Underground watermill
First Claim
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.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
10 Claims
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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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:
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(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. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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Specification