Hydraulic power generation motor

• US 8,770,915 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2009
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Myung O.K. Hwang
• Original Assignee: Myung O.K. Hwang
• Inventors: Lim, Byung Doo
• Primary Examiner(s): White, Dwayne J
• Application Number:
  US13/122,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20110187111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,845 Days
• Field of Search: 415/3.1, 415/4.1, 415/4.3, 415/4.5, 415/53.1, 415/210.1, 416/196.R, 416/196.A, 416/197.A, 416/197.B, 290/43, 290/54
• US Class Current: 415/3.1
• 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: H02K 7/1823 structurally associated with turbines or similar engines
• 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: Y02E 60/16 Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids

Abstract

A hydraulic power generation motor includes a tubular body (4) including a pair of coupling flanges (12) formed at opposite ends thereof and an impeller housing (8) formed in an intermediate portion thereof, the coupling flanges (12) being connectable to fluid conduits (10) through which fluid flows. An impeller (38) is rotatably installed within the impeller housing (8) of the tubular body (4), the impeller (38) being designed to be rotated by the fluid and operatively connected to a generator (40) for generating an electric power.

Claims

1. A hydraulic power generation motor, comprising:

a tubular body (4) including a pair of coupling flanges (12) formed at opposite ends thereof and an impeller housing (8) formed in an intermediate portion thereof, the coupling flanges (12) being connectable to fluid conduits (10) through which fluid flows; and

an impeller (38) rotatably installed within the impeller housing (8) of the tubular body (4), the impeller (38) being designed to be rotated by the fluid and operatively connected to a generator (40) for generating an electric power,

wherein the impeller housing (8) includes;

a circumferential portion (20) having access openings (6) formed at side surfaces thereof;

a pair of housing covers (28) attached to the side surfaces to close the access openings (6), each of the housing covers (28) having a shaft-receiving hole (26);

a first bearing cover (34a) attached to one of the housing covers (28) to close the shaft-receiving hole (26) and designed to hold a bearing (36) for rotatably supporting the impeller (38); and

a second bearing cover (34b) attached to the other housing cover (28) and provided with a through-hole;

wherein the impeller (38) includes an impeller shaft (24) inserted into the shaft-receiving holes (26) of the housing covers (28) and operatively connected to the generator (40), a plurality of vanes extending in a tangential direction from an outer circumferential surface of the impeller shaft (24) and having rounded edges, and a plurality of reinforcing plates (44) arranged to interconnect the vanes (42) in a spaced-apart relationship with the impeller shaft (24) so gaps (46) exist between the reinforcing plates (44) and the impeller shaft (24).

2. The hydraulic power generation motor of claim 1, wherein at least part of the tubular body (4) comprises a planar bottom surface and a curved top surface.