RU197968U1 - PLANT FOR TRANSFORMING ENERGY OF A FLUID FLOW TO ELECTRIC POWER - Google Patents

Abstract

Usage: in the designs of hydropower plants to provide electric energy to small settlements, camps of geologists, hunters, fishermen, timber industry enterprises by converting the kinetic energy of the river’s water flow into electrical energy. SUBSTANCE: installation for converting the energy of a fluid flow into electricity contains a confuser adjacent to the pipe in which the turbine is placed, an electric generator mechanically coupled to the turbine. The confuser is made of an elastic material with a set of opposite pair of holes for placing poles in them, ensuring fixation of a given size (opening) of the confuser, and fixing the installation in the river at a given depth, as well as playing the role of a barrier grid that prevents large objects and organisms from entering the hydraulic turbine. Technical advantages: the possibility of opening the confuser to any size, giving it any shape; the ability to fix the installation anywhere in the river bed; automatic turning of a hydraulic turbine against a water stream; increasing the efficiency of electricity generation. 2 ill.

Description

The utility model relates to hydropower and is intended to provide electric power to small settlements, camps of geologists, hunters, fishermen, timber industry enterprises by converting the kinetic energy of the river’s water stream into electric energy.

Known riverbed hydroelectric power station, containing a body in the form of a cylindrical shell, consisting of two halves - an axial hydraulic turbine with blades, closed at the ends with non-rotating heads, rigidly connected by bolts with ring heads for anchor poles, and engine room with a generator [see US Pat. Russian Federation No. 2619966 for classes F03D 13/10, F03D 17/06, published on May 22, 2017 in Byul. No. 15].

The main disadvantage of this technical solution is the imperfection of the hydroelectric power plant design, expressed in the absence of a confuser that allows collecting and accelerating the water flow to increase the power of the hydroelectric power station by increasing the pressure of the water flow on the hydroturbine, and in the absence of a barrier grid in front of the hydroelectric power station, preventing large fish and aquatic fish from entering the hydroturbine animals (otters, beavers), as well as large objects of biological or artificial origin located in water (tree branches, fishing nets, inflatable swimming equipment).

The closest in essence and the effect achieved, taken as a prototype, is an installation for converting the energy of a fluid flow into electricity, containing a frame equipped with a hydraulic turbine configured to rotate around a horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the installation, kinematically connected to the generator, equipped with an anchor a device and a flow former configured to obscure the bottom of the turbine rotor. At the same time, the flow former is given the shape of a confuser, the larger cross-section of which is facing the flow, and the smaller is facing the hydraulic turbine, while ballast tanks are installed on the frame, one of which is installed on the bottom of the frame, and the rest are fixed along the sides of the installation and at its end opposite to the flow former, wherein the installation is equipped with a steering plate oriented in a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the device, in addition, the anchor device is capable of articulating rotation of the installation around it, and the ballast tank mounted on the bottom of the frame is divided by transverse bulkheads, at least two compartments along the installation length [see US Pat. Russian Federation No. 97774 U1 in class F03B 7/00, published September 20, 2010 in Bull. No. 26].

The main disadvantage of this installation for converting the energy of a fluid flow into electricity is the technical unchanged design (geometry) of the confuser: it is designed only for a specific water flow, has only a given throughput, due to its geometric dimensions. If the installation is used for others with respect to the power of water flows, it is necessary to change the size of the confuser in order to maximize the potential of the electric generator. In the known design this cannot be done due to the invariability of the design of the input confuser.

The utility model is based on the task of increasing the efficiency of electricity generation by taking into account the characteristics of the river’s water flow by using a confuser of variable sizes. Effect: ensuring maximum power of the generator by controlling the throughput of the confuser by changing its geometric dimensions in accordance with the speed of the water flow.

The solution to this problem is achieved by the fact that the installation for converting the energy of the fluid flow into electricity containing a hydraulic turbine installed in the pipe, a confuser with a barrier grid to prevent the ingress of objects and organisms into the hydraulic turbine adjacent to the pipe, an electric generator mechanically connected to the hydraulic turbine, according to to the proposal, the confuser is made of elastic material with a set of opposing paired openings for the placement of poles in them, ensuring fixation of a given size and shape of the opening of the confuser, and fixing the installation in the river at a given depth, as well as acting as a barrier grid.

The manufacture of a confuser from an elastic material allows it to give any desired shape and size depending on the characteristics of the water flow. The use of a confuser made of elastic material allows the installation to be installed in any convenient place without being “tied” to the width of the river, its depth, bottom topography and other indicators of the water flow.

The presence of paired holes in the material along the outer edge of the confuser allows poles to pass through them (the frequency of installation of the poles depends on the frequency of the holes in the material of the confuser), sticking them into the bottom soil. The poles serve not only as anchors, but also form a barrage grid that prevents large objects and organisms from entering the hydraulic turbine. Limiters can be made on poles, which form the required size of the inlet of the confuser. For the same purpose, in the upper row of holes in the material of the confuser, floats can be fixed, and on the bottom - sinkers that will open the bell of the confuser. The size of the inlet of the confuser (bell) regulate the flow of water falling onto the turbine. Therefore, there is always a technical opportunity to adjust the confuser depending on the characteristics of the water flow. At the same time, the poles hold the power plant in a certain place. The use of the confuser of the proposed design does not require the closure of the entire river. From this it follows that the proposed installation for converting the energy of a fluid flow into electricity has all the signs of universality.

