WO2020111953A1

WO2020111953A1 - An atmospheric pressure powered electricity generation system

Info

Publication number: WO2020111953A1
Application number: PCT/PH2019/000012
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jose Ching; Edison K. CHING
Original assignee: Jose Ching; Ching Edison K
Priority date: 2018-11-27
Filing date: 2019-11-27
Publication date: 2020-06-04
Also published as: WO2020111953A8; PH12018000407A1; CN110118148A; TWM598340U

Abstract

Present invention is an electricity generation system, particularly it is a system that has a reservoir that holds an elevated liquid medium. And that utilizes the combined liquid elevation head; the ambient atmospheric pressure and a vacuumed negative pressure to create a pressure differential between the elevated liquid and the vacuumed negative pressured air in an enclosed chamber. These energies exert the total differential pressure on the liquid medium to become the motive force to act upon a series of reaction turbine generators to generate electrical energy.

Description

AN ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE POWERED ELECTRICITY GENERATION

SYSTEM

Specification FIELD OF INVENTION

Present invention is a power generation system, particularly, it is a system that utilizes the combined liquid elevation head and the ambient atmospheric pressure plus the vacuumed negative pressure to create a pressure differential between the liquid and the vacuumed negative pressured air in an enclosed chamber; acting together, they exert the total differential pressure on the liquid medium to be the motive force to actuate a series of reaction turbine generators to generate electrical energy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

At present, fossil fuel power plants are the major source of pollutions and subsequent health hazards. It is therefore desirable to shift the power generation to one based on natural occurring energy sources that include the atmospheric pressure energy and gravitational elevation head which are clean; inexhaustible and available anytime. This can reduce pollutants and improve the health conditions of the population. It can also spread out the risk of massive outages and to better manage the load distribution.

One of the authors of present invention has a granted European patent EP 2071182 B1 entitled“A Multiple Energy Inputs Hydropower System”. This prior art is a massive and highly concentrated power system.

The present invention has several other advantages over the prior art and other conventional systems:

It is simpler in design and faster to construct.

It is highly efficient.

It is less expensive.

It is scalable to high megawatts dimension to serve as a base load utility by inter-connecting a plurality of the systems.

It reduces the transmission power loss as it is built at the outskirts of big load centers.

It can be utilized as an off-grid power source.

Because of the above advantages; the results would be the lowering of electricity prices that could accelerate the economic development of the centers.

l This would stimulate the growth of the related electric equipment industries such as the clean electric vehicles; industrial electric furnaces; municipal electric heat delivery systems and many more.

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are the top and horizontal views of the invention. It has a reservoir 1 that has height ranging from 1.5 meters to 11 meters; it supplies and receives the elevated liquid in the system. Inside the reservoir is a partial separation plate 1 E dividing it into a discharging chamber 1A and a receiving chamber 1 B. The partial separation plate 1 E is closed on the upper part and it is opened at its bottom with height ranging from 0.2 meter to 5 meters where the liquid from the receiving chamber 1 B could flow into the discharging chamber 1A.

The volume and the surface area of the receiving chamber 1 B is about 5 times bigger than that of the discharging chamber 1A.

On top of the discharging chamber 1A is an opened orifice 1C that exposes the elevated liquid to the atmospheric pressure and serves as the entrance of the liquid medium from outside source.

On top of the receiving chamber 1 B is a vacuum pump 4; a pressure gauge 1 D; an adjustable vacuum pressure sensor switch 4A; a vacuum pipe 6; an motorized relief valve 1 F and an opened top pipe 1G.

The liquid inside this opened top pipe 1G is under the influence of the atmospheric pressure, it starts above the negatively pressured receiving chamber 1 B, has perforations on its lower section submerged in the liquid and leads to the orifice of the outflow pipe 2A in the discharging chamber 1 A.

The discharging chamber 1 A which is filled with the elevated liquid medium has an outflow pipe 2A with port 2C; it is under the influence of the atmospheric pressure.

