WO2013060339A1

WO2013060339A1 - Marine generator

Info

Publication number: WO2013060339A1
Application number: PCT/DO2011/000005
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joel José ALCÁNTARA RUÍZ
Original assignee: Alcantara Ruiz Joel Jose
Priority date: 2011-10-24
Filing date: 2011-10-25
Publication date: 2013-05-02

Abstract

The invention relates to a marine generator which is a plant for use in the electricity industry for producing energy, operating in the water, with a cylindrical shape, made up of five sections, semi-hermetic at the top and hermetic at the bottom. Floating in water, with a specific height and diameter, weights are attached at a given depth in order to provide stability. The generator has circular openings at the sides, where hydrostatic pressure pushes a volume of water. The generator must be submerged or in the water in order to generate energy. The cylinder contains hydraulic turbines. The water enters by the sides of the cylinder, through openings, to reach the turbines. The ballast tank comprises a sensor which activates the pumps of the cylinder that carries the water upwards to the turbines, which generate energy. The water then spills out of the cylinder, preventing same from filling. The solution for the electrical industry consists of not causing any direct or indirect harm to the environment, since no pollution is generated. Unlike prior technologies, said generator does not require any fossil fuels or biofuels, thus reducing industrial expenditure, for example in the electricity industry.

Description

MARINE GENERATOR: DEVICE THAT TRANSFERS HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE IN ELECTRICAL ENERGY FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention, as expressed in the statement of the present specification, refers to hydraulic turbines of action and reaction that transform the hydrostatic pressure into energy, this must be partially or totally submerged in the water, contributing to the function of It is intended, notable advantages and innovative features, which will be recorded in details later.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

Specifically, it has as an innovative objective to provide an apparatus to transform the hydrostatic pressure into electrical energy, it brings as innovation an equipment that exceeds the plants that exist in the electrical sector, monopolizing the attention of the same, because the energy production of this plant It offers the necessary mechanisms for the production of clean and renewable energy and also creating an environment favorable to marine ecosystems through the oxygenation of water. Economically, since it does not require fossil fuels or biofuels for energy production, the operational costs of production are minimal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Hydroelectric plants according to the World Watch Institute, the construction of large reservoirs submerges arable land and displaces the inhabitants of the flooded areas, alters the territory, reduces biodiversity, hinders fish migration, river navigation and the transport of nutritional elements downstream, the flow of the rivers decreases, the level of the water tables changes, to the detriment of wildlife. Wind Power Plants generate some environmental and community concerns, for example, wind machines generate noise and can be visually annoying for people living near them, they can also affect the habitat causing damage to the flora and fauna. Its performance depends and varies according to the wind, because its energy production is not stable.

Solar Power Plants are very expensive and large territories are needed for the production of a considerable amount of energy, they cannot go in very populated places, since they generate a lot of heat.

The energy converters of the waves of the sea are a relatively new technology, among them we have according to the free encyclopedia wilkipedia. A Pelamis at the European Marine Energy Test Center (EMEC). The Pelamis wave energy converter is an example of emerging technology that uses oceanic wave movement to create electricity. It is a practical example of wave generator.

The first farm or wave park, called Okeanós, is planned for the Portuguese coast near the city of Póvoa de Varzim. The parks will use P-750 elements with a unit power of 750 KW and each park will add approximately 2.25 MW. The experimental park will prevent the emission of more than 6,000 tons of carbon dioxide that would otherwise be produced by the production of electricity from fossil sources.

On September 23, 2008, the first phase of this wave park was inaugurated, and connected to the power grid. Unfortunately, on March 17, 2009, it was published that due to technical and financial difficulties the project was closed. Clean Technica The technical difficulties have been fundamentally that maintenance is more difficult than planned. Financial companies have said that the current economic crisis has affected one of the companies in the consortium. Among other tidal current generators we have (Tidal Stream Generators or ETG, for its English initials) make use of the kinetic energy of the moving water towards the energy turbines, similar to the wind (moving air) They use wind turbines. This method is gaining popularity due to lower costs and a lower ecological impact compared to tidal dams, data provided by the free encyclopedia wiikipedia. According to the free encyclopedia wiikipedia. The Wave Dragon ("Wave Dragon" in English) is a wave energy conversion system. It is a floating energy converter, which operates anchored at the bottom of the sea, converting the potential energy of the water that reaches its central raft into electrical energy. It can be installed individually or in a chain with up to several hundred similar structures, which would result in a plant with a capacity similar to that achieved by a traditional fuel or coal plant.

