, even in the aspect of maintenance and inspection and construction cost of the equipment, there is no big difference from the small-scale distributed equipment, and scale merit cannot be expected.

Therefore, the present invention has the following problems: 1. No scale merit can be obtained even with a large-scale apparatus. 2. The point that the turbine that drives the generator obtains only unstable rotational force. The purpose is to solve these two problems.

[0005]

In the prior art, whether the wave power generation device is a floating type device or a fixed type device, regardless of size, the structure is a system in which an air column and a power generation turbine are set as a unit. It's based on the idea of turning into something. In other words, no matter how large the output device is, it is created based on the idea of connecting the unit sets or constructing a plurality of units in parallel. On the other hand, in the case of the present invention, the function of collecting and converting wave energy by the air column is considered as a system different from the power generation function by the turbine, and the air column collects wave energy and converts it into flow energy of air. Think of it as one unit module, and take a means to collect the energy of waves that spread thinly and widely in one place.

An air column is a device for converting wave energy into flow energy of air by utilizing the vertical movement of the water surface by waves, and this device is considered as one unit of module for converting energy, The modules are set in one long frame that is twice or more longer than the wavelength, and the air intake side and the air discharge side of each module are separated by using a valve mechanism and are connected according to the system. That is, the suction port and the discharge port of each module are connected to the suction pipe and the discharge pipe, respectively. On the other hand, the turbine for power generation is provided with a suction turbine and a discharge turbine on one output shaft, and the suction pipe and the discharge pipe are connected to each of them to generate electric power by one turbine device.

[0007]

The function of the module for collecting and converting the energy of the waves set in the seawater, which is fixed at a constant interval in a long frame longer than twice the wavelength, raises the water surface depending on the set place. Some are in position, and some are in descending position. When a long frame is installed parallel to the traveling direction of the wave, the motion of the water surface that changes from moment to moment is intermittently repeated inhalation and discharge when seen in each module, but all modules on the frame When simultaneously seeing, two or more sets of modules are always in the process of inhaling air and two or more sets of modules are in the process of discharging. Therefore, the intake pipe is always inhaling air even if there is some variation, and the discharge pipe is always injecting air. When the intake pipe and the discharge pipe are connected to the turbine, respectively, the air flow is continuous, so that the rotation of the intake pipe and the discharge pipe approaches a steady operation.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The principle described above will be explained with reference to the drawings of the embodiments. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a module that converts wave energy into air flow energy. A plurality of modules are attached to a long frame 1, and an air column 2
And valve chamber 3. The valve chamber 3 is divided into a suction valve chamber 3.a and a discharge valve chamber 3.b, which are connected to the main suction pipe 4 and the main discharge pipe 5 by a suction pipe 4.a and a discharge pipe 5.a, respectively. By this connection, the suction side and the discharge side of the plurality of modules function integrally.

As shown in FIG. 2, on the frame 1 to which the module is attached, a plurality of buoys 8 having a sufficient capacity for floating the entire apparatus on the water surface are set at positions where a balance is maintained. Since this device is operated while the frame 1 is suspended in the sea at a depth where the influence of waves is reduced, the winch 9 forcibly sinks it until the water surface reaches the middle of the air column 2. In that case, the tip of the wire wound by the winch 9 is connected to the anchor 10 on the seabed, and the winch 9 itself is installed on the tower so that the winch 9 does not sink below the surface of the water even if the device is set at a fixed position in water. . The buoyancy capacity of the buoy 8 is sufficiently large so that the anchor rope 10.a is always in tension so that this device can function stably at a fixed position under the water surface even in the case of abnormal sea conditions.

In the module set in the water, as shown in FIG. 1, in the operation in which the water surface in the air column 2 goes up and down, and, for example, the water surface at the position (b) goes down to the level (b) as the wave progresses, the discharge valve 7 is closed and the intake valve 6 is opened to suck air into the air column 2 from the main intake pipe 4. On the contrary, when the water surface rises, the discharge valve 7 opens, the intake valve 6 closes, and the air in the air column 2 is discharged to the main discharge pipe 5. However, when a large wave comes in due to abnormal weather and the height of the water surface momentarily exceeds the level of (C), the shutoff valve 7.a closes due to the action of the float 7.b, and seawater Make sure that it does not flow into the discharge pipe 5.a and the main discharge pipe 5. In this way, when each module acts as an air pump, for example, when a wave progresses as shown by an arrow at a place where the modules are installed side by side as shown in FIG. d.
Is in the process of inhalation, b. c. e. is in the discharging process. Then, the process of suction and discharge moves to the adjacent module one after another as the wave progresses, and a plurality of modules are always in the process of suction and discharge. In that case, when each module operates in this way, air always flows into a plurality of modules from the intake main pipe 4 to which the intake pipe 4.a is connected, and the discharge pipe 5.a is connected to the discharge pipe 5.a. Air is discharged to the main pipe 5 from a plurality of modules without interruption.