An inflow pipe 2B is the downstream of the outflow pipe 2A, it has a section that is curved up towards and into the receiving chamber 1 B. The inflow port 2D elevation is higher than the outflow port 2C.

These pipes 2A and 2B have inside diameter ranging from 0.2 meter to 4 meters.

An electric inline valve 5 opens the inflow pipe 2B for the pressurized liquid to rush into the vacuumed receiving chamber 1 B.

A series of two or more reaction turbine generators 3A to 3C that are sited in between the outflow pipe 2A and the inflow pipe 2B that generate electrical power, wherein one of the turbine generators can be set downstream of the line valve 5 with its turbine inside the vacuumed pipe;

A drainpipe 9 sited on the discharging chamber 1A at elevation level about 1 meter below the inflow port 2D. It drains out the liquid to level below the inflow port 2D and the drain 9. The draining is to give more space to the inrushing liquid in the receiving chamber 2B. The liquid is flowed to a tank 14 as backup volume and can be cooled.

An opened top storage tank 14 is sited at the rear of the discharging chamber 1A. It connects to the drain (9) port; a connect pipe 15 and the reservoir drainpipe 13 on one side, and to the cooling equipment on the other side; it receives the liquid and returns it to the discharging chamber 1A.

A connect pipe 15 below the drain port 9, serves as liquid return conduit from the storage tank to the discharging chamber.

A reservoir drainpipe 13 sited at the discharging chamber 1A bottom level. It has a drain port that drains out the liquid during maintenance.

A bypass pipe 2E connects the downstream of the turbine generator 3A to the outflow pipe upstream of the inline valve 5, it lessens the friction loss of the flowing system.

A starting generator 7 supplies the initial power need of the system.

A cooling equipment 12 cools down the liquid medium; the electrical auxiliaries and the vacuum pump.

On Fig. 2, atmospheric pressure is represented as downward arrows 10 inside the releasing chamber 1A; while the negative vacuum pressure is represented as upward arrows 1 1 inside the receiving chamber 1 B.

Letter Z represents the elevation head of the liquid.

Fig. 3 is the cut away view of the reservoir 1 showing the partial separation plate 1 E where the upper part is closed and the lower part is opened. The separation plate and the receiving chamber 1 B walls are constructed with strong materials to resist the collapsing force.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Fluid has two categories, namely gas and liquid. In natural environment, gas is predominantly air, while liquid is predominantly water. Liquids may include the high density with low viscosity elemental mercury and the gallium alloy. Liquid mercury is a low heat conductor and has a low vaporization pressure of 0.00017 kpa, abs. at 20° C; coolant propylene glycol has 0.011 kpa, abs; whereas liquid water has a vaporization pressure of 2.34 kpa, abs.

Atmospheric pressure at sea level is about 101.33 kpa, abs., equivalent to 0.76 meter of mercury or a depth of about 10 meters of liquid water pressure. In a high vacuum, atmospheric pressure could push up liquid water to a height of about 10 meters.

For better appreciation of this atmospheric force energy, one square meter (m²) of surface on earth at sea level is weigh down by 10,000 kg-force. That is more than one solid cubic meter (m³) of steel which is about 7,800 kg-force. Average person is burdened by about 15,000 kg-force of atmospheric air. This immense unseen atmospheric pressure is not felt until a vacuum is created.

Atmospheric pressure exists anywhere on earth and can be transformed into usable energy.

Air density at elevation near sea level is about 1.2 kg/m³; liquid water has a density of 1 ,000 kg/m³ and mercury has a density of 13,600 kg/m³. The weights of the mentioned fluids are caused by the pull of the gravitational force. Their big disparity can be utilized to generate power.

