WO2005080790A1

WO2005080790A1 - Energy generating equipment

Info

Publication number: WO2005080790A1
Application number: PCT/BR2005/000022
Authority: WO
Inventors: Othon Luiz Pinheiro Da Silva
Original assignee: Aratec Eng. Consultoria E Repres.Ltda.
Priority date: 2004-02-20
Filing date: 2005-02-21
Publication date: 2005-09-01
Also published as: BRMU8400261U

Abstract

Energy generating equipment (E), the present utility model discloses an energy generating equipment (E) specifcally designed to be employed as a hydroelectric energy generator, allowing that all mechanical-electric conversion take place having a medium plane (PM) that is perpendicular to the equipment's rotation axis, that is, the energy conversion elements, turbine (2) and generator (3), become an integrated set; the present electric energy generating equipment, owing to its adopted design, has a simplified maintenance and reduced frequency of maintenance besides having a specially useful application to several types of central hydroelectric energy generating unities, chiefly: micro, mini and small hydroelectric central unities.

Description

ENERGY GENERATING EQUIPMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present utility model discloses an energy generating equipment that was designed specifically to generate hydroelectric energy, allowing all the hydro, mechanical and electrical conversion to take place having a medium plane that is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the propeller-rotor's set in the generator, that is, the energy converting elements, the turbine and the generator, make up an integrated set; the present energy generating equipment, owing to the adopted way of design, requires a simplified maintenance of reduced frequency besides providing an application specially uselful for several types of central hydroelectric generating unities, mainly for micro, mini and small hydroelectric central unities. It was already disclosed in the prior art several types of hydroelectric energy generating equipments. However, all of them have as a major inconvenient feature the need for a field source of electric feeding supply to the generator's rotor so being required the adoption of auxiliary systems such as starting systems, brushes, rings and collecting devices thus making it difficult for the rotor to be completely closed and watertight, a feature that is widely known to be necessary,

One of the prior art's hydroelectric energy generators is known as Straflos turbine and its design requires that the generator's rotor be fitstened to the periphery of the propeller's wheel.

Said Straflos generator has as a source of magneetic flow generated in the rotor coils that are fed by an outer electric current thus having as design feature the need for mechanical seals or hydrostatic gaskets so as to avoid water to reach the interiron part and the electric parts of rotor.

Another inconvenience found in this type of turbine is that once there is the need to transfer electric power from a source outside the rotor to generate a useful magnetic flow by each pole in the rotor, the watertightness and closure of the physical circuit that will cany out this transfer is required,

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With the purpose of overcoming the inconveniences derived from the existing techniques, the present utility model was designed as an energy generating equipment, most particularly applied to the energy generating eletric systems, said energy generating equipment provides for all the hydro, mechanical and electric conversion to take place by having a medium plane that is located perpendicularly to the rotation axis of the equipment (see figure 2), allowing the elements of energy conversion, namely the turbine and the generator, to make up an integrated set that is comprised of: a) a hydraulic turbine: used for the conversion from fluidal mechanic state into mechanical state; b) a generator: used for the conversion from mechanical state into electric state, such generator- being comprised of! bl a generator's stater; and b2 a generator's rotor.

The hydraulic turbine and the generator fitted in an integrated manner are in a position that have a medium plane that is located perpendicularly to the rotation axis of the equipment without the need for- an axis to transfer the energy between them both.

In this equipment the electric generator's rotor works together with the turbine and is connected to turbine propellers blades by a ring. The axis that crosses through the turbine's cube is not used to transfer the power from turbine to generator, but used only to keep the radial and longitudinal positionings of set turbine/generator that work together.

The innovated electric energy generating equipment is comprised of a synchronous generator that have a rotor with poles of permanent magnets fitted in the generator's rotor or inserted into the rotor.

The physical arrangment of the electric energy generating equipment has a synchronous generator- with permanent magnets that are positioned in the rotor's surface or inserted onto the rotor in the manner that is explained ahead.

Resins, compound materials (organic or metallic ones) or ceramics can be used in the encasement of the rotor's and stator's permanent magnets of the electric generator, additionally being an option of encasement a combination of the mentioned materials. When the permanent magnets are corrosion resistant or abrasion resistant materials the encasement of electric generator's rotor could be disconsidered.

