US20150252547A1 - Hydroelectric turbine system - Google Patents

Hydroelectric turbine system Download PDF

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Publication number
US20150252547A1
US20150252547A1 US14/435,805 US201314435805A US2015252547A1 US 20150252547 A1 US20150252547 A1 US 20150252547A1 US 201314435805 A US201314435805 A US 201314435805A US 2015252547 A1 US2015252547 A1 US 2015252547A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
base
load bearing
overturning
frame
turbine
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US14/435,805
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English (en)
Inventor
James Ives
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Openhydro IP Ltd
Original Assignee
Openhydro IP Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Openhydro IP Ltd filed Critical Openhydro IP Ltd
Publication of US20150252547A1 publication Critical patent/US20150252547A1/en
Assigned to OPENHYDRO IP LIMITED reassignment OPENHYDRO IP LIMITED ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: IVES, JAMES
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
    • E02D27/00—Foundations as substructures
    • E02D27/32—Foundations for special purposes
    • E02D27/52—Submerged foundations, i.e. submerged in open water
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/20—Hydro energy
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/30—Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a hydroelectric turbine system to be secured at a deployment site, for example on the seabed and in an area of significant tidal flow, which system enables the turbine to be located securely without risk of overturning, in particular during extreme weather/tidal events, but without requiring the use of piling or other complex fixing operations, thus significantly simplifying the installation of such a turbine system.
  • base mounted hydroelectric tidal turbines has conventionally taken the form of the sinking of a pile into the seabed, on which pile a turbine or secondary frame carrying one or more turbines can then be located.
  • the sinking of a pile into the seabed in an area of high tidal flow is considerably problematic and generally a dangerous operation.
  • significant drilling and piling equipment must be transported to and operated at the site of installation, significantly increasing the complexity and cost of the operation.
  • Working at sea with such large and heavy equipment is a dangerous and time consuming operation, and anything that can be done to simplify this task and/or decrease the time taken is of great benefit.
  • a hydroelectric turbine system comprising a base comprising a frame, a plurality of legs extending from the frame; and at least one load bearing member extending from the base at a position adapted to resist, in use, overturning of the base.
  • the base defines an overturning axis extending between a pair of the legs, the at least one load bearing member being positioned to resist an overturning moment acting about the overturning axis.
  • the load bearing member is arranged and dimensioned to be at an elevated position above a surface of a deployment site when the plurality of legs are engaged against and supported by the surface.
  • the load bearing member has a load bearing face positioned outboard of the overturning axis.
  • the load bearing member comprises a leg secured to the base, and a load bearing face located at a free end of the leg.
  • the load bearing face is oriented such as to be substantially parallel to a seabed or other support surface on contacting the seabed or support surface during an overturning event.
  • the frame is substantially triangular and the base comprises three legs, one at or adjacent each apex of the triangular frame.
  • the system comprises a load bearing member extending from each of three sides of the triangular frame.
  • the system comprises a plurality of the load bearing members extending from one side of the triangular frame.
  • the system comprises a hydroelectric turbine mounted on the base.
  • the turbine comprises an open centre turbine.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a hydroelectric turbine system according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative mounting position for a load-bearing member forming part of the hydroelectric turbine system of the present invention
  • FIG. 3 illustrates a side elevation of the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 2 , when the hydroelectric turbine system is located on the seabed.
  • hydroelectric turbine system for location on the seabed or other suitable underwater support surface in order to extract energy from the flow of water, preferably the tidal flow of water, past the system 10 , as is known in the art.
  • the system 10 comprises a base 12 for location on the seabed or other underwater support surface, the system 10 further preferably comprising a hydroelectric turbine 14 mountable, preferably releasably, to the base 12 by any suitable means.
