ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATING PLANT

• US 3,733,095 A
• Filed: 10/01/1971
• Issued: 05/15/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harold Sinclair, Herbert Arthur Clements
• Original Assignee: Harold Sinclair, Herbert Arthur Clements
• Inventors: Clements, Herbert Arthur, Sinclair, Harold
• Primary Examiner(s): Simmons, G. R.
• Application Number:
  US05/185,558
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 417/411,420,410,423,321 415/112,201,500 290/53,1
• US Class Current: 290/52
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 11/00 Parts or details not provided for in, or of interest apart from, the preceding groups controlling F03B15/00, e.g. wear-protection couplings, between turbine and generator
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/40 Transmission of power
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 23/10 automatically producing the engagement of the clutch when the clutch members are moving at the same speed; Indicating synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/20 Hydro energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/16 Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids

Abstract

In electrical power generating plant of the pumped storage type comprising a hydraulic turbine, a motor/generator and a storage pump, or of the air storage type comprising a gas turbine, a motor/generator and an air compressor, the times of change-over between the generating mode and the pumping or compressing mode are shortened by providing, between the motor/generator and the pump or compressor a synchronous self-shifting clutch with lock arranged for overrunning when the motor/generator rotates in its normal direction of rotation relative to the pump or air compressor and for engagement when the motor/generator tends to rotate in the reverse direction relative to the pump or the air compressor.

Claims

1. A plant for the generation of electrical power, the plant being of the pumped water storage or air storage type comprising a turbine intended for normal operation in only one direction of rotation of its shaft, a motor/generator intended for normal operation in only one direction of rotation of its shaft, and a hydraulic pump or an air compressor, the plant being operable selectively in a generating mode in which the turbine drives the motor/generator acting as a generator, with the pump or compressor inoperative, or in a pumping or compressing mode in which the motor/generator acting as a motor drives the pump or compressor, with the turbine inoperative, with the improvements wherein there is provided between the motor/generator and the pump or compressor a clutch means of unidirectionally overrunning type comprising a first clutch part drivably connected to the shaft of the motor/generator and a second clutch part drivably connected to the shaft of the pump or compressor, said clutch means being arranged for overrunning when the first clutch part is rotated in one direction relative to the second clutch part by the shaft of the motor/generator rotating in the direction for normal operation of the motor/generator and for engagement when the direction of relative rotation of the first and second clutch parts tends to reverse, the plant including means operable when required to effect relative rotation of the first and second clutch parts in the direction to engage the clutch means, and the clutch means including locking means operable when required to lock the clutch means in the engaged condition.

2. A plant according to claim 1 wherein the means for effecting relative rotation of the first and second clutch parts in the direction to engage the clutch means are constituted by means for electrically braking the shaft of the motor/generator when rotating in the direction for normal operation, said braking means having the characteristic that the shaft of the motor/generator when stopped by said braking means is then reversed in rotation sufficiently to engage the clutch means.

3. A plant according to claim 1 wherein the means for effecting relative rotation of the first and second clutch parts in the direction to engage the clutch means are constituted by means operable when required to rotate the shaft of the pump or compressor in the appropriate direction relative to the shaft of the motor/generator.

4. A plant according to claim 1 of the pumped storage type comprising a hydraulic turbine and a hydraulic pump, the plant including further clutch means between the turbine and the motor/generator, said further clutch means being of unidirectionally overrunning type with a first clutch part drivably connected to the shaft of the turbine and a second clutch part drivably connected to the shaft of the motor/generator, said further clutch means being arranged for overrunning when said second clutch part is rotated in one direction relative to said first clutch part by the shaft of the motor/generator rotating in the direction for normal operation and for engagement when said first clutch part is rotated relative to said second clutch part by the shaft of the turbine rotating in the direction for normal operation.

5. A plant according to claim 1 of the air storage type comprising a gas turbine and an air compressor, the plant including further clutch means between the turbine and the motor/generator, said further clutch means being of unidirectionally overrunning type with a first clutch part drivably connected to the shaft of the turbine and a second clutch part drivably connected to the shaft of the motor/generator, said further clutch means being arranged for overrunning when said second clutch part is rotated in one direction relative to said first clutch part by the shaft of the motor/generator rotating in the direction for normal operation and for engagement when said first clutch part is rotated relative to said second clutch part by the shaft of the turbine rotating in the direction for normal operation.