WO2006035119A1

WO2006035119A1 - Propeller turbine insertable into a liquid transporting pipeline

Info

Publication number: WO2006035119A1
Application number: PCT/FR2004/002446
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michel Laine
Original assignee: Cismac Electronique
Priority date: 2004-09-27
Filing date: 2004-09-27
Publication date: 2006-04-06

Abstract

The invention relates to a propeller turbine which is insertable into a fluid transporting pipeline and is provided with a speed controller incorporated therein. The inventive turbine comprises a preformed sleeve (20) whose central cylindrical part forms a channel comprising a freely rotatable propeller and which forms a chamber (28) which is connectable to an upstream pressure port (27a) and to a downstream pressure port (27b) by means of a connection (27c) and a valve (26) in such a way that the sleeve is more or less expandable by the liquid pressure.

Description

INCORPORATED SPEED SELF-REGULATING PROPELLER TURBINE THAT CAN BE INSERTED ON A CANALIZATION CONVEYING ANOTHER FLUID.

The present invention relates to an improvement to the autonomous device for producing electrical energy, described in patents No. 88 15936 and No. 89 16106 using all or part of the energy available in the pipes carrying a fluid under pressure.

A first type of application of this device lies in the permanent power supply of electrical devices used for automation, telemanagement and remote surveillance of isolated sites, to meet the requirements of security standards (plan "vigi-pirate" for example). ).

These problems are frequently encountered on water supply networks, irrigation networks and in oil exploitation. In many cases, they can be solved by machines made in the spirit of the patents cited above. These machines, associated with a battery, provide a permanent power supply, although often the fluid flow is intermittent. On the other hand, when in the pipe on which the machine is inserted, said fluid has a flow rate, a density or a variable pressure, it is necessary to install protective equipment such as flow regulators or pressure stabilizers. These equipment are expensive and their installation entails a significant increase in the cost of the work. A second type of application is for small hydropower in the context of the use of renewable energies for domestic purposes. Often for climatic reasons, the installations are subject to flow variations, which means that turbines designed for periods of high flow are no longer productive during periods of low water.

The device according to the invention overcomes these disadvantages. In fact, unlike earlier machines whose driving turbine comprises a perfectly cylindrical and rigid helical passage channel, the machines produced in the spirit of the invention comprise a turbine whose helix channel is of variable section. said section increasing under the effect of an increase in flow rate or pressure. This provision has a double action. On the one hand, the increase in the cross section of the fluid results in a decrease in its linear speed of circulation, and on the other hand, the helix which no longer occupies the entire channel loses power. These two actions are cumulative and result in a decrease in the speed of rotation, compared to the speed that would have been reached in the new operating conditions, if the turbine had not been built in the spirit of the invention .

The particularities of the invention will appear in the following descriptions, given by way of example, with the appended drawings:

Figure 1 shows in section, a first possible design of the invention, with a helix channel consisting of a preformed sleeve sufficiently flexible to deform under the pressure of the fluid flowing in the pipe;

FIG. 2 represents a front view of this version showing a principle, among others, of maintaining the turbine-generator assembly in the axis of the pipe; FIG. 3 is a sectional view of another possible design of the invention, with a helical channel consisting of a rigid frustoconical sleeve, in which the helix has the possibility of moving in the axis. under the action of fluid pressure;

Figure 4, variant of Figure 1, is one means among others for maintaining the helical channel, to avoid the risk of friction on said propeller;

FIG. 5 represents the assembly of FIGS. 1 and 4 with the addition of a control device consisting of a double-acting electro-valve controlled by an external system;

Figure 6 shows a variant of the previous assembly which may be of interest for the larger flows;

Fig. 7 is an end view of Fig. 6 showing one of a number of ways to maintain the helix channel at the center of the machine;

Figure 8 is a variant of Figure 3 in which the alternator is not immersed in the pipe and the back pressure is exerted by a spring;

FIG. 9 is a variant of FIG. 8 in which a flexible membrane bearing a rotating stop on which the end of the axis of the machine abuts forms a sealed compartment, two electrovalves for dosing the counter-pressure. exercised.

1 and 2, the device comprises a body 1 into which the stator of the alternator consists of the stack of sheets 2 and the overmolded winding 3. The body 1 is provided at the rear with a tip 4 and at the front of a tip 5 bearing the bearings 6a and 6b retained by locking rings. Said bearings support the axis 7 via the two bearings 8a and 8b and maintain it longitudinally by its bulge 8c, which bears on the inner faces of the bearings. The shaft 7 carries, on its rear part, the magnetized rotor of the alternator 9, held by the locking nut 10, and on its front part the propeller of the turbine 11. This propeller drives the axis in rotation by through the pin 12 or any other equivalent device.

The assembly thus formed is held inside a metal or plastic pipe 13 by means of three spacers 14a, 14b that form part of the body 1 or that are attached to it by the screws 15. These spacers are themselves even fixed in the tube 13 by the screws 16 provided with sealing washers. The electrical wire 17 comes out of the pipe 13 via the stuffing box 18. Said pipe may advantageously be provided with flanges 19 pierced with holes to facilitate connection to the pipe on which it is desired to insert the device.