If the main intake pipe 4 and the main discharge pipe 5 are introduced at the end of the frame 1 into a turbine chamber 11 provided on the tower so as not to be submerged in water, and connected to the intake and discharge turbines, respectively, intermittently. The turbine can operate stably without operating. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, when both the suction and discharge turbines are set on one output shaft and the outputs of both the suction and discharge turbines are combined, the stability of the operation can be further increased.

The larger the number of modules, the more stable the air flow in the main intake pipe 4 and the main discharge pipe 5 is because the pulsating component of the wave is relaxed. The volume may be increased so as to absorb the pulsation. In the case of FIG. 5, the intake main pipe 4 and the discharge main pipe 5 are designed to be thicker, and in addition to the effect of alleviating the pulsating change of the air pressure, the main pipe itself is a main member 1.a. And a float function that gives buoyancy to the entire apparatus at the same time, thereby simplifying the mechanism that configures the apparatus. The piping of the module in this case is as shown in FIG. 6, and the winch 9 for fixing the device is provided with bracket arms on both sides of the intake main pipe 4 and the discharge main pipe 5, which are frames, and a winch tower is provided at the tip thereof. Set on it.

[0013]

[Effect] Wave power generation, which converts the vertical movement of the water surface in the air column into flow energy of the air and uses the air turbine to generate electricity, has been put to practical use as a buoy for lamps for a long time, and its principle has been applied and developed. In Japan, a large-scale wave power generation device "Kaimei" has been developed as a device. Since this equipment is moored while floating on the sea, it is necessary to have a mooring equipment that is easily affected by wind and waves and can withstand abnormal sea conditions. . Further, since the flow energy of the air generated by the air column is sent to the power generation turbine as it is, the pulsation of the air flow is large and stable power generation is difficult. In the case of the present invention, the frame to which the module is attached is set in the sea where the influence of waves is small, and it is possible to design a device that does not pose a problem even if the device itself dives into the sea against the large waves that occur during abnormal sea conditions. There are few restrictions on the installation location depending on the conditions. Also, the structure of the frame can be a simple mechanism,
Since the turbine device for power generation can cope with the air flow generated by a large number of modules by one unit, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost and the power generation cost. In the device of the present invention, the larger the number of modules, the more stable the air flow becomes, so that the scale merit can be obtained, and it becomes possible to design a large-scale device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a module.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the device.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the device.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the turbine.

FIG. 5 is a side view of an apparatus in which a main suction pipe and a main discharge pipe are used as a frame.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a module of an apparatus in which a main intake pipe and a main discharge pipe are used as a frame.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,1.a Frame 2 Air column 3 Valve chamber 3.a Suction valve chamber 3.b Discharge valve chamber 4 Suction main pipe 5 Discharge main pipe 4.a Suction pipe 5.a Discharge pipe 6 Suction valve 7 Discharge valve 7.a Shirt Tooff valve 7.b Float 8 Buoy 9 Winch 10 Anchor 11 Turbine chamber 12 Discharge turbine 13 Intake turbine 14 Generator a, b, c, d, e, f, Module number (a), (b), (b) Wave sign

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. When a large number of modules composed of an air column 2 and a valve chamber 3 are attached to a long frame 1 installed in the sea, and when the water surface moves up and down in the air column 2 of the module due to waves, The air flow in and out is made unidirectional by the intake valve 6 and the discharge valve 7, and the generated air flow is passed through the intake main pipe 4 and the discharge main pipe 5 connected to all the above modules to the outlet and the inlet. Modular wave power generator characterized by a mechanism for generating power by an air turbine provided 2. To fix the frame 1 to which the buoy 8 and a large number of modules are attached at a predetermined depth under the water,
The modular wave power generation device according to claim 1, wherein the buoyancy of the buoy causes the entire frame 1 to float up and is pushed into the water by a winch 9 to fix the device in a state of being suspended in the water. 3. A main intake pipe 4 connected to a large number of modules.
By setting the suction turbine 13 and the discharge turbine 12 of the air turbine provided at the place where the air flowing in and out of the discharge main pipe 5 are set to one output shaft, fluctuations of the air flow that are influenced by the pulsation of waves The modular wave power generation device according to claim 1, characterized in that a mechanism for pressing down is provided. 4. A long frame 1.a capable of supporting a plurality of modules by thickening and thickening a main intake pipe 4 and a main discharge pipe 5 for connecting a plurality of modules to a power generation turbine and connecting them with a beam. 2. The modular wave power generation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, in addition to the role of simply passing air through, the structure is made to have a role of a frame supporting the entire apparatus and a role of a buoy giving buoyancy.