  • the base 12 acts as a support in order to secure the turbine 14 in an upright position such that the tidal flow of water passes through the turbine 14 in order to generate electricity, again in known fashion.
  • the base 12 comprises a triangular frame supported on three legs 18 which each form an apex of the triangular frame 16 .
  • the frame 16 is comprised of three cross members 20 , each extending between a pair of the legs 18 .
  • Each leg 18 additionally preferably comprises a pointed foot 22 extending downwardly from an underside of the respective leg 18 . In use this foot 22 contacts and preferably pierces the seabed or other underwater support surface, in order to secure the system 10 in position and prevent it from sliding along the seabed under the influence of tidal forces acting thereon.
  • the frame 16 and legs 18 may be formed from any suitable material, and for example may be formed from tubular steel of a gauge sufficient to both support the turbine 14 and resist the loading applied to the system 10 during use.
  • the base 12 may be of any other suitable shape and arrangement, and may for example employ more than three of the legs 18 and feet 22 .
  • the base 12 is of triangular form as with the embodiment illustrated, it is preferable to position the system 10 on the seabed or other underwater support surface, such that an axis of rotation of the turbine 14 is substantially aligned with the prevailing tidal flow.
  • the turbine 14 is mounted such that the axis of rotation is substantially in line with a longitudinal axis AA of the base 12 , and thus in use the longitudinal axis AA is substantially aligned with the direction of the prevailing tidal flow.
  • the system 10 is preferably provided with at least one, and more preferably a plurality of load-bearing members in the form of outriggers 26 secured to and extending outwardly from the base 12 as hereinafter described.
  • Each outrigger 26 preferably comprises a leg 28 which terminates, at a free end thereof, with a face 30 which increases the surface area which will come into contact with the seabed should an overturning event occur.
  • the outriggers 26 may extend from any suitable position about the base 12 , for example one or more of the cross members 20 and/or one or more of the legs 18 .
  • the outriggers 26 are oriented and dimensioned such that when the base 12 is in a normal operating orientation on the seabed, and thus in a substantially horizontal orientation, the face 30 of each outrigger 26 is elevated off the seabed, as illustrated in FIG. 3 . This ensures that during installation and/or recovery of the system 10 the outriggers 26 do not contact the seabed, which may complicate the installation/recovery, and may also result in damage to the outrigger 26 . However, once the base 12 begins overturning, for example due to rotation of the base 12 about an overturning axis BB defined by a downstream pair of the legs 18 and associated feet 22 , this will result in the face 30 of each outrigger 26 contacting the seabed, thus preventing further overturning of the system 10 .
  • the size, shape and dimensions of the outriggers 26 may be varied in order to provide greater or lesser resistance to overturning of the system 10 .
  • the number and location of the outriggers 26 may be varied as required once the face 30 is positioned outboard of the legs 18 /frame 16 , or in other words downstream of the overturning axis BB with respect to the direction of tidal flow.
  • one or more outriggers 26 may extend from one or more of the legs 18 of the base 12 .
  • each outrigger 26 The horizontal distance at which the face 30 of each outrigger 26 is located, relative to a respective overturning axis of the base 12 , will also have a bearing on the ability of the outriggers 26 to resist overturning of the system 10 . It is also envisaged that, due for example to a difference in surface area of the system 10 being acting on by the tide in one direction of flow than the other, the overturning moment may be greater for one direction of tidal flow. It may therefore be necessary to position and dimension the outriggers 26 accordingly.
  • the angle at which the face 30 of each outrigger is disposed may be selected such that when the face 30 contacts the seabed during an overturning event, the face 30 is substantially parallel to the seabed or other support surface. In this way essentially the entire surface area of the face 30 will contact the seabed in order to maximise resistance to the overturning moment.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Paleontology (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Other Liquid Machine Or Engine Such As Wave Power Use (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Hydraulic Turbines (AREA)
  • Oceanography (AREA)
US14/435,805 2012-10-15 2013-10-15 Hydroelectric turbine system Abandoned US20150252547A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP12188579.2A EP2719833B1 (en) 2012-10-15 2012-10-15 A Hydroelectric Turbine System
EP12188579.2 2012-10-15
PCT/EP2013/071539 WO2014060421A1 (en) 2012-10-15 2013-10-15 A hydroelectric turbine system

