| CLAIMS
1. A power station for producing electric energy by means of flowing water, in which, in flowing water (9) is set a pipe-shaped piece (1 ) in which pipe- shaped piece is connected a turbine (5) which turbine is connected to a generator (6) for producing electricity, characterised in that in the pipe- shaped piece are fitted directly or indirectly at least two funnel-shaped pieces (2) in which the flowing water is conveyable, and that in the pipe- shaped piece or the funnel-shaped piece or into connection with these are fitted a back valve (7) and a flow regulating element (4) for controlling the flow.
2. A power station according to claim 1 , characterised in that the funnel- shaped pieces are connected to the pipe-shaped piece with an intermediate piece (3), such as an intermediate pipe.
3. A power station according to any one of claims 1-2, characterised in that the funnel-shaped pieces are located on a centre shaft (11) of the pipe-shaped piece.
4. A power station according to any one of claims 1-3, characterised in that the regulating element consists of one or more control plates in the funnel-shaped piece.
5. A power station according to any one of claims 1-4, characterised in that, in the funnel-shaped piece or the intermediate pipe or the pipe- shaped piece, one or more pressure balancing elements (12), such as a pressure accumulator or a flywheel, is/are fitted.
6. A power station according to any one of claims 1-5, characterised in that in each funnel-shaped piece there are several regulating elements, such as control plates, for controlling the flow.
7. A power station according to any one of claims 1-6, characterised in that the regulating elements are controlled by an automated opening and closing mechanism (14) of the regulating element.
8. A power station according to any one of claims 1-7, characterised in that, for controlling the regulating elements, in the opening and closing mechanism is connected an auxiliary control (15, 16).
9. A power station according to claim 1 , characterised in that the back valve is annular.
10. A power station according to any one of claims 1-9, characterised in that the pipe-shaped piece is of steel, stainless steel or aluminium.
11. A power station according to any one of claims 1-10, characterised in that the pipe-shaped piece is closed of its one end.
12. A power station according to any one of claims 1-11 , characterised in that the back valve and/or the flow regulating element are separately controllable.
13. A power station according to any one of claims 1-12, characterised in that the funnel-shaped piece is fitted movably in the pipe-shaped piece. |
POWER STATION
Background of invention
The invention relates to a power station according to the preamble of claim 1 , by which power station, it is possible to produce electric energy by means of flowing liquid, such as water.
Different apparatuses are known by which electric energy can be generated from flowing water, such as water flowing in a river, lake or sea.
For example, the arrangement of specification WO9420751 describes an apparatus by which energy is generated of flowing water using two pipes in which flowing water is conveyed and, in which pipes, there is a shut-off unit which provides a hydraulic shock i.e. a pressure shock, and which pressure shock can further be utilised with a hydraulic motor thus producing energy.
Known arrangements include several considerable disadvantages.
A disadvantage of known arrangements is that they do not operate effectively enough, especially when the flow rate of water is low, their efficiency is then poor. Known arrangements are, indeed, very expensive mainly because of using dams and reservoirs. A disadvantage of known arrangements is also that their structure is complex and this decreases their reliability of use.
The object of this invention is to provide a totally novel arrangement by means of which it is possible in a simple and effective way to generate electric energy from flowing water, and particularly when the rate of flowing water is low.
Brief description of invention
The invention is based on an idea, in which, in flowing water is set a pipe-shaped piece in which flowing water is conveyable and in which pipe-shaped piece is connected a turbine which turbine is connected to a generator for producing electricity and in the pipe-shaped piece are fitted directly or indirectly at least two funnel-shaped pieces in which flowing water is conveyable, and into connection with the pipe-shaped piece or the funnel are fitted a back valve and a flow regulating element by which the travel of flowing water from the funnel-shaped piece to the pipe-shaped piece and/or back is controllable. In the arrangement
according to the invention, pressure shocks are provided by controlling the flow in the pipe-shaped piece which shocks can be utilised in the turbine and further in the generator for producing electricity.
Defined in more detail, the method according to the invention is mainly characterised by what is stated in the characterising part of claim 1.
The apparatus according to the invention is also characterised by what is stated in claims 2-13.
The arrangement according to the invention has numerous significant advantages. The apparatus according to the invention provides several extremely considerable advantages when compared to known arrangements.
Next, some advantages entailed by the invention compared to known arrangements will be described.
With the arrangement according to the invention, it is possible to produce electric energy more effectively than with known arrangements, particularly when the rate of flowing water is quite low.
The structure of the arrangement according to the invention is simpler than that of known arrangements.
Brief description of figures
In the following, the invention will be described in more detail by means of an example with reference to the accompanying drawings 1-8 in which
Fig. 1 shows a side view of a power station according to the invention.
Figs. 2A-2B show an arrangement according to the invention in which funnel-shaped pieces are fitted around a centre shaft of a pipe-shaped piece.
Fig. 3 shows an arrangement according to the invention in which several funnel-shaped pieces are fitted around the centre shaft of the pipe-shaped piece.
Fig. 4 shows an arrangement in which one or more pressure balancing elements, such as a pressure accumulator or a flywheel, is/are fitted in an intermediate pipe.
