Hydroelectric power plant designed to transform the potential energy of compressed gas into mechanical and electrical energy through the potential energy of liquids

• US 6,990,809 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2004
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Afif Abouraphael
• Original Assignee: Afif Abouraphael
• Inventors: Abouraphael, Afif
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOANG M
• Application Number:
  US10/862,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20050247055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 604/95, 604/96
• US Class Current: 60/496
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 17/02 using hydrostatic thrust
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2210/401 upwards due to the buoyancy of compressed air
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/20 Hydro energy

Abstract

A renewable energy power generating plant is disclosed. It uses the renewable energy of fluids according to Archmedes Principale. It includes a liquid-filled pool, an endless chain looping around lower and upper cogwheels, containers attached to chain links receiving compressed air in the bottom of the pool, gas under pressure from black smokers in the sea bottom, or highly compressed natural gas using only its excess pressure. The ascending containers are propelled by a growing buoyant force during their ascent. According to Boyle'"'"'s law, the volume of compressed gas injected into each ascending container expands and displaces an increasing quantity of liquid at shallower depths due to lower pressures. The weight of the liquid displaced by gas in ascending containers creates a steady torque on the axle of the upper cogwheel. The resultant rotation is transformed into an abundant source of energy adaptable to a wide range of applications.

Claims

1. Hydroelectric power plant designed to transform the potential energy of compressed gas into mechanical and electrical energy through the potential energy of liquids including:

A relatively deep pool filled with a liquid,

an endless chain looping around a first and a second wheel,

the first wheel is located in the bottom of the pool, and is used to adjust the tension of the endless chain, while the compressed gas passes through it into containers,

the second wheel, located in the top of the pool, is used as a driving wheel to transform the linear buoyant force of the containers through the rotation of the endless chain,

the containers, fastened to the links of the endless chain, are recipients for the compressed gas;

the volume of the compressed gas expands as the pressure decreases at shallower depths according to the position of the container in the pool during its ascent, while expelling the liquid out through the drillings located near the opening of the container, thereby creating a growing buoyant force which is equal to the weight of the displaced liquid,

a device used for the distribution of compressed gas into the containers as they loop around the first wheel on an arc between the lower horizontal position, at which point the compressed gas starts flowing, and the ascending vertical position, at which point the compressed gas ceases flowing, as the containers move off the first wheel in succession, propelled upward toward the second wheel by buoyancy,

the power plant is characterized by the device used for the distribution of compressed gas into each container, including;

a groove milled into the bore of the stationary part of the rotary transfer joint mounted on the shaft of the first wheel permitting the transfer of compressed gas simultaneously and continuously without interruption only to those containers positioned on the arc of the first wheel between the lower horizontal and ascending vertical positions depending on the direction of rotation, permitting the injection of the predetermined quantity of compressed gas required for the proper functioning of the power plant,

drillings, machined axially in the peripheral part of the shaft of the first wheel, radially in the first wheel itself and radially in the chain links used to transfer the compressed gas to the adjacent containers,

an alignment of each axial drilling in the shaft of the first wheel with a corresponding radial drilling in the first wheel itself, so that the compressed gas starts to flow into each container as it arrives at the lower horizontal position on the first wheel,

the outside surface of the first wheel is machined to form a tight fit with the inside surface of the chain links as they pass by, so that the drillings of the first wheel and the drillings of the chain links line up, permitting the transfer of compressed gas without leaks at the appropriate time to the adjacent containers,

an airtight fit between the inside diameter of the bore of the stationary part of the rotary transfer joint and the outside diameter of the shaft of the first wheel, to prevent the compressed gas present in the groove milled in the stationary part of the rotary transfer joint from going into the other drillings which are not yet ready to transfer gas toward any other container.

2. Hydroelectric power plant as claimed in claim 1 and characterized in addition by:

The containers all have the same form and dimensions,

each container has a half cover to help retain the compressed gas flowing into the container as it arrives at the horizontal position on the first wheel thereby permitting complete injection of the predetermined quantity of compressed gas into each ascending container.

3. Hydroelectric power plant as claimed in claim 1 or 2 and characterized in addition by:

The milled groove in the stationary part of the rotary transfer joint may be enlarged to enhance the injection of compressed gas into descending containers before they reach the lower horizontal position as long as the compressed gas does not escape from the container, The half cover will help prevent this from happening,

If this optional configuration is used, the insignificant effect of negative buoyancy on the descending container is counterbalanced by the additional positive buoyancy on the ascending container located between the lower horizontal and ascending vertical positions,

Overall, the cumulative volume of the additional compressed gas in all ascending containers has a strongly positive impact on the buoyancy already created by the weight of the liquid displaced by the volume of compressed gas injected between the lower horizontal and ascending vertical position.