A natural draft cooling tower residual pressure power generation system and a power generation method

Abstract

The application discloses a natural ventilation cooling tower residual pressure power generation system and a power generation method, and relates to the technical field of energy recycling, which comprises a cooling tower cylinder, a channel for air circulation, a flow guide assembly arranged in the channel of the cooling tower cylinder and used for guiding and converging the natural wind flow rising in the tower, a fan assembly arranged in the contraction section of the channel of the cooling tower cylinder, the fan assembly comprising a fan shell cover and fan blades arranged in the fan shell cover, the flow guide assembly conveying the guided natural wind to the fan blades, a power generation mechanism arranged at the bottom of the cooling tower cylinder, and a connecting shaft, one end of the connecting shaft being connected with the fan blades and the other end of the connecting shaft extending downward to the bottom of the cooling tower cylinder and being connected with the input end of the power generation mechanism, which is used for transmitting the rotary kinetic energy of the fan blades to the power generation mechanism to generate power. The application converts the originally idle natural wind residual pressure energy into usable electric energy, and fundamentally improves the comprehensive energy utilization rate of the cooling tower.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of energy recovery and utilization technology, specifically to a natural ventilation cooling tower residual pressure power generation system and power generation method. Background Technology

[0002] Natural draft cooling towers are widely used in industrial fields such as large thermal power units and nuclear power plants. Their core function is to cool the hot water generated during industrial production through heat exchange. The working principle of existing natural draft cooling towers is to use the chimney effect to draw in ambient air from the bottom. The drawn-in ambient air and the hot water sprayed down inside the tower form a counter-current heat exchange, so that the hot water is cooled and recycled. The hot air after heat exchange is discharged from the top of the cooling tower.

[0003] During the above-mentioned operation, the rising natural airflow formed by the chimney effect in the cooling tower contains a certain amount of fluid kinetic energy (i.e., residual pressure energy). This part of the energy is not effectively utilized in the existing technology and is directly lost with the hot air, resulting in energy waste, which does not meet the current development needs of energy conservation, emission reduction and efficient resource utilization.

[0004] To address the problem of wasted residual pressure energy in existing natural ventilation cooling towers, this invention proposes a natural ventilation cooling tower residual pressure power generation system and corresponding power generation method. By guiding, converging, and converting the natural airflow within the cooling tower into kinetic energy, residual pressure energy is recovered and used for power generation, effectively improving energy utilization. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a natural ventilation cooling tower residual pressure power generation system and power generation method to overcome the technical problem that the residual pressure energy contained in the natural airflow inside the tower is not utilized and is directly lost during the operation of existing natural ventilation cooling towers, resulting in energy waste.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a natural draft cooling tower waste pressure power generation system, comprising: Cooling tower shell, a channel for air circulation; A flow guiding component is installed in the channel of the cooling tower body to guide and gather the rising natural airflow inside the tower; A fan assembly is disposed in the constricted section of the cooling tower cylinder channel. The fan assembly includes a fan housing and fan blades disposed inside the fan housing. The airflow guiding assembly delivers the guided natural air to the fan blades. The power generation mechanism is located at the bottom of the cooling tower cylinder; A connecting shaft is provided, with one end connected to the fan blades and the other end extending downwards to the bottom of the cooling tower body and connected to the input end of the power generation mechanism. This shaft is used to transfer the rotational kinetic energy of the fan blades to the power generation mechanism for generating electricity.

[0007] Furthermore, the flow guiding assembly includes multiple support rods evenly distributed around the central axis of the cooling tower body, and multiple flow guiding blades arranged at axial intervals along each support rod.

[0008] Furthermore, the mounting angles of the plurality of guide vanes gradually increase from bottom to top along the support rod, and the uppermost guide vane is configured to direct natural wind toward the central region of the fan blades.

[0009] Furthermore, the fan housing is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the contraction section of the cooling tower body, and the fan blades are connected to the connecting shaft via bearings.

[0010] Furthermore, the connecting shaft is a rigid shaft, which is supported and positioned by a bearing seat disposed inside the cooling tower cylinder.

[0011] Furthermore, the power generation mechanism includes a generator and a speed-increasing gearbox, with the input end of the speed-increasing gearbox connected to the connecting shaft and the output end connected to the rotor of the generator.