The forms of application of the encasement materials might be those used for injection, immersion, dripping or plate, band, wire or layers applications. The hydraulic turbine might be one of the type bladed propeller or Kaplan, and the outer diameter of turbine's blades are auxiliary to the generator's rotor with poles of permanent magnets; said propeller's blades can additionally be fixed themselves and, eventually, possible of being adjustable during the fitting work or controllable by mechanisms, hydraulic or electric systems. The electric turbine's axis serves for the radial and longitudinal positionings of the turbine/generator's set.

The cube of the hydraulic turbine can be made of cylindrical, spherical and elliptical shape or- any other- shape that allows the pivoting of the hydraulic turbine's blades, that is, the rotation movement around the rotation's axis of the set turbine/generator that works together.

When the hydraulic turbine's blades are controllable they will pivot by themselves in relation to the ring that works together with their outer diameter and with the generator's rotor.

Eventually it is possible the use of non-encased permanent magnets that are corrosion and abrasion resistant thus making water sealing between the generator's rotor and the stationary parts of the equipment unnecessary, this being an option of physical arrangement of the equipment.

Therefore one of the objectives of the present equipment is the proposal that the generator's rotor permanent magnets (encased or not) be imerged into water, thus allowing the water to remain within the interim-- (a space that extends from the generator's rotor to the generator's stator) in a way to facilitate the heat exchanges.

The use of permanent magnets at the roto prevents the need of an external souree to transfer electric power towards rotor with the objective of generating useful magnetic outflow to a pole and as a consequence avoiding the use of a necessary device to provide said electric power transfer, this making possible for the water to remain within the interiron so as to avoid the use of mechanical seals and as well the use of hydrostatic sealing gaskets or any other type of sealing.

Another objective that is achieved with the present energy generating equipment's design is that by using encased permanent magnets or corrosion and abrasion resistant permanent magnets it makes unnecessary the eleetric field feeding into the generator's rotor and as a consequence it eliminates the need of a starting system to start it up thus making it also unnecessary the water sealing between the generator's rotor and the stationary parts of the equipment.

Thus the present utility model discloses the electric generating equipment with an improvement never taught before that is applied to the energy generating systems once it provides that all the hydro-mechanical-electric conversion occur in an integrated set turbine/generator that has as a peculiarity a region around a medium plane that is perpendicular to the equipment's rotation axis and wherein such electric energy conversions occur by utilizing encased or non-encased permanent magnets, not having the need of an electric starting system to the rotor thus avoiding sealing and permitting water to remain within the interiron.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to complement the present description so as to obtain a better understanding of the utility model's features and in accordance with a preferable practical accomplishment of the utility model, a set of drawings is accompanied herein by which in an exemplified manner, although not limiting to itself, the following is represented:

Figure 1 shows a front view of the electric generating equipment that, particularly, has a physical arrangement with a propeller's blade type turbine.

Figure 2 shows a schematic and side view of said equipment.

Figure 3 shows a longitudinal cut view of said equipment illustrating the components fitted in. Figures 4 and 5 are illustrations of possible arrangements for permanent magnets in the rotor.

Figure 6 is a design variation from the illustration on figure 3 now showing another type of design.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With regards to the illustrated drawings the present utility model relates to an energy generating equipment employed as a generator of hydroelectric energy of a syncronous type generator with poles of permanent magnetic bars, such an equipment E that permits all hydro-mechanical-electric conversions to occu having a medium plane PM perpendicular to the central axis EC, that is, the energy conversion elements, the turbine 2 and the generator 3, make up an integrated set that comprises the following parts, namely (refer to figures 2, 3, 4 and 5): a) hydraulic turbine 2: used for the conversion from fiuidal-mechanical into mechanical state. b) generator 3: used for- the conversion from mechanical into electric state, the generator itself being comprised of: bl) generator's stator 4: encased but similar to the electric stators usually used that, in their design, are comprised of a magnetic circuit called stator' s iron 5 and a multiphasie coiling 6 that is plaeed on the stator' s slots, such coiling being shortened and distributed and featured itself in a way to provide proper outgoing electric tension to the generator, b2) generator's rotor 7 that comprises a magnetic circuit that is called rotor's iron 8 (on figures 4 and 5) and permanent magnets' poles 9, said poles fitted on the generator's rotor 7. c) interiron 10: a space between the generator's stator 4 and the generator's rotor 7.

The generator's stator 4 will be thoroughly encased by resins, compound materials (organic or metallic ones) or ceramics as an option of encasement but furthermore being an option of encasement the combination of the mentioned materials.

The ways of application of encasement materials may be by injection, immersion, dripping or- application through plates, tapes, wires or layers.

Eventually the permanent magnets of the generator's rotor 7 are encased with the use of corrosion and abrasion resistant permanent magnets.