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20150252547A1 true US20150252547A1 (en) 2015-09-10

Family

ID=47018891

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US14/435,805 Abandoned US20150252547A1 (en) 2012-10-15 2013-10-15 Hydroelectric turbine system

Country Status (14)

Country Link
US (1) US20150252547A1 (ko)
EP (1) EP2719833B1 (ko)
JP (1) JP6120976B2 (ko)
KR (1) KR101843446B1 (ko)
CN (1) CN104781473A (ko)
AU (1) AU2013334011B2 (ko)
CA (1) CA2887521A1 (ko)
CL (1) CL2015000927A1 (ko)
IN (1) IN2015DN03781A (ko)
NZ (1) NZ707080A (ko)
PH (1) PH12015500812A1 (ko)
RU (1) RU2633600C2 (ko)
SG (1) SG11201502899RA (ko)
WO (1) WO2014060421A1 (ko)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20170356417A1 (en) * 2014-12-23 2017-12-14 Openhydro Ip Limited Adaptive hydroelectric turbine system
US11105367B2 (en) 2019-01-18 2021-08-31 Telesystem Energy Ltd. Passive magnetic bearing and rotating machineries integrating said bearing, including energy production turbines
US11629684B2 (en) 2019-03-14 2023-04-18 Telesysteme Energie Ltee Multi-staged cowl for a hydrokinetic turbine

Citations (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1806459A (en) * 1929-02-27 1931-05-19 Riter Conley Mfg Co Tower construction
US5440176A (en) * 1994-10-18 1995-08-08 Haining Michael L Ocean current power generator
US6004075A (en) * 1998-02-20 1999-12-21 Stuck In The Mud, L.P. Mudmats for offshore platform support
US20030077127A1 (en) * 2001-10-18 2003-04-24 Clive Jones Pile guide
US20060099062A1 (en) * 2004-06-08 2006-05-11 Knepp Wayne A Assembly for mounting various work tools to a construction vehicle
US20090180878A1 (en) * 2006-06-30 2009-07-16 Astelio Alunni Generation of power
US20090314579A1 (en) * 2008-06-18 2009-12-24 Allan Withers Ladder stabilizer
US20100066089A1 (en) * 2008-09-12 2010-03-18 Bruce Best Subsea turbine with a peripheral drive
US20100232885A1 (en) * 2007-04-11 2010-09-16 Openhydro Group Limited Method of installing a hydroelectric turbine
US20110058929A1 (en) * 2009-09-10 2011-03-10 Timothy Smith Hydrokinetic turbine structure and system
US20110291419A1 (en) * 2008-12-18 2011-12-01 Openhydro Ip Limited hydroelectric turbine with aligning means
US20110298216A1 (en) * 2008-12-18 2011-12-08 Openhydro Ip Limited Method of securing a hydroelectric turbine at a deployment site
US20110318113A1 (en) * 2009-02-12 2011-12-29 Fraenkel Peter L Installing submerged support structures

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
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US2921442A (en) * 1954-03-19 1960-01-19 Ocean Drilling Exploration Submergible barge
SU1668553A1 (ru) * 1989-02-13 1991-08-07 Всесоюзный Научно-Исследовательский И Проектно-Изыскательский Институт Нефтегазопромысловых Сооружений На Континентальном Шельфе Морска платформа
RU2153600C1 (ru) * 1999-02-22 2000-07-27 Зорин Сергей Леонидович Передвижная ветроэлектрическая станция
JP4141792B2 (ja) * 2002-10-17 2008-08-27 前田建設工業株式会社 取水口構造
DK2727813T3 (en) * 2008-04-23 2017-10-23 Principle Power Inc Pillar stabilized offshore platform with water enclosure plates and asymmetric anchoring system to support offshore wind turbines
CN101885320A (zh) * 2009-05-13 2010-11-17 张虹玥 一种防倾倒装置
CN201518589U (zh) * 2009-07-16 2010-07-07 常州合力电器有限公司 电动割草机防倾倒装置
CN101838997B (zh) * 2010-05-18 2011-08-31 江苏海力风电设备科技有限公司 潮间带风电场风机基础及其生产方法
BE1018989A3 (nl) * 2011-02-23 2011-12-06 Geosea N V Werkwijze voor het verschaffen van een fundering voor een zich op hoogte bevindende massa, en samenstel van een opvijzelbaar platform en een positioneerframe voor het uitvoeren van de werkwijze.
CN102268879B (zh) * 2011-05-25 2015-12-09 江苏道达海上风电工程科技有限公司 海上测风塔的基础结构及其安装方法