A theoretical case is presented with liquid water with coolant propylene glycol as the medium. It operates a medium vacuum, high air flow 11.5 kw Roots vacuum pump ( model ZJ600-ZJ 150-2X30 ) that evacuates about 9.5 m³ of air ( flow ^» 0.6 m³/sec ) in a 10 m³ closed chamber in about 16 secs time, thus creates a vacuum of about 5 kpa, abs. This is about 9.5 meters of water pressure negative ([101 kpa - 5 kpa] /g » 96 kpa / g. « 9.5 meters) to atmospheric pressure head.

A valve is opened rapidly to rush in a column of 9.5 m³ of water. This column of water is contained in a 0.88 m diameter smooth pipe of at least 14 m. length that is opened at its end and is under the atmospheric pressure. This water flow ideal velocity v is calculated from the formula:

v = (2g x H)

where: g is the gravitational acceleration at 9.81 m / s²

H is the pressure head in m; in this case it’s 9.5 m.

thus: v = V2gH * V( 2 x 9.81 x 9.5 )

- 13.65 m/s

The discharge liquid Q pushed by atmospheric pressure is calculated as: Q = AV

where: A = area of the pipe orifice, in m²

V = velocity of the liquid flow, in m / sec thus: Q * (0.88 ² x 0.785) m² x 13.65 m/s « 0.696 x 13.65

« 9.5 m³ / s

The kinetic energy (K.E.) equation of the flow is:

K.E. = ½ mv²

where: m is the mass of the discharge in kg., in this case it’s 9500 kg.

v is the velocity, in this case it’s 13.65 m/s

thus: K.E. * ½ (9500 kg) (13.65 m/s )²

* 885 knm

This 885 knm of kinetic energy is expressed in one second time interval, making the term 885 knm/sec. or 885 kilowatts of power.

In this simplified technique presentation with a single turbine generator theoretically present, the instantaneous jet energy generated in one second is bigger than the energy input of the vacuum pump which is 11.5 knm/sec x 16 sec ~ 184 knm.

The ratio is about 4.25 times bigger. Apparently, it shows that natural energy inputs are involved in the system.

In the present invention system, there are at least two generators and the vacuum pump is not working continuously but intermittently. Therefore, the ratio should be much higher.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The starting procedure of the system is as follow:

Open the atmospheric motorized relief valve 1 F and the inline electric valve 5.

Close the connecting pipes to the tank 14: drainpipe 9; the connect pipe 15 and the reservoir drainpipe 13.

The liquid medium flows by gravity from outside source through the opened reservoir orifice 1 C to fill up the entire reservoir 1 ; the entire pipes 2A and 2B; the bypass pipe 2E and the spaces in between the turbine blades.

Upon completion of the liquid filling, the inline valve 5 is closed.

The drainpipe 9 is opened to drain the liquid to about 1 meter below the inflow pipe port 2D. The liquid is flowed into the storage tank 14. The connect pipe 15 and the reservoir pipe 13 are also now opened.

The motorized relief valve 1 F is then closed. The starting generator 7 is turned on. The vacuum pump 4 is activated to evacuate air from the receiving chamber 1 B creating vacuum pressure to the designed vacuum range from at least 40 kpa, abs up to a higher vacuum.

At this stage, the receiving chamber 1 B and the space downstream of the inline electric valve 5 has limited influence of the atmospheric pressure and its pressure is sub-atmospheric; whereas the liquid upstream of the electric valve 5 and inside the discharging chamber 1A are under pressure that comes from atmospheric air and the elevation head.

There is now an existential pressure differential in the system.

The inline electric valve 5 is rapidly opened. The combined vacuumed negative pressure and the atmospheric pressure plus the liquid elevation head from the reservoir discharging chamber 1A would push the liquid inside the main pipes 2A and 2B to accelerate towards the vacuumed receiving chamber 1 B. The flowing kinetic energy would impinge on the series of reaction turbine generators 3A to 3C to produce electricity.

The liquid inside the receiving chamber 1 B would then flow into the discharging chamber 1A through the partial separation plate 1 E.

