Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02631708 2008-05-22
IMPROVED DARRIEUS WATER-WHEEL TURBINE;
FIELD OF INVENTION; -
This invention relates to reaction turbine for the generation of
hydroelectricity.
Background of the invention;
Devices which take advantage of the energy of failing water, existed for
several centuries. The
earliest example is the water-wheel. It is an impulse device which uses a
multitude of buckets or
paddles to catch falling or moving water, depositing it at down streem point.
The movement of the
buckets or the paddles spins a central supporting shaft which can do work or
be used to generate
power.
In the late 1800's and early 1900's hydro power innovaters discovered the
adventages of reaction
turbine which mainly generate power from pressure and differences in streem
flow. The Francis,
Kaplan, Pelton and cross-flow hydro power disigns are mature technologies and
very well
understood. None of these disign, however, is recommended for high flow
applications of less
then 3 meters of head.
One solution for economically genereting power from ultra-low head hydro sites
(less then 3 m of
head), is the adoptoin of the new improved Darrieus type design. While the
Barry V. Davis turbine
demonstrates the applicability of the Darrieus design in water, there are
three drawbacks; the first,
rotation about a vertical axis. To extract power from a wide river, many Davis
turbines located side
by side, around be requied. This increases the quantity of moving parts, gears
and generators
resulting in increased complexity and cost. The second problem is the counter-
force effect when
the two blades at apex position equal zero energy power. The two blades
movement is
perpendicular to the flow, This counter-force effect creates early fatigue of
the blades and system,
reducing extractable energy torque power from the turbine as energy must be
expended to push
trough the flow. The third drawback is the classic Darrieus types are not self
starting, only a few
designs. The device needs an axternal rotating force to start the water-wheel.
OBJECT OF INVENTION;
The object of this invention is to provide a simple, reliable, self-starting,
low cost Darrieus type
hydroelectric turbine system, which illiminates the counter-force effect and
the gravitational weight,
to reduce stress and wear to the system and optimizing the mechanical torque
for better electric
generating power which does not exist at this moment in the classical
Darrieus,Barry V Davis, cipo
2547748 and similar water-wheel system.
SOMMARY OF THE INVENTION;
The present invention; which satisfies the foregoing object, is a
hydroelectric reaction turbine
system fully immerged in water-flow, consisting of a Darieus type turbine,
with a vertical shaft and
axis of rotation with swinging hinged blade support members. In ali the
disigns, the generator's
shaft, connected verticaly to the vertical axis, is outside the water level.
This 360 degrees self
starting, high torque turbine device harness the maximum mechanical energy
from the water-flow
without allmost any counter-force effect with the moving swinging open
blades,(a apex),
perpendicular to the direction of the water flow.
At the design 5, the horizontal blades support discs are connected equidistant
to the rotational
vertical axis. The four or more blades support members are between the two
horizontal discs and
the vertical axis. Each blade are vertical with the vertical axis. There are
six vertical bars that are
welded at 60 degrees apart to the two 360 horizontal disk support members. All
supporting bars
are equidistant to the vertical axis.
CA 02631708 2008-05-22
' = SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION;
By having swinging hinged blades rotating freely on the left side of the axis,
trough the water, when
they are moving counter the direction of the water flow, with no stoppers, the
blades avoid having
to move directly against the flow, because they open up from there original
seat.
The counter-force effect existing in all Darrieus type, is complitely
illiminated, greatly reducing
stress and fatigue on the system and increacing the energy output and faster
speed with no
resistance force against the turbine device. Such turbine disign is also a
self strarting, as no
counter-force caused by the flow needs to be overcome. Biside illiminating the
counter-force
effect and illiminating the gravitational weight by connecting the air pocket
cylinder attached to the
system; the invention becomes more accurate, simple and economic, then Davis
and other types
whit less characteristics. Fore exemple, to utilize in a wide or tidal
environment, the only adjusment
is a longer and bigger axis and a set of more blades surface. A single shaft,
a power generator
and gearing system(if necessary),are required, To further increase energy
conversion efficiency,
the water wheel can be size to fully traverse the width and depth of the water-
flow channel. This
arrangement forces all the water-flow trough the unit, permitting maximum
mechanical torque on
the axis and shaft.
Efficiencies approching that of traditional riaction turbines are theoreticaly
and feasable possible.
Drawing figure 6 would be appropriate for the channel path way, alternating
diagonally the
turbines face to face between the two walls.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING;
The invention can be better understood by referance to the accompanying
drawings in which;
Figure 1: front view down the direction of the water-flow. This design has two
hinged swinging
blades with back and fort movement on the left side of the axis to avoid the
water-flow pressure.
Figure 2: top view down the direction of the water-flow. This design is
similar to figure one 1 with
six support members holding swinging blades.
