POWER GENERATING APPARATUS AND A METHOD OF OPERATING A PUMP/MOTOR OF A POWER GENERATING APPARATUS

Title:

POWER GENERATING APPARATUS AND A METHOD OF OPERATING A PUMP/MOTOR OF A POWER GENERATING APPARATUS

Document Type and Number:

WIPO Patent Application WO/2014/006663

Kind Code:

A1

Abstract:

The invention provides a power generating apparatus of a renewable energy type which generates power from a renewable energy source, the power generating apparatus comprising: a hub on which at least one rotor blade is mounted, the rotor blade receiving energy from the renewable energy source, causing the hub to rotate; a rotating shaft which is connected to the hub; a pump which is secured to the rotating shaft and which is driven by rotation of the rotating shaft; at least one motor which is driven by pressurized hydraulic fluid from the pump; and at least one generator coupled to at least one said motor, wherein the pump and/or at least one motor comprises: a rotatable shaft supported by a plurality of bearings; at least one pair of eccentric cams comprising first and second eccentric cams disposed circumferentially around the shaft; at least one pair of piston cylinder devices comprising first and second piston cylinder devices, each piston cylinder device comprising a piston operable to reciprocate within a cylinder, the pistons of the first and second piston cylinder devices being in force communication with the first and second cams respectively; and a controller in communication with the piston cylinder devices, wherein the first eccentric cam is substantially in antiphase with the second eccentric cam and the first piston cylinder device is positioned substantially opposite the second piston cylinder device, and wherein the controller has an operating mode in which the first and second piston cylinder devices are activated and deactivated substantially in phase with each other such that, when the first and second piston cylinder devices are activated, radial loads exerted on the bearings by the pistons of the first and second piston cylinder devices via the first and second eccentric cams respectively have a cancelling effect on each other. The invention is of particular use in power generating apparatus which are inaccessible for maintenance purposes, such as offshore wind turbines.

Inventors:

LAVENDER JACK (GB)
DUMNOV DANIIL (GB)
STEIN UWE (GB)
MACPHERSON JILL (GB)

Application Number:

PCT/JP2012/004399

Publication Date:

January 09, 2014

Filing Date:

July 06, 2012

Export Citation:

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Assignee:

MITSUBISHI HEAVY IND LTD (JP)
LAVENDER JACK (GB)
DUMNOV DANIIL (GB)
STEIN UWE (GB)
MACPHERSON JILL (GB)

International Classes:

F03D9/00; F03C1/047; F04B1/053

Domestic Patent References:

WO2011104544A2

2011-09-01

Foreign References:

US20080060513A1	2008-03-13
US20120063929A1	2012-03-15
EP0361927A1	1990-04-04
EP0494236A1	1992-07-15
EP1537333A1	2005-06-08

Other References: