WO2017158567A1

WO2017158567A1 - System and method for generating hydroelectric power by virtue of multiple penstocks

Info

Publication number: WO2017158567A1
Application number: PCT/IB2017/051565
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rambabu KUNAPARAJU
Original assignee: Kunaparaju Rambabu
Priority date: 2016-03-17
Filing date: 2017-03-17
Publication date: 2017-09-21

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a system and method for generating hydroelectric power by virtue of multiple penstocks. The system includes a cyclic assembly, comprising: a fluid storage tank located at desired height, whereby the fluid storage tank further includes an inlet and an outlet and a fluid flow penstock comprising an inlet and an outlet, whereby the inlet of the fluid flow penstock connected in fluid communication with the outlet of the fluid storage tank for allowing the flow of fluid from the outlet of the fluid storage tank to the inlet of the fluid flow penstock with pressure gained from gravitational force. The system further includes a reaction turbine comprising an inlet and an outlet, whereby the inlet of the reaction turbine connected in fluid communication with the outlet of the fluid flow penstock and the flow of fluid strikes the reaction turbine with pressure and further discharges the stroked fluid to an inlet tail race and a generator electrically coupled to the reaction turbine, whereby the reaction turbine configured to rotate for enabling the rotation of the generator resulting in the hydroelectric power generating. The system further includes at least two fluid pumping penstocks comprising an inlet and an outlet, whereby the inlet of the at least two fluid pumping penstocks connected in fluid communication with the outlet of the tailrace and the outlet of the at least two fluid pumping penstocks further connected to the inlet of the same fluid storage tank resulting in pumping the equal amount of discharged stroked fluid back to the same fluid tank simultaneously by the at least two fluid pumping penstocks.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING HYDROELECTRIC POWER BY VIRTUE OF MULTIPLE PENSTOCKS

TECHNICAL FIELD

[001] The present disclosure relates to the field of generating electric power. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and method for generating hydroelectric power by virtue of multiple penstocks.

BACKGROUND

[002] Consumption of electricity has increased in each and every sector like industrial, domestic, agriculture etc. This has led to a greater demand for power generation. The different methods available to generate power are hydro, thermal, solar, wind, nuclear etc. But all of these methods are used to generate power at a large scale and also they require more expenditure in terms of installation and configuration of heavy machinery.

[003] Typically, the hydropower is considered to be a clean, renewable source of energy. The conventional hydropower plants working with single penstock only and these types of plants cannot send back the used water to the same headrace. The conventional hydropower generation plant is highly expensive and also time and cost required to construct the project's cost is high.

[004] In the light of aforementioned discussion there exists a need for a system and method that would ameliorate or overcome the above mentioned disadvantages. BRIEF SUMMARY

[005] The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding to the reader. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure and it does not identify key/critical elements of the invention or delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts disclosed herein in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

[006] A more complete appreciation of the present invention and the scope thereof can be obtained from the accompanying drawings which are briefly summarized below and the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments.

[007] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a system and method for generating hydroelectric power by virtue of multiple penstocks.

[008] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the system includes a fluid storage tank located at selected height, whereby the fluid storage tank further includes an inlet and an outlet and a fluid flow penstock comprising an inlet and an outlet, whereby the inlet of the fluid flow penstock connected in fluid communication with the outlet of the fluid storage tank for allowing the flow of fluid from the outlet of the fluid storage tank to the inlet of the fluid flow penstock with pressure gained from gravitational force.

[009] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the system further includes an reaction turbine comprising an inlet and an outlet, whereby the inlet of the reaction turbine connected in fluid communication with the outlet of the fluid flow penstock and the flow of fluid strikes the reaction turbine with pressure and further discharges the stroked fluid to an inlet tailrace and a generator electrically coupled to the reaction turbine, whereby the reaction turbine configured to rotate for enabling the rotation of the generator resulting in the generation of hydroelectric power .

[010] Another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the system further includes atleast two fluid pumping penstocks comprising an inlet and an outlet, whereby the inlet of the atleast two fluid pumping penstocks connected in fluid communication with the outlet of the tailrace and the outlets of the atleast two fluid pumping penstocks further connected to the inlet of the same fluid storage tank resulting in pumping the equal amount of discharged stroked fluid back to the same fluid tank simultaneously by the atleast one fluid pumping penstock.

[Oi l] An objective of the present disclosure is directed towards a system for solving the power and energy problems of the world without any pollution.

[012] Another objective of the present disclosure is directed towards a system for saving the cost of the power generation.

[013] Another objective of the present disclosure is directed towards a system, wherein the amount of fluid in the fluid storage tank is equal to the amount of the fluid discharged in the tailrace resulting in rotation of the reaction turbine.

[014] Yet, another objective of the present disclosure is directed towards a system for pumping the equal amount of discharged stroked fluid back to the same fluid tank simultaneously.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[001] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals have been used to designate like elements, and wherein:

[002] FIG. 1A and FIG. IB are diagrams depicting various configurations of a system for generating hydroelectric power by virtue of multiple penstocks, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[003] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram depicting a method for generating hydroelectric power by virtue of multiple penstocks, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[004] It is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The present disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[005] The use of "including", "comprising" or "having" and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. The terms "a" and "an" herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item. Further, the use of terms "first", "second", and "third", and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another.

