Underwater ocean current energy power generation device

Abstract

The invention discloses an underwater ocean current energy power generation device. The device comprises a base, a supporting frame, a water turbine, a sealing cover, a gas storage assembly, a cabin and a motor. The supporting frame is fixedly arranged at the upper end of the base, the sealing cover is fixedly arranged at the upper end of the supporting frame, the air storage assembly and the cabin are arranged in the sealing cover, and the air storage assembly communicates with the cabin; the upper end of the main shaft penetrates through the cabin to be connected with the motor, the lower end of the main shaft is rotatably connected with the base, and the rotating wheel is fixedly arranged in the middle of the main shaft to drive the main shaft and the rotating wheel to rotate synchronously.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of ocean energy power generation, and particularly relates to an underwater ocean current energy power generation device. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, fossil fuels are the primary source of global energy supply, and their extensive use has led to increasingly severe global warming. Developing and utilizing clean and renewable energy sources has become a research hotspot in the global energy sector. The ocean possesses abundant energy resources, and ocean energy, as a clean and renewable energy form, holds significant application potential in powering underwater production systems.

[0003] The most prominent characteristics of deep-sea currents are their variable direction and great influence from the environment. Traditional power supply methods have many limitations: cable power supply is easily damaged by mechanical forces or ocean currents in deep water and complex sea areas, leading to power outages; battery systems have limited capacity and may cause pollution to the marine environment after disposal.

[0004] Furthermore, ocean current power generation devices need to operate in deep-sea environments. Traditional devices have extremely high requirements for the sealing of the main shaft, typically employing sealing rings and other sealing measures. This significantly increases the frictional resistance during main shaft rotation, resulting in substantial energy loss and reduced power generation efficiency. Simultaneously, condensation easily accumulates inside the engine room in deep-sea environments. If this condensation cannot be drained in time, it may affect the normal operation of internal electrical components. Moreover, when the air pressure and water level inside the engine room are unstable, the core power generation components are at risk of being submerged, further limiting the stability and lifespan of the device.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need to design an underwater ocean current power generation device to solve the problems mentioned above. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide an underwater current energy generation device that has the advantage of stable power supply and solves the limitations of traditional power supply solutions.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the specific technical solution of the underwater ocean current energy generation device of the present invention is as follows: An underwater current power generation device includes: a base, a support frame, a turbine, a sealing cover, a gas storage component, a nacelle, and a motor; The support frame is fixedly installed at the upper end of the base, the sealing cover is fixedly installed at the upper end of the support frame, the gas storage component and the cabin are installed inside the sealing cover, and the gas storage component is connected to the cabin. The turbine includes a main shaft and a runner. The upper end of the main shaft passes through the nacelle and is connected to the motor. The lower end of the main shaft is rotatably connected to the base. The runner is fixedly installed in the middle of the main shaft, driving the main shaft and the runner to rotate synchronously.

[0008] Furthermore, the wheel includes an upper connecting arm, a lower connecting arm, and blades. The upper connecting arm and the lower connecting arm are sleeved on the main shaft and fixed at intervals. The blades are rotatably disposed between the upper connecting arm and the lower connecting arm.

[0009] Furthermore, the wheel also includes a fixing rod, the upper end of which is fixedly connected to the upper connecting arm, and the lower end of which is fixedly connected to the lower connecting arm. The blade is rotatably sleeved on the fixing rod.

[0010] Furthermore, the blade is eccentrically fitted onto the fixed rod.

[0011] Furthermore, a limit unit is fixedly provided on the fixed rod.

[0012] Furthermore, the underwater current power generation device also includes a pressure detection component, which is disposed between the gas storage component and the nacelle.

[0013] Furthermore, the underwater current power generation device also includes a liquid level monitoring component, which is installed inside the cabin.

[0014] Furthermore, the underwater current power generation device also includes a controller, the input of which is connected to the pressure detection component and the liquid level monitoring component, and the output of which is connected to the gas storage component.

[0015] Furthermore, a condenser pipe is installed inside the cabin, and a through hole is provided on the top of the support frame. The through hole is located at the lower end of the condenser pipe and communicates with the condenser pipe.

[0016] Furthermore, the motor and the main shaft are connected via a transmission assembly.

