WO2007023432A2

WO2007023432A2 - Water barricade incorporating floating waterwheel

Info

Publication number: WO2007023432A2
Application number: PCT/IB2006/052858
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pieter Malan
Original assignee: Pieter Malan
Priority date: 2005-08-22
Filing date: 2006-08-18
Publication date: 2007-03-01
Also published as: WO2007023432A3

Abstract

Water barricade arrangement (44) having a number of floating waterwheels (10.1, 10.2, 10.3) joined adjacent eac other and adapted to float in and extend fully across a water course (46) so that water (56) flowing along the wate course (46) cannot flow around any one waterwheel (10.1, 10.2, 10.3).

Description

BARRI CAD E ARRANGEM ENT

Fl ELD OF I NVENTI ON

The present invention relates to a barricade arrangem ent.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a barricade arrangement for pum ping water or for generating electricity.

BACKGROUN D TO I NVENTI ON

I n many undeveloped countries, the availability of electricity is very lim ited. This is especially the case in remote areas far away from cities and towns. People living in such areas thus have to resort to other sources of energy, such as fire, water or anim als.

Water has been used to generate energy for m any years, for exam ple windm ills were developed pum p water from a borehole and also water m ills to grind flour. The water m ills later evolved into water generators placed in dams and other locations to generate electricity. However, such water generators are often very expensive and heavy. Thus they are not viable for use in rural locations.

Roman m ills were also powered by flowing water causing a m ill wheel to rotate. The m ill wheels were supported by the river bank and fixed to the m ill house and thus were only operable when the river or canal had sufficient water therein.

There are a large num ber of factors to consider when utilising water energy, such as varying water levels, flow velocities and flow patterns. While previous attempts of utilising water energy m ay take some of these factors into account, they norm ally do not account for all these factors.

Previous applications of using water energy either included a waterwheel, which is only partially subm erged, or a propeller, which is com pletely subm erged. The complete subm ersion of a propeller is disadvantageous in rivers and canals as the highest flow velocity in a stream is near to the surface. Thus a propeller having a size to generate a suitable amount of energy will norm ally extend too deep below the water surface and thus be slowed by the lower velocity water stream .

The applicant is aware of certain floating waterwheels used for providing power. However, flowing water in a stream will always attem pt to follow the easiest route which is simply to bypass any object in its path. A single floating waterwheel will be such an obstruction in the water and, while some water will flow through beneath the waterwheel, the bulk of the water will sim ply follow the easier route of bypassing the obstruction.

It is an object of the invention to suggest a barricade arrangement which will assist in overcom ing these problems.

SUMMARY OF I NVENTI ON

According to the invention, a barricade arrangement includes a number of floating waterwheel arrangem ents that are joined adjacent to each other and being adapted to float in and to extend fully across a water course so that water flowing along the water course cannot flow around any one of the waterwheel arrangements.

Each waterwheel arrangement may be operatively joined to its neighbouring waterwheel arrangem ent.

The barricade arrangement may include anchoring means being adapted to secure opposite outerm ost waterwheel arrangem ents to their respective nearest banks of the water course.

The barricade arrangem ent m ay include a deflector extending linearly across the water course from one bank to another at an angle to a direction of water flow.

The deflector m ay be a series of rods or cables spaced vertically at intervals in the water course.

Each waterwheel arrangement m ay include a frame; at least one floatable m ember joined to the fram e and being adapted to support the frame to float in a water course; at least one rotatable waterwheel supported by the frame, the waterwheel having a number of vanes adapted to be contacted by flowing water for rotating the waterwheel; and a machine operatively joined to the waterwheel, wherein rotation of the waterwheel is adapted to provide power to the machine.

The machine may be a water pump with an inlet pipe extending into the water being adapted to pump water out from the water course.

The machine may include an electrical generator.

Each waterwheel arrangement may include a flume joined to the frame so that the waterwheel extends partially into the flume, wherein the flume is adapted to extend into the water to accelerate water velocity in the vicinity of the waterwheel.

BRI EF DESCRI PTI ON OF DRAWI NGS

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings.

In the drawings there is shown in:

Figure 1 a perspective view of a waterwheel arrangement for use in a barricade arrangement according to the invention;

Figure 2 a plan view seen along arrow 11 in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 a side view seen along arrow III in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 a perspective view of a number of waterwheel arrangements joined together.

DETAI LED DESCRI PTI ON OF DRAWI NGS

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, a waterwheel arrangement, generally indicated by reference numeral 10, is shown for use in a barricade arrangement in accordance with the invention. The waterwheel arrangement 10 is adapted to be located on water in any suitable location where flowing water is available, e.g. such as in a river or water canal. The waterwheel arrangement 10 includes a platform fram e 12 joined to two spaced apart float mem bers 14,1 6 that are adapted to float in water and support the frame 12 above the water surface at a constant position relative to the water surface.

The frame 12 further supports a flum e 1 8, formed by two guide plates 20,22 located between the float m embers 14, 16. The flum e 18 is venturi shaped, having a convergent part 24, a parallel part 26 and a divergent part 28, so that the flow rate of water flowing through the waterwheel arrangement 10 is accelerated along the parallel part 26.

