WO2019030555A1

WO2019030555A1 - Energy generation from the buoyancy force employing a drawer cushion in a reciprocating mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO2019030555A1
Application number: PCT/IB2017/055145
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mohammad Mehdi RABBANI
Original assignee: Rabbani Mohammad Mehdi
Priority date: 2017-07-26
Filing date: 2017-08-28
Publication date: 2019-02-14

Abstract

Many inventions have already been registered about power exploitation from the buoyancy force. Most of those inventions cannot overcome either hydrostatic limitations or mechanism flaws. Thus, the above-mentioned inventions cannot introduce any mechanism to be feasible for exploiting power from the buoyancy force in a motion cycle. A designed cushion of the present invention can be opened and closed in the presence of the hydrostatic pressure without exerting any external force. The cushion includes a number of sliding elements (either drawer or piston) for the sake of volume changing. Moreover, the cushion includes a plurality of trapezoid sheets to preclude the rubber coating of the drawer part from being crumpled in the depth of water. The difference in volume between the open state of the cushion and the closed one would eventually cause a mechanical work in the cycle of the designed reciprocating mechanism.

Description

Energy Generation from the Buoyancy Force Employing a Drawer Cushion in a

Reciprocating Mechanism

Description

Technical Field of the Invention

This invention relates to power generation (either mechanical or electrical) from the buoyancy force using a drawer cushion in a motion mechanism.

Technical Problem of the Invention

The growing need for inexpensive and efficient alternative sources of energy is an ever- standing issue. Various methods and devices have been used to generate renewable energy in the form of either electricity or mechanical work. The wind turbines are one of such devices which collect energy from the moving air stream through their blades to produce electricity or a mechanical work. Similarly, water turbines collect energy from the running water to generate either mechanical or electrical power. In addition, photovoltaic cells produce electricity from the solar energy. All of those methods and apparatuses are highly dependent on climate and weather conditions. Moreover, their placements are dictated by natural resources. In the case of wind turbines, large open areas of land in wind dominant climates are required. They are furiously dependent on regional wind speed and its annual distribution. Similarly, water turbines must be installed near running water sources and they are hampered by the dictates of their power sources. Also, photovoltaic cells can only generate electricity when exposed to sunlight radiation. A masterful combination of gravitational force and buoyancy force can be utilized as a perpetual and reliable renewable energy.

Background of the Invention

Heretofore, many inventions have been claimed and patented about power generation by combination of the gravitational and buoyancy forces. The buoyancy force is, in turn, a form of the gravitational force. Those inventions involved mechanisms that had a buoyant body (or a plurality of buoyant bodies) on one side and a gravity body (or a plurality of gravity ones) on the other side. A number of inventions made buoyant and gravitational bodies through inflation and deflation of those bodies, respectively. Some other inventions had two fluid and gas vertical passages. When a body passed through the fluid (water) passage, it would play its buoyant role. In the other side, when a body passed though the gas (air) passage, it would emerge its gravitational hand.

The radical drawback of some previous inventions which possessed inflated-deflated bodies was the impossibility of inflation in the depth of their fluid reservoirs. Moreover, the underlying bug in some other previous inventions, in which two fluid-gas passages existed, was the necessity of exerting an external force to transform buoyant bodies from their gas passages toward their fluid ones at the bottoms of their mechanisms.

Pedziwiatr (2014) US 8,646,267 B l designed an underwater air-powered apparatus utilized the buoyancy force of water to generate power in the form of mechanical work or electricity. Air bags were placed circumferentially around the perimeter of a rotatory member immersed in water. The air bags were alternatively inflated and deflated in a sequence enabling buoyant forces to rotate the rotatory member. In his invention, a generator was coupled to the rotatory member for generating power in response to the rotation of the rotatory member.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention strives to overcome the inherent problem with renewable energy- related apparatuses. This invention utilizes the buoyancy force of a designed cushion in a reciprocating mechanism. At least, One-third portion of the buoyancy force is transferred to electricity.

Crafty combinations of the gravity force and the buoyant one may lead to unlimited renewable energy resources for generating either mechanical work or electricity. In addition, perpetuity, independency from climate conditions, low costs of manufacturing the apparatuses, feasibility of using and maintenance of the devices, as well as considering the environment-friendly issues are some other merits of this invention.