[0017] The underwater ocean current energy generation device of the present invention has the following advantages: 1. Overcomes the limitations of traditional power supply: It does not rely on cables or batteries for power supply. It generates electricity autonomously through ocean currents, avoiding the problems of cables being easily damaged in deep and complex sea areas and ocean current interference. It also eliminates the risk of battery pollution and is suitable for the long-term power supply needs of underwater production systems. 2. Reduced energy loss: The transmission components and the engine compartment adopt a non-watertight design and have no sealing rings. Combined with a high-pressure air sealing system, the frictional resistance of the spindle rotation is greatly reduced, solving the problem of high energy loss in traditional sealing structures. 3. Improve energy capture efficiency: The eccentric installation of the blades, together with the limiting unit, constitutes a passive pitch system, which can adapt to the changing flow direction and low flow velocity marine environment, so that the blades always maintain the optimal angle of attack, significantly improving the energy capture efficiency of ocean currents. 4. Ensure stable operation of the device: The olive-shaped nacelle, condenser pipe and support frame through holes are matched to achieve efficient drainage of condensate; the gas storage component, pressure detection component, liquid level monitoring component and controller are linked to accurately control the water level and gas pressure in the nacelle, avoid water immersion of core components and extend the service life of the device. 5. Reliable structure and convenient maintenance: The connection of each component is stable, and the assembly structure of the fixing rod, connecting arm and blade is simple, which facilitates underwater installation and maintenance and reduces the cost of use. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of the underwater ocean current energy generation device of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional exploded view of the underwater ocean current power generation device of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the cabin of the underwater ocean current energy generation device of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the nacelle of the underwater current energy generation device of the present invention.

[0019] Explanation of markings in the diagram: 1. Base; 2. Support frame; 3. Turbine; 31. Main shaft; 32. Runner; 321. Upper connecting arm; 322. Lower connecting arm; 323. Blades; 4. Sealing cover; 5. Gas storage assembly; 6. Nacelle; 61. Condenser pipe; 7. Motor; 8. Transmission assembly; 81. Gearbox; 82. Coupling. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] Those skilled in the art will understand that although some embodiments herein include certain features included in other embodiments but not others, combinations of features from different embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention and form different embodiments. For example, in the claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

[0022] The following is a reference to the appendix. Figure 1 To be continued Figure 4 This invention describes an underwater ocean current energy generation device.

[0023] like Figure 1 As for Figure 3 As shown, an underwater current power generation device includes: a base 1, a support frame 2, a water turbine 3, a sealing cover 4, a gas storage component 5, a nacelle 6, and a motor 7; The support frame 2 is fixedly installed on the upper end of the base 1 to provide stable support for the entire device. The sealing cover 4 is fixedly installed on the upper end of the support frame 2 to form a closed protective space. The gas storage component 5 and the cabin 6 are installed inside the sealing cover 4, and the gas storage component 5 is connected to the cabin 6 to replenish high-pressure gas into the cabin 6. The cabin 6 has an olive-shaped structure, with its bottom designed to allow partial water ingress, and the remaining parts are designed with high-pressure air sealing. The cabin 6 is filled with high-pressure gas through the gas storage component 5 to balance the underwater pressure and maintain the internal water level at a predetermined safe position to prevent core components such as the motor 7 and transmission component 8 from being submerged in water. The two ends of the olive-shaped cabin 6 have an arc-shaped transition structure, and the inner wall of the cabin 6 is smoothed to facilitate the flow and discharge of condensate along the wall surface. Specifically, the base 1 is made of corrosion-resistant, high-strength alloy material and is fixedly connected to the seabed foundation, providing a stable installation base for the entire device. The support frame 2 is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the base 1 by bolts. The support frame 2 adopts a frame structure, which combines support strength and water permeability. Its top is fixedly connected to the sealing cover 4 by welding. The sealing cover 4 is made of pressure-resistant and waterproof material, forming a closed protective space to prevent external seawater from directly impacting the internal components.

[0024] Specifically, the sealed enclosure 4 houses a gas storage component 5 and a cabin 6. The gas storage component 5 includes three high-pressure chambers pre-filled with high-pressure nitrogen. These three high-pressure chambers are evenly distributed around the outer perimeter of the cabin 6 and connected to the cabin 6 via pipes. Pressure regulating valves are installed on the pipes and are connected to the output signal of the controller. The cabin 6 has an olive-shaped structure, made of lightweight, high-strength alloy, with arc-shaped transitions at both ends and a polished inner wall. A pre-reserved water inlet is provided at the bottom of the cabin 6 to allow a small amount of seawater to enter and balance some of the pressure. The remaining parts are designed with high-pressure air sealing. High-pressure gas is injected into the cabin 6 through the gas storage component 5 to balance the internal air pressure with the external water pressure, maintaining the internal water level at a predetermined safe position and ensuring that core components such as the motor 7 and transmission components 8 are not submerged.

