This application is the International Phase of and claims priority to US Provisional Application Number 62/988,897 March 12, 2020. Said application is incorporated herein by reference.

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to fish passage at medium and high head dams _. . Fish ladders have generally been successful at low head power plants, however, the large footprint required for fish ladders is not available at all sites and can make site preparation and construction expensive. Fish ladder success at medium and high head dams has been limited due to physical endurance limitations of the fish as well as the difficulty of construction. In some cases, the only available space is subject to flood borne debris damage, erosion, and unacceptable deposition of rock and gravel. The recently introduced Wooshh™ Innovations system successfully transports fish of generally uniform size upstream. Trap and truck operations have been successful but are expensive to operate. Mechanical fish lifts have worked where site geometry allows for a straight vertical or inclined lift of a tank.

Summary of the Invention

There remains a need for non-labor-intensive, safe and effective upstream transport of mixed sizes and mixed species of fish at medium and high head hydroelectric projects. The proposed system combines pneumatically operated gates for trapping fish and dropping them into a penstock. Once in the penstock the fish are constrained on the downstream side by an isolation valve and contained on the upstream side by the free water surface. For medium and high head projects a variable speed reversible pump-turbine pushes water and fish up the penstock and into the upper reservoir. For low head projects, where less power is required for lifting the fish, water may be stored in a tank above head water level and then periodically discharged through a penstock to move the fish to the upstream side of the dam. At such low head sites there is limited power that might be recovered in conjunction with downstream fish migration, so a variable speed recovery turbine may not be economically justifiable. During modes of operation that include downstream fish transport, downstream migrating fish may be trapped behind a suitable weir for example, and then drained with their surrounding water into the penstock and then directed through a fish sluice before reaching the energy recovery turbine.

As the water in the penstock is drained back through the reversible pump turbine, almost all of the energy used for pumping is recovered, while any downstream migrating fish are given a safe ride to tailwater with negligible pressure changes and no high velocity encounters with obstacles. The position within the penstock of the downstream migrating fish may be constrained during transport on the upstream side by the free water surface at atmospheric pressure and on the downstream side by a floating cage. An outlet valve on the penstock in conjunction with a retractable fish screen may be used to drain the fish from the penstock into a fish sluice before they would reach the energy recovery turbine which may be a reversible pump turbine. The fish sluice would deliver the fish safely to tailwater.

In order to load fish for upstream transport the water level in the penstock is preferably r reduced to below tailwater elevation by means of an auxiliary pump. This allows the next batch of upstream migrating fish to be drained from the fish trap into the penstock and then pumped up to the upper reservoir. Fish are subjected to neither high velocity flows nor any pressure changes. The pumping energy required for upstream transport is almost completely recovered while draining the auxiliary penstock (with or without downstream fish transport). Energy use may be further cut in half by using two auxiliary penstocks. The system may be also be used for efficient hydropower generation capacity during non-fish passage seasons.

The present invention includes a fish trap at tailwater elevation for collection of upstream migrating fish. The bottom of the fish trap may include a valve at the bottom for the purpose of periodically dropping the fish and the water that surrounds them into a transport pipe or penstock. Once inside the penstock the fish may be contained near the upper water surface within the penstock by a floating cage that follows the rising water surface as the penstock is filled by a variable speed reversible pump turbine. In this manner the fish may be elevated from tailwater level to headwater level without ever being pressurized or removed from the water. The fish may exit the upstream end of the penstock through a flexible duck bill valve, for example. The penstock is preferably fitted with detents to prevent the fish cage from being expelled from the penstock after reaching its upper terminal position. With the fish cage secured by detents, the fish may be ejected from the fish cage by water pressure supplied through a screen bulkhead that is the downstream end of the fish cage. Once the fish are expelled, ingress of water and fish back into the penstock is blocked by the duck bill valve while the penstock is filled from above with air at atmospheric pressure supplied through a vent. The water is drained from the penstock through a reversible pump-turbine which recovers most of the energy from the water being lowered. The speed of the reversible pump turbine is adjusted in proportion to the square root of the head, to maintain best efficiency, as the water is drained back out of the penstock. Downstream migrating fish may be directed to the optional fish cage prior to draining the penstock through the reversible pump-turbine.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figures la and lb are schematics of the present invention as it might be configured for fish passage over a medium head or high head dam. Figure la illustrates upstream passage. Figure lb illustrates downstream passage.

