WO2014009592A1

WO2014009592A1 - Apparatus for providing rotating movement

Info

Publication number: WO2014009592A1
Application number: PCT/FI2012/050727
Authority: WO
Inventors: Evgeny LYKOV
Original assignee: Waterbox Oy
Priority date: 2012-07-11
Filing date: 2012-07-11
Publication date: 2014-01-16
Also published as: CN202832937U; EP2872390A1; EP2872390B1; CN104507795B; CN104507795A

Abstract

An apparatus (1, 8, 13) for providing rotating movement, which apparatus comprises a container (2, 9, 14) filled with water, which container is partially submerged in a body of water (6), the container comprising open opening, which opening is located below surface level of the body of water, wherein the apparatus (1, 8, 13) further comprises a shaft (3, 10, 15) equipped with a bladed wheel (4, 11, 16), which shaft is fixed rotatable in suitable support structure in such a way that the bladed wheel is located in the area of the opening of the container and at least partially inside the container.

Description

Apparatus for providing rotating movement

The present invention relates to an apparatus for providing rotating movement. More precisely the present invention relates to an apparatus, which converts energy stored on lifted water mass to rotating movement.

Different types of solutions and arrangements are known for converting energy stored in water mass which water mass is located above another body of water. These known arrangements include water turbines utilizing the flow of water. In patent application PCT/FI2012/050547 is disclosed an apparatus for raising water mass located inside a container from larger body of water above the surface level of the larger body of water. The container comprises one or more open openings that are in the container's raised position below the surface level of the larger body of water. The water filled container is raised partially above the surface level of the larger body of water with pontoons or floats, for example. This patent application, however, is silent on how to utilize the lifted water mass for creating energy.

The present invention provides a one type of solution for utilizing energy stored in a lifted mass of water by converting it to rotating movement. The rotating movement provided can then be used for different purposes, like creating electrical energy or for providing driving force for different types of other machines, for example.

In an apparatus according to the invention a rotatable shaft equipped with a bladed wheel is located inside or close to a container filled with water. The container comprises an open opening and the container is located in a body of water as partially submerged in such a way that the open opening is located below the surface level of the body of water. The bladed wheel is located in the area of the opening of the container and at least partially inside the container.

In the present invention, the water mass inside the container and above the surface level of the surrounding body of water start to change its temperature in relation to the temperature of the surrounding body of water. For example, the sun can warm the water inside the container, or the air flow around the container can cool or warm the water inside the container. This temperature difference creates suitable environment for water flow, especially if the system is initially mixed with initial turning of the bladed wheel. The initial turning of the bladed wheel can be achieved with turning of the shaft with suitable means, or alternatively the initial turning can be caused with water flow in the surrounding body of water forcing the bladed wheel to rotate.

The bladed wheel in this context is any type of blade or surface, or a group of these, extending radially or substantially radially from a central rotation axis. Examples include propellers and screw type bladed wheels, for example. The rotatable shaft may be connected rotatably on the surfaces of the container, or it may be connected rotatably on a separate support structure provided for the shaft.

The rotatable shaft may have horizontal or vertical orientation with respect to the surface level of the body of water in which the container is partially sub- merged.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention the blades of the bladed wheel have curvature in three dimensions.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention the container comprises a level bottom surface and the open opening covers substantially whole area of the bottom surface.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention the apparatus comprises suitable means for turning the shaft equipped with the bladed wheel. The means can be used to momentarily turn the shaft in order to start the rotating motion for the shaft. Example of these means for turning the shaft is a crank that can be used to turn the shaft connected fixedly or detachably to the shaft.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention the apparatus also comprises suitable means for filling the container with water. These means for filling the container with water can be for example water pipe with pump, or means for sinking the container below surface level of the surrounding body of water and lifting the water filled container partially above surface level of the surrounding body of water. In the solution of the present invention the container may be supported with a support structure, or the container may have a suitable construction or added means for keeping the container afloat in the partially submerged position on a surface of a larger body or water. The rotating motion provided with an apparatus according with the invention may be used for suitable purposes, such as converting the rotation motion to electrical energy with a generator or the rotating motion may be used to power suitable mechanical devices via power transmissions connected to the shaft of the apparatus, for example. The container of the apparatus according to the invention may be on solid piece, or it may be assembled from several pieces, for example with suitable and preassembled quick connecting means. The whole apparatus may also be quickly dismountable and mountable entity. The container may also be inflatable. With these types of dismountable and/or collapsible construction, the space required by the apparatus during transporting can be minimized.

Features defining an apparatus according to the present invention are presented more precisely in claim 1 . Other advantageous embodiments and features of the invention are disclosed in dependent claims.

Exemplifying embodiments of the invention and their advantages are explained in greater detail below in the sense of example and with reference to accompanying drawing, where:

Figure 1 shows schematically an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 shows schematically an apparatus according to an alternative embodiment of the invention, and

Figure 3 shows schematically an apparatus according to another alternative embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 shows schematically an apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the invention, which comprises a container 2 filled with water and having open bottom surface, a shaft 3 extending horizontally between edges of the container, a bladed wheel 4 connected fixedly on the shaft, and support structure in form of legs 5 for keeping the container partially above the surface level of the surrounding body of water 6.