Inside the pipe 13, on the propeller side, is introduced the preformed sleeve 20 until it bears on the spacers 14a, 14b. Said sleeve consists of a cylindrical central portion, at the helix, extended on either side by a truncated cone. The rigidity of this sleeve is determined so that it retains its initial shape (hatched on the drawings) when the fluid flow is minimal and it deforms (dashed in the drawings) as the flow, therefore the pressure exerted on the propeller increases.

The device shown in Figure 3 shows another way to achieve the goal, while remaining in the spirit of the invention. The general design of the machine remains the same, but has three essential differences. The bearings of the axis 8a and 8b are elongated, while the bulge 8c is shortened to allow the axis 7 to move longitudinally while turning in the bearings 6a and 6b. The elements integral with said axis, move with it, namely the rotor 9, the helix 11 and the rectangular-shaped torus magnet 21 fixed to the rear of the rotor 9.

Inside the pipe 13, on the propeller side, is introduced a rigid sleeve

22 whose conical inlet is tightened to the cylindrical portion whose diameter is slightly greater than that of the propeller 11, then leaves gradually flaring to the spacers 14 on which it is based.

In the rear end 4 is fixed another rectangular section toroidal magnet

23 oriented so that its polarity is opposed to that of the magnet 21 secured to the axis 7. The repulsive force of these two magnets pushes the axis towards the front of the machine so as to bring the propeller 11 in the cylindrical portion of the sleeve 22 (helix drawn in solid lines). When the fluid flow increases, the pressure on the propeller also increases and pushes it back into the conical portion of the sleeve 22 (helix drawn in dashed lines) which has two effects. On the one hand the passage section of the fluid widening causes a decrease in the linear velocity of said fluid, which tends to slow the speed of rotation of the propeller and, secondly, said propeller no longer occupying the entire channel loses power. These two cumulative effects make the rotational speed of the propeller do not follow the increase in flow. The choice of the repulsive power of the magnets and the slope of the cone of clearance of the helix makes it possible to adapt the device to the desired operating conditions.

The choice of the strength of the magnets 21 and 23 makes it possible to harden the displacement and to amortize the sudden variations. The use of any other damping system remains in the spirit of the invention (for example possibility to create a hydraulic damper at the rear of the rotor, in the rear end). Figure 4 shows a first variant of Figure 1, to avoid any risk of rubbing the propeller on the sleeve. For this purpose is placed inside the sleeve 20 a hollow housing 24, metal or rigid plastic, which matches the shape of said sleeve, and whose cylindrical portion, has the dimension of the propeller 11. Said housing carries openings oblong 25 through which the pressure of the fluid can be exerted on the sleeve 20.

FIG. 5 represents a second variant of FIG. 1 improving its operation by placing the central part of the sleeve constituting the helix channel in communication with the upstream pressure, which maintains said sleeve in its initial shape, or with the lower downstream pressure, which allows it to deform. According to the device, two pressure taps 27a and 27b associated with a two-state electro-valve 26 make it possible to put the central part 28 of the sleeve 20, via the connection 27c, in communication with the high-pressure zone 29 or with the low pressure zone 30. In the first case, the high pressure applied simultaneously on both sides of the sleeve 20 maintains it in its initial position. In the second case, the central portion 28 of the sleeve 20 reduced to the low pressure of the portion 30, allows the deformation of said sleeve. The effects on operation are the same as those described above, with the advantage of offering more flexibility of use.

Figure 6 shows a device better adapted to larger fluid flow rates. According to the device described, the inlet of the turbine is divided into two distinct concentric channels. The rigid cylindrical central channel that leads to the helix is materialized by the interior of the tube 31, said tube being held in the center of the peripheral ring 32 by the radii 33. The second outer tabular channel occupies the interval between the channel central 31 and the peripheral portion 32. At its end the central tube 31 carries a semicircular torus 34 on which abuts the preformed flexible sleeve 35 integral with the outer casing of the device to obstruct more or less said outside canal. The two pressure taps 27a and 27b, associated with the two solenoid valves 26a and 26b, make it possible to communicate the zone of high pressure 29 or the zone of low pressure 30 with the central portion 28 of the sleeve 35. The operation is similar to that described for FIG. 5, in addition, the possibility of being able to measure the internal pressure of the zone 28 inside the sleeve 35, by actuating the electro-valves 26a and 26b independently of one another. In this way, via an external controller, or any other control device, which controls the operation of said solenoid valves, it is possible to regulate the operation of the turbine by allowing more or less fluid to flow through the channel. outside the device. In fact, the metering of the back pressure applied inside the sleeve makes it possible to deflect all or part of the fluid passing through the device, and consequently, to maintain the flow rate passing through the helix channel at the value compatible with the operation of the turbine.

