WO1995018302A1

WO1995018302A1 - Underwater paddle wheel

Info

Publication number: WO1995018302A1
Application number: PCT/BE1994/000097
Authority: WO
Inventors: Louis Worms
Original assignee: Louis Worms
Priority date: 1993-12-27
Filing date: 1994-12-27
Publication date: 1995-07-06
Also published as: AU1217295A; BE1007840A6

Abstract

Underwater paddle wheel, which contains a frame (1) and a rotor (2) mounted therein, which rotor (2) has a rotor shaft (3) supported on bearings in the frame (1), a number of rotor elements (5) situated axially next to one another which each contain at least one vane (6) which determines a main blade surface which extends through the rotor shaft (3) and which consists of at least one support (7, 9) fixed on the rotor shaft (3), at least one blade (10) which is hinge-mounted in relation to the support (7, 9) around a hinge pin (11) which is parallel to the rotor shaft (3) and a stop (12) for the blade (8) which is fixed on the support (7, 9) and is situated almost in the main blade surface, whereby at the ends of the rotor (2) and in between neighbouring rotor elements (5) are situated bulkheads (19, 20) which are fixed in relation to the frame (1), are directed diagonally on the rotor shaft (3) and extend at least over a large part of half of the rotor (2) where the vanes (6) are active, i.e. where the blade (10) of these vanes takes up the position in which it links up against the stop (12), characterized in that the frame (1) contains a bottom piece (18) which extends in the axial direction under at least almost the entire length of the rotor (2) and in that the bulkheads (19 and 20) are placed directly on this bottom piece (18).

Description

Underwater paddle wheel.

The present invention concerns an underwater paddle wheel, which contains a frame and a rotor mounted therein, which rotor has a rotor shaft supported on bearings in the frame, a number of rotor elements situated axially next to one another which each contain at least one vane which determines a main blade surface which extends through the rotor shaft and which consists of at least one support fixed on the rotor shaft, at least one blade which is hinge-mounted in relation to the support around a hinge pin which is parallel to the rotor shaft and a stop for the blade which is fixed on the support and is situated almost in the main blade surface, whereby at the ends of the rotor and in between neighbouring rotor elements are situated bulkheads which are fixed in relation to the frame,

are directed diagonally on the rotor shaft and extend at least over a large part of half of the rotor where the vanes are active, i.e. where the blade of these vanes takes up the position in which it links up against the stop.

Such a paddle wheel is designed to be placed entirely under water in a current, with the rotor shaft athwart the direction of the current. Via- the rotor shaft, the collected energy is transmitted to an energy-transforming mechanism, for example an alternator or dynamo. The bulkheads conduct the water to the rotor elements and prevent the flow through a rotor element from being influenced by the neighbouring rotor element.

Such an underwater paddle wheel is described in BE-A 900.281 in name of the applicant. The frame consists of two supports which bear a fixed shaft around which the hollow rotor shaft is bearing-mounted. The supports are provided with feet with which they rest on the bottom.

The bulkheads are metal plates in the shape of a semicircle which extend only over the top half of the rotor and are fixed with their tops to a bridge which is mounted between the supports.

It Was found that with such an underwater paddle wheel, the frame can easily break down, as a result of which the paddle wheel can be put out of order. This is mainly promoted as the bulkheads may begin to vibrate as a result of the current. These vibrations may also cause the anchorage, which is required in such paddle wheels, to come loose, as a result of which the paddle wheel can be swept along by the current.

The invention aims to remedy these disadvantages and to provide an underwater paddle wheel of the above-mentioned type whose frame is very solid and with which the danger of the paddle wheel being damaged or destroyed in the current is practically nil.

This aim is reached according to the invention because the frame contains a bottom piece which extends in the axial direction under at least almost the entire length of the rotor and because the bulkheads are placed directly on this bottom piece.

In the direction athwart the rotor shaft, the width of the bottom piece is preferably almost identical to the diameter of the rotor.

Preferably, this bottom piece is made of concrete, in particular reinforced concrete.

This bottom piece can be solid or hollow, in which case it can be filled with water.

Also the bulkheads are preferably made of concrete, in particular reinforced concrete.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the frame is made such that the rotor can be placed in said frame at a later stage, with its rotor shaft bearingmounted in the frame. Moreover, the bulkheads can be provided with a slit which reaches up to the rotor shaft on their side turned away from the bottom piece.