Figure 2 is an embodiment of the present invention as it might be configured for fish passage over low head dams. This utilizes water at greater than headwater pressure to flush fish from a holding enclosure below tailwater up into the headwater.

Figures 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d are schematic diagrams of fish passage systems incorporating two reversible pump turbines configured to pass fish both upstream and downstream and to pump or generate when not passing fish.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Referring to Figures la and lb, a fish passage system capable of both upstream and downstream fish passage is illustrated. Referring to Figure la, pump turbine 31 is connected to motor generator 32 by shaft 33. Tailrace conduit 39 connects pump turbine 31 to tailwater 58. Bellmouth intake 38 minimizes inlet losses during pumping mode. Fish trap 1 includes pump 37 which supplies attraction water over weir 51. Once sufficient fish have been attracted into fish trap 1, gate 34 may be raised to isolate ethe fish within the trap. At this time attraction water pump 37 may be shut off. Valve 57 allows pump turbine 31 to be isolated from penstock 21. With valve 57 closed pump 75 may be used to dewater penstock 21 through screen 71. This allows fish to be drained from fish trap 1 into penstock 21. Once the trapped fish have been drained into penstock 21 valve 49 may be closed, valve 57 opened, and pump turbine 31 started. The fish are then carried up penstock 21 at a speed which increases with head in order to operate the pump turbine at its best efficiency pumping speed which varies as the square root of head. Upstream transport of fish is carried out with retractable fish screen 64 fully retracted and plug valve 62 fully closed. Retractable screen 64 is enclosed within a “screen bonnet” similar to a conventional gate valve bonnet when it is retracted. Retractable screen 64 is actuated by hydraulic or other actuator 66. Check valve 41 remains closed as fish pass through check valve 22 into headwater 60. A fish detection system based on video or sonar sensors, for example, may be used to signal completion of the pumping cycle. The pump turbine may continue to operate in this mode to store additional water in the head pond or upper reservoir if desired.

Increasing speed as p in accordance with one aspect of the present invention is illustrated. The system illustrated in Figure la is capable of transporting fish many hundreds of meters in elevation while keeping the fish very near atmospheric pressure. In the case of upstream passage of fish, attraction flow pump 37 feeds water through pipe 36 into attraction flow stilling well 35. The attraction flow water 54 passes over weir 51 and into fish trap 1. Water control gate 34 is then raised to isolate the fish trap 1 contents (water and fish) from the tailrace 58. With valve 57 closed, pump 75 is used pump water from the penstock through piping 69 and check valve 68 into tailrace 58. This lowers the water level in the penstock 21 so it is well below the surface level of the fish trap 1. Screen 71 prevents fish that enter penstock 21 from entering pump 75. fish trap drain valve 49 into the lower portion of the penstock 21. Valve 57 is closed at this time to hold the fish and water in the penstock 21. Pump turbine 31 is driven by the motor generator 32 through the power transmission shaft 33. This creates a positive pressure on the downstream side of valve 57. The valve 57 is then opened to allow water to flow into the penstock 21, raising the water surface level in the penstock and the fish. When the water level reaches the discharge valve 22 at the upper reservoir 60. The pump turbine 31 continues to pump water which forces valve 22 open and pushes the fish into the upper reservoir 60 near the water surface level 24. Valve 49 is preferably configured to not injure fish. It may be, for example, a ring follower valve with a flush water passageway surface when open, or it might be a rubber pinch valve with a smooth rubber surface when open.

Opening of valve 49 is in any case preferably done quickly so as to not catch a fish against an opening too small for the fish to pass through uninjured. Tailrace conduit 39 connects the low- pressure side of the pump turbine to tailrace 58.

