Hydromechanical converter turbine

Abstract

Device (2) for converting hydromechanical energy, which is designed to be introduced into a body of water, comprising - several deformable hollow elements (3) which are connected to one another by connecting links (5) and form a closed chain, - a guide structure (4, 9, 12, 14) in which the hollow elements (3) are movably mounted and which is arranged such that the hollow elements (3) are guided through zones of varying hydrostatic pressure when the chain moves, wherein the hollow elements (3) and / or the connecting links (5) have first engagement elements (8), - a first rotor (26) having a radius r1 and second engagement elements (27) on its circumference, which are frictionally engaged with the first engagement elements (8) in a partial region (10) of the chain in which the chain moves in the direction of decreasing hydrostatic pressure, the first rotor (26) being set into rotational movement by the movement of the chain, - a second rotor (23) with a diameter r2, where r2 < r1, which is fixedly mounted on the shaft (22) of the first rotor (26) and which, when the chain moves, performs a concentric rotary movement simultaneous with the first rotor (26), - a third rotor (16) with a diameter r3, where r3 < r2, and with a shaft (17) to which the rotary movement of the second rotor (23) is transmitted, which has third engagement elements (28) on its outer circumference, which are non-positively engaged with the first engagement elements (8) in a partial region (25) of the chain in which the chain moves in the direction of increasing hydrostatic pressure.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a novel hydromechanical dynamic converter turbine.

[0002] Various hydromechanical converters are known in the state of the art.

[0003] The present invention aims to provide a hydromechanical converter turbine that has a long service life and high efficiency.

[0004] The invention is based on the finding that such a converter turbine can be provided if it utilizes hydromechanical conditions, such as hydrostatic pressure and hydrostatic buoyancy as well as other hydrodynamic conditions in waters, by circulating deformable hollow bodies in the water.

[0005] The invention therefore provides a device for converting hydromechanical energy, which is designed to be introduced into a body of water, comprising - several deformable hollow elements connected to each other by connecting links and forming a closed chain, - a guide structure in which the hollow elements are movably mounted and which is arranged so that the hollow elements are guided through zones of varying hydrostatic pressure when the chain moves, wherein the hollow elements and / or the connecting links have first engagement elements, - a first rotor having a radius r1 and second engagement elements on its circumference, which are frictionally engaged with the first engagement elements in a partial region of the chain in which the chain moves in the direction of decreasing hydrostatic pressure, the first rotor being set into rotational movement by the movement of the chain, - a second rotor with a diameter r2, where r2 < r1, which is fixedly mounted on the shaft of the first rotor and which, when the chain moves, performs a concentric rotary movement simultaneous with that of the first rotor, - a third rotor with a diameter r3, where r3 < r2, and a shaft to which the rotational movement of the second rotor is transmitted, which has on its outer circumference third engagement elements which are force-locked into engagement with the first engagement elements in a partial region of the chain in which the chain moves in the direction of increasing hydrostatic pressure.

[0006] The device according to the invention is shown above and is described below in the state in which it has been introduced into a body of water. The term "vertical" refers to a direction that runs along the force of gravity or a plumb line, and the term "horizontal" refers to a direction that runs perpendicular to the vertical direction.

[0007] The device is capable of converting energy from one form to another to perform work, with the input energy being supported by a permanent source of natural phenomena such as hydrostatic pressure and hydrostatic buoyancy. The device is completely ecological and does not pollute the water in which it is deployed.

[0008] The chain of hollow elements and connecting links is set in rotation within the guide structure, for example, by the hydrodynamic conditions in the water or by the rotation of the shafts of the first and / or third rotor.

[0009] A drive machine and / or a working machine, preferably a working machine, can therefore be connected to the shafts of the first and / or the third rotor.

[0010] The hollow elements of the device are filled with a gas, for example air.

[0011] The hollow elements are made of a deformable material. This material deforms under changing hydrostatic pressure, so that, for example, increasing hydrostatic pressure causes the hollow elements to shrink in volume. This is caused by the force of the total hydrostatic pressure p = p0 + p(h) as a function of a specific water depth.

[0012] The hollow elements can have different shapes, for example they can be cuboid-shaped, for example with the longest axis of the cuboid in the direction of the chain.

[0013] The hollow elements can be made of any waterproof material that deforms under changing hydrostatic pressure. For example, the hollow elements can be made of a polymer material.

[0014] The hollow elements are completely surrounded by water along their entire circumference.