The first prototype connected to the network is currently installed in Nissum Bredning, Denmark. Long-term performance tests are being carried out to determine the power and availability of energy under different maritime conditions. The capacity advertised by the research group has been proven by an independent center, and efforts since 2006 are focused on optimizing energy production. These tests will lead to the installation of a multiple plant in 2007. Wave Dragon combines existing and mature marine and hydroturbine technologies, in a new and original way. This is the only technology in its class that can easily scale. Due to its size, maintenance and repair can be carried out at the place of production, which lowers costs compared to other alternatives. Among other methods of energy production we have the Oscillating Walter Column or OWC generates electricity in a two step process. When the wave enters the column, it forces the column air to pass through the turbine and increases the pressure inside the column. When the wave comes out, the air passes through the turbine again, due to the decrease in air pressure on the ocean side of the turbine Regardless of the direction of the air flow, (the wells turbine known as its inventor), it turns in the same direction and causes the generator to produce electricity. The technology (OWC) is being used on the island of Islay in Scotland, where there is a system installed since 2000 called LIMPET. This system has a maximum production of 500 kW. It is ideal for places where there is strong wave energy, such as in the wave breaker, coastal defenses, land reclamation projects and port breakwaters. This form of power generation is appropriate for the production of energy for the national grid. On the island of Islay, the electricity generated is being used to operate an electric bus, the first bus in the world that uses wave energy as fuel.

The performance has been improved for an annual average wave intensity between 15 and 25 Kw. / m. The water column feeds a pair of counter-rotation turbines, and each one operates a 250 kW generator, producing a range of 500 kW. The LIMPET design is easy to build and install, in addition to generating few obstructions and being poorly visible, so it does not cause discomfort in the coastal landscape (Wave Gen, 2006) according to the website www.textoscientificos.com. The system (TAPCHAN), or narrow channel system, consists of a narrow channel that feeds a reservoir that is built on a cliff. The narrowing of the channel causes the waves to increase in amplitude (wave height) when they approach The cliff wall. Eventually the waves overflow over the walls of the canal inside the reservoir, which is located several meters below sea level. The kinetic energy of the moving wave becomes potential energy when water is conserved in the reservoir. Electricity generation is similar to that of a hydroelectric plant. The water in the tank passes through a Kaplan turbine.

The concept of TAPCHAN is an adaptation of traditional hydroelectric power production. With very few moving parts, and all content within the generation system, TAPCHAN systems have low maintenance costs and are reliable. TAPCHAN systems also exceed energy demand problems, since the reservoir can reserve energy until it is required.

Unfortunately, TAPCHAN systems not appropriate for all coastal regions. The regions must have continuous waves, with a good average of energy, and with a tidal range of less than 1 m, in addition to some coastal properties such as deep water near it and an appropriate location for the reservoir according to the website www.textoscientificos.com. Tidal energy is obtained by taking advantage of the tides, that is, the difference in average height of the seas according to the relative position of the Earth and the Moon. Through its coupling to an alternator, the system can be used to generate electricity, thus transforming tidal energy into electrical energy, a more useful and usable energy form. It's a renewable and clean tipe of energy.

Tidal energy has the quality of being renewable, while the primary energy source is not depleted by its exploitation, and is clean, since in the energy transformation there are no gaseous, liquid or solid pollutant by-products. However, the relationship between the amount of energy that can be obtained with the current means and the economic and environmental cost of installing the devices for its process have prevented a remarkable proliferation of this type of energy.

