ZA200601035B

ZA200601035B - Waterwheel arrangement

Info

Publication number: ZA200601035B
Application number: ZA200601035A
Authority: ZA
Inventors: Malan Pieter
Original assignee: Malan Pieter
Priority date: 2005-08-22
Filing date: 2006-02-01
Publication date: 2007-05-30
Also published as: ZA200801254B

Description

TITLE OF INVENTION

Waterwheel arrangement.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a waterwheel arrangement.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a waterwheel arrangement for pumping water or for generating electricity.

BACKGROUND TO INAVENTION

In many undeveloped countries, the availability of electricity iss very limited.

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 anima ls.

Water has been used to generate energy for many years, for exarmple windmills were developed pump water from a borehole and also water mills to grind flour.

The water mills later evolved into water generators placed in dawms 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 mills were also powered by flowing water causing a mill wheel to rotate.

The mill wheels were supported by the river bank and fixed to the mill house and thus were only operable when the river or canal had sufficient water therein.

It is an object of the invention to suggest a waterwheel arrangem ent which will assist in overcoming th ese problems.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to the invertion, a waterwheel arrangement includes a frame; at least one floatable mermber joined to the frame and being adaptead to support the frame to float in a water course; a rotatable waterwheel suppoorted by the frame, the waterwheel having a number of vanes adapted to be contacted by

DOrG Ref: 650314

= 2002701038 flowing water; and an engine operatively joined to the waterw heel, wherein rotation of the waterwvheel is adapted to cause rotation of the engire.

The waterwheel arra ngement may include an anchor being adapted to secure . and prevent moveme=nt of the frame along the water course.

The anchor may be a dapted to be secured to a bank or bed of the wvater course.

The frame may be mmade of a suitable corrosion resistant material , for example such as steel or galvanised iron.

The waterwheel may be made of a suitable, light-weight material, for example such as plastics or fib re-glass.

The vanes may extend radially outward from the waterwheel.

The vanes may be flat or curved.

The waterwheel arra ngement may include more than one watemwheel, each waterwheel being line arly aligned with a direction of the water flow.

The waterwheel arra ngement may include a gearbox or sprocket-and-chain arrangement for operatively joining the waterwheel to the engine.

The gearbox may be adapted to increase the number of revolutions transferred from the waterwheel to the engine.

The engine may be a water pump with an inlet pipe extending into the water and an outlet pipe.

The engine may be an electrical generator.

The 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 be located in the water.

The flume may be venturi shaped.

The flume may be adapted to increase a flow rate of water contactin g the vanes of the waterwheel.

Du G Ref: 650314

The waterwheel arrangement may include a deflector joined to the frame and being adapted to deflect large objects floating in the water away fmrom the waterwheel. } The water course may be a river, water canal or sea.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

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 an electricity generating arrangerment in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 a plan view seen alorg arrow II in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 a side view seen alorag arrow III in Figure 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF D RAWINGS

Referring to the drawings, a waterwheel arrangement in accordance writh the invention, generally indicated b»y reference numeral 10, is shown. The waterwheel arrangement 10 is adapted to be located on water in any ssuitable location where flowing water is available, e.g. such as in a river or water canal,

The waterwheel arrangement 10 includes a platform frame 12 joined to two spaced apart float members 14, 16 that are adapted to float in watear and support the frame 12 above the wsater surface at a constant position rela tive to the water surface.

The frame 12 further supports a flume 18, formed by two guide plates 20,22 located between the float members 14,16. The flume 18 is venturi shaped, having a convergent part 24, a pawallel part 26 and a divergent part 28, sso that the flow rate of water flowing through the waterwheel arrangement 10 js accelerated along the parallel part 26.

DrG Ref: 650314

A waterwheel 30 is supported by tthe frame 12 at the parallel part 26 of the flume 18 and is able to rotate about its central axle 32. The waterwsheel 30 has a number of radially extending vanes 34, which are adapted to extend into the water below the water surface. The waterwheel 30 is operatively jwined, via a : > gearbox 36 at the axle 32, to a pump 38. The gearbox 36 is used to adjust and optimise the revolutions provided from the waterwheel 30 to the pu mp 38. The pump 38 has an inlet pipe 40 and an outlet pipe 42.

As shown in the drawings, in use, the waterwheel arrangement 10 is located floating on water 44 flowing in a carmal 46 having banks 48,50. The -waterwheel arrangement 10 is secured to the banks 48,50 by cables 52,54 so that it remains stationary positioned relati ve to the banks 48,50. The wwvaterwheel arrangement 10 can alternatively be secured to the canal bed, to a b=ridge or to any other fixed structure.

The water 44 flowing in the direction of arrow 56, flows into the flunme 18 at its convergent part 24, through the para lel part 26 and out from the diveargent part 28. The pressure of the water 44 flowing through the flume 18 ensures that the parallel part 26 is linearly aligned im the water flow direction 56 so that the vanes 34 of the waterwheel! 30 are transversely aligned to the water flow direction 56.