[0015] The number of hollow elements can vary, preferably at least 15, more preferably at least 25, for example from 30 to 100 are present in the chain.

[0016] The first rotor can, for example, be constructed analogously to a spur gear, ie have a corresponding toothing on its outer circumference, wherein the teeth correspond to the second engagement elements.

[0017] The first engagement elements can then also be tooth-shaped in order to enable a force-locking engagement of the teeth of the first rotor.

[0018] Furthermore, the second rotor can be constructed analogously to a bevel gear, which can be brought into frictional engagement with a corresponding counter-bevel gear.

[0019] The first and second rotors can, for example, be made in one piece.

[0020] The ratio of the sizes of the radii r1 and r2 is preferably from 1.5:1 to 25:1, more preferably from 2:1 to 10:1.

[0021] The ratio of the sizes of the radii r2 and r3 is preferably from 1.2:1 to 10:1, more preferably from 1.5:1 to 5:1.

[0022] Preferably, a portion of the guide structure guides the chain vertically in a region of increasing hydrostatic pressure.

[0023] Further preferably, a part of the guide structure guides the chain vertically in the maximum range in which it is guided into increasing hydrostatic pressure, ie in the entire range, except for the range required by deflecting the chain with hollow elements.

[0024] Preferably, a portion of the guide structure guides the chain vertically in a region of decreasing hydrostatic pressure.

[0025] Further preferably, a part of the guide structure guides the chain vertically in the maximum range in which it is guided in decreasing hydrostatic pressure, ie in the entire range, except for the range required by deflecting the chain with hollow elements.

[0026] Preferably, a part of the guide structure guides the chain horizontally in an area of ​​highest hydrostatic pressure.

[0027] Further preferably, a part of the guide structure guides the chain horizontally in the maximum area in which it is guided under the highest hydrostatic pressure, ie in the entire area, except for the area required by deflecting the chain with hollow elements.

[0028] Preferably, a portion of the guide structure guides the chain horizontally or at a small angle to the horizontal in a region of lowest hydrostatic pressure. This small angle may, for example, be 10° or less to the horizontal, or 5° or less to the horizontal.

[0029] Further preferably, a part of the guide structure guides the chain in the maximum range in which it is guided in the lowest hydrostatic pressure, horizontally or at a small angle to the horizontal, ie in the entire range, except for the range required by deflecting the chain with hollow elements.

[0030] The guide structure preferably guides the chain in part or in its entirety in a plane, more preferably in a plane that is parallel to the vertical.

[0031] Preferably, the region of the guide structure in which it vertically guides the chain in the direction of increasing hydrostatic pressure and the region of the guide structure in which it vertically guides the chain in the direction of decreasing hydrostatic pressure have the same length.

[0032] It is further preferred that one or both regions in which the guide structure guides the chain in increasing or decreasing hydrostatic pressure are longer than one or both regions in which the chain is guided horizontally or approximately horizontally.

[0033] These longer areas therefore have more hollow elements than the shorter ones.

[0034] Preferably, the chain has the same number of hollow elements in the region of the guide structure in which it guides the chain vertically in the direction of increasing hydrostatic pressure and in the region of the guide structure in which it guides the chain vertically in the direction of decreasing hydrostatic pressure.

[0035] Further preferably, the chain has more hollow elements in the region of the guide structure in which it guides the chain horizontally or at a small angle to the horizontal in the region of the lowest hydrostatic pressure than in the region of the guide structure in which it guides the chain in the region of the highest hydrostatic pressure.

[0036] In this embodiment, for example, in the area of ​​the guide structure, in which it guides the chain horizontally or at a small angle to the horizontal in the area of ​​lowest hydrostatic pressure, a semi-curve of the chain can be formed in order to facilitate the starting of the turbine.

[0037] In a further preferred embodiment, the transmission of the rotational movement of the second rotor to the third rotor takes place by means of a gear, preferably a worm gear.

[0038] The present invention further relates to the use of a hydrodynamic converter turbine in one of the embodiments described here in a body of water, e.g. a calm body of water such as an artificial or natural lake. Short description of the drawings Fig. 1 shows a simplified schematic sectional view of a longitudinal section through an embodiment of the hydromechanical converter turbine according to the invention. Example

[0039] An embodiment of the hydromechanical converter turbine (2) according to the invention is described below with reference to the Fig. 1 described in more detail.