FIG. 7 represents an end view of the inlet of the device, showing the arrangement of the inner channel, consisting of the tube 31, said tube being held in the center of the peripheral ring 32 by several radii 33.

FIG. 8 represents a variant of FIG. 3 in which the helix 11 is perpendicular to the axis of flow of the fluid, which makes it possible to release the alternator 36 from the pipe. The body 37 of the machine has a partition 38 obstructing it completely except for a through hole 39 which constitutes the channel of the propeller 1 1. As in FIG. 3, the channel 39 comprises a cylindrical part , a diameter corresponding to that of the propeller, which goes flaring. Similarly, the axis 7 has the possibility of sliding on its bearings to allow the propeller to go into the conical portion of the channel 39 under the thrust of the fluid. The end of the axis 7, opposite the helix, bears on the spring 41 via a rotary stop 42, said spring 41 itself bearing on the casing 43 of the alternator 36. FIG. 9 represents a variant of FIGS. 3 and 8. In this device the rear part of the shaft 7 bears, via the rotary stop 42, on a flexible membrane 44, which constitutes a watertight compartment 45. This compartment can be placed in communication, through the connection 27c, to one or the other of the pressure taps 27a and 27b, via the solenoid valves 26a and 26b. Then we find the control and regulation possibilities described for Figures 5 and 6.

An important feature of a device designed in the spirit of the invention is that it keeps the operating pressure of the pipe on which it is inserted and that it operates without loss of fluid flowing through it.

In the above descriptions, the sleeves or membranes are fixed by gluing, clamping by a ring or any other means which ensures a perfect seal between the different pressure zones of the devices.

The invention is not limited to the forms described and lends itself to numerous variants in accordance with its spirit. In particular the shape and nature of the different elements. Similarly, the various solutions proposed can be transposed to one or other of the described devices without departing from the scope of the invention. We can also design a device similar to those described above, but by arranging them differently. All these modifications remain within the scope of the main means of the invention.

The device, according to the invention, is particularly intended to improve and facilitate the use of turbines inserted on a pipeline carrying any fluid, providing them with simple means, self-regulation to adapt to changes in flow and control controlled or tele¬ control by a PLC, for example.

Claims

claims

1. turbine propeller device incorporated ^one of self-regulation of speed, this turbine being inserted into a pressure pipe comprising any fluid which can be subjected to variations in flow, pressure or density, this turbine comprising means for varying the section of the fluid passages in which the helix (11) rotates so as to modify the operating conditions of the turbine, characterized in that it comprises a preformed sleeve (20) in which the helix rotates (11). ), and in that said sleeve, by deforming under the effect of said variations, modifies the operating conditions of the turbine.

2. Turbine according to claim 1, characterized in that the sleeve (20) is supported by a recessed housing (24) bearing oblong openings (25) which matches its shape.

3. Turbine according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the compartment (28), created by a sleeve (20) and the wall of a pipe (13), can be put in communication by a connection (27c) and a valve (26), with the upstream pressure (29), by a connection (27a), or with the downstream pressure (30), by a connection (27b) so as to vary the rigidity of said sleeve.

4. Turbine according to claim 2, characterized in that a central tube (31) creates in the pipe (13), two concentric zones, the outer zone, tabular can be obstructed by a torus (34) integral with the tube central (31), and a preformed flexible sleeve (35) integral with the pipe (13), a compartment (28) formed by said sleeve and said pipe being communicated with the upstream pressure by a connection (27c), a valve ( 26a) and a coupling (27a), said compartment (28) also being able to communicate with the downstream pressure via a valve (26b) and a fitting (27b) so as to open, more or less, the passage of the fluid in the peripheral portion of the tube (31) and maintain a constant flow in the central portion of said tube leading to the propeller (11).

5. Turbine according to claim 1, characterized in that the aforesaid sleeve (22) comprises a cylindrical part which goes flaring and a propeller (11) can move from the cylindrical zone to the conical zone of said sleeve in function the pressure she suffers.

6. Turbine according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a pipe (37) obstructed by a wall (38) pierced with an opening (39), in the form of a cylinder extended by a cone, perpendicular to the direction of flow of the fluid, which receives a propeller (11) capable of moving from the cylindrical portion to the conical portion of ou¬ verture (39) under the influence of the pressure it undergoes.

7. Turbine according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the end of the axis (7) carrying the propeller (11) bears on an elastic membrane (44) via a rotary stop (42), said membrane forming with a housing (43) a compartment (45) which can be put in communication with the upstream pressure or with the downstream pressure to increase more or less the rigidity of said membrane and thus to control the displacement of the propeller (11).

8. Turbine according to claim 5, characterized in that a magnet (23) integral with a housing (4) and another magnet (21) integral with the axis (7) of the propeller, are mounted so that they repel each other to damp the longitudinal movements of the propeller (11).

9. Turbine according to claim 8, characterized in that a spring (41) bearing on the housing (43) exerts a thrust, via a rotary stop (42), on the end of the axis (7) carrying the helix (11) to damp the longitudinal displacements.