The generator's roto 7 will be encased with resins, compound materials (organic or metallic ones) or ceramies as an option of encasement but furthermore being an option of encasement the combination of the mentioned materials in such a way to maintain the watertightness and closure in relation to water. Eventually the rotor's permanent magnets 1 in the generato may not be encased but in such case the same ought to be corrosion and abrasion resistant. The ways of application of the rotor's 7 encasement materials in the generator may also be thiOugh injection, immersion, dripping or- application through plates, tapes, wires and layers. The permanent magnets 1 fitted on the generator's rotor 7 act as starting elements (the ones that generate useful outflow per each pole) and might be fitted on the rotor's iron 8 in two different ways: a) permanent magnets 1 on the surface of the generator's rotor 7: in accordance with illustration on figure 4, having their magnetization face directed towards radial direction Rl; or b) permanent magnets 1 inserted into the rotor's iron 8: in accordance with illustration on figure 5, wherein the rotor's iron 8 with spaces previously prepared for the insertion of permanent magnets 1 provides that the magnetization face of magnets be aimed towards a tangential direction Tl .

The permanent magnets' arrangement for each pole could be achieved by a single piece of permanent magnet or by a compound of smaller pieces of permanent magnets that is conveniently placed along the rotor's surface or otherwise inserted into the rotor.

Said stator's iron 5 and rotor's iron 8 could be manufactured from any type of magnetic materials that better fit the design.

Figure 3 shows a physical arrangement with the set turbine/generator positioning axis being supported on two supporting bases with distribution ring of regulating propeller's blades 20 and turbine's rotor between the guiding bearings.

As a design variation (refer to figure 6) the set turbine/generator may be fitted with the positioning axis of the set turbine/generator in a moving position in such case the regulating propeller blades' distribution ring being located in the direction of rotor turbine/generator set. In a moving position the equipment might use two or more guiding bearings.

The energy generating equipment is made of a structure that comprises a former cross- shaped part 12 (on figure 3) and a latter cross-shaped part 13 wherein the frontal guiding bearing 14 and the rear guiding bearing 15 are fitted in. The rear guiding bering comprises a supporting guide 16 and counter-supporting guide.

Said guiding bearings can be of sliding or ball bearing types that are lubricated either with water, grease or oil. The heat that is generated on the bearings due to mechanical friction is cooled by part of running water or, when said guiding bearings are lubricated by oil, the dispersion of heat could be done by external heat exchangers.

The frontal 14 and rear 15 guiding bearings accomodate the turbine's 2 axis 18 and in said axis 18 the turbine's cube IS* and blades 11 of said hydraulic turbine 2 are fitted on.

The hydraulic turbine may be one of bladed propeller or Kaplan type.

The hydraulic turbine's blades work together with the generator's rotor (on figure 1) By the arrangement set on figure 4 the permanent magnets 1 are meant to be placed on the surface of generator's rotor. The hydraulic turbine's 2 blades 11 can be fixed on firmly, adjustable when being fitted in or controllable through mechanisms, hydraulic or electric systems; the turbine's axis 18 aids in the radial and longitudinal positionings of the set turbine/generator that work together. The turbine's cube 19 might be either of cylindrical, spherical or- elliptical shape or any other shape that allows the pivotting of blades (on figure 3).

When the hydraulic turbine's 2 blades 11 are controllable ones they will pivot themselves in relation to the ring that work together by their outer- diameter in relation to the generator's rotor- 7 and to the turbine's cube 19.

The generator's rotor 7 is normally watertight and closed and thoroughly imersed into water and water might be admitted to remain within the interiron 10 (a space between the generator's stator and the generator's rotor). When the permanent magnets are both resistant against corrosion and abrasion, the generator's rotor might not be watertight and closed.

The regulation of electric tension and of frequency is obtained through external equipments that might be electronic, electromechanical or hydraulic ones.

The distribution ring of regulating blades 20 aids in the improvement of efficency in the set turbine/generator- in the different conditions of charge and outflow.

The electric energy generating equipments can be positioned as follows: a) with regards to the individual positioning: horizontally (nonnally in vertical to the site) vertically to the site inclined in relation to the vertical of site b) with regards to the quantity of pieces one or more equipments

The electric energy generating equipments can also be positioned as follows: a) In a parallel position, side by side in a horizontal position with the medium plane of rotors' turbine/generator perpendicular to the water flow. b) One placed on the surface of the other- (also in a parallel position) in a vertical position with the medium plane of rotors' turbine/generator perpendicular to the water flow c) In a series (one receiving the water that passed through the previous equipment) d) combined in one or more modules that can be turned on or turned off individually or in groups. Any and all modifications and/or alterations ought to be understood as within the range of scope of the utility model, thus perfectly fulfilling the criteria that defines the utility model, that is, the combination and modification of the elements already known in a new form or arrangement, having as a result functional improvement in its use or in its manufacture.