Thus, the introduction of structural changes to the confuser of the installation allowed it to acquire new properties (adaptability to any fluid), which cannot be obtained using confusers of a rigid structure. In addition, the elastic confuser does not take up much space in the transport position, therefore, the power plant will not have significant dimensions when transporting to its destination. Therefore, a change in the design of the confuser, in conjunction with the poles, should be considered essential features that provide new technical indicators of the power plant.

A further essence of the proposed technical solution is explained in conjunction with illustrative material, which depicts the following: FIG. 1 - the proposed device for converting the energy of the fluid flow into electricity in the working position, plan view (arrows indicate the direction of movement of the water stream, the rods are stuck in the bottom); FIG. 2 - the same in the transport position.

The proposed installation for converting the energy of the fluid flow into electricity contains a confuser 1 made of an elastic material, for example, rubber tarpaulin.

On the front (input) edge of the confuser 1, the opposite pair of holes 2 are made, in which poles 3 are installed. Poles 3 perform a triple function. Firstly, they open the confuser 1 for water intake (for entering the confluent 1 of the water stream). Secondly, the poles 3 hold the confuser 1 in a certain place, for which the poles are stuck in the bottom. Thirdly, the poles 3, installed with a certain frequency, prevent the penetration of large objects and organisms into the confuser 1. It is clear that to give a certain shape to the inlet of the confuser 1, the poles 3 can be equipped with limiters (hooks) or sinkers and floats of any known design (not shown due to the well-known designs and the principle of action).

The confuser 1 is adjacent to the pipe 4 (pipe), which contains a turbine 5. The turbine is mounted on the shaft of the generator 6, which protrudes from the pipe 4. This provides free access to the generator 6 for maintenance and repair if necessary.

The proposed installation for converting the energy of a fluid flow into electricity works as follows.

The installation from the transport position to the working position is transferred on the bank of the river (stream). To do this, lay out the installation, directing the confuser 1 against the flow of the river (stream). Next, in the opposite pair of holes 2 thread poles 3 (metal rods). Then the installation is brought into the water, blocking part of the river (stream), while revealing the inlet edge (hole) of the confuser 1. Poles 3 are pulled apart from each other by the distance determined by the holes 2, pulling the confuser in width, and stick into the bottom of the reservoir. If necessary, floats and sinkers are put on poles 3 to maximize the opening of the confuser 1. After placing the installation in the river, the turbine 5, resisting the movement of the water flow, pulls the confuser 1 in the direction of the water flow. The water flow, falling into the tapering confuser 1, is accelerated and under pressure falls on the turbine 5, starting to rotate it. Since the turbine is mounted on the shaft of the electric generator 6, the latter, rotating, generates electricity, which is transmitted using a cable (not shown) to the consumer.

A significant difference between the claimed object of technology and the previously known ones is that the hydropower installation is equipped with an elastic confuser, and the barrier grid is formed by a set of poles stuck into the bottom, holding the installation in a certain place and opening the inlet of the confuser. These differences, in total, make it possible to make the proposed hydropower installation truly universal: the elastic confuser can take any size and shape and, at the same time, can be folded into the transport position, and the poles allow you to stretch the confuser and fix the installation in the desired place, while being obstructive a lattice for large objects, preventing their penetration into the confuser. None of the hydropower plants can have the indicated properties, since it does not contain elastic confusers that can take on a given shape with the help of a “barrage grid” and self-install in the riverbed, since it does not contain the entire set of essential features inherent in the claimed installation.

The technical advantages of the proposed technical solution, in comparison with the prototype, include the following:

- the possibility of opening the confuser to any size (depending on the power of the water stream) due to the fact that it is made of elastic material;

- the ability to give the confuser any shape due to the fact that it is stretched with the help of poles;

- the ability to fix the installation anywhere in the river or stream due to the immersion of the poles in the bottom;

- automatic rotation of the turbine against the water flow due to the elasticity of the confuser;

- increasing the efficiency of power generation for the same reason;

- the possibility of "penetrating" the poles of the confuser due to the fact that in the last along the edge there are made opposite pair holes;

- the ability to perform the double function of the poles - the barrier grid and the installation lock anywhere.

Claims (1)

Installation for converting the energy of a fluid flow into electricity containing a hydraulic turbine installed in a pipe, a confuser with a barrier grill preventing objects and organisms from entering the hydraulic turbine adjacent to the pipe, an electric generator mechanically connected to the hydraulic turbine, characterized in that the confuser is made of elastic material with a set of opposing paired holes for the placement of poles in them, ensuring fixation of a given size and shape of the opening of the confuser, and fixing the installation in the river at a given depth, as well as acting as a barrier grid.

Images