[0040] The converter turbine (2) is located entirely within a body of water. The converter turbine is therefore completely covered by water (15), ie, the water level (1) of the body of water bounded by the wall (6) is above the highest point of the converter turbine (2).

[0041] It comprises a plurality of air-filled hollow elements (3) that are interconnected by connecting elements (5) and form a closed chain. The chain is movably mounted within a guide structure (4, 9, 12, 14).

[0042] The guide structure (4, 9, 12, 14) ensures that the chain with the hollow elements (3) and the connecting elements (5) rotates on a plane perpendicular to the horizontal water level, i.e., vertically.

[0043] The management structure (4, 9, 12, 14) has several sections.

[0044] In a first section of the guide structure (4), the chain is guided through a region of lowest hydrostatic pressure at a small angle (approximately 5°) to the horizontal. In this section (4), the inner part of the guide structure (7) is horizontal, while the outer part is formed at a small angle to the horizontal and is no longer present at one end.

[0045] Since the hollow bodies (3) experience a buoyancy force (13) in the water, the chain runs along the outer part of the guide structure of this area (4) and forms a semi-curve (29) at the end where the outer part of the guide structure is completely missing, which can be used to facilitate starting of the converter turbine (2).

[0046] In the second section of the guide structure (14), the chain is guided vertically in the direction of increasing hydrostatic pressure. Due to the hydrostatic pressure increasing with depth, the volume of the hollow bodies (3) decreases as they pass through this section.

[0047] In the third section of the guide structure (12), the chain is guided horizontally toward a constant, highest hydrostatic pressure. Since the hydrostatic pressure does not change in this section, the volume of the hollow bodies remains constant.

[0048] In the fourth section of the guide structure (9), the chain is guided vertically in the direction of decreasing hydrostatic pressure. Due to the decreasing hydrostatic pressure toward the water surface (1), the volume of the hollow bodies (3) increases as they pass through this section.

[0049] The section of the guide structure (14) in which it vertically guides the chain in the direction of increasing hydrostatic pressure and the section of the guide structure (9) in which it vertically guides the chain in the direction of decreasing hydrostatic pressure (sections 2 and 4) are of equal length. These two sections of the guide structure (14, 9) (sections 2 and 4) contain the same number of hollow elements (3). This can be calculated from the average of their total volume.

[0050] The length of these sections 2 and 4 is greater than the length of the horizontal or nearly horizontal sections (sections 1 and 3). The longer sections have more hollow elements than the shorter ones.

[0051] Due to the semi-arch (29) formed at one end of the first section of the guide structure (4), the chain has more hollow elements in this area of ​​the guide structure than in the area of ​​the guide structure in which it guides the chain in the area of ​​the highest hydrostatic pressure (section 3).

[0052] The total volume of the hollow bodies (3) in the converter turbine (2) is influenced by the hydrostatic pressure and the hydrostatic buoyancy force (11, 13) at the respective location of the hollow bodies (3).

[0053] When the converter turbine (2) is in operation, the chain with the hollow elements (3) moves counterclockwise (direction of rotation (21)).

[0054] The chain further comprises engagement elements (8) which can be designed, for example, as teeth, which are present along the entire inner (i.e., the direction towards the turbine centre) course of the chain and point towards the turbine centre (in the Fig. 1, these elements are shown only in the engagement areas (10) and (25) for the sake of clarity. The guide structure (4, 9, 12, 14) is accordingly open on its inward-facing side, and the engagement elements (8) protrude beyond the inner ends of the guide structure (4, 9, 12, 14).

[0055] The engagement elements (8) engage in the first engagement area (10) with the second engagement elements (27), formed as teeth, of the first rotor (26), which is designed as a spur gear and is attached to a shaft (22) perpendicular to the turbine plane. Thus, when the chain with the hollow elements (3) moves, the first rotor (26) rotates counterclockwise (21). The first rotor has a radius of r1.

[0056] Mounted on the same shaft (22) is a second rotor (23) with a diameter r2, where approximately r2 = 4 r1. When the chain moves, the second rotor (23) performs a concentric rotational movement simultaneous with the first rotor (26). The second rotor has a bevel gear (20) on its outer circumference.