If the water level changes, for example due to agricultural use of the water 44 in the canal 46, the support frame 12 is maintained at a constant hei«ght above the water surface by the float members 14,16 to ensure that the van es 34 are always positioned at a correct depth im the water.

The flowing force of the water 44 acts against the vanes 34 to move them and to cause the waterwheel 30 and subsequently its axle 32 to rota te. This rotation movement is used by the purmrep 38 to pump water 44 from the= canal 46 through the inlet pipe 40 and out the o utlet pipe 42.

The waterwheel arrangement 10 can be extended by increasing the size or number of waterwheels 30 supported by the frame 12, Alternatively, the size and number of vanes 34 can be altered. If more than one waterwheel 30 js

DrG Ref: 650314 provided, the waterwheels 30 may be linearly aligned in the direction of the water flow.

The frame 12 can be made of a suitable corrosion resistant material such as ] steel or galvanised iron.

The waterwheel 30 is preferably made 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 radlially from the waterwheel) or curved.

In an alternative embodiment of th e invention, the pump 38 can be replaced by i0 an electrical generator.

The waterwheel arrangement 10 can include a deflector 58 being joined to the frame 12 at the opening of the convergent part 24. The deflector 58 is substantially V-shaped and is adapted to deflect large objects floating in the water 44 away from the flume 18 so that they can not block or damage the waterwheel 30.

The waterwheel arrangement 10 is adapted to be movable, so that it can be moved from one suitable location to another. This is essential, for example, if the river should change its course or dry-up.

The waterwheel arrangement 10 can be provided in different sizes for use in different size rivers and for generating different amount of power.

DrG Ref: 650314

Claims

1. AM waterwheel arrangement including a frame; at least one floatable rember joined to the frame and bein g adapted to support the frarme to ) 5 fl oat in a water course; a rotatable waterwheel supported by the frame, the waterwheel having a number of wanes adapted to be contactexd by fl owing water; and an engine operatively joined to the waterwheel, wsherein rotation of the waterwheel is adapted to cause rotation o f the e ngine.

2. A waterwheel arrangement as claimed i n claim 1, which includes an archor beeing adapted to secure and prevent movement of the frame along the wrater course.

3. A waterwheel arrangement as claimed in claim 2, in which the ancheor is aclapted to be secured to a bank or bed of the water course.

4. A waterwheel arrangement as claimed En any one of the preceding claims, in which the frame is made of a suitable corrosion resistant material, such ass steel or galvanised iron.

5. A waterwheel arrangement as claimed i n any one of the preceding claims, in which the waterwheel is made of any suitable, light-weight material, such as plastics or fibre-glass.

6. A waterwheel arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the vanes extend radially outward from the waterwheel.

7. A waterwheel arrangement as claimed ir any one of the preceding cla ims, in which the vanes are flat or curved.

8. A waterwheel arrangement as claimed im any one of the preceding claims, which includes more than one waterwheel, each waterwheel being linearly aligned with a direction of the water flow DrG Ref: 65 0314

9. A watemwheel arrangement as claimed in any one eof the preceding claims, which includes a gearbox or sprocket-and-chhain arrangement for operatiwely joining the waterwheel to the engine. }

10. A water-wheel arrangement as claimed in claim 9, in which the gearbox is adapted to increase the number of revolutions transferred from the : waterwheel to the engine.

11. A waterwheel arrangement as claimed in any one Of the preceding claims, in which the engine is a water pump with an inlet pipe extending into the water amd an outlet pipe.

12. A waterwheel arrangement as claimed in any one= of claims 1 to 10, in which the engine is an electrical generator.

13. A waterwheel arrangement as claimed in any one o-f the preceding claims, which in cludes a flume joined to the frame so that t he waterwheel extends partially into the flume, wherein the flume is adapte=d to be located in the water.

14. A waterwnheel arrangement as claimed in claim 13, in which the flume is venturi sshaped.

15. A watervevheel arrangement as claimed in claim 13 or 14, in which the flume is adaptead to increase a flow rate of water contaccting the vanes of the waterwheeel.

16. A waterwheel arrangement as claimed in any one of= the preceding claims, which includes a deflector joined to the frame and bezing adapted to deflect large objeects floating in the water away from the wateerwheel.

17. A waterwwheel arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which tthe water course is a river, water canal or se a. DrG Ref: 650314

18. A waterwheel arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying schematic drawings.

Date : 01 February 2006 TNC ) 5 John Spicer DR GERNTHO INC Patent Attorneys of Applicant(s) P O Box 8; Cape Town 8000; South Africa 30 Union Road; Milnerton 7441; South Africa Tel: C021) 551 2650 Fax: (021) 551 2960 DrG Ref.: 650314 t:\flles\1<3\650314\6503 14spec.doc DrG Ref: 650314