Ways to extract energy from the sea are: waves (wave energy), where the sea offers 32% of this energy due to the different climates that exist in the oceans, the temperature difference between the surface and the deep waters of the ocean, the oceanic thermal gradient; from salinity, from marine currents or offshore wind energy.

In the Ranee River estuary, EDF installed a power plant with tidal power. It works since 1967, producing electricity to meet the needs of a city like Rennes (9% of Brittany's needs). The cost of Kwh. it was similar or cheaper than that of a conventional power plant, without the cost of effect gas emissions greenhouse to the atmosphere neither fossil fuel consumption nor the risks of nuclear power plants (13 meters of tide difference).

The environmental problems were quite serious, such as grounding of the river, salinity changes in the estuary in its vicinity and change of the ecosystem before and after the facilities.

Other exactly the same projects, such as a much larger plant planned in France in the Mont area. Saint Michel, or that of the Bay of Fundy, in Canada, where there are up to 15 meters of difference in tide, or that of the Severn River estuary, in the United Kingdom, between Wales and England, have not been executed by the risk of a strong environmental impact according to the documents of the free encyclopedia wikipedia.

With respect to previous technologies, the present invention does not require the movement of waves caused by changes in temperature, or ocean currents for energy production or by changing tides.

Other methods of energy production This generator is not dependent on fossil fuels or biofuels such as those already known, such as Ethanol, Uranium, Biodiesel and Natural Gas, that is to say that it decreases expenses at industrial level as in the electricity sector. Other advantages are the restructuring of the energy market and the improvement of the economy in terms of its application. This generator brings economic benefits to developing countries. According to previous technologies regarding the investment made and the operational costs of construction and installation and the recovery of short-term costs, the maritime generator recovers the investment according to the construction and installation costs in one year. Having no comparison with any method of energy production in the industrial electricity sector since each of these technologies need several years to recover said investment. The Marine generator not only produces energy at low cost but also creates oxygenation in the water because all the water that enters the generator expels it back out thus creating a favorable environment in the ecosystems of the sea where the fish are found , corals and more marine animals.

This invention brings as a solution to the electric field a power generator that does not cause damage directly to the environment or the ozone layer, since it does not generate any kind of pollution, as is well known in the form of gas, noise, waste or visual and thus contributing greatly to normalize climate change. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 is a front view, with a cross section in the cylinder where you can see the device that transforms hydrostatic pressure into energy, you can see the five sections, winches, pulleys, railings, stairs, internal and external level sensors , inlet and outlet holes, meshes or filters, weights, cables, turbines, pipes, water pumps, saws, shafts or rotors and gearboxes.

Figure 2 seen in plan, with a cross section shows the first floor called ballast tank where we can see the level sensor, the pipes, drains, stairs, hatch and on the outside the mesh and pulleys.

Figure 3, plan view, with a cross-section shows the machine room where the turbines, pumps, pipes, gearboxes, hatches, ladder, entrance holes, entrance filters, saw keys, shafts or rotors and on the outside the mesh.

Figure 4 seen in plan, with a cross section shows the electrical room where we see the generators, automation cabin and controls, axles or rotors, hatches, ladder and on the outside the mesh. Figure 5 seen in plan, with a cross section where you can see the fourth hybrid that is composed of generators and turbines, pipes and ducts, the exit hole, closing key, the ladder, the hatches and on the outside the mesh and the level sensors.

Figure 6 in plan view shows the upper part where the winches, railings, hatches and outside the pulleys and ladder.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The maritime generator is presented as the remarkable invention within its application in the industrial electricity sector, bringing as a novelty characteristics that distinguish it from other known power plants up to now, by means of the present claims that accompany the specification.

The cylinder (1) is shared by five internal sections first floor ballast tank (2) or cylinder tank (1).

In the second section or second floor, machine room (3) where the hydraulic turbines (4), holes or drains (10), water pumps (5) and gearboxes (6) are located.

Third section or electric room (7) is where the electric generators (8) and the automation cabin and electrical controls (26) are located.

Fourth section or fourth hybrid (9) are the turbines (4), generators (8) and water ejection ducts by means of holes (10) that have sierre keys (11) that are in the cylinder (1) ) above sea level.