[0012] Furthermore, it also includes a control unit, which is electrically connected to the power generation mechanism and is used to monitor power generation, voltage or frequency, and to perform grid connection or load control.

[0013] Furthermore, the control unit is also connected to a wind speed sensor or a rotation speed sensor to monitor the wind speed or rotation speed at the fan blades.

[0014] Furthermore, the fan blades are made of fiberglass, aluminum alloy, or carbon fiber composite material, and a protective sleeve is fitted over the connecting shaft.

[0015] Secondly, the present invention also provides a method for generating electricity using a natural draft cooling tower residual pressure system. The method, employing the aforementioned natural draft cooling tower residual pressure power generation system, includes the following steps: The natural airflow generated inside the cooling tower is guided and converged by the flow guiding components; The converged airflow is used to drive the fan blades to rotate. The rotational kinetic energy is transferred to the power generation mechanism at the bottom via a connecting shaft and converted into electrical energy.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial technical effects: This invention provides a natural ventilation cooling tower waste pressure power generation system. The airflow channel formed by the cooling tower cylinder precisely captures the natural upward airflow generated by the temperature difference within the tower. This airflow, originally a byproduct of the cooling tower's heat dissipation process, is not effectively utilized and dissipates directly. By installing a flow guiding component within the channel, the dispersed and disordered natural wind is guided and gathered, then delivered to the fan blades of the fan assembly, converting the kinetic energy of the natural wind into the mechanical rotational kinetic energy of the fan blades. Finally, the kinetic energy is transferred to the power generation mechanism at the bottom of the tower via a connecting shaft, completing the conversion of mechanical kinetic energy into electrical energy. The entire architecture establishes a complete energy utilization chain, encompassing temperature difference-based air generation, flow guiding and energy collection, kinetic energy conversion, and electrical energy output, transforming the previously idle natural wind waste pressure energy into usable electrical energy, fundamentally improving the overall energy utilization rate of the cooling tower.

[0017] This invention is entirely based on the existing ventilation channel design of the cooling tower. The airflow guiding components and fan components are all installed inside the cylinder channel, without changing the main structure of the cooling tower cylinder or affecting its core heat dissipation function. While realizing waste energy recovery and power generation, it ensures the normal operation of the cooling tower and avoids reducing the performance of the main equipment due to energy recovery. It achieves dual functionality of heat dissipation and power generation, further enhancing the practical application value of improving energy utilization. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a natural ventilation cooling tower residual pressure power generation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] In the diagram, 1 is the cooling tower body; 2 is the fan housing; 3 is the fan blade; 4 is the support rod; 5 is the guide vane; 6 is the connecting shaft; and 7 is the power generation mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0020] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the drawings and description are considered to be exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0021] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0022] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0023] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0024] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0025] It should be understood that, when used in this specification and the appended claims, the terms "comprising" and "including" indicate the presence of the described features, integrals, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components and / or collections thereof.

[0026] It should also be understood that the terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0027] It should also be further understood that the term "and / or" as used in this specification and the appended claims refers to any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0028] The accompanying drawings illustrate various structural schematic diagrams according to embodiments disclosed in this invention. These drawings are not to scale, and some details have been enlarged for clarity, and some details may have been omitted. The shapes of the various regions and layers shown in the drawings, as well as their relative sizes and positional relationships, are merely exemplary and may deviate from reality due to manufacturing tolerances or technical limitations. Furthermore, those skilled in the art can design regions / layers with different shapes, sizes, and relative positions as needed.

[0029] See Figure 1 This invention provides a natural draft cooling tower waste pressure power generation system, comprising: Cooling tower body 1 is a channel for air circulation. The temperature difference inside the cooling tower causes natural airflow to rise. A flow guiding component is installed in the channel of the cooling tower body 1 to guide and gather the rising natural airflow inside the tower; A fan assembly is disposed in the constricted section of the channel of the cooling tower body 1. The fan assembly includes a fan housing 2 and fan blades 3 disposed inside the fan housing 2. The airflow guiding assembly delivers the guided natural air to the fan blades 3. The power generation mechanism 7 is located at the bottom of the cooling tower body 1; A connecting shaft 6 is provided, with one end connected to the fan blade 3 and the other end extending downward to the bottom of the cooling tower body 1 and connected to the input end of the power generation mechanism 7, for transmitting the rotational kinetic energy of the fan blade 3 to the power generation mechanism 7 to generate electricity.