The designed cushion of this invention can be opened and closed in the presence of the hydrostatic pressure, without exerting any external force. Moreover, the cushion has been made in a posture that resists crumpling, in the presence of the hydrostatic pressure.

The reciprocating mechanism of this invention utilizes only one cushion for generating electricity. The closed cushion is pulled down at the top of the mechanism by an electromotor. Thereafter, the cushion undergoes an infinite loading through engaging the lock system of the rack. Thus, the cushion will to be opened due to the higher hydrostatic pressure enforcing to the drawer part. The lock systems of the drawer part and the rack will be engaged and disengaged respectively following the complete opening of the cushion. Subsequently, the voluminous cushion will rise and the buoyant force of the cushion will eventually generate electricity. Over a power cycle of the mechanism, the produced energy of the generator is more than the consumed energy of the electromotor, due to the difference between the buoyancy force of the open cushion and that of the closed cushion.

Brief Description of Drawings

Figure 1. Drawer cushion

Figure 2. Hollow rigid box; (A) flat surface (B) hydrodynamic surface

Figure 3. The drawer part

Figure 4. Reciprocating mechanism

Figure 5. A coupling of four reciprocating mechanisms

Figure 6. (A) The connection of the rack to the connector

(B) Rack (one side dented & the three others grooved)

(C) Flat lower portion of the rack (not dented)

Figure 7. Installation of the rollers to prevent the rack from tilting

Figure 8. Lock system of the rack

Figure 9. Complete opening of the cushion during the engagement of the lock system of the rack

Figure 10. Releasing the lock system of the rack when the cushion is completely open Figure 11. Torque transmission to the shaft though the pinion

Figure 12. The cushion closing process (unloading & releasing the lock system of the drawer part)

Figure 13. (A The connection of the shaft-bearing-freewheel-gearbox-generator (B) The connection of the shaft-bearing-freewheel-generator

Detailed Description of Drawings

The present invention involves two major ideas of cushion and motion mechanism. In order to achieve the goals of this invention, the designed cushion can be utilized within diverse mechanisms.

Here, a drawer cushion is employed in a reciprocating mechanism (a number of coupled reciprocating mechanisms).

A. Drawer Cushion

The drawer (piston) cushion takes the responsibility of volume change, without exerting any external force, in the presence of the hydrostatic pressure. The drawer cushion consists of three main parts of (A. l) hollow rigid box 1, (A.2) drawer part (including; a rubber coating 2, trapezoid sheets 3, sliding elements 4, a lock system for the drawer part 5, and a connector 6), and (A.3) the air tubes (rigid air tubes 7 / flexible air tubes 8) (Fig. 1).

A. A. Hollow rigid box 1: hollow rigid box 1 is a hollow box located at the top of the cushion. It is rigid, sealed, and light. The hollow rigid box 1 can be designed in form of cube, cylinder, or any other suitable shape. However, improved hydrodynamic shapes can be designed, regarding the need to geometries with less drag coefficients. Accordingly, three dimensional NURBS surfaces are adopted for drag reduction of the cushion (Fig. 2). The height of the hollow rigid box 1 generates a difference in height between its upper and lower surfaces. Consequently, such difference leads to a hydrostatic pressure differentiation and an initial buoyancy force.

A.B. Drawer (Piston) Part: The drawer part of the cushion has been attached to the bottom of the hollow rigid box 1. The drawer part includes a rubber coating 2, a plurality of trapezoid sheets 3, eight sliding elements 4 (either drawer or piston), a lock system for the drawer part 5, and a connector 6 (Fig. 3). Huge cushions may possess more than eight sliding elements 4.

Rubber Coating 2: The rubber coating 2 of the drawer part surrounds the trapezoid sheets 3 and the sliding elements 4. The trapezoid sheets 3 have been attached to the inner skin of the rubber coating 2. The rubber coating 2 has been sealed and attached to the hollow rigid box 1. Also, the rubber coating 2 has been sealed and attached to the connector 6, from its other end (Figs. 1 and 2).

