Field of technology

Mechanics - a system facilitating accumulation of mechanical energy by lifting a weight with the possibility of simultaneous generation of electrical energy.

Technology state of art

At the time being, most electrical power is generated by rotary motion of electrical generator rotors. The source of rotation, that means the source of the kinetic energy that drives the generator, is usually a steam, wind or water powered turbine. Energy sources converted by turbines to rotary motion are uneasy to control and they often generate power at moment when it is not necessary. At the time being, so called peak power stations are operated, for example pumped-storage power plants.

The electrical energy generator used in small hydro power station for the supply of current to the public three-phase distribution network is asynchronous short-circuit armature motor that does not need any voltage and frequency control or revolutions controller as it can brake the water wheel or turbine down on its own to adequate revolutions (it does not permit any faster revolution speed).

A known current state of art solution is the solution described in the document JP H06147097 that includes a system exploiting surplus of energy from night time and conversion of potential gravity energy to electrical energy at the moment of demand/when required during the day. The said state of art solution is a system that winds a cable on drum when surplus energy is available. A weight is fixed to the end of the cable. During periods of elevated electrical energy demand the weight drops and pulls cables/chains fixed to weights at the sides that make wheels connected to a generator to rotate.

There are differences between the above referred to state of art system and this invention as subject to the registration application in terms of purpose, operation and design. The purpose, operation and design of this invention are described below in the explanation of the invention principle. One of core differences in terms of the design is the way the weight is fixed. The known state-of-art system has ends of three interconnecting elements that may be used to fix the cable or chain fixed to the weight at five points and the interconnecting element lifting the weight is wound on a drum and that means that the weight cannot be dropped to generate power and simultaneously store potential energy by its lifting.

Invention Principle

The above described inconveniences are eliminated by the accumulation gravity power station operated based on the principle of weight design. A pulley provided with the fourth wheel chain is fixed to the upper part of the weight. At the bottom part of- the weight, there is a pulley fixed that is provided with the fourth chain wheel. The weight is further suspended over the first chain wheel to an endless chain than runs left off the axis of the weight over the second chain wheel and right of the axis of the weight over the sixth chain wheel where the second chain wheel and the sixth chain wheel are fixed to the upper part of the structure above the weight where the second chain wheel or the third chain wheel that are fixed to the structure left off the vertical axis of the weight subject to single rotation direction only from the chain wheel on the upper part of the structure to the chain wheel on the bottom part of the structure is connected to the source of external mechanical energy - rotary motion and the fifth chain wheel or the sixth chain wheel that are fixed to the structure at the opposite side off the vertical axis of the weight than the second and third chain wheel is connected via transmission system with brake to the electrical energy generator with a revolution controller.

The principle of the invention is the exploitation of the source of external mechanical energy - the rotary motion - to rotate the second or third chain wheel that can rotate in one only direction, namely from the second chain wheel towards the third chain wheel (in this case counter-clockwise) that is mounted as a fixed pulley to the structure that is pulled by an endless chain (endless means that the chain is circuited in a single unit) with the first chain wheel of the pulley fixed to the upper side of the suspended weight. The endless chain pulls the sixth chain wheel of the fixed pulley fixed to the upper part of the structure and the fifth chain wheel of the fixed pulley fixed to the bottom part of the structure on the axis of which there is a transmission system with brake and electrical energy with revolution controller system provided. Further on, the endless chain runs over the fourth chain wheel of the pulley at the bottom side of the weight to the single-direction rotating third and second chain wheel mounted as fixed pulleys to the structure where one of them is driven by the external source of rotary motion. The endless chain is designed as a closed (endless) circuit pulled in a single direction with two pulleys with the first chain wheel on the upper and the fourth chain wheel on the bottom side of the weight and four fixed pulleys with chain wheels fixed to the structure where the second chain wheel or the third chain wheel is driven by the external source of rotary motion and the fifth or sixth chain wheel ^' s rotary motion is limited by its connection to the braked transmission system that is further connected to the electrical energy generator with a revolution controller system.