[0030] The cooling tower body 1 forms an air circulation channel, and the high and low temperature difference inside the tower causes the natural airflow to rise. The guide component set in the channel guides and converges the rising natural airflow, so that the dispersed airflow becomes a concentrated airflow and is delivered to the fan blades 3 located in the contraction section of the cooling tower body. The concentrated airflow impacts the fan blades 3, causing them to rotate and converting the air kinetic energy into mechanical rotational kinetic energy. The connecting shaft 6 transmits the rotational kinetic energy of the fan blades 3 to the power generation mechanism 7 located at the bottom of the cooling tower. The power generation mechanism converts the mechanical kinetic energy into electrical energy, ultimately realizing the purpose of generating electricity using the residual pressure natural wind energy of the natural ventilation cooling tower and improving energy utilization efficiency.

[0031] In a more specific embodiment of the present invention, the airflow guiding assembly includes multiple support rods 4 evenly distributed around the central axis of the cooling tower body 1, ensuring that the airflow guiding blades 5 can fully cover the airflow channel. The multiple airflow guiding blades 5 are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of each support rod 4, which can guide the rising airflow at different heights in layers to avoid airflow leakage. Through the joint action of the spaced airflow guiding blades 5, the efficient guidance and convergence of natural airflow is achieved, providing a stable concentrated airflow for the subsequent driving fan blades 3.

[0032] In a more specific embodiment of the present invention, the installation angles of the plurality of guide vanes 5 gradually increase from bottom to top along the support rod 4, and the uppermost guide vane 5 is configured to guide the natural wind toward the central region of the fan blade 3. In this embodiment, by optimizing the installation angles of the guide vanes 5, the airflow convergence effect and driving efficiency are improved. The gradual increase in installation angles of the plurality of guide vanes 5 from bottom to top along the support rod 4 allows the dispersed airflow at the lower position to be gradually regulated and guided, and the airflow guidance gradually increases with height; at the same time, the uppermost guide vane 5 is configured to guide the natural wind toward the central region of the fan blade 3, so that the airflow can accurately act on the core force-bearing area of ​​the fan blade 3, maximizing the driving efficiency of the airflow on the fan blade and avoiding energy waste or uneven force on the blade caused by the airflow impacting the blade edge.

[0033] In a more specific embodiment of the present invention, the fan housing 2 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the contraction section of the cooling tower body 1, so that the fan assembly is firmly installed as a whole, avoiding displacement during airflow impact and fan rotation; the fan blades 3 are connected to the connecting shaft 6 through bearings. The bearings reduce the frictional resistance between the fan blades 3 and the connecting shaft 6 when they rotate, ensuring that the fan blades can rotate flexibly, while ensuring that the rotational kinetic energy can be efficiently transferred to the connecting shaft 6, avoiding energy waste caused by friction loss.

[0034] In a more specific embodiment provided by the present invention, the connecting shaft 6 adopts a rigid shaft design. The rigid shaft has strong resistance to deformation, which can avoid power transmission interruption or efficiency reduction caused by shaft deformation during the transmission of rotational kinetic energy. At the same time, a bearing seat is set in the cooling tower body 1 to support and position the rigid shaft, further limiting the radial and axial displacement of the shaft, ensuring that the connecting shaft 6 always maintains a stable posture during high-speed rotation, and realizing long-distance and stable transmission of rotational kinetic energy from the fan blades 3 to the power generation mechanism 7.

[0035] In a more specific embodiment of the present invention, the power generation mechanism consists of a generator and a speed-increasing gearbox. Since the rotational speed of the fan blades 3 is affected by the natural wind speed, it may not be able to directly meet the speed requirements required for the generator to generate electricity normally. Therefore, the input end of the speed-increasing gearbox is connected to the connecting shaft 6 to receive the rotational kinetic energy transmitted by the connecting shaft. Through the speed-increasing effect of gear meshing, the speed is increased to the operating speed required by the generator. Then, the output end of the speed-increasing gearbox drives the rotor of the generator to rotate. The rotating rotor of the generator cuts the magnetic field lines, efficiently converting the mechanical rotational kinetic energy after the speed increase into electrical energy, ensuring that the power generation mechanism can stably produce electrical energy that meets the requirements.

