Hydroelectric power generation equipment

Abstract

The present invention provides a hydroelectric power generation device that can move the water turbine according to the water level, and can automatically retract the water turbine to a safe location in the event of an abnormality in the water level or control system. [Solution] The system consists of a water turbine 1, a water turbine bearing 3, a speed increaser 4, a generator 5, a transmission means 6 connecting the water turbine shaft and the speed increaser, a rocking body 8 having a pivot shaft 7 rotatably supported near its middle, supporting the water turbine bearing near its lower end, with the speed increaser and generator mounted above the pivot shaft, a main body 11 to which the pivot bearings are attached and pivot bearings 9 and 10 that allow the pivot shaft to rotate, a drive means 12 rotatably mounted on the main body and also rotatably mounted on the upper part of the rocking body, a water level detector 13 mounted upstream of the water turbine's installation position, and an electrical control unit. The drive means may be an electrically powered linear moving body, or it may be a lever and link from a motor to the output shaft of a worm gear reducer via the transmission means.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a hydroelectric power generation device that generates power using the force of water, and particularly relates to a technology that achieves optimal power generation efficiency by automatically changing the position of a water turbine in accordance with fluctuations in the amount of water falling from an irrigation weir or the like. The present invention also relates to a device that can automatically move a water turbine to a retracted position where water does not impinge on the water turbine when an abnormal rise in water level occurs due to heavy rain or the like, or when an abnormality occurs in a control system. Background Art

[0002] The present technology relates to a device that generates power by transmitting the energy of water falling from an irrigation weir or the like, or flowing water with a high flow velocity, to the rotation of a water turbine having blades on its circumference, and transmitting the rotational force to a generator via a speed increaser. The present technology is also an invention relating to a hydroelectric power generation device generally called an undershot water turbine, because flowing water from irrigation passes while impinging on the lower side of the water turbine. Generally, the water amount and water level of irrigation water are not always constant, and are affected by weather: the flow rate may be low during drought, or conversely, the water may increase due to heavy rain, so there is a demand for a hydroelectric power generation device that can respond to constantly fluctuating water amounts and water levels and obtain optimal power generation efficiency under any conditions. However, in most conventional examples, the position of the water turbine is fixed, so it cannot respond to changes in water amount or water level, and optimal power generation efficiency has not been obtained. In addition, since the position of the water turbine is fixed, the water turbine device may be damaged when the water amount rises abnormally due to heavy rain such as a typhoon. As technologies for solving these problems of conventional fixed water turbines, although there are few cases, there are prior art documents having a function of moving a water turbine, which are shown below. Prior Art Documents Patent Documents

[0003] Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-058944 Patent Document 2 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-132494 Patent Document 3 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2017-166332 Patent Document 4 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-215053 [Overview of the project] Problems that the invention aims to solve

[0004] Patent Document 1 shows a water turbine that is rotatably mounted on the end of an arm that is supported so as to be able to swing around a fulcrum, with the lower half of the water turbine submerged below the water surface and responding to fluctuations in water level by buoyancy. In this case, it can respond to fluctuations in water level, but in the event of a flood or system malfunction, the water turbine cannot be moved to a safe position, and there is a possibility that the water turbine device may be damaged. Patent Document 2 describes a method in which each of the upstream and downstream turbines has a hollow drum, and the turbines rotate to generate electricity even when the water level fluctuates due to buoyancy. However, in this case, the turbines cannot be moved to a safe position during floods or when system malfunctions occur. Patent Document 3 describes a water turbine with a screw and nut fitting structure on the upstream and downstream sides, in which a person can change the position of the water turbine in accordance with the water level using a hand crank. However, this also has the problem of requiring a person to constantly monitor the water level and move the water turbine to the optimal position with a hand crank each time, resulting in a heavy workload and complicated work. Patent Document 4 describes a water turbine that performs an oscillating motion. The purpose of this oscillating motion is to prevent damage to the turbine blades and other components from the inflow of various contaminants such as dust and wood into the water, ensuring that the turbine remains operational.