Figure 3: top plan view of the whole turbine unit, down the direction of the
water-flow. It shows all
support members, the shaft, axis and the circular disk. This design is
diferent from figure one and
two. It is a right horizontal circular cylinder with 6 blade support members
with swinging blades
horizontaly attached to the circular frame,(the disk), and axis. The 6 bars
between the circular
frames can also hold swining blades.
Figure 4: frontal view down the direction of the water-flow. This design
demonstrate partly a four
swinging blade,like doors, in action at apex position. Also a top plan view
for better understanding.
This segment of the turbine's disign of drawing 5, is only the transversal
diameter of the turbine at
apex position with the swinging blades in action.
Figure 5: full turbine unity design is a three dimentional frontal view down
the direction of the
water-flow. This design is the same as figure 3 with a right horizontal
circular cylinder at a top plan
view.
Figure 6: front view down the direction of the water-flow on the right side of
the page. It
comprises two designs to explain the turning axis holding system with bearings
attached to the
main support members connected to the cement wall.
Figure 7: To the right of the page, there is a frontal view down the direction
of water-flow. This
disign with air packets demonstrate a full unit, with a generator above the
water level. down to the
bottom floor cement base. The two drawings at the left show that the whole
system is in operation
by going verticaly up and down the vertical shaft, fixed to upper bearings
system and attached to
cement base. The shaft and axis are not connected to each other. The shaft is
flxed and the axis
is mobile to move up and down longitudinally to the vertical shaft, fallowing
the water level..
CA 02631708 2008-05-22
LIST OF THE WATER WHEEL MECHANICAL ELEMENTS:
1. SHAFT
2. AXIS
3. BLADES SUPPORTS MEMBERS
4. ALL STOPPERS
5. ALL SWINGINGS BLADES
6. HOLDERS
7. ALL HINGES
8. VERTICALS BLADES SUPPORTS BARS
9. WATER LEVEL
10. WATER-WHEEL SPIN DIRECTION
11. GENERATOR
12. CYLINDRICAL UNIT'S CHASSIS SUPPORTS
14. WALL UNIT SUPPORTS BRAKETS
15. HARD PLASTIC CYLNDRICAL BEARINGS
16. WALL AND CIMENT BASE
17. TOP CYLINDRICAL WATER LEVEL AIR POKET
18. SHAFT'S AIR POKET
19. FLOOR OR TABLE GENERATOR'S SUPPORT
20. SPEED GEARS BOX
21. ALL BEARINGS
CA 02631708 2008-05-22
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING;
Figure 1. is a 30 degrees projection view down the direction of the water-flow
for one embodiment
of the invention. The vertical shaft(1) is over the water level. The shaft(1)
and the generator(11)
are installed above the floor (1 3),fig. 4. The shaft(1) is connected to the
vertical axis(2) to which
all support members(3) are connected and immerged in water-flow(9). In this
design the support
members has a T form stopper(4) big enough for the first demonstration. THe
support members
(3), are perpendicular to the axis(2) and the shaft(1), and on the right side
of the axis(2), the
swinging blades(5) are attach to the hinges(7), is stop by the T forme
stopper(4) at apex position.
On the other,(feft side) of the axis, the water-flow exert is water kinetic
power on the swinging
blade(5) backward fallowing the water-flow pressure with no counter-force
effect and no resistance
to the right side powered blades(5). This innovative turbine system, (call the
UNIT), has two ways
directional system, clockwise or the counterclockwise, by interchanging the
stoppers(4) on the
other side of the swinging blades(5), or the contrary. All 7 demonstrating
figures are
counterclockwise. See figure 2 for more details wiht 6 blades(5) figure. The
side, where the blades
(5) stops, determines the direction of the spin, which for the representation
of this invention, the
dwawings are all counterclockwise.
Figure 2, is a top plan view down the direction of the water-flow. Similarly
to figure 5, on this
design, the rotation(10) counterclockwise, start at zero degree up to 180
degrees, only on the right
side of the unit, to harness water-flow energy. From 181 to 360 degrees the
swinging blades(5)
open up because there are no stoppers(5), and the water-flow goes right
through the blades(5) on
the left side of the vertical axis(2), not to compare with the Darrieus
classical type with less
characteristics.The disign shows clealy that there is no counter-force effect,
less stress and fatigue
on the turbine water-wheel system. This self starting device is a 360 degrees
water-flow energy
capter, ( in all direction ).
Figure 3. is a top plan view of figure five(5) of the water-wheel turbine down
the direction of the
water-flow(9) for the embodiment of the invention. This water-wheel has 6
horizontal blades
support members(3) connected between the vertical axis(2) to the horizontal
circular support
members(12). The 6 blades support members are divided in 60 degrees apart from
the axis(2) to
the disk support members(12). This new design has swinging hinges vertical
blades(5) between
the two horizontal circular blades support membersd(12) with vertical holding
support bars(8).
