TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the electric energy production field. More particularly it relates to a method for getting electricity utilizing the gravitational potential energy of the higher elevation water by transforming it into kinetic energy and then into electric energy.

BACKGROUND ART

An old and conventional method for producing electric energy using gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy of the water is the hydroelectric plant. The first hydroelectric plant was built on the Fox River in Appleton, Wisconsin in 1882, as described by "Hydropower - a national energy resource" page 8, Proceedings 11-16 March 1979, sponsored by The Engineering Foundation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Institute For Water Resources.

Referring now to Fig.3, a lateral section of the hydroelectric plant is shown generally. A hydroelectric plant, basically consists of: a big and strong dam 36, a huge man-made lake 35 and the power plant comprising: a turbine 14, a generator 15.

By this method, the gravitational potential energy of the stored water behind the dam is changed into kinetic energy of a water stream 38 that passes through the conduit 37 of a dam and turns the blades of a turbine 14 of a power plant 16, and electric energy 17 is produced.

The hydroelectric plant retains its position as having over 90 percent energy conversion efficiency, the highest of any energy source. There are a number of disadvantages of the hydroelectric plant:

(a) a hydroelectric plant requires natural facilities as: uitable geographic and geological conditions allowing to set up a big dam and a huge man-made lake;

(b) hydroelectric plant has social risk as broken dam;

(c) a-hydroelectric plant has ecologic risks caused by the man-made lake as the following:

1. impact on lithosphere; disturbance of land, possible earth-crust disturbances, terrestrial effects around the lake;

2. impact on hydrosphere; changes in hydrological cycle, water quality, nutrients, etc.

3. impact on atmosphere; micro-ciimauc changes due to evaporation (ex. humidity);

4. impact on biosphere; aquatic life (fish, plants, etc.), health effects.

Numerous electric generating system and apparatus utilizing water have been provided in pnor art that are adapted to produce electrical energy. For example, U S Pat. No 4,443, 707-Scιen et al, U S Pat No 4,288,985-Dyck, U S Pat No 132,901-Crausbay, U S Pat No 4,010,614-Arthur, U S Pat No 2,962,599-Pιrkey, Canadian Pat No 1 , 189,761 -Huetter, Jr et al, all are illustrative of such prior art

While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The present invention provides a method and apparatus by which a higher elevation water is gotten into a pipelines system and conducted through it down to a lower elevation. A pipelines system is made up from one or more units set downwardly, each unit in connection, one with the other. A turbine of a power plant is set with each unit

Flowing from up to down, into a unit or units of the pipelines system, a higher elevation water transfers its gravitational potential energy to a height above a turbine of a power plant through the first segments of pipeline, and into the second segments of pipeline the potential energy is transformed into kinetic energy that spins turbines of the power plants, and electnc energy is produced

Where a lower elevation is reached, the higher elevation water after a journey from up to down, still unchanged, is directed out of the pipelines system and becomes a source of water at a lower elevation, or is directed to areas with water deficit

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG 1 is a lateral perspective view of an embodiment of this invention illustrating, in combination, a water source at a higher elevation, an intake structure connected to a pipelines or conduits system compπsing units set downwardly to a lower elevation

FIG 2 is a lateral perspective view of a vanant of a unit of the pipelines or conduits system, illustrating, in combination, a water source at a higher elevation, an intake structure connected to a first segment of pipeline or conduit directed forwardly into a chamber located at a height above a turbine of a power plant comprising a turbine connected to a generator, and a second segment of pipeline directed downwardly from the chamber to the turbine

FIG. 3 is a lateral section view of a hydroelectric plant illustrating, in combination, a dam, a man-made lake behind the dam, a conduit directed from the lake to the turbine of a power piant

FIG. 4 is a lateral perspective view of an embodiment of this invention illustrating, in combination, a water source at a higher elevation, an intake structure connected to a pipelines or conduits system comprising similar units set downwardly to a lower elevation.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIG. 1 of drawings, a lateral perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention is shown generally.