In relation to downstream fish passage, and referring to Figure lb, fish are collected in an upper reservoir fish trap 40. Flow into fish trap 40 may be controlled by an adjustable weir in the form of pneumatically operated gate 45, for example. Fish trap 4o may be continuously drained or pumped of water while retaining fish in order to allow uninterrupted continuous flow of attraction water. With penstock 21 full of stationary water, water control gate 45 is then raised to the closed position. Screen 64 is extended into the penstock via actuator 66 through the screen bonnet 65. Valve 41 then opens in response to downstream flow through the penstock 21, allowing trapped fish to drop finto penstock 21 from fish trap 40. Downstream flow may be regulated with valve 57 until the fish are safely within penstock 21. The downstream flowrate may then be adjusted in proportion to the square root of the head, as measured from tailwater elevation to the free water surface in the penstock just above the fish. This allows maximum energy recovery. As the fish and free water surface within the penstock 21 approach retractable fish screen 64, the flow rate may be throttled using valve 57. Once valve 57 has been fully closed, the fish and water above valve 62 may be released into fish sluice 67 leading to tailrace 58. Pump turbine 31 may then be operated through an upstream fish passage cycle or used to refill penstock 21 for a further downstream fish passage cycle.

Referring to Figure 2, a fish passage system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The system illustrated in Figure 2 shares many of the features of the system illustrated in Figure 1, but without the cost of the reversible pump-turbines. Tank 12 is elevated above headwater 24 and controlled with siphon comprised of bell jar 11 and standpipe 16. Air pressure inside the top of the siphon bell jar 11 is controlled by valve 14 which may connect bell jar 11 to either vacuum of atmospheric pressure air. Air vent 15 allows ambient air to replace water flushed from the tank by the siphon. Pipe 10 directs water from the tank to well 8 which also houses pump 7 at the bottom. Water control gate 3 is raised to isolate the fish in the fish trap from the tailwater 25. Pump 7 is provided to pump, through a screen 53, the water in fish trap 1 though pipe 77 into tank 12, while lowering the fish 23 into penstock 21. Fish trap 1 features tapered bottom surfaces 50 that guide fish though the valve 19. Well pit 17 provides access to pit-less adapter 27 for maintenance. Once the fish are in penstock 21, valve 19 is closed. A vacuum applied by valve 13 to bell jar 11 starts a siphon into standpipe 16. Water then discharges down pipe 10 into well 8 and then into penstock 21. The fish 23 are then discharged to headwater 24 through valve 22. Valve 22 is preferably a duck bill check valve.

The fish could alternatively be discharge into open air above headwater 24. Discharge could also be into the air above headwater 24. Tank 12 may be refilled using pump 4 located in well 5 and connected to pipe 76 by pitless adaptor 28. Of course other sources of water, if available, might be used. The principle distinguishing elements of this invention are the establishment of a lower- than-tailwater pool into which fish may be dropped by gravity with little chance of injury in conjunction with a higher-than-headwater pool of water which can be used to promptly deliver the fish to headwater with minimum transport time and no required physical exertion.

Referring to Figures 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d, a schematic representation of a fish passage system in accordance with the present invention is shown. Air vents 10 and 11 keep the upper end of dual penstocks 77 and 78 at atmospheric pressure. Upper reservoir 60 is shown connected to dual penstocks 77 and 78 through ball valves 5 and 6 respectively. Reversible pump turbine 4 may be connected in accordance with Figure 3a as a turbine to lower the water level 12 in penstock 77 while raising the water level 80. For this mode of operation valves 5, 6, 91, 14, and 15 are kept in the closed position while valves 81 and 16 are left open.

Connection to tailwater 2 is through valves 15 and 16. Once water levels 79 and 80 have been equalized, valves 81 and 16 are closed while valves 91 and 15 are opened. This allows the reversible pump turbine 4 to reverse direction of rotation and pump the remaining water from dual penstock 77 to dual penstock 78.

Referring to Figure 3c, valves 5, 6, 81, 91 and 14 are opened to allow pump turbine 4 to generate power in turbine mode, discharging water from reservoir 60 into tail water 2.