In this embodiment, it is possible to place the rotor in the frame by lowering it, for example after the frame was lowered on the bottom of the river or current. The rotor can also be easily taken out of the frame again, for example for maintenance or repairs.

According to a special embodiment of the invention, the two bulkheads on the two ends of the rotor form a diffuser and at least upstream of the rotor they have ends of which the sides which are turned to one another diverge.

According to a peculiar embodiment of the invention, the rotor contains a flywheel which is fixed to the rotor shaft, whereby the flywheel is erected between two bulkheads and the opening between these two bulkheads is closed off at least on the side of the flywheel situated upstream.

In this embodiment, any flow at the height of the flywheel is avoided, so that this flywheel can easily turn in still waters.

Other particularities and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following description of an underwater paddle wheel according to the invention. This description is given as an example only and does not restrict the invention in any way. The figures refer to the accompanying drawings, in which:
figure 1 shows a schematic top view of an underwater
paddle wheel according to the invention;
figure 2 shows the part indicated by F2 in the top
view of figure 1, but to a larger scale;
figure 3 shows a section according to line III-III
in figure 2;
figure 4 shows a section according to line IV-IV in
figure 3;
figure 5 shows a part of figure 3, drawn to a larger
scale;
figure 6 shows a section according to line VI-VI in
figure 5.

The underwater paddle wheel according to the figures mainly contains a frame 1 and a rotor 2 mounted therein.

The rotor 2 is of a type known as such, for example as described in BE-A-897.766 or BE-A-900281. It consists of a rotor shaft 3, a flywheel 4 fixed in the middle of this shaft 3, and a number of rotor elements 5, for example four on each side of the flywheel.

Each rotor element 5 consists of a couple of vanes 6 which are evenly distributed around the rotor shaft 3.

In the embodiment represented in the figures, each couple contains a pair of diametrically situated vanes 6. Each vane 6 contains two spokes 7 which stand radially on the rotor shaft 3 and are situated axially at a distance from one another. Thus, the two spokes 7 determine a main blade surface. The ends of the two spokes 7 turned away from the rotor shaft 3 are bent backward in relation to the sense of rotation of the rotor shaft 3 which is indicated in figure 3 by means of the arrow 8, and they are connected to one another by means of a connecting rod 9 which, together with the two spokes 7, forms a support for three blades 10.

Each of these blades 10 is hinge-mounted to the spokes 7 with its side turned away from the rotor shaft 3 by means of two pins 11 which are bearing-mounted in the two spokes 7 and together form a little hinge pin situated parallel to the rotor shaft 3.

Per blade 10 is fixed a stop 12 on the spokes 7 which, as seen in the sense of rotation of the rotor shaft 3 indicated by the arrow 8, is situated on the front side of the blade 10, opposite the edge of this blade which is directed towards the rotor shaft 3 when this blade is situated in the main blade surface.

Each blade 10 consists of several, for example three lamellas 13 which are hinge-mounted to one another. The outer lamella 13, i.e. the lamella situated farthest away from the rotor shaft 3 in the working position of the blade 10, is fixed to the spokes 7 in a rotatable manner by means of the above-mentioned pins 11. The middlemost lamella 13 is provided at its outer edge with two pins 14 which are bearing-mounted in protrusions 15 of the outer lamella 13, whereas the inner lamella 13 is also provided with two pins 14 at its outer edge which are bearingmounted in protrusions 15 of the middlemost lamella 13.

Said inner lamella 13 is provided on its inner edge, which is situated against the stop 12 when in working position, with a rubber strip 25. Thus, any vibration of the blades is avoided.

All the pins 14 are directed parallel to the rotor shaft 3. The relative rotation of the lamellas 13 is restricted by stops 16 and 17 which are fixed on the middle lamella 13, on the backside and on the front side respectively as seen in the sense of rotation indicated by the arrow 8.

As is clear from figures 5 and 6, in which the lamellas 13 are represented in one and other's prolongation and thus in the main blade surface, the stops 16 prevent the blade 10 from deflecting backward as a result of a relative rotation of the lamellas 13.

The bending of the blade 10 in the opposite sense due to a relative revolution of the lamellas 13 is possible to a certain extent to up against the stops 17 which are fixed on the front side of the middlemost lamella 13 and are directed forward at an angle.

The frame 1 consists of a bottom piece 18 of reinforced concrete and of a number of bulkheads 19 and 20 standing directly onto it, also made of reinforced concrete.

