Underground watermill

• US 9,657,711 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2012
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E-Mill APS
• Original Assignee: E-Mill APS
• Inventors: Stausgaard, Carsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Gonzalez, Julio C.
• Application Number:
  US13/984,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20140062092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,929 Days
• Field of Search: 290 43, 290 54, 416101, 416 86, 416 85, 415 31, 4152101, 406191, 406192, 406194
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/00 Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus if the apparatus aspects are predominant, see the relevant subclasses for such apparatus, e.g. H02K7/18; Power stations or aggregates incorporating only machines or engines of positive-displacement type F03C; hydraulic engineering aspects E02B; combinations with wind energy converters F03D9/008
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/10 Submerged units incorporating electric generators or motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 17/062 with rotation axis substantially at right angle to 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: F03B 7/00 Water wheels of swinging flap type F03B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/20 within closed fluid conduits, e.g. pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/602 with energy recovery turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/50 Hydropower in dwellings
• 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

A waste-watermill for generating electrical energy from a flow of waste water running through an underground waste-water conduit. The flow of waste water defines a free surface and a flow direction inside the waste water conduit. The waste-watermill comprises 1) a water wheel for being driven by the flow of waste water in an undershot configuration, 2) an axle for defining an rotational axis for the water wheel, where the flow of waste water passes below and transverse to the rotational axis in the undershot configuration, 3) a wheel support for rotationally supporting the water wheel in the undershot configuration and in a stationary position relative to the underground waste-water conduit, and 4) an electric generator operatively connected with the water wheel and the axle for being driven by the water wheel to produce electrical energy.

Claims

1. A waste-watermill for generating electrical energy from a flow of waste water running through an underground waste water conduit having a top and a bottom, said waste water conduit being connected to an underground passageway and having an inner diameter, said flow of waste water defining a free water surface below the top of said waste water conduit and having a flow direction through said waste water conduit, said waste-watermill comprising:

a water wheel fixed to an axle defining a rotational axis for said water wheel, said rotational axis being defined above said free surface and transverse to said flow direction, whereby said water wheel is positioned relative to said waste water conduit so as to be rotated by said flow of waste water in an undershot configuration;

a wheel support rotationally supporting said axle, whereby said rotational axis is located below the top of said waste water conduit and closer to the top of said waste water conduit than to the bottom of said waste water conduit;

a watertight partition separating said waste water conduit from said underground passageway, said watertight partition defining a first side on which said water wheel is located, and an opposite second side, and an aperture having a seal through which a first end of said axle passes; and

an electric generator in said passageway on said second side of said watertight partition and operatively connected to said first end of said axle so as to be driven by said water wheel to produce electrical energy;

wherein said water wheel comprises a plurality of paddles connected to said axle by a paddle support disposed coaxially around said axle and having a cylindrical surface, each of said paddles extending radially from said cylindrical surface of said paddle support to a distal edge, said paddles being positioned and configured so as to be pushed by said flow of waste water to rotate said water wheel.

2. The waste-watermill of claim 1, wherein said paddle support has a first maximum extension perpendicular to said rotational axis and a second maximum extension parallel to said rotational axis, said first maximum extension being greater than said second maximum extension.

3. The waste-watermill of claim 1, wherein said water wheel is fixed to said axle, said wheel support rotationally supports said axle, and said electric generator is operatively connected with said water wheel via said axle.

4. The waste-watermill of claim 1, wherein each of said paddles defines a concave surface facing said flow of waste water.

5. The waste-watermill of claim 1, wherein each of said paddles comprises a narrow portion and a wide portion, said narrow portion being located closer to said rotational axis than said wide portion.

6. The waste-watermill of claim 1, wherein said generator is located at a first elevation from the bottom of said waste-water conduit, and said rotational axis is located at a second elevation from the bottom of said waste water conduit, said first elevation being at least equal to said second elevation.

7. The waster-watermill of claim 1, wherein said bottom of said conduit is defined by a wall surface having a curvature in cross-section, and wherein said distal edge has a curvature corresponding to the curvature of said wall defining said bottom of said waste water conduit.

8. The waste-watermill of claim 1, wherein said paddle support is configured as a hollow, airtight cylinder having an axis collinear with said axle.

9. A method for generating electrical energy from a flow of water running through an underground water conduit in an underground sewer structure, said water conduit being separated from an underground passageway by a watertight partition having opposite first and second sides and a sealed aperture therethrough, said water conduit having an inner diameter and a top and a bottom, said flow of water defining a free water surface below the top of said water conduit and having a flow direction through said water conduit, said method comprising:

(a) securing to said underground sewer structure on said first side of said watertight partition a water wheel operable for being driven by said flow of water, the water wheel having an axle defining a rotational axis for said water wheel, said axle having a first end passing through said sealed aperture in said watertight partition, said rotational axis being defined above said free surface and transverse to said flow direction, wherein said water wheel is rotationally supported relative to said water conduit such that said rotational axis is located below the top of said water conduit and closer to the top of said water conduit than to the bottom of said water conduit, wherein said water wheel includes a paddle support disposed coaxially around said axle, said paddle support having a cylindrical surface;

(b) attaching to said paddle support in situ a plurality of paddles, each of said paddles extending radially from said cylindrical surface of said paddle support to a distal edge, each of said paddles being configured for being pushed by said flow of water to drive said water wheel; and

(c) positioning an electrical generator in said passageway on said second side of said watertight partition and operatively connecting said first end of said axle to said electrical generator for driving said electric generator by the rotation of said water wheel.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said bottom of said water conduit is defined by a wall surface having a curvature, and wherein each of said paddles has a distal edge with a curvature conforming to the curvature of said bottom of said water conduit.