Method and apparatus for creating internal directional underwater falls and generating electrical energy therefrom

• US 20110260459A1
• Filed: 03/28/2011
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William Rovinsky
• Original Assignee: William Rovinsky
• Inventors: Rovinsky, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,164,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/52
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/10 Submerged units incorporating electric generators or motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 17/061 with rotation axis substantially in flow direction
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 17/063 the flow engaging parts having no movement relative to the rotor during its rotation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/20 Hydro energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Abstract

Creation of internal underwater falls and generation of electrical energy therefrom includes providing a hollow tank having a substantially vertical axis; locating a rotatable turbine in an interior of said tank and orienting said rotatable turbine so that its axis of rotation is an axis selected from consisting of a vertical axis of rotation and a horizontal axis of rotation; providing a directional flow of water into said tank forming a directional underwater fall in said tank, and directing the underwater fall onto blades of the turbine to rotate the turbine; connecting an electrical generator with a shaft of the turbine so that the rotation of the shaft of the turbine is transmitted to the electrical generator which thereby generates electricity; and evacuating water from an interior of the tank after water passes through the turbine, so as to leave under the turbine a space sufficient for a continuous flow of water into said tank, formation of the underwater fall into said tank, and flow of water out of said tank.

Claims

1. An apparatus for creating internal directional underwater falls and generating electrical energy therefrom, comprising a hollow tank having a substantially vertical axis;

a rotatable turbine located in an interior of said tank and having an axis selected from the group consisting of a vertical axis and a horizontal axis;

means providing a directional flow of water into said tank forming a directional underwater fall and directing the directional underwater fall onto blades of said turbine to rotate said turbine;

an electrical generator connected with a shaft of said turbine so that a rotation of said shaft of said turbine is transmitted to said electrical generator which thereby generates electricity; and

means for evacuating water from an interior of said tank after water passes through said turbine so as to leave under said turbine a space sufficient for a continuous flow of water into said tank, formation of the underwater fall in said tank, and flow of water out of said tank.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for providing a directional flow of water include an insert located in the interior of said tank and radially spaced from said tank so as to form therebetween an annular space in which the directional underwater fall is formed.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for providing a directional flow of water include an opening formed in said tank so that the directional underwater fall flowing through said tank flows substantially directly on said blades of said turbine.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said tank has a top in which said opening of said means for providing a directional flow of water is formed, so that water flowing through said opening creates the directional underwater fall which flows on the blades of said turbine.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said turbine with said blades has a substantially vertical axis of rotation, and said opening is formed as a substantially annular opening provided in said top of said tank coaxially with said vertical axis.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said turbine with said blades has a substantially horizontal axis and said opening is formed in said top of said tank as a substantially rectangular opening.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said electrical generator is accommodated completely in a dry chamber in an interior of said insert.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said tank has a first compartment in which said turbine is accommodated and a second compartment in which said electrical generator is accommodated, said compartments being separated by a water impermeable partition, so that said directional underwater fall flows through said first compartment, while said second compartment remains dry without water.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for providing a directional flow include a hollow insert provided in a top of said tank and creating an underwater fall which falls directly on the blades of said turbine.

10. A method of creating directional underwater falls and generating electrical energy therefrom, comprising the steps of providing a hollow tank having a substantially vertical axis;

locating a rotatable turbine in an interior of said tank and orienting said rotatable turbine so that its axis of rotation is an axis selected from consisting of a vertical axis of rotation and a horizontal axis of rotation;

providing a directional flow of water into said tank, forming a directional underwater fall in said tank, and directing the underwater fall onto blades of the turbine to rotate the turbine;

connecting an electrical generator with a shaft of the turbine so that a rotation of the shaft of the turbine is transmitted to the electrical generator which thereby generates electricity; and

evacuating water from an interior of the tank after water passes through the turbine, so as to leave under the turbine a space sufficient for a continuous flow of water into said tank, formation of the underwater fall in said tank, and flow of water out of said tank.