At the moment when the second or third fixed pulley's chain wheel starts to rotate being driven by the external source of mechanical energy and when no power generation is required, the transmission gear interconnected with the electrical power generator including the fifth or sixth fixed pulley ^' s chain wheel is mechanically blocked by the brake, the weight gets lifted. When electrical energy is required to be supplied to the network, the pulley including the fifth or sixth fixed pulley ^' s chain wheel is unblocked, the weight gravity generates force sufficient to rotate the fifth or sixth chain wheel with the transmission system in order to achieve sufficient revolutions of the electrical energy generator, for instance an asynchronous motor with short-circuit armature that maintains necessary revolutions and brakes the weight descent. Electrical energy is generated even after the discontinuation of the rotary motion of the external source. When electrical energy is generated simultaneously with the effect of the external source of rotary motion, the descent of the weight may get decelerated, it may stop at all or it may get lifted depending on the ratio of the revolutions of the second or third chain wheel powered by the external rotary motion source and revolutions of the fifth or sixth chain wheel that rotates the electrical energy generator using the transmission system with controlled revolutions.

The advantage of this invention compared to other closest solutions for instance that described in the protective document 3P H06147097 that describes a system making use of surplus energy from the night time and conversion of potential gravity energy to electrical energy when electrical power is required during the daytime resides in the fact that this invention as subject-matter to this application can do the following anytime using the source of rotary motion:

1. Store potential gravity energy and use it to generate electrical energy thereafter;

2. Store potential gravity energy and simultaneously electrical energy; 3. Use the energy to generate electrical energy;

4. Add earlier stored potential gravity energy to energy and generate electrical energy at the same time.

The enumeration of the above possibilities depends on the ratio of the size of the input energy from the source of rotary motion and size of energy necessary to generate necessary quantity of electrical energy.

A disadvantage of the system are losses due to friction in individual parts of the system. The size of losses depends on the quality of the workmanship of individual components. Where environment does not allow for the application of chain and gears because of freezing at very low temperatures or entry of fine particles to the chain in dusty environments and/or for the sake of mitigation of noise emissions, cables or ropes with plastic projection (e.g. balls) and plastic wheels with adequate cavity along the perimeter may be used.

Survey of figures included to drawings

The figure No. 1 shows a schematic configuration of individual pulley blocks with chain wheels, location of the weight and the position of the endless chain in the accumulation gravity power station.

.Examples of practical application of the invention

The attached figure shows the concerned accumulation power station. Left off the vertical axis of the structure, there is the second chain wheel 2 fixed to the structure and the third chain wheel 3 where one of them is rotating in a single direction from the first chain wheel 1 to the weight over the second chain wheel 2 on the upper part of the structure towards the third chain wheel 3 on the bottom part of the structure is connected with the source of external mechanical energy - rotary motion. Right off the vertical axis of the structure, there is the fifth chain wheel 5 fixed to the structure and the sixth chain wheel 6 where one of them is interconnected via the transmission system with brake to the electrical energy generator with a revolution controller system. Between the fifth chain wheel 5 and the third chain wheel 3 that are fixed to the bottom part of the structure, there is a saddle for the weight 10 to land on it. Between the second chain wheel 2 and the sixth chain wheel 6 that are fixed to the upper part of the structure, there is the position of the switch 9 with a system signalling the maximum upper position of the weight.

The principle of the invention is the exploitation of the source of external mechanical energy - the rotary motion - to rotate the third chain wheel 3 or second chain wheel 2 that can rotate in one only direction, namely from the second chain wheel 2 towards the third chain wheel 3 (counter-clockwise) that is mounted as a fixed pulley to the structure that is pulled by an endless chain 8 (endless means that the chain is circuited in a single unit) with the first chain wheel 1 of the pulley fixed to the upper side of the suspended weight 7. The endless chain 8 pulls the sixth chain wheel 6 of the fixed pulley fixed to the upper part of the structure and the fifth chain wheel 5 of the fixed pulley fixed to the bottom part of the structure on the axis of which there is a transmission system with brake and electrical energy with revolution controller system provided. Further on, the endless chain 8 runs over the fourth chain wheel 4 of the pulley at the bottom side of the weight to the single-direction rotating third 3_ and second 2 chain wheel mounted as fixed pulleys to the structure where one of them is driven by the external source of rotary motion. The endless chain 8 is designed as a closed (endless) circuit pulled in a single direction with two pulleys with the first chain wheel on the upper and the fourth chain wheel on the bottom side of the weight and four fixed pulleys with chain wheels fixed to the structure where the second chain wheel 2 or the third chain wheel 3 is driven by the external source of rotary motion and the fifth 5 or sixth 6 chain wheel ^' s rotary motion is limited by its connection to the braked transmission system that is further connected to the electrical energy generator with a revolution controller system.