It is the natural phenomenon for fluid to rush from high pressured area to low pressured area. And from positive atmospheric pressured area to negative vacuum pressured area even it is on an inclined upward trajectory as it is worked by the atmospheric pressure.

Since the liquid in both the main pipes 2A and 2B and the turbine blades is a continuum, i.e. the blades are completely submerged in the liquid medium, therefore the liquid will flow from a higher pressured upstream pipe section into the inlet of a turbine downstream; on to the rotating turbine blades; then out of the turbine outlet and into the next downstream pipe section.

The initial huge discharge momentum from the inflow pipe 2B and the subsequent low pressure created on the upstream section would cause a successive vacuum pressured flows section by section.

As the vacuum pump operates within its designed range of vacuum pressure, the combined natural forces would keep the liquid in a continuous flowing energy of and push and " pull " : from the discharging chamber 1A push into the pipes 2A and 2B, to the rotating turbine generators 3A to 3C, into the " pulling vacuumed " receiving chamber 1 B and flows back to the discharging chamber 1 A. The bypass pipe 2E would cause a portion of the pressurized liquid to be short routed to lessen the friction loss in this flowing system.

The elevation of the liquid in the reservoir is kept at a level between the inlet port 2D and the outlet port 2C and it is kept above the lowest limit of the partial separation plate.

The generated electricity is dispatched to loads outside the system after deducting the needed electricity of the powerhouse.

If the system uses liquid water (fresh or saline) as medium, it may be called the second generation or hybrid hydropower system.

The present invention can be constructed as an independent power plant; or it can be constructed as a sub-unit of an existing power plant, serving as a subunit.

Another embodiment of the present invention is that it can be set up on a stationary or floating platform over a body of water at the outskirt of the urban center or on a mobile floating vessel that can be dispatched to location where electricity is needed.

The above embodiments are given for illustration purposes only. And not by way of limitations and that modifications will become evident to those skilled in the arts.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An electric power generation system comprising:

a reservoir ( 1 ) that has height ranging from 1.5 meters to 11 meters; it supplies and receives the liquid medium in the system; inside the reservoir ( 1 ) is a partial separation plate ( 1 E ) that divides it into a discharging chamber ( 1A ) and a receiving chamber ( 1 B ); the plate ( 1 E ) is closed on the upper part while its lower part is opened with height ranging from 0.2 meter to five meters where the liquid in the receiving chamber ( 1 B ) could flow into the discharging chamber ( 1A ); the volume and the surface area of the receiving chamber ( 1 B ) is about 5 times bigger than that of the discharging chamber ( 1 A );

a pool of liquid medium with elevation head ( Z ) inside the reservoir ( 1 ), it can be liquid water; elemental mercury or other heavy liquids;

an opened orifice ( 1C ) on top of the reservoir discharging chamber ( 1A ) exposes the liquid medium to the ambient atmospheric pressure and serves as the entry port for the liquid medium from source that’s outside the system;

a low to medium vacuum, high airflow vacuum pump ( 4 ) sited beside the receiving chamber ( 1 B ) that evacuates the air inside the chamber ( 1 B ) creating vacuum pressure, it works initially from the atmospheric pressure of about 101 kpa, abs. down to the lower limit of the designed range, is then closed, and there after works between the upper and the lower limits of the designed pressure range, it has an attached cooling system;

an adjustable pressure sensor switch ( 4A ) that controls the on / off of the vacuum pump ( 4 ) to pressure with a range from at least 40 kpa, abs. to a higher vacuum but is to be below the vaporization pressure of the liquid medium;

a vacuum pipe ( 6 ) connects the vacuum pump ( 4 ) to the receiving chamber ( 1 B ) ;

a vacuum pressure gauge ( 1 D ) on top of the chamber ( 1 B );

a motorized vacuum pressure relief valve ( 1 F ) on top of the receiving chamber;