[0005] The object of this invention is to solve the problems of these prior art, and to provide a hydroelectric power generation device that can automatically set the turbine height to the position that maximizes power generation efficiency in response to water level fluctuations that are affected by weather. At the same time, it is also to provide a hydroelectric power generation device that can automatically detect abnormal water levels in the event of floods or malfunctions in the control system and automatically move the turbine to a safe position. Furthermore, since it is nearly impossible to constantly monitor how water is hitting the turbine of a hydroelectric power generation device installed in a remote location and manually change the position of the turbine, this invention also solves the problem of this issue. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The above objective is to construct a water turbine 1, water turbine bearings 2 and 3, a speed increaser 4, a generator 5, a transmission means 6 connecting the water turbine shaft and the speed increaser, a rocking body 8 having a pivot shaft 7 rotatably supported near its middle, supporting the water turbine bearings 2 and 3 of the water turbine 1 near its lower end, with the speed increaser 4 and generator 5 attached to the upper side opposite to the pivot shaft 7, pivot bearings 9 and 10 that rotatably support the pivot shaft 7, a main body 11 to which the pivot bearings 9 and 10 are attached, a driving means 12 rotatably attached to the main body 11 and with the other end rotatably attached to the upper part of the rocking body 8, a water level detector 13 attached upstream of the installation position of the water turbine device, and an electrical control unit 14 installed on the flat ground of the adjacent bank and connected to the generator 5, driving means 12, etc. by electric wires. Furthermore, the drive means 12 may be an electrically powered linear moving body 15 that has the function of linearly extending and retracting a rod by the rotation of a motor and stopping at a pre-programmed position, or a water turbine power generation device which is configured such that the tip of a lever 19 is rotatably connected to the output shaft of a worm reduction gear 18 via a transmission means 17 from a motor 16 that also has the function of stopping at a pre-programmed position, and the other end is connected to the oscillating body 8 by a link 20. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the turbine's position can be automatically selected to maximize power generation efficiency according to the water level of the irrigation water, which is prone to fluctuations due to weather conditions. This allows the turbine to constantly adapt to both water volume and water level. Furthermore, during floods caused by heavy rain, the water level detector automatically detects the upper limit of the water level, and the turbine can be automatically moved to an upper position where it is not hit by the flowing water. In addition, if an abnormality occurs in the power generation control system, the control unit can automatically detect the abnormality and automatically move the turbine to a safe, retracted position. These requirements are essential functions that a turbine power generation system should possess in order to achieve stable operation day and night, even when the weather changes suddenly and water levels fluctuate drastically. Furthermore, by positioning the water turbine below the pivot axis of the oscillating body and the generator and speed increaser above the pivot axis, the weight attached to the oscillating body is evenly balanced with respect to the pivot axis, resulting in a reduction in the amount of power required to drive the oscillating body. Another advantage is that, because the main body equipped with the water turbine, generator, and speed increaser is installed on both banks of the irrigation canal, installation is simple and requires almost no additional civil engineering work. Moreover, the force of water falling from the weir of the irrigation canal hitting the water turbine is applied in the tensile direction to the rods or links that extend and retract from the drive mechanism supporting and moving the oscillating body, rather than in the compressive direction that would cause buckling, thus providing a mechanically advantageous effect. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a front view illustrating a water turbine power generation device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a side view illustrating a water turbine power generation device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a plan view illustrating a water turbine power generation device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a front view illustrating a water turbine power generation device 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a plan view illustrating a water turbine power generation device 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a front view illustrating a water turbine power generation device 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The following describes the water turbine power generation devices 1, 2, and 3 according to embodiments of the present invention, using Figures 1 to 6. Note that in all the following drawings, the dimensions and proportions of each component are shown in a manner that facilitates understanding.

[0010] Figures 1, 2, and 3 are front, side, and top views of the hydroelectric power generator 1, showing a case where the driving source for changing the position of the hydroelectric turbine 1 is an oscillating body 8, and the driving means 12 that oscillates around the fulcrum bearings 9 and 10 that rotatably support the fulcrum shaft 7 is an electrically powered linear moving body 15. Figures 4 and 5 are front and top views of the hydroelectric power generator 2, showing a case where the driving means 12 is connected from the motor 16, via a transmission means 17, to the output shaft of a worm gear reducer 18 with the tip of a lever 19 rotatably connected to the other end by a link 20 connected to the oscillating body 8, thereby enabling the position of the hydroelectric turbine 1 to be changed. Figure 6 is a front view of the water turbine power generation device 3, and shows the case where the drive source for changing the position of the water turbine 1 is the oscillating body 8 and the drive means 12 that oscillates around the fulcrum bearings 9 and 10 that rotatably support the fulcrum shaft 7, and is operated manually using a hand crank 21.