This figure 3 design shows the functioning of all swinging blades(5) at apex
position down the
direction of the water-flow perpendicularly, showing at the right side of the
axis that the three
swinging blades(5) are directly fxed on the frame support or axis, fig,5,
adjacent to their respective
stopper(4). At the same apex position the three swinging blades(5) on the left
side are fully open
from there own respective position to avoid the water-flow pressure that pushe
the blades(5)
backward to illiminate the counter-force effect; at the same time iAiminating
stress and wear to the
turbine system and to give more speed to the water-wheel with more torque
power to the vertical
axis(2) immerged in water and to the shaft above the water level, connected to
a speed geared-
box and to the generator.
Figure 4. This design is the center cross-section of figure 5, at apex
position down the direction
of the water-flow. All the swinging btades(5) on one 1 spin, (360.degrees),
play two roles. The
same blade (5) between 0 to 180 degrees is harnessing the water-flow kinetic
power, and from
181 to 360 degrees, the blades(5) is avoiding the water-flow pressure by
opening the swinging
blades(5), on the left of the vertical axis(2), because there is no stopper to
retain them, which
illiminate the counter-force effect. The stoppers(4) are affixed to the
axis(2) or on the swinging
blades support members(3) or support bars members(8). In this desing there is
rod hinges(7), but
all hinge disigns are acceptable, the size and the material. All the swinging
blades(5) are
connected to all swinging blades support members, to the vertical axis(2),
connected to the shaft
(1) operating the bearing system(21), the speed gear-box and the appropriate
generator(11).
CA 02631708 2008-05-22
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS, 5 TO 7.
FIGURE 5. This figure 5 is a complete unit. This horizontal water-wheel is a
turbine with a vertical
axis(2) immerged in water (9). This innovative design can produce mechanical
and electric power.
The purpose of this energetic power system is to harness,at maximum, the
kinetic water-flow
power and to minimize the counter-force effect, to augment the speed, and to
have more torque
power on the axis(2) and shaft(1). As you can see, all the swinging blades(5)
are in operation at
apex position,perpendicular to the water-flow. Three swinging blades(5) on the
right side of the
axis(2) are harnnessing water-flow power; and on the other left side of the
axis(2), three swinging
blades (like doors design) open fully wih the same water-flow at apex
position. To give more
power to the system, we can add,.outside to the circled unit, more support
members and larger
blades. to benefit from the leverage power because it is far more distant from
the axis(2). This
design can operate at 360 degrees in any water-flow direction specialy in
tidal environment. The
whole unit is welded or assembled with light material. This operating system
is very adaptable for
the sea animals. There are no cavitation, no water turbulance and mosly, no
polution... In all
Darrieus water-wheel and other similar design (Barry V. Davis, cipo/ 2547748,
do not have the
characteristic that were demontrated above.
Figure 6. is a double turnines unit fixed on a cement wall(16) down the
direction of the water flow
of an emdodiment of the invention wherein the three turbine support bracket
members (14) hold
fixidely the axis without any rotation disterbance or resistance, because
there is a minimal space
between the rubber or hard plastic cylinder bearings(15) and the axis(2), (see
top left drawing).
The bearings(15) can also be installed on the axis(2). These turbine unit
supports(14) are
installed on the vertical axis(2) between the turbines units, ( the water-
wheel ). All the three turbine
units support members(14) are perpendicular to the vertical axis. The same
disign can be
installed on metal posts, barges's wall, all water floating device, including
house-boats. Biside the
shaft(1) and the bearings on the platform(19) holding the generator(11), the
whole tubine system
is immerged in water, rotating horizontaly with all the above mentioned
characteristics. The
turbine units are innovative, feasable , ease to install. transportable. less
money to produce then
other systems, more kilowatts per hour against the Darrieus classic warer-
wheel type and others
Davis.... they do not have the same characteristics. advantages and more
accuracy.
Figure 7. This 360 degrees energy capter disign is a frontal and top plan view
down the direction
of the water-flow of an embodiment of the invention, wherein the central
shaft(IA) is all the way
down from the generator connections to the bottom of the cement base(16)
standing on a bearing
system(21). The object of the innovative disign is to obtain the illimination
of the gravitational
weight by having air pockets attached to both, the shaft(1A) and the axis(2B).
The turbine units
with the air poket cylinder(17) attached on the top to the turbine system
elevates the weight from
the groun and permits the turbine to follow the water level at all times by
sliding verticaly up and
down the shaft(1A). The gravitational free system gives more movement and ease
to the
operation, which illiminates stress and fatigue; and giving more torque power
and more speed to
the rotating turbine device. The air pocket(18) attached to the shaft(1A) at
the cement base(16) is
to illiminate the gravitational weight on the bearing system(21) connected to
the ciment base(16)
and the bearing(21) standing on the platform(19), wherein, not to compare to
any of the Darrieus
type and others. We can also use the chassis by giving more air pocket volum
inside the tubes by
augmenting the diameter of all the pipes that holds the chassis, (unit), and
also augmenting the
diameter of the axis(2 and 2A) depending on the disire turbine mode.