Fig. 5 shows an end view of the funnel-shaped piece in which an auxiliary control is fitted.
Fig. 6 shows a side view of the funnel-shaped piece.
Fig. 7 shows a top view of the funnel-shaped piece.
Fig. 8 shows the behaviour of pressure as a function of time in the pipe-shaped piece.
Detailed description of invention
Fig. 1 shows a power station according to the invention for producing electric energy by means of flowing water, in which, in flowing water 9 is set a pipe-shaped piece 1 in which the flowing water is conveyable and in which pipe-shaped piece is connected a turbine 5 which turbine is connected to a generator 6 for producing electricity. In the pipe-shaped piece are fitted directly or indirectly at least two funnel-shaped pieces in which flowing water is conveyable, and into connection with the pipe-shaped piece or the funnel/funnels are fitted a back valve 7 and a flow regulating element 4 by which the travel of flowing water from the funnel- shaped piece to the pipe-shaped piece and/or back is controllable. The travel of flowing water into the pipe-shaped piece is controlled so that, with the flow regulating element, the volume of water coming into the funnel is regulated and, with the back valve, the travel of flowing water back to the funnel-shaped piece from the pipe-shaped piece is equivalently prevented. Because there are at least two of the funnel-shaped pieces, and in a typical situation more, even dozens or hundreds, by regulating with regulating elements, it is possible to regulate each volume of water going from the funnel to the pipe-shaped piece and, by using back valves, it is possible to provide in the pipe-shaped piece a pressure shock and an increase of water flow rate which can be utilised in the turbine.
The flow regulating element consists of one or more control plates in the funnel- shaped piece, and the back valve and/or the flow regulating element are together or separately controllable.
The funnel-shaped pieces, again, can be connected to the pipe-shaped piece by an intermediate piece 3, such as an intermediate pipe or equivalent, and then the back valve (not shown in the figure) is also fitted on a centre shaft 11.
In Fig. 1 , reference number 10 designates the bottom of a river, lake or sea, and reference number 8 the flow direction.
In Figs. 2A-2B, the funnel-shaped pieces 2 are located on the centre shaft of the pipe-shaped piece 1 and there can be several of them successively. Then, the back valve is located at the front of the funnel-shaped piece (not shown in the figure). There can be several of the funnel-shaped pieces located on the centre shaft of the pipe-shaped piece 1 , at a desired distance from each other.
Fig. 3 shows an arrangement according to the invention in which several funnel- shaped pieces are fitted around the centre shaft of the pipe-shaped piece. Then, they are located symmetrically or asymmetrically with respect to the centre shaft 11.
As in Fig. 4, one or more pressure balancing elements 12, such as a pressure accumulator, is/are fitted in the intermediate pipe 3 the purpose of which is to balance the flow/pressure. The pressure balancing element can also be connected directly to the pipe-shaped piece or the funnel-shaped piece, contrary to what is shown in the figure. The pressure balancing element can also be a flywheel which is not in the intermediate pipe but in the turbine, e.g. on its shaft (not shown in the figure).
In the figure, reference number 2 designates the funnel-shaped piece, number 4 the regulating element and number 13 a control unit by which regulating elements are controlled. The control unit is arranged on the circle of the funnel-shaped piece, but it can also be arranged in some other way in the funnel-shaped piece either directly or indirectly.
As shown in Fig. 5, the regulating elements are controlled by an automated opening and closing mechanism 14 of the regulating element.
For controlling the regulating elements, in the opening and closing mechanism is also connected an auxiliary control 15, 16. The purpose of the auxiliary control is to disengage forces required in controlling the regulating elements, and the
auxiliary control can be of plate-type, of slide-type or some suitable arrangement for the auxiliary control.
Fig. 6 shows a side view of the intermediate pipe and the funnel-shaped piece in which the control of the regulating elements 4 with the control unit 13 is fitted on the outer circle of the funnel-shaped piece 2.
Fig. 7 shows a top view of the funnel-shaped piece 2 in which the location of the regulating element 4 is visible in the funnel-shaped piece. The intermediate pipe is designated with reference number 3.
Fig. 8 shows the behaviour of pressure as a function of time in the pipe-shaped piece. In an ideal case, the pressure is even as is designated with reference number 19. In the ideal case, it is then possible to balance single pressure peaks (i.e. pressure in the pipe-shaped piece) by the regulating elements and back valves shown above in Figs. 1-7 so that the pressure is almost constant. In Fig. 8, reference number 20 designates the pressure axis and reference number 22 the time axis.
It is obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but it may be varied within the scope of the enclosed claims.
In the arrangement according to the invention, the funnel-shaped piece can be fitted movably and/or rotatably in the pipe-shaped piece, e.g. by pivots, whereby it can be controlled and regulated in the direction of the flow or in some other desired direction, if required.
In the arrangement according to the invention, the pipe-shaped piece is of steel, stainless steel or aluminium, but the manufacturing material can also be plastic or some other material (wood, concrete etc.).
The pipe-shaped piece can be closed of its one end, i.e. the end on the side of the flow incoming direction. The cross section of the pipe-shaped piece can be round, rectangular, quadratic, triangular or some other desired shape, such as e.g. ellipsoidical.