[0057] The rotational movement of the second rotor (23) is transmitted to a third rotor (16) with a diameter r3 (approx. r2 = 2 r3) via a bevel gear / worm gear (19, 18, 24) that engages non-positively with the bevel gear teeth (20) of the second rotor (23). This is achieved by the non-positive engagement of the worm (24) of the gear with the spur gear teeth (28) of the third rotor (16) in the engagement area (25). The third rotor (16) is mounted on a shaft (17) separate from the shaft (22) and also oriented perpendicular to the plane of the converter turbine (2). The distance between the circumferences of the first and second rotors is s1 - s2.

[0058] During operation of the converter turbine (2), the movement of the chain is transmitted in a rotational movement of the first (26), second (23) and third (16) rotors, whereby the third rotor (16) in turn acts back on the movement of the chain.

[0059] The forces F1 and F2 correspond to the ratio of the radii r1 and r2. The bevel gear / worm gear (19, 18, 24) allows for congruence of the movements of the rotors and the chain to be adjusted. List of reference symbols 1 water level 2 converter turbines 3 hollow bodies 4 first section management structure 5 connecting link 6 Water boundary 7 inner area of ​​the first section 4 of the management structure 8 first engagement elements 9 fourth section Management structure 10 first intervention area 11 Buoyancy force 12 third section of the management structure 13 Buoyancy 14 fourth section of the management structure 15 Water 16 third rotor 17 Shaft second rotor 18 Bevel gear coupling 19 Bevel gear 20 Toothing of second rotor 23 21 Direction of rotation 22 Shaft first / second rotor 23 second rotor 24 snail 25 second intervention area 26 first rotor 27 second engagement elements 28 Gearing of the third rotor 29 semi-circular chain

Claims

[1] Device (2) for converting hydromechanical energy, designed to be introduced into a body of water, comprising - several deformable hollow elements (3) which are connected to each other by connecting links (5) and form a closed chain, - a guide structure (4, 9, 12, 14) in which the hollow elements (3) are movably mounted and which is arranged so that the hollow elements (3) are guided through zones of varying hydrostatic pressure when the chain moves, wherein the hollow elements (3) and / or the connecting links (5) have first engagement elements (8), - a first rotor (26) having a radius r1 and second engagement elements (27) on its circumference, which are frictionally engaged with the first engagement elements (8) in a partial region (10) of the chain in which the chain moves in the direction of decreasing hydrostatic pressure, wherein the movement of the chain sets the first rotor (26) into rotational motion, - a second rotor (23) with a diameter r2, where r2 < r1, which is fixedly attached to the shaft (22) of the first rotor (26) and which, when the chain moves, performs a concentric rotational movement simultaneous with the first rotor (26), - a third rotor (16) with a diameter r3, where r3 < r2, and with a shaft (17) onto which the rotational motion of the second rotor (23) is transferred, which has third engagement elements (28) on its outer circumference, which are brought into frictional engagement with the first engagement elements (8) in a partial area (25) of the chain, in which the chain moves in the direction of increasing hydrostatic pressure. [2] Device according to claim 1, in an area of ​​increasing hydrostatic pressure a part of the guide structure (14) guides the chain vertically. [3] Device according to claim 1 or 2, in a region of decreasing hydrostatic pressure a part of the guide structure (9) guides the chain vertically. [4] Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in an area of ​​highest hydrostatic pressure the guide structure (12) guides the chain horizontally. [5] Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in a guide structure (12) in a region of lowest hydrostatic pressure guides the chain horizontally or at a small angle to the horizontal. [6] Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the guide structure (4) guides the chain in part or in its entirety in a plane, more preferably in a plane that is parallel to the vertical. [7] Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the area of ​​the guide structure (14) in which it guides the chain vertically in the direction of increasing hydrostatic pressure and the area of ​​the guide structure (9) in which it guides the chain vertically in the direction of decreasing hydrostatic pressure have the same length. [8] Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the chain has the same number of hollow elements in the area of ​​the guide structure (14) in which it guides the chain vertically in the direction of increasing hydrostatic pressure and in the area of ​​the guide structure (9) in which it guides the chain vertically in the direction of decreasing hydrostatic pressure. [9] Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the chain has more hollow elements in the area of ​​the guide structure (12) in which it guides the chain horizontally or at a small angle to the horizontal in the area of ​​the lowest hydrostatic pressure than in the area of ​​the guide structure (4) in which it guides the chain in the area of ​​the highest hydrostatic pressure. [10] Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the transmission of the rotary motion of the second rotor (23) to the third rotor (16) is carried out by means of a gearbox, preferably a worm gear. [11] Use of a hydrodynamic converter turbine according to one of the preceding claims in a body of water.

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