[0011] Description of the invention's operation

[0012] As initial conditions before operation, the turbine 1 is in a retracted position. In the case of turbine power generation device 1, the electric linear moving body 15 is fully extended, and in the case of turbine power generation device 2, the lever 19 and link 20 are rotated counterclockwise and stopped. Next, the water level detector 13 detects the current water level, and the control equipment calculates pre-programmed conditions and moves the turbine to the optimal position by controlling the rotation of the electric linear moving body 15, which is the driving means 12, and the motor 16. Furthermore, if the water level detector 13 is affected by a flood or other reason, the turbine 1 will automatically return to the initial retracted position. The above-described embodiments are preferred examples of the present invention and are subject to various technically preferred limitations; however, the scope of the present invention is not unduly limited by the above description. Furthermore, not all of the configurations described in the above-described embodiments are essential components of the present invention. Moreover, the configurations described in the above-described embodiments may be added to or combined with each other. [Industrial applicability]

[0013] This invention is a technology that uses the power of water, such as rivers and irrigation canals, which are renewable energy sources, to generate electricity. In particular, it is a technology that achieves optimal power generation efficiency by automatically changing the position of the water turbine in response to fluctuations in the amount of water falling from irrigation weirs and the like. Furthermore, it is a device that can automatically move the water turbine to a safe position where it will not be hit by water in the event of an abnormal rise in water level due to heavy rain or when a malfunction occurs in the control system. In addition to the automatic measurement and setting of the water turbine position of the water turbine power generation device using a water level detector, the electrical control unit may also be configured so that a person can visually check the water level and manually select the optimal position of the water turbine from among multiple turbine position settings using a select switch. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0014] 1. Water turbine, 2. Water turbine bearing, 3. Water turbine bearing, 4. Speed ​​increaser, 5. Generator, 6. Transmission means, 7. Pivot shaft, 8. Oscillating body, 9. Pivot bearing, 10. Pivot bearing, 11. Main body, 12. Drive means, 13. Water level detector, 14. Electric control unit, 15. Electric linear moving body, 16. Motor, 17. Transmission means, 18. Worm gear reducer, 19. Lever, 20. Link, 21. Hand crank

Claims

1. A hydroelectric power generation device comprising a water turbine section having multiple blades around a cylindrical circumference and supported rotatably near both ends of the shaft, a rotary transmission means transmitting power from the water turbine shaft of the water turbine section to a generator via a transmission means, a pivot shaft supported rotatably on both sides near an intermediate position between the water turbine shaft and the rotary transmission means, an oscillating body to which the water turbine and water turbine shaft, the gear increaser and generator attached on the opposite side of the pivot shaft, a driving means connected near the upper part of the oscillating body, and an electrical control unit, which enables the water turbine to oscillate using the pivot shaft of the oscillating body as a pivot point.

2. The oscillating body is provided with a rotatable pivot point attached to the main body, and the tip of the rod of an electrically operated linear moving body that can be extended and retracted by the drive of a motor is rotatably connected to the upper part of the oscillating body, and the oscillating body equipped with a water turbine, transmission means, speed increaser, and generator is made capable of oscillating around the pivot point axis, as described in claim 1.

3. The oscillating body is rotatably connected to the tip of a lever attached to the output shaft of a worm gear reducer driven via a transmission means from a motor mounted on the main body, and the other end of the link is rotatably connected to an oscillating body equipped with a water turbine, transmission means, speed increaser, and generator, enabling it to oscillate around a pivot axis, as described in claim 1.

4. The oscillating body has a hand crank attached to the input shaft of a worm gear reducer mounted on the main body, and the oscillating body, which is equipped with a water turbine, transmission means, speed increaser, and generator, is capable of oscillating around the pivot axis, as described in claim 1.

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