Claims

What is claimed:

1. Energy generating equipment featured by the fact that the hydraulic turbine and the syncronous generator comprise an integrated set and are positioned havin a medium plane that is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the set without the need of an axis for energy transfer between the turbine and the generator; the syncronous generator is one of the type that have poles with permanent magnets; the hydraulic turbine may be one of the type propeller's blades o Kaplan; the propeller's blades of the hydraulic turbine function together with the generator's rotor with poles that have permanent magnets; the hydraulic turbine propeller's blade may be fixed firmly, adjustable when on fitting work or controllable by mechanisms, hydraulic or electrical systems; the turbine's axis used to radial and longitudinal positioning of the set turbine/generator; the turbine's cube may be cylindrical, spherical and elliptical shaped or any other shape that permits the pivotting of the hydraulic turbine propeller's blades; when the hydraulic turbine's propeller's blades are controllable they will pivot by themselves in relation to the ring that work together with its outer diameter and in relation to the turbine's cube; the generator's rotor is normally watertight and closed and thoroughly imersed into the water flow, being possible for water to remain within the space that corresponds to the interiron; the use of permanent magnets, encased o resistant to corrosion and abrasion, makes unnecessary the field electric feeding of the generator's rotor with the consequent lack of need of a starting system to said rotor, making it also unnecessary water sealing between the generator's rotor and the stationary parts of the equipment.

2. Energy generating equipment in accordance with claim 1, featured by the fact that the set turbine/generator is positioned in relation to the longitudinal and radial positions in accordance with two physical arrangements: a) with the set turbine/generator positioned with axis supported in two bases being possible of existing two or more bearings in each supporting points with a distribution ring of regulating propeller's blades located towards the direction of the turbine/generator's rotor set, such distribution ring of regulating properller's blades possibly positioned before or after the axis' support that is located towards the direction of the turbine/generator's rotor; the supports of bearings are fitted in cross- shaped parts that function together with the fixed structure of the equipment called in the whole set the equipment's easing; b) a turbine/generator's rotor set fitted with an axis that moves itself in relation to its supports, having said supports two or more bearings. The distribution ring of regulating propeller's blades is positioned towards the direction of turbine/generator's rotor- set; the supports of bearings are fitted in cross-shaped parts that function together with the fixed structure of the equipment called in its whole set the equipment's casing. Electric tension and frequency regulations are obtained through external equipments.

3. Energy generating equipment in accordance with claims 1 and 2, featured by the fact that the guiding bearings can be of either sliding or ball bearings type, lubricated either by water, grease or oil.

4. Energy generating equipment in accordance with claims 1, 2 and 3, featured by the fact that the generator's rotor has as a starting element permanent magnets that may be fitted on the rotor's iron in two manners: a) permanent magnets in the surface of the generator's rotor: with magnetization face of pemanent magnets in radial direction; b) permanent magnets inserted into the rotor's iron: the rotor's iron with spaces previously prepared for- the insertion of permanent magnets; permanent magnets are inserted into rotor in a way that its magnetization face is located towards a tangential direction.

5. Energy generating equipment in accordance with claims 1, 2, 3 and 4, featured_ by the fact that the arranginent of permanent magnets for each pole can be formed of a single piece of magnet or by a compound of smaller pieces that are conveniently placed on the rotor's surface or inserted into the rotor.

6. Energy generating equipment in accordance with the previous claims, featured_by the fact that said equipment can have several unities fitted in parallel, side by side in a horizontal positioning or one unity over the other in a vertical positioning, all of them with the medium plane of rotors set perpendicularly to the water flow.

7. Energy generating equipment in accordance with the previous claims, featured_by the fact that the equipment can have several unities fitted in a series (one unity receiving the water that had passed through the previous equipment).

8. Energy generating equipment in accordance with claims 6 and/or 7, featured by the fact that the equipment can have several unities that are fitted close to each other so as to form one or more autonomous modules.

9. Energy generating equipment in accordance either with claims 6, 7 or 8, featured by the fact that the equipment can have several unities and/or modules that are turned on or turned off individually.