Rectangular (Trapezoid) Sheets 3: Whenever the drawer part is closed, its height will become negligible. At the beginning of the upward motion, the volume and accordingly the height of the drawer part would increase. Therefore, the drawer part would form a frustum, with its height increment. Arrangement of the rectangular (trapezoid) sheets 3, installed on the inner skin of the rubber coating 2, contributes to an appropriate formation of the frustum shape. Side length of the rubber coating 2 increases when the sliding elements elongate. Hence, there are vertical spaces between every two successive rectangular (trapezoid) sheets 3 for the sake of the room required for closing (Fig. 5).

Sliding Elements 4: One end of each sliding element 4 is attached to a point at the bottom side of the hollow rigid box 1 and the other end is attached to the connector 6. Joints have been mounted on the very bottom sides of the hollow rigid box 1 and the connector 6 to maintain the sliding elements 4 between the hollow rigid box 1 and the connector 6 (Fig. 1). The sliding elements 4 undertake the controlled volume variation of the drawer part. The drawer part would be opened with identical increases in the lengths of the sliding elements 4, at the beginning of the upward motion. Also, identical decreases in the lengths of sliding elements 4 would close the drawer part, at the beginning of the downward motion (Fig. 3).

Lock System of the Drawer Part 5: A designed Lock system for the Drawer part (LD) 5 has been installed on the sliding elements 4 to evade volume reduction of the drawer part during the upward motion of the cushion. Whenever the sliding elements 4 are opened completely, the LD 5 will be engaged. The LD 5 will be disengaged, almost at the top of the mechanisms, before the unloaded upward cushion begins to be closed. The LD 5 is operated by an electrical control system. The engagement of LD 5 is operated via inserting keys of the LD 5 into the correspondent slots passed through the interfaces of successive steps of the sliding elements 4. On the other hand, the disengagement of the LD 5 is operated by pulling out the keys from the very slots (Fig. 3).

Connector 6: the connector 6 undertakes sealed attachment of the flexible air tubes 8 to the cushion. In addition, the connector 6 undergoes the loading operations in motion mechanisms (Fig. 1).

A.C. Air Tubes (Rigid Air Tubes 7 / Flexible Air Tubes 8): The air tubes (either rigid air tubes 7 or flexible air tubes 8) take the responsibility of air transfer to the cushions and balance the air within the cushions, over opening and closing the drawer part. A rigid air tube 7 is attached to the hollow rigid box 1 and a flexible air tube 8 is attached to the connector 6 or two flexible air tubes 8 are attached to both hollow rigid box 1 and connector 6 (Figs. 1 and 2).

Clarifications:

Frustum shape of the drawer part follows that of the hollow rigid box 1. For example, a cylindrical hollow rigid box 1 leads to a conic frustum and a cube hollow rigid box 1 results in a pyramid-shape frustum.

Usually, the upper surface of the hollow rigid box 1 is flat. Though, whenever a mechanism needs a greater revolution velocity or the drag force is too large (as a permanent opposing force), the drag force may be reduced to our required value by improving geometrical drag coefficient. However, a variety of geometrical shapes can be employed for the hollow rigid box 1 and the drawer part. Even some airfoil- shaped designs may be implemented for the geometry of the cushion (Fig. 2). The upper air tube may be selected as either a rigid air tube 7 or a flexible air tube 8. On the other hand, the lower flexible air tube 8 may be sealed to a closed end, just to keep constant the buoyancy force of the cushion.

B. Reciprocating Mechanism

The reciprocating mechanism of this invention employs one drawer cushion for generating electricity from the buoyancy force. The reciprocating mechanism does not need any arrangement of a plurality of drawer cushions and operates with just one cushion. Thus, the reciprocating mechanism does not encounter any difficulty concerning a plurality of flexible air tubes 8. A foundation 9 holds the water tank 10 in which the drawer cushion produces mechanical work through a reciprocating cycle (Fig. 4).

However, the reciprocating mechanism requires an electromotor 11 to pull down the cushion. Thus, employing a number of coupled reciprocating mechanisms (with phase differences) may be adopted as a solution for the problem of discontinuous power generation. Though, an accurate timing of those coupled mechanisms is a real task (Fig. 5).