[0025] The turbine 3 includes a main shaft 31 and a runner 32. The upper end of the main shaft 31 passes through the nacelle 6 and is connected to the motor 7. The motor 7 is connected to the main shaft 31 through a transmission assembly 8, preferably a gearbox 81. The gearbox 81 is connected to the main shaft 31 through a coupling 82. The connection between the transmission assembly 8 and the nacelle 6 is non-watertight and does not have a sealing ring. By cooperating with the high-pressure air-sealed nacelle 6, the frictional resistance of the main shaft 31 during rotation is reduced, thus reducing energy loss. The lower end of the main shaft 31 is rotatably connected to the base 1 to ensure stable rotation of the main shaft 31. The runner 32 is fixedly installed in the middle of the main shaft 31, driving the main shaft 31 and the runner 32 to rotate synchronously, realizing the conversion of ocean current energy into mechanical energy.

[0026] Specifically, the turbine 3 includes a main shaft 31 and a runner 32. The main shaft 31 is made of stainless steel. Its lower end is rotatably connected to the base 1 via a bearing. Its upper end passes through the nacelle 6 and is connected to the motor 7 via a transmission assembly 8. No sealing ring is provided at the connection between the transmission assembly 8 and the nacelle 6. It adopts a non-watertight design and uses the high-pressure air in the nacelle 6 to form an invisible sealing barrier, which not only prevents a large amount of seawater from entering, but also greatly reduces the frictional resistance when the main shaft 31 rotates.

[0027] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 As shown, the rotating wheel 32 includes an upper connecting arm 321, a lower connecting arm 322, and a blade 323. The upper connecting arm 321 and the lower connecting arm 322 are sleeved on the main shaft 31 and fixed at intervals. The blade 323 is rotatably disposed between the upper connecting arm 321 and the lower connecting arm 322.

[0028] Furthermore, the rotating wheel 32 also includes a fixing rod, the upper end of which is fixedly connected to the upper connecting arm 321, and the lower end of which is fixedly connected to the lower connecting arm 322. The blade 323 is rotatably sleeved on the fixing rod, and the fixing rod provides stable rotational support for the blade 323.

[0029] Furthermore, the blade 323 is eccentrically sleeved on the fixed rod.

[0030] Furthermore, a limiting unit is fixedly provided on the fixed rod. Preferably, the limiting unit is a mechanical stop, which limits the rotation range of the blade 323 within a preset effective angle range, thus forming a hydrodynamic adaptive passive pitch system. This allows the blade 323 to automatically adjust to the optimal angle of attack according to the direction and velocity of the water flow, thereby improving energy capture efficiency.

[0031] Specifically, the impeller 32 is fixedly installed in the middle of the main shaft 31, including an upper connecting arm 321, a lower connecting arm 322, a blade 323, and a fixing rod. The upper connecting arm 321 and the lower connecting arm 322 are both disc-shaped structures, which are connected to the main shaft 31 by a key and fixed at intervals. The two are connected by a uniformly distributed fixing rod, and the two ends of the fixing rod are welded to the upper connecting arm 321 and the lower connecting arm 322 respectively. The blade 323 adopts a streamlined design and is eccentrically fitted on the fixing rod. A mechanical stop is welded on the fixing rod as a limiting unit to limit the rotation angle of the blade 323 within the effective range of -30° to 60°, so that the blade 323 can automatically adjust the angle of attack under the action of water flow to achieve passive pitch control.

[0032] Furthermore, the underwater current power generation device also includes a pressure detection component, which is located between the gas storage component 5 and the cabin 6, and is used to monitor the air pressure inside the cabin 6 in real time.

[0033] Furthermore, the underwater current power generation device also includes a liquid level monitoring component, which is installed inside the cabin 6 and is used to detect the water level in the cabin 6 in real time.

[0034] Furthermore, the underwater current power generation device also includes a controller. The input of the controller is connected to the pressure detection component and the liquid level monitoring component, and the output of the controller is connected to the gas storage component 5 to form a closed-loop control. The gas storage component 5 includes multiple high-pressure chambers pre-filled with high-pressure gas. The high-pressure chambers are evenly distributed around the outer perimeter of the nacelle 6 to ensure a stable supply of high-pressure gas. The control process is as follows: the gas storage component 5 fills the nacelle 6 with high-pressure air. The pressure detection component monitors the internal pressure in real time. At the same time, the liquid level monitoring component identifies whether the internal water level has reached the safety line. If the safety line has been reached, the controller controls the gas storage component 5 to stop filling the gas. Otherwise, it continues to fill the gas to maintain a stable water level and air pressure in the nacelle 6.