Referring to Figure 3d, with the valves in the same position as in Figure 3c, the pump turbine is shown pumping from tailwater 2 into reservoir 60 for electrical power storage, for example.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention the lower portion of the column of water connected to the pump turbine may be separated from the top portion of the column of water by a variety of means. For example, a neutrally buoyant plug may be used. Such a plug could be provided with active buoyancy control by means of a feedback loop within the plug that might include a pressure sensor, a battery, a compressor, an air storage tank, and a ballast tank. Alternatively, the compressed air tank could be sized to eliminate the need for an on board compressor and correspondingly sized battery.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention the fish could be isolated from the lower portion of the water column inside of a length of corrugated polyethylene culvert. Such culvert is flexible and able to conform to curvature of the penstock. It is also inexpensive, chemically inert, has good wear resistance and has a low coefficient of friction.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention fish might be isolated from the reversible pump turbine by containing a number of fish in a plastic bag during transport. This would provide penstock conforming flexibility and a low coefficient of friction. Bag opening and closure could be done manually or in accordance with prior art related to automated bag filling.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a reversible pump turbine may be used to raise and lower the column of water for a downstream-only fish transport system. In the case of salmonids, the downstream migrants are small and such a system could be scale accordingly. Although such a system could be configured with a simple throttle valve at the bottom of the fish transporting pipe or penstock in conjunction with a water source at headwater pressure, presumably tapped off of a hydroelectric plant, the configuration in accordance with the present invention would generate power from the water used for fish passage.

As can be easily understood from the foregoing, the basic concepts of the present invention may be embodied in a variety of ways. It involves both water control gates as well as inflatable conduit closures or other devices to accomplish the appropriate method. In this application, the inflatable actuation methods are disclosed as part of the results shown to be achieved by the various devices described and as steps which are inherent to utilization. They are simply the natural result of utilizing the devices as intended and described. In addition, while some devices are disclosed, it should be understood that these not only accomplish certain methods but also can be varied in a number of ways. Importantly, as to all of the foregoing, all of these facets should be understood to be encompassed by this disclosure.

The discussion included in this application is intended to serve as a basic description. The reader should be aware that the specific discussion may not explicitly describe all embodiments possible; many alternatives are implicit. It also may not fully explain the generic nature of the invention and may not explicitly show how each feature or element can actually be representative of a broader function or of a great variety of alternative or equivalent elements. Again, these are implicitly included in this disclosure. Where the invention is described in device-oriented terminology, each element of the device implicitly performs a function. Apparatus claims may not only be included for the device described, but also method or process claims may be included to address the functions the invention and each element performs. Neither the description nor the terminology is intended to limit the scope of the claims which are included in this patent application.

It should also be understood that a variety of changes may be made without departing from the essence of the invention. Such changes are also implicitly included in the description. They still fall within the scope of this invention. A broad disclosure encompassing both the explicit embodiment(s) shown, the great variety of implicit alternative embodiments, and the broad methods or processes and the like are encompassed by this disclosure and may be relied upon when drafting the claims for the full patent application. This patent application seeks examination of as broad a base of claims as deemed within the applicant's right and is designed to yield a patent covering numerous aspects of the invention both independently and as an overall system.

Further, each of the various elements of the invention and claims may also be achieved in a variety of manners. This disclosure should be understood to encompass each such variation, be it a variation of an embodiment of any apparatus embodiment, a method or process embodiment, or even merely a variation of any element of these.