In the fifth section (27) or upper part of the cylinder (1) that is semi-hermetic, where railings (12) are located around the platform

Cylinder, there are several hatches (13) for the escape of air from the cylinder (1), expelled into the atmosphere. At the top of the cylinder (1) there are winches (14), which are connected by means of steel cables (15) to pulleys (16) that submerge the cylinder (1) to the desired precast.

Inside the cylinder (1) is a ladder (17) that descends from the top to the bottom of the ballast tank (2) with access to the five compartments, from the second to the fifth floor there are hatches (13) Air exhaust

In each winch (14) there are level sensors (18), for changing the tides. The pulleys (16) are attached to the cylinder body (1) at the top as well as at the bottom.

Where the steel cables (15) go down the pulleys (16) to the weights (19) submerged.

The generator has the shape of a cylinder (1) which is airtight at the bottom to create buoyancy in the water, with a height and a diameter. It submerges partially or totally at a certain depth. Attached to the cylinder (1) are weights (19) of reinforced concrete or metal giving stability and pressure, due to the depth where it is located.

Around the body of the cylinder (1), there is a maya or fence (20) that covers the entire submerged part of the cylinder (1), to prevent fish from entering the generator.

In front of the circular orifices (10) of water inlet, there is a second maya or filter (21) that prevents foreign bodies from entering the turbines (4) of the generators (8). The cylinder (1) has several circular holes (10) on the sides, where each hole (10) represents a turbine (4), the water presses into the cylindrical body (1), and it reaches each key of closure (11) where water travels inside the pipes (22) to each turbine (4) determined.

The hydrostatic pressure exerted in each hole (10), in order to move the Pelton or Francis hydraulic turbines (4), when moving the hydraulic turbines (4), in turn moves the electric generators through a shaft or rotor (23) (8) that are coupled to it by means of mechanical gears (6) to generate DC or AC power.

Thus, the water moves the hydraulic turbines (4) to produce energy through the generators (8), part of this energy is used to drive all the electrical, electronic and mechanical devices that are inside the cylinder (1).

The incoming water that passes through the turbines (4) falls towards the bottom of the tank of the cylinder (1) called ballast tank (2) filling it to a marked level, where the water when reaching the appropriate level activates a level sensor (18).

The sensor (18) activates water pumps (5) that it absorbs are upwards, through pipes (22), where in turn a sawing needle (24) regulates the pressure of the water injector (25), connected to the pipe (22) where it converts the outlet water of the pumps (5) into pressure to move the hydraulic turbine (s) (4) that the generators (8) are connected to them are either DC or AC.

The outgoing water of the turbines (4) that are in the third level, falls out of the cylinder (1) by means of a conduit or hole (10) preventing it from filling and thus maintaining its stability without sinking.

Claims

CLAIMS This invention transforms the hydrostatic pressure into electrical energy therefore claim as my exclusive and property, the following:

1. Equipment that transforms the hydrostatic pressure into electrical energy comprising: a. a hermetic cylinder at the bottom and semi-hermetic at the top, contains five sections inside; b. winches, pulleys and cables mechanism that is responsible for submerging the cylinder in water; C. external level sensors to keep the cylinder at the desired level in the water; d concrete or metal weights that keep the cylinder anchored on the sea floor; and. external staircase gives access to the cylinder; F. upper platform, contains hatches, railings and winches; g. interior staircase communicates the five sections; i. fourth section or fourth hybrid is where the turbines, generators, saws and expulsion ducts are; j. third section or electrical room where the generators and the automation and control cabin are located; k. electric generators are those that receive mechanical energy and transform it into electrical energy;

I. automation booth and controls where the current inverters and the PLC are; m. second section or machine room, where the turbines are the shafts or rotors, gearboxes, inlet holes, drains and pipes; n. turbines transform hydrostatic pressure into mechanical energy; ñ shafts or rotors transfer mechanical energy to gearboxes; or. gear boxes transfer mechanical energy to generators; p. inlet holes, is where the pressurized water enters; q. drains where the turbine pours the water; r. Pipes or conduits, where water is transported; s. first floor or ballast tank, where the turbines pour the water and in it are level sensors and pipes; t. filters and meshes are located around the cylinder;

2. Equipment that transforms the hydrostatic pressure into electrical energy according to claim 1, characterized by, a cylinder in the hermetic water in the bottom, to create buoyancy and semi-hermetic in the upper part where winches connected to pulleys by means of cables, these cables run the entire cylinder from the top to the seabed, connect to concrete or metal weights so that the winches submerge the cylinder partially or totally in the water.