The legs 5 support and locate the container 2 in respect to the surrounding body of water in such a way that the lower edges of the side surfaces of the container are below surface level of the surrounding body of water 6. Thus the open bottom surface of the container 2 is under surface level of the surrounding body of water 6 in its entirety. This is required in order to prevent the water inside the container 2 to freely escape from the container.

The shaft 3 extending horizontally between the lower edges of the side surfac- es of the container 2 is connected rotatably to the legs 5 or to a suitable support construction piece extending between the legs. At one end of the shaft 3 there is provided a crank 7 extending radially from the shaft, and connected fixedly detachably or fixedly to the shaft. The crank 7 can be used to turn the shaft 3 momentarily in order to start the rotating motion for the shaft. One end of the shaft 3 can be connected to a suitable type of power transmission (not shown) in order to convey the rotating motion of the shaft to a means utilizing this rotating motion, such as a generator.

The bladed wheel 5 comprises plurality of blades radially extending from the shaft 3. The blades of the bladed wheel 5 advantageously comprise curvature in three dimensions.

Figure 2 shows schematically an alternative embodiment for an apparatus 8 according to the invention, which also comprises a container 9 filled with water and having open bottom surface, a shaft 10, a bladed wheel 1 1 connected fixedly on the shaft, and support structure 12 for keeping the container partially above the surface level of the surrounding body of water 6.

In this embodiment the shaft 10 extends vertically inside the container 9 from the top surface of the container to the horizontally extending member of the support structure 12 below the bottom end of the container. Here it is to be noted, that the horizontally extending member of the support structure 12 is only wide enough to provide suitable support and connecting point for the lower end of the shaft 10, and thus only minimally restricts the flow of water into and out of the container 9. The connection of the shaft 10 to the top surface of the container 9 and to the support structure 10 is rotatable, and the rotatable connection between shaft and the top surface of the container is also airtight.

The bladed wheel 1 1 connected to the shaft 10 is formed in this embodiment by two blades extending opposite to each other from the shaft and curving along the length of the shaft helically. The bladed wheel 1 1 is also located wholly inside the container 9 in this embodiment.

In the embodiment of Figure 3, an apparatus 13 according to another alternative embodiment of the invention comprises a container 14, which is formed as an inflatable entity, and a shaft 15 connected rotatably to the container. A bladed wheel 16 is connected fixedly to the shaft 15.

In this embodiment, the inflatable container 14 does not need any separate support structure, because the inflatable structure of the container provides sufficient buoyancy for the container to keep it partially above the surface level of the surrounding body of water 6.

Alternatively the required buoyancy can be provided for a solid container, for example, with pontoons or floats, as described in patent application PCT/FI2012/050547.

The specific exemplifying embodiments of the invention shown in Figures and discussed above should not be construed as limiting. It is evident to a person skilled in the art that the container, shaft and bladed wheel can be made of any suitable shapes and sizes, and of any suitable materials. Thus, the invention is not limited merely to the embodiments described above.

Claims

1 . An apparatus (1 , 8, 13) for providing rotating movement, which apparatus comprises a container (2, 9, 14) filled with water, which container is partially submerged in a body of water (6), the container comprising open opening, which opening is located below surface level of the body of water, characterized in that the apparatus (1 , 8, 13) further comprises a shaft (3, 10, 15) equipped with a bladed wheel (4, 1 1 , 16), which shaft is fixed rotatable in suitable support structure in such a way that the bladed wheel is located in the area of the opening of the container and at least partially inside the container.

2. An apparatus (1 , 8, 13) according to claim 1 , wherein the support structure of the shaft (3, 10, 15) is the walls of the container (2, 9, 14) and/or the support structure (5, 12) of the shaft is fixedly connected to the container.

3. An apparatus (1 , 8, 13) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the blades of the bladed wheel (4, 1 1 , 16) have curvature in three dimensions.

4. An apparatus (1 , 8, 13) according to any of claims 1 -3, wherein the shaft (3, 10, 15) has horizontal or vertical orientation with respect to the surface level of the body of water (6) in which the container (2, 9, 14) is partially submerged.

5. An apparatus (1 , 8, 13) according to any of claims 1 -4, wherein the container (2, 9, 14) comprises a level bottom surface and the open opening covers substantially whole area of the bottom surface.

6. An apparatus (1 , 8, 13) according to any of claims 1 -5, wherein the apparatus comprises means (7) for turning the shaft (3) for starting the rotating movement of the shaft.

7. An apparatus (1 , 8, 13) according to any of claims 1 -6, wherein the appa- ratus comprises means for filling the container with water.

8. An apparatus (1 , 8) according to any of claims 1 -7, wherein the apparatus comprises a support structure (5, 12) for keeping the container (2, 9) at a partially submerged position in a surrounding body of water (6).

9. An apparatus (1 , 8, 13) according to any of the claims 1 -7, wherein the apparatus comprises pontoons or floats for keeping the container (2, 9, 14) at a partially submerged position in a surrounding body of water (6).

10. An apparatus (13) according to any of the claims 1 -7, wherein the container (14) has an inflatable construction for keeping the container at a partially submerged position in a surrounding body of water (6).