Particularly, it should be understood that as the disclosure relates to elements of the invention, the words for each element may be expressed by equivalent apparatus terms or method terms — even if only the function or result is the same. Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this invention is entitled. As but one example, it should be understood that all actions may be expressed as a means for taking that action or as an element which causes that action. Similarly, each physical element disclosed should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element facilitates. Regarding this last aspect, as but one example, the disclosure of a "fish trap" or a "trap" should be understood to encompass disclosure of the act of "trapping fish" — whether explicitly discussed or not — and, conversely, were there effectively disclosure of the act of "trapping fish", such a disclosure should be understood to encompass disclosure of a "fish trap" and even a "means for trapping fish". Such changes and alternative terms are to be understood to be explicitly included in the description. Patents, publications, or other references mentioned in this application for patent are hereby incorporated by reference. In addition, as to each term used it should be understood that unless its utilization in this application is inconsistent with such interpretation, both traditional and common dictionary definitions should be understood as incorporated for each term and all definitions, alternative terms, and synonyms such as contained in the Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, second edition are hereby incorporated by reference. Finally, all references listed in the list of References To Be Incorporated By Reference In Accordance With The Provisional Patent Application or other information statement filed with the application are hereby appended and hereby incorporated by reference, however, as to each of the above, to the extent that such information or statements incorporated by reference might be considered inconsistent with the patenting of this/these invention( s) such statements are expressly not to be considered as made by the applicant s).

Thus, the applicant(s) should be understood to claim at least: i) each of the water controlling devices as herein disclosed and described, ii) the related methods disclosed and described, iii) similar, equivalent, and even implicit variations of each of these devices and methods, iv) those alternative designs which accomplish each of the functions shown as are disclosed and described, v) those alternative designs and methods which accomplish each of the functions shown as are implicit to accomplish that which is disclosed and described, vi) each feature, component, and step shown as separate and independent inventions, vii) the applications enhanced by the various systems or components disclosed, viii) the resulting products produced by such systems or components, ix) methods and apparatuses substantially as described hereinbefore and with reference to any of the accompanying examples, x) the various combinations and permutations of each of the elements disclosed, xi) each potentially dependent claim or concept as a dependency on each and every one of the independent claims or concepts presented xii) individual or combined subroutines and programs as herein disclosed and described, xiii) the related methods disclosed and described, xiv) similar, equivalent, and even implicit variations of each of these systems and methods, xv) those alternative designs which accomplish each of the functions shown as are disclosed and described, xvi) those alternative designs and methods which accomplish each of the functions shown as are implicit to accomplish that which is disclosed and described, xvii) each feature, component, and step shown as separate and independent inventions, and xviii) the various combinations and permutations of each of the above.

It should also be understood that for practical reasons and so as to avoid adding potentially hundreds of claims, the applicant may eventually present claims with initial dependencies only. Support should be understood to exist to the degree required under new matter laws — including but not limited to European Patent Convention Article 123(2) and United States Patent Law 35 USC 132 or other such laws— to permit the addition of any of the various dependencies or other elements presented under one independent claim or concept as dependencies or elements under any other independent claim or concept. Further, if or when used, the use of the transitional phrase "comprising" is and will be used to maintain the "open-end" claims herein, according to traditional claim interpretation. Thus, unless the context requires otherwise, it should be understood that the term "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", are intended to imply the inclusion of a stated element or step or group of elements or steps but not the exclusion of any other element or step or group of elements or steps. Such terms should be interpreted in their most expansive form so as to afford the applicant the broadest coverage legally permissible.

Any acts of law, statutes, regulations, or rules mentioned in this application for patent; or patents, publications, or other references mentioned in this application for patent are hereby incorporated by reference. In addition, as to each term used it should be understood that unless its utilization in this application is inconsistent with such interpretation, common dictionary definitions should be understood as incorporated for each term and all definitions, alternative terms, and synonyms such as contained in the Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, second edition are hereby incorporated by reference. Finally, all references listed in the list of References To Be Incorporated By Reference In Accordance With The Patent Application or other information statement filed with the application are hereby appended and hereby incorporated by reference, however, as to each of the above, to the extent that such information or statements incorporated by reference might be considered inconsistent with the patenting of this/these invention(s) such statements are expressly not to be considered as made by the applicant s). Please be aware that cited works of non-patent literature such as scientific or technical documents or the like may be subject to copyright protection and/or any other protection of written works as appropriate based on applicable laws. Copyrighted texts may not be copied or used in other electronic or printed publications or re-distributed without the express permission of the copyright holder. US Patents

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