At the moment when the second 2 or third 3 fixed pulley ^' s chain wheel starts to rotate being driven by the external source of mechanical energy and when no power generation is required, the transmission gear interconnected with the electrical power generator including the fifth 5 or sixth 6 fixed pulley ^' s chain wheel is mechanically blocked by the brake, the weight gets lifted. When electrical energy is required to be supplied to the network, the pulley including the fifth 5 or sixth 6 fixed pulley ^' s chain wheel is unblocked, the weight 7 gravity generates force sufficient to rotate the fifth 5 or sixth 6 chain wheel with the transmission system in order to achieve sufficient revolutions of the electrical energy generator, for instance an asynchronous motor with short-circuit armature that maintains necessary revolutions and brakes the weight descent. Electrical energy is generated even after the discontinuation of the rotary motion of the external source. When electrical energy is generated simultaneously with the effect of the external source of rotary motion, the descent of the weight 7 may get decelerated, it may stop at ail or it may get lifted depending on the ratio of the revolutions of the second 2 or third 3 chain wheel powered by the external rotary motion source and revolutions of the fifth 5 or sixth 6 chain wheel that make the electrical energy generator rotating using the transmission system with controlled revolutions.

This specific example of application of the invention is a cuboid metallic frame with the base dimensions of 50 x 30 cm and height of 410 cm.

Side plates of two pulley blocks are fixed to the base. Their size distance of axes is 30 cm in this example case. The side plates are provided with roller bearings with shaft fixed in each pulley block. The third chain wheel 3 is fixed in the centre of the length of the shaft. The diameter of the pitch circle D _t = 85.21 mm, the wheel has 21 teeth for a chain with the pitch of 12.7 mm. At 50 mm next to the chain wheel 3, there is an auxiliary wheel fixed to the shaft, its pitch circle diameter D _t =93.27 mm, it has 23 teeth for a chain with the pitch of 12.7 mm. An endless chain runs over the auxiliary chain wheel, its pitch is 12.7 mm. It runs to the next chain wheel with the pitch circle diameter of D _t = 194 mm with 48 teeth. It is fixed to the shaft with pedals and a flywheel of a bicycle that is fixed to the left part of the metallic frame forming so a simple chain transmission system.

In the right-hand pulley block that is fixed to the base, there the fifth chain wheel 5 fixed in the centre of the length of the shaft, it pitch circle diameter D _t = 85.21 mm, it has 21 teeth for a chain with the pitch of 12.7 mm. 50 mm next to the chain wheel, there is a driving wheel fixed on the shaft, its diameter is 288 mm. It is designed for belt transmission system. A shoe brake is fixed to the driving wheel. A V-belt runs over the driving wheel. It drives the driven wheel, diameter 60 mm that is fixed to the shaft of the electrical energy generator - in this case it is a six-pole asynchronous motor with short-circuit armature with the rated capacity of 0.9 kW, revolutions 915 rev/min and torque 9.9 Nm at the rated capacity. This way created transmission system ratio /is less than 1 and therefore above-synchronous revolutions are achieved, namely 1085/min. This motor works as asynchronous set and it has individual phases LI, L2, L3 connected via the master switch to the network in a way to keep the motor rotating in the same direction as the driving wheel does.

Between pulley blocks, a metallic frame is fixed to the basis. Its metallic frame is carrying fixed rubber belts on its upper side. They serve as a saddle 10 for the descending weight 7, The saddle 10 is composed of two parts that are separated by a gap for the endless chain 8 and fourth chain wheel 4 at the bottom part of the weight.