[006] Referring to FIG. 1A and FIG. IB are diagrams 100a and 100b, depicting various configurations of a system for generating hydroelectric power by virtue of multiple penstocks, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The system includes a cyclic assembly comprising a fluid storage tank 102, a fluid flow penstock inlet 104a, a fluid flow penstock outlet 104b, a reaction turbine inlet 106a, a reaction turbine outlet 106b, a generator 110, an electrical transformer 112, a tailrace inlet 114a, a tailrace outlet 114b, fluid pumping penstocks inlet 116a, and 118a and fluid pumping penstocks outlet 116b, and 118b. The fluid storage tank 102 located at selected height, and the fluid storage tank 102 further includes an inlet 102a and an outlet 102b. The fluid storage tank 102 may be referred as dams, reservoirs and headrace etc.

[007] As shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. IB, the inlet of the fluid flow penstock 104a connected in fluid communication with the outlet of the fluid storage tank 102b for allowing flow of fluid from the fluid storage tank 102 to the inlet of the fluid flow penstock 104a with pressure gained from gravitational force. The inlet of the reaction turbine 106a connected in fluid communication with the outlet of the fluid flow penstock 104b. The reaction turbine 106 allows the flow of fluid from the outlet of the fluid flow penstock 104b. The flow of fluid strikes the reaction turbine 106 with pressure and further discharges the stroked fluid to an inlet of the tailrace 114a by means of rotation of the reaction turbine 106. The fluid here may be referred as water.

[008] As shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. IB, the generator 110 electrically coupled to the reaction turbine 106 configured to rotate for enabling the rotation of the generator 110 resulting in the generation of hydroelectric power. The generator 110 further connected to the electrical transformer 112 for distributing the electric power. The inlet of the fluid pumping penstocks 116a, 118a connected in fluid communication with the outlet of the tailrace 114b and the outlet of the fluid pumping penstocks 116b, 118b connected to the inlet of the same fluid storage tank 102a resulting in pumping the equal amount of discharged stroked fluid back to the same fluid tank 102 simultaneously by the fluid pumping penstocksl l6, andl l8. The fluid pumping penstocks 116, 118 further coupled to a centrifugal pump 120 for pumping the stroked fluid back to the same fluid storage tank 102. [009] Referring to FIG. 2 is a flow diagram 200, depicting a method for generating hydroelectric power by virtue of multiple penstocks, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The method starts at step 202 by allowing a flow of fluid from a fluid storage tank positioned at pre-determined height to an inlet of the fluid flow penstock with pressure gained from gravitational force. The method continues to next step 204 by discharging the flow of fluid from an outlet of the fluid flow penstock to an inlet of the reaction turbine. The method continues to next step 206 by enabling the flow of fluid to strike the reaction turbine with pressure. The method continues to next step 208 by discharging the stroked fluid from an outlet of the reaction turbine to an inlet of a tailrace by means of rotation of the electric turbine.

[010] As shown in FIG. 2, the method continues to next step 210 by generating hydropower by an electric generator electrically connected to the reaction turbine. The method continues to next step 212 by enabling an inlet of fluid pumping penstocks connected in fluid communication with an outlet of the tailrace. The method continues to next step 214 by pumping an equal amount of the discharged stroked fluid back to the same fluid tank simultaneously by the fluid pumping penstocks.

[011] The present disclosure has been described in terms of certain preferred embodiments and illustrations thereof, other embodiments and modifications to preferred embodiments may be possible that are within the principles and spirit of the invention. The above descriptions and figures are therefore to be regarded as illustrative and not restrictive.

[012] Thus the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims and includes both combinations and sub combinations of the various features described herein above as well as variations and modifications thereof, which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A hydroelectric power generating system by virtue of multiple penstocks, comprising: a cyclic assembly, comprising: a fluid storage tank located at pre-determined height, whereby the fluid storage tank further includes an inlet and an outlet; a fluid flow penstock comprising an inlet and an outlet, whereby the inlet of the fluid flow penstock connected in fluid communication with the outlet of the fluid storage tank for allowing the flow of fluid from the outlet of the fluid storage tank to the inlet of the fluid flow penstock with pressure gained from gravitational force; a reaction turbine comprising an inlet and an outlet, whereby the inlet of the reaction turbine connected in fluid communication with the outlet of the fluid flow penstock and the flow of fluid strikes the reaction turbine with pressure and further discharges the stroked fluid to an inlet of tailrace; a generator electrically coupled to the reaction turbine, whereby the reaction turbine configured to rotate for enabling the rotation of the generator resulting in the generation of hydroelectric power; and atleast two fluid pumping penstocks comprising an inlet and an outlet, whereby the inlet of the atleast two fluid pumping penstocks connected in fluid communication with the outlet of the tailrace and the outlets of the atleast two fluid pumping penstocks further connected to the inlet of the same fluid storage tank resulting in pumping the equal amount of discharged stroked fluid back to the same fluid tank simultaneously by the atleast two fluid pumping penstocks.

The system of claim 1 , wherein the atleast two fluid pumping penstocks further coupled to a centrifugal pump for pumping the equal amount of discharged stroked fluid back to the same fluid storage tank.

A method for a hydroelectric power generation by virtue of multiple penstocks, comprising: allowing a flow of fluid from a fluid storage tank positioned at pre-determined height to an inlet of the fluid flow penstock with pressure gained from gravitational force; discharging the flow of fluid from an outlet of the fluid flow penstock to an inlet of the reaction turbine; enabling the flow of fluid to strike the reaction turbine with pressure; discharging the stroked fluid from the outlet of the reaction turbine to an inlet of a tailrace by means of rotation of the reaction turbine; generating hydropower by an electric generator electrically connected to the reaction turbine; enabling an inlet of an at least one fluid pumping penstock connected in fluid communication with the outlet of the tailrace; and pumping an equal amount of the discharged stroked fluid is supplied back to the same fluid tank in simultaneously by the atleast one fluid pumping penstock.