Miniature hydro-power generation system

• US 7,233,078 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baarman, David W., Lautzenheiser, Terry Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Schuberg; Darren
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohandesi; Iraj A.
• Application Number:
  US11/072,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20050161949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 290/40, 290/43, 290/54, 290/52
• US Class Current: 290/43
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/32 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/325 Irradiation devices or lamp constructions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/009 Apparatus with independent power supply, e.g. solar cells, windpower, fuel cells for electrolysis apparatus C02F2201/46165
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3222 Units using UV-light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/326 Lamp control systems
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/006 comprising a software program or a logic diagram
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2307/06 Mounted on or being part of a faucet, shower handle or showerhead
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/20 Portable or detachable small-scale multistage treatment devices, e.g. point of use or laboratory water purification systems
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/08 Jet regulators or jet guides, e.g. anti-splash devices
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2201/40 Arrangement of water treatment devices in domestic plumbing installations
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 1/00 Engines of impulse type, i.e. turbines with jets of high-velocity liquid impinging on blades or like rotors, e.g. Pelton wheels; Parts or details peculiar thereto
• 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: F05B 2220/602 with energy recovery turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/2411 Pelton type
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1823 structurally associated with turbines or similar engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/212 Solar-powered wastewater sewage treatment, e.g. spray evaporation
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49009 : Dynamoelectric machine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49229 : Prime mover or fluid pump making

Abstract

A miniature hydro-power generation system may produce electric power from a flow of liquid. The miniature hydro-power generation system may include a housing that includes a plurality of paddles positioned to extend outwardly from an outer surface of the housing. The system may also include a nozzle and a centering rod extending through the housing. The housing may rotate around the centering rod when a stream of liquid from the nozzle is directed at the paddles. A generator that includes a rotor and a stator may be positioned within a cavity of the housing. The rotor may be coupled with the housing and the stator may be coupled with the centering rod. The rotor may rotate around the stator at high RPM to generate electric power when the housing rotates. The electric power may supply a load and/or may be stored in an energy storage device.

Claims

1. A hydro-power generation system, comprising:

a housing comprising a plurality of paddles that are generally concaved and positioned to extend outwardly from an outer surface of the housing, wherein each of the paddles is oriented to be perpendicular with the outer surface and includes a base configured to be coupled with the outer surface to form a portion of a concentric ring adjacent to the outer surface that is formed by the paddles;

only one nozzle configured to direct a single stream of liquid at the paddles to induce rotation of the housing wherein each of the paddles comprise a first elliptically shaped paddle section and a second elliptically shape paddle section that are configured to receive the single stream of liquid;

a centering rod extending through the housing, the housing rotatable around the centering rod in response to liquid striking the paddles; and

an electrical generator disposed within the housing, wherein the electrical generator comprises a stator coupled with the centering rod and a rotor coupled with an interior surface of the housing, wherein the rotor rotates adjacent to the stator as the housing rotates to produce electric power.

2. The hydro-power generation system of claim 1, wherein the nozzle comprises an axial bore having a nozzle outlet with a diameter of less than about two millimeters and the housing is rotatable at more than about 5000 revolutions-per-minute by the stream of liquid.

3. The hydro-power generation system of claim 1, wherein the housing is generally cylindrical with a diameter that is less than about 40 millimeters.

4. The hydro-power generation system of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a plurality of vents that allow liquid communication with the electrical generator, the vents configured around the outer surface to minimize the amount of liquid present in the housing when the housing is rotated so that the housing remains substantially filled with gas.

5. The hydro-power generation system of claim 1, wherein the nozzle comprises a rib extending through a passageway of the nozzle to minimize swirling of liquid flowing through the passageway.

6. The hydro-power generation system of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to rotate above about 5000 revolutions-per-minute by the stream of liquid flowing at between about 0.44 liters per minute and about 4.16 liters per minute.

7. The hydro-power generation system of claim 1, further comprising an outer housing enclosing the housing, wherein the outer housing is coupled with the nozzle and comprises an outlet and a plurality of fingers positioned along a plurality of channels on an interior surface of the outer housing to channel liquid to the outlet.

8. The hydro-power generation system of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to monitor the electric power produced by the electrical generator.

9. The hydro-power generation system of claim 1, further comprising a processor and a display, the processor configured to drive the display to provide a system status indication.

10. A hydro-power generation system, comprising:

a nozzle, wherein the nozzle comprises a passageway between a nozzle inlet and nozzle outlet, the passageway comprising a first straight section, a tapered section contiguous with the first straight section, and a second straight section that forms the nozzle outlet;

a housing having a cavity, a plurality of vents coaxially disposed on an outer surface of the housing and a plurality of paddles mounted perpendicular to the outer surface of the housing, wherein the nozzle is configured to direct a stream of liquid at the paddles to induce rotation of the housing, the vents configured to evacuate liquid from the cavity when the housing is rotated so that the cavity remains substantially dry;

a centering rod extending through the housing, the housing rotatable around the centering rod; and

an electric generator disposed within the cavity, the electric generator comprising a stator coupled with the centering rod, and a rotor coupled with the housing, wherein the rotor is positioned in the housing to rotate adjacent to the stator when the housing rotates.

11. The hydro-power generation system of claim 10, wherein the vents provide liquid communication between the cavity and the outer surface of the housing to remove liquid by centrifugal force from the cavity when the housing is rotated.

12. The hydro-power generation system of claim 10, wherein the passageway further comprises a first angled section that forms the nozzle inlet and is contiguous with the first straight section and a second angled section contiguous with the tapered section and the second straight section.

13. The hydro-power generation system of claim 10, wherein the nozzle comprises a first straight section adjacent an inlet of the nozzle and a second straight section with a diameter less than about 1.9 millimeters forming an outlet of the nozzle.

14. The hydro-power generation system of claim 13, wherein the housing is rotatable at more than about 5000 revolutions-per-minute by the stream of liquid.

15. The hydro-power generation system of claim 14, wherein the housing is generally cylindrical with a diameter that is less than about 40 millimeters.

16. The hydro-power generation system of claim 10, wherein the nozzle comprises a passageway having a rib that extends outwardly from an interior surface of the passageway toward a central axis of the passageway to minimize non-laminar flow of liquid through the passageway.

17. The hydro-power generation system of claim 10, wherein the nozzle is only one nozzle, and the housing is configured to rotate at about 5000 revolutions-per-minute or greater when induced to rotate by the stream of liquid from the nozzle flowing between about 0.44 liters/minute and about 4.16 liters/minute.

18. The hydro-power generation system of claim 10, wherein the nozzle comprises a nozzle outlet, the diameter of the nozzle outlet is less than about 1.9 millimeters.

19. The hydro-power generation system of claim 18, wherein the diameter of the housing is less than about 40 millimeters.

20. The hydro-power generation system of claim 10, wherein the nozzle comprises a passageway with a first diameter adjacent an inlet of the nozzle and a second diameter forming an outlet of the nozzle, wherein the second diameter is about 33% or less of the first diameter.