Side plates of two pulley blocks are fixed to the upper part of the metallic frame. Their axes side distance is 30 cm in this particular example. The side plates of the left-hand pulley block are provided with single-rotation direction bearings (reverse direction is blocked). The shaft carrying the second chain wheel 2 is fixed in the bearings. The chain wheel pitch circle diameter D _t - 85.21 mm, it has 21 teeth for a chain with the pitch of 12.7 mm facilitating so just left-handed rotation, i.e. towards the left-hand bottom pulley block with the third chain wheel 3. The side plates of the upper pulley block are provided with roller bearings keeping the shaft. In the centre of the shaft, there is the sixth chain wheel 6 fixed, its pitch circle diameter D _t = 85.21 mm with 21 teeth for a chain with the pitch of 21.7 mm. Between upper pulley blocks, on the upper part of the frame, there is a switch 9 with a system signalling the maximum upper position of the weight 7.

An endless chain 8 with even number of chain segments and pitch 12.7 mm runs over chain wheels of the upper and bottom pulley blocks. Between the second chain wheel 2 and sixth chain wheel 6 of the upper pulley blocks, a pulley block is suspended to the chain and it is fixed to the upper side of the steel reinforced concrete weight 7. Side plates of the pulley block are provided with roller bearings in which the shaft with the first chain wheel 1 is fixed. It pitch circle Dt = 85.21 mm, it has 21 teeth for a chain with the pitch of 12.7 mm. The second pulley block is screwed to the bottom part of the weight with the fourth chain wheel 4 with the pitch circle diameter D _t = 85.21 mm and with 21 teeth for a chain with the pitch 12.7 mm. An endless chain 8 runs over the fourth chain wheel 4. It connects the third chain wheel 3 and the fifth chain wheel 5 of the bottom pulley blocks. A screw connection of the weight 7 and the pulley block on the bottom part of the weight 7 can be used to optimise the tensioning of the endless chain 8 in the section that is not tensioned by the weight gravity, i.e. between the second chain wheel 2 with single-direction rotating bearings and the fifth chain wheel 5 at the electrical energy generator.

Bicycle pedalling rotates the third chain wheel 3 in the left-hand bottom pulley block that pulls the endless chain 8 that is loaded by one half of the weight 7 mass with fixed pulley blocks and endless chain. The load of the endless chain is in this case specific, namely 1150 N and the maximum weight 7 lift height is 3 m. The length of the section of the endless chain 8 running over the third chain wheel 3 is therefore 3 m. When the weight 7 is lifted as described above, the driving wheel on the shaft carrying the fifth chain wheel 5 in the right-hand bottom pulley block is blocked by the shoe brake. The weight 7 is lifted to the maximum upper position. The weight 7 does not descend because of the single-direction rotation of the second chain wheel 2 in the left-hand upper pulley block and locked fifth chain wheel 5 of the right-hand bottom pulley block.

Activating the switch that unlocks the shoe brake in the right-hand bottom pulley block and switches on the master electrical switch connecting individual phases with the network, the asynchronous motor with short-circuit armature starts rotate and the weight 7 starts to descend. Thanks to the transmission system between the generator and the driving wheel in the right-hand bottom pulley block that is rotated by the pulling force of the endless chain 8 over the fifth chain wheel 5 due to the weight 7 gravity, the rotor starts to rotate above synchronous revolutions becoming so an electrical energy generator generating electrical energy. The asynchronous motor itself controls its revolutions in this mode. When electrical energy is generated simultaneously with bicycle pedalling, the rate of the weight 7 descent decelerates.

Industrial applicability

It is a very simple design of the generation of electrical energy that is independent of the current mode of operation of the external source of the rotary motion and its power. The external source of rotary motion may be for instance a wind wheel or turbine, water wheel or turbine, motor powered by electrical energy from solar panels for instance or physical human/animal force. The rotary motion force does not need to be permanent, its capacity may be low - it will slowly lift the weight using a properly chosen transmission system. The capacity of the power generating system may be higher or lower than the capacity of the original source connected to an electrical energy generator, of course, proportionally to the time necessary to lift the weight and time necessary for its descend when generating electrical energy. The volume of stored energy depends on the height of the entire system and the mass of the weight that may be made for instance of steel or reinforced concrete. If connected to a wind turbine or wheel, the height of the system tower can be used with advantage.

What is very suitable is the application of this accumulation gravity power station in wind power station systems as the wind force is irregular and variable and it may almost always be used to lift weights and generate electrical energy as late as when really needed.