[0036] In a more specific embodiment of the present invention, a control unit is further included. The control unit is electrically connected to the power generation mechanism 7 and is used to monitor power generation, voltage, or frequency, and to perform grid connection or load control. The control unit, electrically connected to the power generation mechanism 7, monitors the power generation, voltage, or frequency output by the power generation mechanism in real time. Based on the monitored parameter data, it determines the power output status: if the parameters meet grid connection requirements, the control unit performs grid connection control, integrating the generated power into the grid; if the parameters are abnormal or grid connection is not required, the control unit performs load control, adjusting the load matching status to prevent damage to the power generation mechanism or grid fluctuations due to excessive parameters, ensuring the safe and stable operation of the system and achieving reasonable power allocation.

[0037] In a more specific embodiment of the present invention, the control unit is further connected to a wind speed sensor or a rotation speed sensor to monitor the wind speed or rotation speed at the fan blade 3. The wind speed sensor monitors the airflow speed at the fan blade 3 in real time, and the rotation speed sensor monitors the rotation speed of the fan blade 3 in real time. The sensor transmits the collected wind speed and rotation speed data to the control unit in real time. The control unit combines these operating parameters with the power parameters of the power generation mechanism to make a comprehensive judgment: if the wind speed is too low, resulting in insufficient rotation speed or substandard power generation parameters, the control unit can adjust the load in advance or suspend grid connection; if the wind speed is too high, resulting in excessive rotation speed or excessive parameters, the control unit can promptly implement load regulation or protection measures to avoid system overload damage and further ensure the safety and stability of system operation.

[0038] In a more specific embodiment of the present invention, the fan blades 3 are made of fiberglass, aluminum alloy, or carbon fiber composite materials. These materials are lightweight, high-strength, corrosion-resistant, and wear-resistant, and can adapt to the humid and water-rich environment inside the cooling tower. At the same time, they reduce the weight of the guide vanes 5, reduce the energy loss of the airflow driving the guide vanes 5 to rotate, and improve the driving efficiency. The protective sleeve fitted on the outside of the connecting shaft 6 can isolate the connecting shaft 6 from the corrosion of water vapor and impurities inside the cooling tower, prevent the shaft of the connecting shaft 6 from rusting or wearing, and prevent the connecting shaft 6 from interfering with other components during rotation, ensuring the long-term stable operation of the connecting shaft 6 and extending the overall service life of the system.

[0039] In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for generating electricity using a natural draft cooling tower residual pressure system is provided. Employing the aforementioned natural draft cooling tower residual pressure power generation system, the method includes the following steps: The first step is the airflow guidance and convergence stage. After the natural upward airflow is formed by the high and low temperature difference inside the cooling tower body 1, the flow guiding components in the system are precisely activated. Through multiple evenly distributed support rods 4 and layered guide vanes 5, the disorderly diffused upward airflow inside the tower is layered, regulated, and directionally guided. In particular, by using the gradually increasing installation angle of the guide vanes 5 from bottom to top, the airflow is gradually converged to form a high-energy concentrated airflow jet. At the same time, with the precise guiding design of the uppermost guide vane 5, it is ensured that the airflow jet is accurately aligned with the core stress area of ​​the subsequent fan blades 3, laying the foundation for efficient kinetic energy conversion.

[0040] The second step is the conversion of airflow kinetic energy into mechanical kinetic energy. The high-energy airflow jet, after being converged by the flow guiding components, continuously impacts the fan blades 3 located in the contraction section of the cooling tower body 1. The impact force of the airflow on the fan blades 3 overcomes the rotational resistance of the blades, driving the fan blades 3 to rotate at high speed. During this process, the kinetic energy of the airflow is efficiently absorbed and converted into the mechanical rotational kinetic energy of the fan blades 3, completing the first core conversion of energy form. Furthermore, the auxiliary regulating effect of the fan casing 2 can further improve the stability of the airflow impact and avoid kinetic energy loss.