The bottom piece 18 forms a solid plate which extends over the entire length of the rotor shaft 3 in the direction parallel to said shaft and which, in the direction of the current represented by the arrow 21, extends on both sides past the rotor 2. On both sides of the rotor, the ends of the plate are bevelled.

The bulkheads 19 form partitions which are erected between the neighbouring rotor elements 5 or between a rotor element 5 and the flywheel 4. These bulkheads 19 extend along the lower half of these rotor elements and along the major part of the top half, i.e. the half where, in the direction of the current indicated by the arrow 21, the vanes 6 are active. At the top, the bulkheads 19 are rounded off according to almost a semicircle whose radius is somewhat smaller than the radius of the rotor 2. This top part of the bulkheads 19 extends to just beneath the highest point of the rotor elements 5.

This topmost, rounded-off part of the bulkheads 19 is provided with a slit 22 which reaches from the highest point to beneath the rotor shaft 3 and whose width is larger than the diameter of the rotbr shaft 3. A cushion 23 for the rotor shaft 3 in the bulkhead is worked in the bottom end of the slit 22. The rotor 2 can be lowered with its rotor shaft 3 through the slits 22 on these cushions 23.

The bulkheads 20 are situated on the ends of the rotor shaft 3 and, just as the bulkheads 19, they are provided with a slot or groove 22 and a cushion 23 for the ends of the rotor shaft 3. However, unlike the bulkheads 19, the bulkheads 20 are not rounded off at the top and they extend outside the rotor 2 in the direction athwart the rotor shaft 3. Normally, they are also thicker and heavier than the bulkheads 19.

The sides of the protruding ends of the bulkheads 20 which are turned towards each other, both upstream and downstream of the rotor 2, diverge on each side of the rotor 2, so that a diffusor is formed by these bulkheads 20 which guides the water optimally to the rotor 2 and increases the current at the height of the rotor 2.

The opening between the bulkheads 19 situated on both sides of the flywheel 4, is closed off by a concrete wall 24 both upstream and downstream.

The flywheel 4 may have the shape of a gear wheel and form part of a gear wheel transmission which is connected to an energy dissipator such as a current generator. For clarity sake, neither said transmission, nor said energy dissipator are represented in the drawings.

The frame 1 is lowered on the bottom of a river or a current by means of a floating derrick, with the bulkheads 19 and 20 in the direction of the current.

Thanks to the material of this frame 1, this frame is not only inexpensive, but also an anchorage is unnecessary.

Subsequently, the rotor 2 is lowered by means of the floating derrick and placed with its rotor shaft 3 in the cushions 23. The above-mentioned transmission is mounted beforehand on the rotor 2 or is provided after the rotor 2 has been put in place. The energy dissipator is preferably mounted at a later stage. In the case of a current generator, it may not be erected in the water.

It can be placed for example on a part of one of the bulkheads 20 extending o.tt of the water, on a separate pontoon or on the shore.

In working position, the blade 10 is situated in the main blade surface against the stop 12 which prevents the blade 10 from hinging past the spokes 7. In the opposite sense, this blade can rotate freely. The lamellas 13 can thereby hinge individually up against the stops 17, as represented in figure 4 and as described in detail in among others BE-A-89.7766 of the applicant.

For the direction of the current indicated by arrow 8, the blades 10 are in working position in the top half of the rotor 2 and not so in the lower half. The diffusorforming bulkheads 20 and the bulkheads 19 provide for an optimal flow at the height of the rotor elements 5.

In tidal waters, in which the direction of the current successively changes, the top half and the lower half of the rotor 2 are successively active. Because the bulkheads 19 and 20 extend both along the lower half and the top half of the rotor elements 5, they guide the current in both halves and thus can- also be effective for both directions of the current in tidal waters.

According to a variant of the above-described embodiment, the outmost bulkheads 20 and/or the bottom piece 18 are made in the shape of hollow caissons. One can thereby make sure that, when these caissons are empty, the frame 1 floats. In order to lower the frame 1 on the bottom of the river or current, these caissons are filled with water.

In both embodiments, a special anchorage of the frame 1, which could exert uncontrollable forces on this frame, is not necessary and there is no danger for the paddle wheel to be swept along with the current.

The frame 1 is very stable and cannot be distorted.

Consequently, the breaking down of the rotor 2 due to damage or distortion or vibrations of the frame 1 and in particular of the bulkheads 19 is excluded.