[0035] Specifically, the device is also equipped with a pressure detection component using a pressure sensor and a liquid level monitoring component using a liquid level sensor and controller. The pressure detection component is installed on the connecting pipe between the gas storage component 5 and the engine room 6 to monitor the gas pressure inside the engine room 6 in real time. The liquid level monitoring component is installed on the inner side wall of the engine room 6 to detect the water level. The input end of the controller is connected to the pressure detection component and the liquid level monitoring component via cable signal, and the output end is connected to the gas pressure regulating valve of the gas storage component 5 to form a closed-loop control: when the liquid level monitoring component detects that the water level is higher than the safety line, the controller controls the gas pressure regulating valve to close, and the gas storage component 5 stops filling the engine room 6 with gas; when the water level is lower than the safety line and the pressure detection component detects insufficient gas pressure, the controller controls the valve to open, and the high-pressure chamber replenishes high-pressure gas to the engine room 6 to ensure stable water level and gas pressure.

[0036] Furthermore, such as Figure 4 As shown, a condenser pipe 61 is installed inside the cabin 6. A through hole is provided on the top of the support frame 2. The through hole is located at the lower end of the condenser pipe 61 and communicates with the condenser pipe 61. The condenser pipe 61 is laid along the inner wall of the cabin 6 and the outlet end extends to the bottom of the cabin 6. The condensate generated in the cabin 6 flows along the smooth olive-shaped inner wall of the cabin 6 to the bottom and is then introduced into the through hole through the condenser pipe 61 and finally discharged outside the device to avoid the accumulation of condensate.

[0037] Specifically, the interior of the cabin 6 is also equipped with condenser pipes 61. The condenser pipes 61 are made of copper pipes and are laid along the inner wall of the cabin 6. The inlet end is close to the top of the cabin 6 and the outlet end extends to the bottom of the cabin 6. The top of the support frame 2 has through holes corresponding to the number of condenser pipes 61. The outlet end of the condenser pipe 61 is precisely connected to the through hole. The condensate generated in the cabin 6 flows along the smooth inner wall to the bottom and is then introduced into the through hole through the condenser pipe 61 and finally discharged to the outside of the device.

[0038] The workflow of this invention is as follows: The ocean current acts on the blades 323, which rotate around the fixed rod under the pressure of the water flow. Through the eccentric installation design and the constraint of the limiting unit, the blades 323 automatically adjust to the optimal angle of attack to maximize the capture of ocean current energy and drive the impeller 32 to rotate synchronously. The impeller 32 drives the main shaft 31 to rotate, and the main shaft 31 transmits mechanical energy to the gearbox 81 through the non-watertight transmission component 8. The gearbox 81 adjusts the speed and torque to drive the motor 7. The motor 7 converts mechanical energy into electrical energy to power the underwater production system. During operation, the pressure detection component and the liquid level monitoring component monitor the air pressure and water level in the engine room 6 in real time. The controller adjusts the inflation status of the gas storage component 5 according to the monitoring data to maintain the stability of the internal environment. The condensate generated in the engine room 6 flows along the smooth inner wall to the bottom and is discharged through the condenser pipe 61 and the through hole to ensure the continuous and stable operation of the device.

[0039] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make other variations or modifications based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An underwater ocean current energy generation device, characterized in that, include: Base, support frame, turbine, sealing cover, gas storage components, engine room and motor; The support frame is fixedly installed at the upper end of the base, the sealing cover is fixedly installed at the upper end of the support frame, the gas storage component and the cabin are installed inside the sealing cover, and the gas storage component is connected to the cabin. The turbine includes a main shaft and a runner. The upper end of the main shaft passes through the nacelle and is connected to the motor. The lower end of the main shaft is rotatably connected to the base. The runner is fixedly installed in the middle of the main shaft, driving the main shaft and the runner to rotate synchronously.

2. The underwater current energy generation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wheel includes an upper connecting arm, a lower connecting arm, and blades. The upper connecting arm and the lower connecting arm are sleeved on the main shaft and fixed at intervals. The blades are rotatably disposed between the upper connecting arm and the lower connecting arm.

3. The underwater ocean current power generation device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The wheel also includes a fixing rod, the upper end of which is fixedly connected to the upper connecting arm, and the lower end of which is fixedly connected to the lower connecting arm. The blade is rotatably sleeved on the fixing rod.

4. The underwater ocean current power generation device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The blade is eccentrically mounted on the fixed rod.

5. The underwater ocean current power generation device according to claim 3, characterized in that, A limit unit is fixedly installed on the fixed rod.

6. The underwater current energy generation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a pressure detection component, which is disposed between the gas storage component and the cabin.

7. The underwater current energy generation device according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes a liquid level monitoring component, which is located inside the cabin.

8. The underwater current energy generation device according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a controller, the input of which is connected to the pressure detection component and the liquid level monitoring component, and the output of which is connected to the gas storage component.

9. The underwater ocean current power generation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cabin is equipped with a condenser pipe, and the top of the support frame is provided with a through hole, which is located at the lower end of the condenser pipe and communicates with it.

10. The underwater current energy generation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The motor is connected to the main shaft via a transmission assembly.

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