An electromotor 11 has been installed on a horizontal plate. That plate has been attached to the outer- upper lateral wall of the water tank 10. The shaft of the electromotor 11 is connected to a freewheel 12. The electromotor 11 takes the responsibility of cushion pulling down. A spool 13 has been mounted on the shaft of the electromotor 11. The spool 13 pulls in or lets out a wire rope 14 clamped to two branches of wire ropes 14. Each branch of wire rope 14 passes over two pulleys 15, where they are welded on the floor of the water tank 10 (four pulleys 15, overall). The two branches of wire ropes 14 have been attached to the outer lateral walls of the hollow rigid box 1, eventually. Whenever the electromotor 11 winds up the wire rope 14, it will pull down the closed cushion to its lowest course point. It should be mentioned that the electromotor 11 must be switched to the neutral status when the closed cushion reaches its lowest course point. Thus, a freewheel 12 has been mounted on the shaft of the electromotor 11 prior to the spool 13, to fulfill the neutral status in bi-directional motors (Fig. 4).

A specified vertical rack 16 has been attached to the connector 6 of the cushion. Front side of the rack 16 has been dented, while the other three sides of the rack 16 have been grooved. A lower portion of the rack 16 has not been dented (Fig. 6). Whenever the cushion is drawn up or down, the rack 16 will pass over a pinion 17. Three rollers 18 have been screwed to their relevant narrow plates. Those plates have been welded to the foundation 9. Two of the rollers 27 are located at a higher level, while the third roller 18 has been placed at a lower height, opposite to the pinion 17. Each one of the rollers 18 is placed inside a groove to prevent the rack 16 from tilting (Fig. 7).

The power shaft 19 has been installed on the foundation 9 via unit bearings 20. Whenever the electromotor 11 pulls down the cushion, and accordingly the rack 16, the rack 16 will pass over the pinion 17. The contact makes a reverse revolution of the pinion 17 and the shaft 19, subsequently. Since the reverse revolution does not carry any adequate torque to overpower the start-up torque, a freewheel 21 has been mounted on the power shaft 19 prior to the gearbox 22 and the generator 23. Therefore, the pinion 17 has a load-free contact, while it rotates reversely (Fig. 8).

Whenever the closed cushion arrives at the lowest course point, the electromotor 11 will be stopped by an electrical control. For the sake of utmost exploitation of the buoyancy force, which is a function of the volume of the open cushion, a Lock system for the RAck (LRA) 24 has been provided. When the cushion arrives at the lowest course point, the LRA 24 will be engaged. Subsequently, the LRA 24 would make the cushion to be opened completely. The engagement of the LRA 24 is operated by an electrical command via inserting the key of the LRA 24 into the corresponding slot in the groove that is confronted with the LRA 24 (Fig. 9). Then, the LD 5 and the LRA 24 would be engaged and disengaged respectively, to allow the elevation of the complete open cushion. The disengagement of the LRA 24 is operated by an electrical command via pulling out the key of the LRA 24 from the confronting slot (Fig. 10). During the upward motion, the engagement of the LD 5 prevents the drawer part from any volume reduction. Consequently, the complete open cushion would rise due to the buoyancy force overcoming the contact force of the rack 16 and the pinion 17 (that is, in turn, mostly resulted from the structure of the generator 23). Accordingly, the resultant torque would be transmitted to the generator 23, via the pinion 17, the power shaft 19, and the gearbox 22 (Fig. 11). When the cushion almost arrives at its highest course point, the pinion 17 will be fronted by the undented portion of the rack. At that moment, the LD 5 would be disengaged and the drawer part would be closed due to the hydrostatic pressure (Fig. 12).

Volume of the open cushion is larger than that of the closed cushion. Therefore, the buoyancy force of the upward status (open cushion) is greater than that of the downward status (closed cushion) (Fig. 39). Hence, the input power of the electromotor 11 is less than the output power of the generator 23.

The upper air tube is a rigid air tube 7. On the other hand, the lower air tube is a flexible air tube 8 where it is sealed to the lower open end of the water tank 10. The rack 16 is surrounded by the flexible air tube 8 inside the water tank 10. Thus, the rack 16 prevents the flexible air tube 8 from crooking. The power shaft 19 is connected to the generator 23 through a freewheel 21 and the gearbox 22. Depending on the revolution speed, the gearbox 22 may be installed or not installed on the shaft 19 (Fig. 13).