an opened top pipe ( 1G ) starts above and inside the receiving chamber ( 1 B ) , it is isolated from the receiving chamber so that the liquid inside this pipe is under the influence of the atmospheric pressure, it extends to the orifice of the outflow pipe ( 2A ) in the discharging chamber ( 1A ), it has perforations on its lower section where the submerged liquid would flow in and leads the liquid from the receiving chamber ( 1 B ) into the outflow pipe ( 2A ) bypassing the low vacuum pressured area; an outflow pipe ( 2A ) from the discharging chamber ( 1A ) that has inside diameter ranging from 0.2 meter to 4 meters, its outflow port ( 2C ) is on the discharging chamber ( 1A );

an inflow pipe ( 2B ) that is downstream of the outflow pipe( 2A ), it has a section that is inclined upward and towards the receiving chamber ( 1 B ), its inside diameter ranges from 0.2 meter to 4 meters;

an inflow pipe port (2D ) is higher in elevation than the outflow pipe port

( 2C );

an inline valve ( 5 ) opens the inflow pipe ( 2B ) for the pressurized liquid to rush into the vacuumed receiving chamber ( 1 B );

a series of two or more reaction turbine generators ( 3A to 3C ) that are sited in between the outflow pipe ( 2A ) and the inflow pipe ( 2B ) that generate electrical power, wherein one of the turbine generators can be set downstream of the line valve ( 5 ) with its turbine inside the vacuumed pipe;

A bypass pipe ( 2E ) connects the downstream of the turbine generator ( 3A ) directly to the outflow pipe upstream of the inline valve ( 5 ), it lessens the friction loss of the flowing system;

a drain pipe ( 9 ) sited on the discharging chamber ( 1A ), drains out the liquid to level about 1 meter below the inflow port (2D) level, its purpose is to give space for the inrushing liquid in the receiving chamber (1 B), the drained liquid is flowed to a tank (14);

an opened top storage tank ( 14 ) at the rear of the discharging chamber ( 1A ), it connects the drain ( 9 ) pipe; the connect pipe ( 15 ) and the reservoir pipe ( 13 ) on one side, and to the cooling equipment ( 12 ) on the other side; it receives the liquid and returns it to the discharging chamber (1A), the volume of this tank is about the discharged liquid volume from the reservoir ( 1 );

a connect pipe ( 15 ) below the drain port ( 9 ) serves as an added liquid conduit to and from the storage tank ( 14 ) and the discharging chamber ( 1A ); a reservoir drain pipe ( 13 ) at the bottom of the discharging chamber serves the same purpose as the drain pipe ( 9 ), it has a port that serves as a reservoir ( 1 ) emptying drain for the liquid during maintenance;

a cooling equipment ( 12 ) cools the liquid medium and the electrical auxiliaries;

a starting generator ( 7 ) supplies the initial power need of the system.

2. An electric power generation system based on Claim 1 that utilizes the combined ambient atmospheric pressure, the liquid elevation head ( Z ) plus the vacuum pump induced negative pressure to create a pressure differential between the vacuumed air inside the upper part of the receiving chamber ( 1 B ) and the atmospheric liquid with elevation head that is inside the inflow pipe ( 2B ); outflow pipe ( 2A ); bypass pipe ( 2E ) and the discharging chamber ( 1 A ); acting together, these pressure energies exert both the pressure push and the " suction pull " upon the liquid medium in the main pipes ( 2A and 2B ) to actuate the series of reaction turbine generators ( 3A to 3C ) to generate electrical energy.

3. An electric power generation system based on Claim 2 that is scalable to high megawatts output by inter-connecting a plurality of the systems to become a base load utility.

4. An electric power generation system based on Claim 3 that is built beside big load center or beside an existing power plant thus serves as a sub-power plant.

5. An electric power generation system based on Claim 3 that is set up on a stationary or floating platform parked on a body of water beside urban center or on a mobile floating vessel which can be moved to location where electrical energy is needed.