By the new method and apparatus, from the present invention, a higher elevation water 3 is got, through an intake structure 4, into a pipelines or conduits system 18, and conducted through it down to a lower elevation 28.

The drawing of Fig. 1 illustrates, in combination, a water source 3 at a higher elevation 1, an intake structure 4, a pipelines or conduits system 18, comprising two kinds of units 9, 31, set, downwardly, from the intake structure 4, at a higher elevation 1 , to a lower elevation 28, a unit in connection, one 31 with the other 9. A unit 9 comprising, in combination, a first segment of pipeline or conduit 5, a turbine 14, connected to a generator 15 of a power plant 16, with the first segment of pipeline or conduit 5 connected to an intake structure 4 and directed forwardly to a height 10 above the turbine 14, where it is turned downwardly into a second segment of pipeline or conduit 11 to the turbine 14.

Another unit 31 comprises, in combination, a chamber 22, a turbine 25, connected to a generator 26 of a power plant 27, with chamber 22 located at a height 21 above the turbine 25, a first segment of pipeline or conduit 19 connected to a previous unit 9 and directed horizontally to the chamber 22, a second segment of pipeline or conduit 23 directed vertically from the chamber 22 to the turbine 25.

Referring now to FIG. 4 of drawings, a lateral perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention illustrates, in combination, a water source 3 at a higher elevation 1 , an intake structure 4, a pipelines system 18, comprising two similar units 32,31 set, downwardly, from the intake structure 4 to a lower elevation 28, a unit in connection, one 31 with the other 32. A unit 32 comprising, in combination, a chamber 33, a turbine 14 connected to a generator 15 of a power plant 16, with the chamber 33 located at a height 10 above the turbine 14, a first segment of pipeline or conduit 5 in connection to an intake structure 4 and directed horizontally into the chamber 33, and a second segment of pipeline or conduit 1 1 directed vertically from the chamber 33 to the turbine 14.

Referring now to FIG. 2 of drawings, a lateral perspective view of a variant of a unit 32 is

illustrated, comprising, in combination, a chamber 33, a turbine 14 of a power plant 16, with the chamber 33 located at a height 10 above the turbine 14, a first segment of pipeline or conduit 5 connected to an intake structure 4 and directed forwardly and downwardly to the chamber 33, and a second segment of pipeline or conduit 11 directed downwardly from the chamber 33 to turbine 14.

It should be mentioned that a narrow 13, set into the second segment of pipeline or conduit 11, of a unit, would, normally, regulate the flow of water through the unit.

One may understand the operation of the present invention more readily by examining the drawing of FIG. 4. Water 3 from a higher elevation 1 is got through an intake structure 4 into a first segment of pipeline or conduit 5 of a unit 32, flows 6 through it 5 into a chamber 33 where an increased volume of water is got, from the chamber 33 the water falls 12 into a second segment of pipeline 11 to a turbine 14 of a power plant 16. In a unit without chamber, as a unit 9, FIG. 1, the water flows directly from the first segment of pipeline 5 into the second segment of pipeline 11 to the turbine 14.

As the water passes the turbine 14, spinning it, electricity 17 is generated by the generator 15 of the power plant 16.

Afterwards, the water flows on 20 into a next unit 31 of a pipelines or conduits system 18, in a similar way, and so on, to a lower elevation 28, where the water is directed out of the pipelines system 18 and becomes source of water 29, for different utilities or is directed to areas with a water deficit.

As the invention was described above is clearly that no big dam, no huge man-made lake are used by the method and apparatus from the present invention and therefore, no social risk as broken dam, no ecological risks from a man made lake are given by the method of the present invention.

While only two embodiments and a variant of the present invention are shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The invention provides a method and apparatus with applicability in the utility industry, electrical energy is produced and, simultaneously, fresh water is delivered by this method and apparatus without pollution.