Claims

Energy Generation from the Buoyancy Force Employing a Drawer Cushion in a Reciprocating Mechanism Claims What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for utilizing the buoyancy force to generate power, the apparatus comprising:

a drawer cushion for traveling inside a vertical fluid passage, the cushion comprising a hollow rigid box, a drawer part, and two air tubes;

a reciprocating mechanism for the reciprocating motion of a drawer, the mechanism comprising a drawer cushion, a rack connected to a loading member and in contact with the pinion, a plurality of rollers mounted on a foundation which are in contact with the rack, and a lock system placed on the foundation near the rack;

a power shaft having a pinion and coupled to a gearbox and a generator for transmission of mechanical power to the generator;

an electromotor mounted on a foundation, coupled to a freewheel and a spool and connected to a cushion via a plurality of wire ropes to pull down the cushion;

a water tank installed on a foundation to provide a vertical fluid passage for the reciprocating motion of a cushion.

2. A drawer cushion designed for the opening and closing operations in the presence of the hydrostatic pressure, the cushion comprising: a hollow rigid box, a drawer part, an upper air tube, and a flexible lower air tube.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 comprising a hollow rigid box attached to an air tube and a drawer part from its upper and lower sides respectively, to provide initial pressure differentiation.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further consisting a surface designed in a fashion of a three dimensional NURBS surface for the sake of drag reduction.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 comprising a drawer part making a volume differentiation (a buoyancy force differentiation, accordingly) through the opening and closing operations, the drawer part further consisting a rubber coating, a plurality of rectangular sheets, a number of sliding elements, a connector, and a lock system for the drawer part.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further consisting a waterproof rubber coating attached to the hollow rigid box and connector of the cushion from its upper and lower sides respectively, which is resistant to tensile and shear forces beside its durability against fatigue loads.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 further consisting a plurality of rectangular sheets attached to the wall of the rubber coating to avoid the coating from crumpling in the presence of the hydrostatic pressure.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 further consisting a number of sliding elements connected to the hollow rigid box and the connector of the cushion for the sake of the opening and closing operations.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 further consisting a connector sealed to the rubber coating and a flexible lower air tube which endures the loading operation.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further including connections to the sliding elements and to a rack from its upper and lower sides respectively.

11. The apparatus of claim 2 comprising an upper air tube attached to the upper end of the hollow rigid box to undertake air transfer to the cushion.

12. The apparatus of claim 2 comprising a flexible lower air tube sealed to the connector and the water tank floor from its upper and lower ends respectively, to keep constant the buoyancy force of the cushion.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further consisting the elongation and shortening with the upward and downward motions of the cushion respectively.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 further consisting either a closed end or an open end (for providing an auxiliary air transfer passage).

15. A lock system for the drawer part installed on the sliding elements comprising: an electrical control and a plurality of keys and corresponding slots.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 comprising an electrical control to command the engagement and disengagement of the lock system of the drawer part.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 comprising a plurality of keys and the corresponding slots, the lock engagement is carried out through inserting the keys into their corresponding slots and vice versa.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a rack connected to the connector to transmit the generated mechanical power to a power shaft via a pinion.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 further consisting a cross section with a dented edge and other grooved edges.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 further consisting an undented lower portion to release the dents of the rack from its correspondent pinion.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a number of rollers placed on the grooves of the rack to prevent the rack from tilting.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a power shaft having a pinion which is coupled to a gearbox and a generator.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 further consisting a freewheel mounted prior to a gearbox to prohibit the power shaft from any reverse revolution.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising an electromotor located on a foundation which is coupled to a freewheel and a spool with a wire rope connected to the hollow rigid box via other wire ropes to pull down the closed cushion during the downward motion.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 further consisting a freewheel coupled to the shaft of the electromotor prior to a spool which prevents the shaft of the electromotor from any reverse revolution.

26. A lock system for the rack mounted on a foundation comprising: an electrical control, a key, and a corresponding slot.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 comprising an electrical control to command the engagement and disengagement of the lock system of the rack.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 comprising a key and a corresponding slot, the lock engagement is carried out through inserting the key into the corresponding slot and vice versa.