SUBMERSIBLE POWER PLANT HAVING MULTIPLE TURBINES

• US 20160115937A1
• Filed: 05/30/2013
• Published: 04/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Minesto AB
• Original Assignee: Minesto AB
• Inventors: PETTERSSON, Patrik
• Application Number:
  US14/894,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20160115937A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/001 Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/022 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/60 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/10 Submerged units incorporating electric generators or motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/22 using the flow of water resulting from wave movements to drive a motor or turbine F03B13/144 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/264 using the horizontal flow of water resulting from tide movement
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 17/061 with rotation axis substantially in flow direction
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/20 Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 5/00 Other wind motors controlling thereof F03D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/40 Use of a multiplicity of similar components
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/917 attached to cables
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/9174 of kite type with a turbine and a flying pattern
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/97 on a submerged structure
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/101 to control rotational speed (n)
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/11 to maintain desired vehicle trajectory parameters
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/70 Wind energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 : Onshore wind turbines

Abstract

A submersible power plant comprises a structure and a vehicle with a wing. The vehicle is arranged to be secured to the structure by ae tether. The vehicle is arranged to move in a predetermined trajectory by a fluid stream passing the wing. The submersible power plant comprises at least a first turbine, a second turbine and a third turbine being arranged to be attached to the wing of the vehicle. The first turbine is connected to a first generator, the second turbine is connected to a second generator, and the third turbine is connected to a third generator. At least one turbine is attached to the vehicle on a top surface of the wing, and at least one turbine is attached to a bottom surface of the wing. The generators are arranged to be able to produce different fluid dynamics pressures exerted on the respective turbines by torque control.

Claims

1. Submersible power plant (1) for generating electrical power, the submersible power plant (1) comprising a structure (2) and a vehicle (3) comprising at least one wing (4), the vehicle (3) being arranged to be secured to the structure (2) by means of at least one tether (5);

the vehicle (3) being arranged to move in a predetermined trajectory by means of a fluid stream passing the wing (4), the submersible power plant (1) comprises at least a first turbine (6), a second turbine (8) and a third turbine (10) being arranged to be attached to the wing (4) of the vehicle (3), the first turbine (6) is connected to a first generator (12), the second turbine (8) is connected to a second generator (13), the third turbine (10) is connected to a third generator (14), characterized in that at least one of the first turbine (6), the second turbine (8) and the third turbine (10) is attached to the vehicle (3) on a top surface (15) of the wing (4), and at least one of the first turbine (6), the second turbine (8) and the third turbine (10) is attached to a bottom surface (16) of the wing (4), where said first generator (12), second generator (13) and third generator (14) are arranged to be able to produce different fluid dynamics pressures exerted on the respective first, second and third turbines (6, 8, 10) by means of torque control.

2. Submersible power plant (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least first, second and third turbines (6, 8, 10) have a turbine function for generating electrical power and a thruster function for propelling the vehicle (3) forwards or backwards, the thruster function being produced by that at least one of the first, second and third generators (12, 13, 14) are run in forward or in reverse.

3. Submersible power plant (1) according to any one claim 1 or 2, wherein the submersible power plant (1) comprises an odd number of turbines greater than three, where one more turbine is attached to the vehicle (3) to a top surface (15) of the wing (4) than is attached to the vehicle (3) on a bottom surface (16) of the vehicle (3).

4. Submersible power plant (1) according to any one of the claim 1 or 2, wherein the submersible power plant (1) comprises an odd number of turbines greater than three, where one less turbine is attached to the vehicle (3) to a top surface (15) of the wing (4) than is attached to the vehicle (3) on a bottom surface (16) of the vehicle (3).

5. Submersible power plant (1) according to any one of the claim 3 or 4, wherein the submersible power plant (1) comprises at least one turbine which has a larger rotor diameter than the remaining turbines.

6. Submersible power plant (1) according to any one of claim 1 or 2, wherein the submersible power plant (1) comprises an even number of turbines greater than two, where an equal number of turbines are attached to the vehicle (3) to a top surface (15) of the wing (4) and to the vehicle (3) on a bottom surface (16) of the wing (4).

7. Submersible power plant (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the submersible power plant (1) comprises an even number of turbines greater than two, where more turbines are attached to the vehicle (3) to a top surface (15) of the wing (4) than to the vehicle (3) on a bottom surface (16) of the wing (4) or where more turbines are attached to the vehicle (3) to a bottom surface (16) of the wing (4) than to the vehicle (3) on a top surface (15) of the vehicle (3).

8. Submersible power plant (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, when one turbine is not attached to the bottom surface (16) of the wing (4) at the centre of mass of the wing (4), the tether (5) is attached to the vehicle (3) by being attached to a coupling in the wing (4) of the vehicle (3).

9. Submersible power plant (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, when one turbine is attached to the bottom surface (16) of the wing (4) at the centre of mass of the wing (4), the tether (5) is attached to the vehicle (3) by being attached to a coupling in an enclosure of a nacelle to which said turbine is attached.

10. Submersible power plant (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the submersible power plant (1) comprises at least one passive control surface (20).

11. Method for steering a submersible power plant (1), the submersible power plant (1) comprising a structure (2) and a vehicle (3) comprising at least one wing (4), the vehicle (3) being arranged to be secured to the structure (2) by means of at least one tether (5);

the vehicle (3) being arranged to move in a predetermined trajectory by means of a fluid stream passing the wing (4), characterized in that the submersible power plant (1) comprises at least a first turbine (6), a second turbine (8) and a third turbine (10) being arranged to be attached to the wing (4) of the vehicle (3), where at least one of the first, second and third turbine (6, 8, 10) is attached to the vehicle (3) on a top surface (15) of the wing (4), where the first turbine (6) is connected to a first generator (12), the second turbine (8) is connected to a second generator (13), the third turbine (10) is connected to a third generator (14), where said first generator (12), second generator (13) and third generator (14) are arranged to be able to produce different counter-torques to the respective first, second and third turbines (12, 13, 14), whereupon the first turbine (6), the second turbine (8) and the third turbine (10) each rotates at different rotation speeds, wherein the method comprises

applying a first counter-torque by the first generator (12) to the first turbine (6) to set a first rotation speed of the first turbine (6)

applying a second counter-torque by the second generator (13) to the second turbine (8) to set a second rotation speed of the second turbine (8).

applying a third counter-torque by the third generator (14) to the third turbine (10) to set a third rotation speed of the third turbine (10).

12. Method according to claim 11, wherein the method comprises:

controlling the pitch of the vehicle (3) by applying a counter-torque to the one or more turbines connected to the vehicle (3) on a top surface (15) of the wing (4) by their corresponding generators, the total of which is different from the total counter-torque applied to the one or more turbines connected to the vehicle (3) on a bottom surface (16) of the wing (4) by their corresponding generators.

13. Method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the method comprises:

controlling the yaw of the vehicle (3) by applying a counter-torque to the one or more turbines connected to the vehicle (3) on a first side of the centre of mass of the wing (4) by their corresponding generators, the total of which is different from the total counter-torque applied to the one or more turbines connected to the vehicle (3) on a second side of the centre of mass of the wing (4) by their corresponding generators.