3. Equipment that transforms the hydrostatic pressure into electrical energy according to claim 1, characterized by, the pulleys that are around the cylinder some at the top and others at the bottom.

4. Equipment that transforms the hydrostatic pressure into electrical energy according to claim 1, characterized by a cylinder, has two Maya or filters around the entire submerged part in the water, a Maya covers the entire submerged contour of the cylinder and the another covers the entrance of the holes.

5. Equipment that transforms the hydrostatic pressure into electrical energy according to claim 1, characterized by each hole, the water enters when the saws are opened, the water runs through the duct and moves to the action or reaction turbines exerting movements to the shafts or rotors.

6. Equipment that transforms the hydrostatic pressure into electrical energy according to claim 1, characterized by the movement of the rotors is transmitted to each gearbox where the mechanical energy is transmitted to the electric generators.

7. Equipment that transforms the hydrostatic pressure into electrical energy according to claim 1, characterized in that the water used by the moving turbines falls through holes or drains that are in the machine room and passes is, at the bottom of the cylinder where the ballast or tank is.

8. Equipment that transforms the hydrostatic pressure into electrical energy according to claim 1, characterized by the ballast tank has level sensors to determine the corresponding water height, to turn on the centrifugal or positive displacement pumps.

9. Equipment that transforms the hydrostatic pressure into electrical energy according to claim 1, characterized by each pump displaces the water that is in the ballast tank or cistern from the bottom of the cylinder, by means of pipes the water flows through the ducts generating a pressure in each pipe where all of them are connected to the main duct.

10. Equipment that transforms the hydrostatic pressure into electrical energy according to claim 1, characterized by this main conduit brings the water under pressure to the fourth section or fourth hybrid, where it is regulated in the main conduit by means of a needle sierre that regulates the water outlet pressure towards the injectors.

11. Equipment that transforms the hydrostatic pressure into electrical energy according to claim 1, characterized by the pressure of water exerted on the injectors creates a movement in the action or reaction turbines, to move the electric generators, the water used for the performance of the work done falls into a drain and it runs through a pipe or pipeline that passes through a sanding key, it opens and the water leaves the cylinder through a hole that is above sea level.

12. Equipment that transforms the hydrostatic pressure into electrical energy according to claim 1, characterized by around the cylinder are level sensors that activate the signal and send it to the automation cabin and electrical controls, where the PLC and the latter are in the real interface it orders the winches to ascend or descend the cylinder in the water according to their need.

13. Equipment that transforms the hydrostatic pressure into electrical energy according to claim 1, characterized by the cylinder, has two stairs one outside to be able to access the platform or upper floor of the cylinder, where the railings, hatches, winches and the other inside, descends from the top to the bottom of the cylinder having access to the five compartments.

14. Equipment that transforms the hydrostatic pressure into electrical energy according to claim 1, characterized in that the cylinder has five compartments which are: ballast tank, machine room, electrical room, hybrid room and platform.

15. Equipment that transforms the hydrostatic pressure into electrical energy according to claim 1, characterized in that the hatches are placed from the machine room to the upper platform for the escape of air into the atmosphere.

16. Equipment that transforms the hydrostatic pressure into electrical energy according to claim 1, characterized by the automation cabin and electrical controls has the current variators where these are controlled by a PLC according to the receiving signals to drive the pumps. water and balance the inlet pressure, as well as the outlet pressure, taking into account the revolutions of the generators, pumps, turbines by means of receiving signals or level sensors.