A waterwheel 30 is supported by the frame 12 at the parallel part 26 of the flume 18 and is able to rotate about its central axle 32. The waterwheel 30 has a num ber of radially extending vanes 34, which are adapted to extend into the water below the water surface. The waterwheel 30 is operatively joined, via a gearbox 36 at the axle 32, to a pum p 38. The gearbox 36, which can be a sprocket-and-chain configuration, is used to adj ust and optim ise the revolutions provided from the waterwheel 30 to the pum p 38. The pump 38 has an inlet pipe 40 and an outlet pipe 42.

The waterwheel arrangement 10 can be extended by increasing the size of waterwheels 30 supported by the fram e 12 or by altering the size and num ber of vanes 34.

The fram e 12 can be m ade of a suitable corrosion resistant m aterial such as steel or galvanised iron.

The waterwheel 30 is preferably m ade of a strong lightweight material such as plastic or fibre-glass.

The vanes 34 can be spaced about the waterwheel at equal intervals. The vanes 34 can be flat (extending radially from the waterwheel) or curved.

I n an alternative em bodiment of the invention, the pump 38 can be replaced by an electrical generator. Referring now to Figure 4, a barricade arrangement, generally indicated by reference num eral 44, includes a num ber of waterwheel arrangements 10.1 , 10.2, 10.3 positioned adjacent to each other and joined side-by-side to each other to extend fully across a canal 46 having banks 48,50. For wider canals or rivers, more waterwheel arrangem ents 10 can be joined together. This prevents any water from flowing around the waterwheel arrangem ents 10 and ensures that all surface water flows through the flumes 18.

The outerm ost waterwheel arrangements 10.1 , 10.3 are secured to the banks 48,50 by cables 52,54 so that the barricade arrangem ent 44 rem ains stationary positioned in the canal 46. The barricade arrangem ent 44 can alternatively be secured to the canal bed, to a bridge or to any other fixed structure.

Water 56 flowing in the canal 46 in the direction of arrow 58, flows into the flume 18 of each waterwheel arrangement 10 at its convergent part 24, through the parallel part 26 and out from the divergent part 28. The pressure of the water 56 flowing through the flum e 18 ensures that the parallel part 26 rem ains linearly aligned parallel to the water flow direction 56 so that the vanes 34 of each waterwheel 30 are transversely aligned to the water flow direction 56.

If the water level changes, for example due the water 56 in the canal 46 being depleted for agricultural use, the support frame 12 is m aintained at a constant height above the water surface by the float members 14,1 6 to ensure that the vanes 34 are always positioned at a correct depth in the water 56.

The flowing force of the water 56 acts against the vanes 34 to m ove them and to cause each waterwheel 30 and subsequently its axle 32 to rotate. This rotation m ovement is used by the pum p 38 to pump water 44 from the canal 46 through the inlet pipe 40 and out the outlet pipe 42. By joining the axles 32.1 , 32.2, 32.3 to each other, a larger input power can be provided to the gearbox 36, which will thus be able to drive higher gear ratios.

The barricade arrangem ent 44 is adapted to be m ovable, so that it can be m oved from one suitable location to another. This is essential, for exam ple, if the river should change its course or dry-up. Each waterwheel arrangem ent 10 can be provided in different sizes for use in different size rivers and for generating different am ount of power.

Any debris floating in the water 56 is deflected to one of the banks 48,50 by a linear deflector 60. This prevents build up of debris between the waterwheel arrangements 10.1 - 10.3 and allows maintenance personnel to easily remove the debris onto the bank 48. The deflector 60 can include sheet plate placed above the water level on floatable supports 62. Alternatively, it can include a number of rods or cables that can be positioned at fixed intervals and which can also be provided below the water surface to deflect partially subm erged debris, such as waterlogged branches.

Claims

1. A barricade arrangement including a number of floating waterwheel arrangements that are joined adjacent to each other and being adapted to float in and to extend fully across a water course so that water flowing along the water course cannot flow around any one of the waterwheel arrangements.

2. A barricade arrangement as claimed in claim 1, in which each waterwheel arrangement is operatively joined to its neighbouring waterwheel arrangement.

3. A barricade arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, which includes anchoring means being adapted to secure opposite outermost waterwheel arrangements to their respective nearest banks of the water course.

4. A barricade arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which includes a deflector extending linearly across the water course from one bank to another at an angle to a direction of water flow.

5. A barricade arrangement as claimed in claim 4, in which the deflector is a series of rods or cables spaced vertically at intervals in the water course.

6. A barricade arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which each waterwheel arrangement includes a frame; at least one floatable member joined to the frame and being adapted to support the frame to float in a water course; at least one rotatable waterwheel supported by the frame, the waterwheel having a number of vanes adapted to be contacted by flowing water for rotating the waterwheel; and a machine operatively joined to the waterwheel, wherein rotation of the waterwheel is adapted to provide power to the machine.

7. A barricade arrangement as claimed in claim 6, in which the machine is a water pump with an inlet pipe extending into the water and being adapted to pump water out from the water course.

8. A barricade arrangement as claim ed in claim 6, in which the m achine includes an electrical generator.

9. A barricade arrangement as claim ed in any one of claims 6 to 8, in which each waterwheel arrangement includes a flum e joined to the frame so that the waterwheel extends partially into the flume, wherein the flum e is adapted to extend into the water to accelerate water velocity in the vicinity of the waterwheel.

10. A barricade arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying schem atic drawings.