Patent Citations (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1806459A (en) * 1929-02-27 1931-05-19 Riter Conley Mfg Co Tower construction
US5440176A (en) * 1994-10-18 1995-08-08 Haining Michael L Ocean current power generator
US6004075A (en) * 1998-02-20 1999-12-21 Stuck In The Mud, L.P. Mudmats for offshore platform support
US20030077127A1 (en) * 2001-10-18 2003-04-24 Clive Jones Pile guide
US20060099062A1 (en) * 2004-06-08 2006-05-11 Knepp Wayne A Assembly for mounting various work tools to a construction vehicle
US20090180878A1 (en) * 2006-06-30 2009-07-16 Astelio Alunni Generation of power
US20100232885A1 (en) * 2007-04-11 2010-09-16 Openhydro Group Limited Method of installing a hydroelectric turbine
US20090314579A1 (en) * 2008-06-18 2009-12-24 Allan Withers Ladder stabilizer
US20100066089A1 (en) * 2008-09-12 2010-03-18 Bruce Best Subsea turbine with a peripheral drive
US20110291419A1 (en) * 2008-12-18 2011-12-01 Openhydro Ip Limited hydroelectric turbine with aligning means
US20110298216A1 (en) * 2008-12-18 2011-12-08 Openhydro Ip Limited Method of securing a hydroelectric turbine at a deployment site
US20110318113A1 (en) * 2009-02-12 2011-12-29 Fraenkel Peter L Installing submerged support structures
US20110058929A1 (en) * 2009-09-10 2011-03-10 Timothy Smith Hydrokinetic turbine structure and system

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20170356417A1 (en) * 2014-12-23 2017-12-14 Openhydro Ip Limited Adaptive hydroelectric turbine system
US11105367B2 (en) 2019-01-18 2021-08-31 Telesystem Energy Ltd. Passive magnetic bearing and rotating machineries integrating said bearing, including energy production turbines
US11629684B2 (en) 2019-03-14 2023-04-18 Telesysteme Energie Ltee Multi-staged cowl for a hydrokinetic turbine

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CL2015000927A1 (es) 2015-06-26
AU2013334011A1 (en) 2015-05-07
AU2013334011B2 (en) 2017-10-05
SG11201502899RA (en) 2015-05-28
KR20150068470A (ko) 2015-06-19
IN2015DN03781A (ko) 2015-10-02
PH12015500812A1 (en) 2015-06-08
JP6120976B2 (ja) 2017-04-26
NZ707080A (en) 2018-03-23
JP2015531453A (ja) 2015-11-02
WO2014060421A1 (en) 2014-04-24
RU2015117694A (ru) 2016-12-10
CA2887521A1 (en) 2014-04-24
EP2719833B1 (en) 2015-08-05
KR101843446B1 (ko) 2018-05-14
CN104781473A (zh) 2015-07-15
EP2719833A1 (en) 2014-04-16
RU2633600C2 (ru) 2017-10-13

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Owner name: OPENHYDRO IP LIMITED, IRELAND

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:IVES, JAMES;REEL/FRAME:037788/0469

Effective date: 20150417

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- AFTER EXAMINER'S ANSWER OR BOARD OF APPEALS DECISION