[0041] The third step is the conversion of mechanical kinetic energy into electrical energy. The mechanical rotational kinetic energy generated by the rotation of the fan blades 3 is stably transmitted through the rigid connecting shaft 6. With the support and positioning of the bearing housing, the connecting shaft 6 accurately and with low loss transmits the rotational motion of the top fan blades 3 to the power generation mechanism 7 located at the bottom of the cooling tower body 1. The speed-increasing gearbox inside the power generation mechanism 7 first receives the rotational kinetic energy transmitted by the connecting shaft 6. Through the speed-increasing effect of gear meshing, the natural rotational speed of the fan blades 3 is increased to the rated speed required for normal power generation of the generator. Then, the output end of the speed-increasing gearbox drives the rotor of the generator to rotate. The rotor cuts the magnetic field lines to generate an induced electromotive force, and finally converts the mechanical rotational kinetic energy into electrical energy that meets the grid connection or load requirements. This fully realizes the resource utilization of the residual pressure natural wind energy of the natural ventilation cooling tower and achieves the core purpose of energy-saving power generation.

[0042] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely preferred examples and are not intended to limit the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A natural draft cooling tower residual pressure power generation system, characterized in that, include: Cooling tower body (1), a channel for air circulation; A flow guiding component is disposed in the channel of the cooling tower body (1) to guide and gather the rising natural airflow inside the tower; A fan assembly is provided in the constricted section of the cooling tower body (1) channel. The fan assembly includes a fan housing (2) and fan blades (3) provided inside the fan housing (2). The airflow guide assembly delivers the guided natural air to the fan blades (3). A power generation mechanism (7) is located at the bottom of the cooling tower body (1); A connecting shaft (6) is connected at one end to the fan blade (3) and at the other end extends downward to the bottom of the cooling tower body (1) and is connected to the input end of the power generation mechanism (7) to transfer the rotational kinetic energy of the fan blade (3) to the power generation mechanism (7) for generating electricity.

2. The natural draft cooling tower residual pressure power generation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flow guiding assembly includes multiple support rods (4) evenly distributed around the central axis of the cooling tower body (1), and multiple flow guiding blades (5) arranged axially at intervals along each support rod (4).

3. The natural draft cooling tower residual pressure power generation system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The mounting angles of the multiple guide vanes (5) gradually increase from bottom to top along the support rod (4), and the uppermost guide vane (5) is configured to guide the natural wind toward the central area of ​​the fan blade (3).

4. The natural draft cooling tower residual pressure power generation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fan housing (2) is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the contraction section of the cooling tower body (1), and the fan blades (3) are connected to the connecting shaft (6) through bearings.

5. A natural draft cooling tower residual pressure power generation system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The connecting shaft (6) is a rigid shaft, which is supported and positioned by a bearing seat set inside the cooling tower body (1).

6. A natural draft cooling tower residual pressure power generation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power generation mechanism (7) includes a generator and a speed-increasing gearbox. The input end of the speed-increasing gearbox is connected to the connecting shaft (6), and the output end is connected to the rotor of the generator.

7. A natural draft cooling tower residual pressure power generation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a control unit, which is electrically connected to the power generation mechanism (7) for monitoring power generation, voltage or frequency, and performing grid connection or load control.

8. A natural draft cooling tower residual pressure power generation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit is also connected to a wind speed sensor or a rotation speed sensor to monitor the wind speed or rotation speed at the fan blade (3).

9. A natural draft cooling tower residual pressure power generation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fan blades (3) are made of fiberglass, aluminum alloy or carbon fiber composite material, and the connecting shaft (6) is covered with a protective sleeve.

10. A method for generating electricity using a natural draft cooling tower residual pressure system, characterized in that, The method of using the natural draft cooling tower residual pressure power generation system according to any one of claims 1 to 9 includes the following steps: The natural airflow generated inside the cooling tower is guided and converged by the flow guiding components; The converged airflow is used to drive the fan blades (3) to rotate; Rotational kinetic energy is transmitted to the power generation mechanism (7) at the bottom via the connecting shaft (6) and converted into electrical energy.

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