Because the bulkheads 19 do not reach entirely up to the top side of the rotor 2, large pieces of dirt which are swept along against these bulkheads 19 by the current are taken along by the ends of the vanes 6 and are carried past the bulkheads. However, it may be useful to provide some form of protection against floating dirt such as a grid upstream of the rotor 2.

Moreover, the bottom piece 18 protects the bottom of the river or the current against erosion.

Wherever a paddle wheel needs to be erected, the frame 1 can be made on the spot. The rotors 2 can be made in one or several workshops and can be transported to the places where they are placed in a frame 1.

The invention is by no means limited to the abovedescribed embodiments; on the contrary, within the scope of the invention as determined in the following claims, many changes can be made to these embodiments.

In particular, the number of rotor elements must not necessarily be two times four. Also the number of vanes per rotor element, the number of blades per vane and the number of lamellas per blade can vary from the described example.

Also the shape of the diffusor, formed by the outer bulkheads, can vary from the form shown. Deflectors, for example a winding partition or a deflector at the top, may possibly be mounted between the bulkheads.

The bearing of the rotor in the frame must not necessarily have the shape of cushions which are mounted in the frame. This bearing-mounting may also be provided for by means of bearings which surround the rotor shaft and thus are part of the rotor and rest on parts of the frame when the rotor is put in place.

Claims

Claims.

1. Underwater paddle wheel, which contains a frame (1) and a rotor (2) mounted therein, which rotor (2) has a rotor shaft (3) supported on bearings in the frame (1), a number of rotor elements (5) situated axially next to one another which each contain at least one vane (6) which determines a main blade surface which extends through the rotor shaft (3) and which consists of at least one support (7,9) fixed on the rotor shaft (3), at least one blade (10) which is hinge-mounted in relation to the support (7,9) around a hinge pin (11) which is parallel to the rotor shaft (3) and a stop (12) for the blade (8) which is fixed on the support (7,9) and is situated almost in the main blade surface, whereby at the ends of the rotor (2) and in between neighbouring rotor elements (5) are situated bulkheads (19, 20) which are fixed in relation to the frame (1),

are directed diagonally on the rotor shaft (3) and extend at least over a large part of half of the rotor (2) where the vanes (6) are active, i.e. where the blade (10) of these vanes (6) takes up the position in which it links up against the stop (12), characterized in that the frame (1) contains a bottom piece (18) which extends in the axial direction under at least almost the entire length of the rotor (2) and in that the bulkheads (19 and 20) are placed directly on this bottom piece (18).

2. Underwater paddle wheel according to the preceding claim, characterized in that in the direction athwart the rotor shaft (3), the width of the bottom piece (18) is preferably almost identical to the diameter of the rotor (2).

3. Underwater paddle wheel according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the bottom piece (18) is bevelled on both ends as seen in the direction athwart the rotor shaft (3).

4. Underwater paddle wheel according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bottom piece (18) is made of concrete, in particular reinforced concrete.

5. Underwater paddle wheel according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bulkheads (19) between the rotor elements (5) are made of concrete, in particular reinforced concrete.

6. Underwater paddle wheel according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bulkheads (20) on both ends of the rotor (2) are made of concrete, in particular reinforced concrete.

7. Underwater paddle wheel according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frame (1) is made such that the rotor (2) can be placed in said frame (1), with its rotor shaft (3) bearing-mounted in the frame.

8. Underwater paddle wheel according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the bulkheads (19, 20) are provided with a slit (22) on the side turned away from the bottom piece (18) which reaches up to the rotor shaft (3) in order to make it possible for the rotor (2) to be lowered in the frame (1).

9. Underwater paddle wheel according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two bulkheads (20) form a diffusor on the two ends of the rotor (2) and in that at least upstream of the rotor (2) they have ends of which the sides which are turned to one another diverge.

10. Underwater paddle wheel according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotor (2) contains a flywheel (4) which is fixed to the rotor shaft (3), whereby the flywheel (4) is erected between two bulkheads (19) and the opening between these two bulkheads (19) is closed off at least on the side of the flywheel (4) situated upstream.

11. Underwater paddle wheel according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the bulk heads (19) which are not situated on the ends do not entirely extend up to the top of these bulkheads (19).

12. Underwater paddle wheel according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotor shaft (3) is not only supported in the farthest bulkheads (20), but also rests on at least a number of intermediate bulkheads (19).

13. Underwater paddle wheel according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the edge of at least a number of the blades (10) which is removed from the hinge pin (11) and which is situated against the stop (12) when in working position and/or which stop is provided with an elastic strip c25).