Heating device

Abstract

To provide a heating device having a simple structure and converting rotation energy into heat energy.SOLUTION: A heating device 1 includes: a sealed container 3 having a first annular stator 2 non-rotatably fixed to the inside; a fluid 5 filled in the sealed container; an annular pump 6 rotatably arranged confronting the first stator in the sealed container, and forming a spiral flow channel 7 of the fluid with the first stator; a power transmission shaft 8 non-rotatably supporting the pump at one end 8a, and connecting the other end 8b projecting from the sealed container to a power source 9 of rotational power; bearing members 17a, 17d supporting the power transmission shaft rotatably relative to the sealed container; a second stator 10 non-rotatably and removably fixed to the sealed container between the pump and the first stator; and a heat radiation part 4 disposed in an outer wall of the sealed container. Heat exchange is performed with a heat medium 11 by stirring the fluid in the spiral flow channel by power of the power source, and emitting heat of the fluid generated by fluid friction from the heat radiation part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a heat generating device comprising: a sealed container in which a stator is fixed so as not to rotate inside; a fluid filled inside the sealed container; a pump rotatably positioned inside the sealed container opposite the stator and forming a helical flow path for the fluid between itself and the stator; a power transmission shaft that supports the pump so as not to rotate at one end and connects the other end, which protrudes from the sealed container, to a power source for rotational power; and a bearing member that rotatably supports the power transmission shaft in the sealed container, wherein the pump is rotated by the rotational power of the power source, and the fluid inside the sealed container is stirred, thereby converting rotational energy into thermal energy. [Background technology]

[0002] It is known, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, that such a heating device can be connected to a power source such as a wind turbine or an axial flow turbine to agitate a fluid filled in a sealed container, and the fluid heated by the agitation can be extracted to the outside as thermal energy. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Public Gazette No. 58-49005 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] The invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 above is configured such that a power transmission shaft 3, which supports a pump 5 at one end, is rotated by the rotational power of a power source, and water as a fluid is injected from the inlet 1c of a sealed container. The water accelerated by the blades of the pump 5 collides with the blades 2a of the stator 2 in a spiral flow path, and this collision converts the rotational energy of the pump 5 into thermal energy, thereby heating the water. The heated water flows out to the back side of the pump 5 in the sealed container through the gap between the stator 2 and the pump 5 due to centrifugal force and is discharged from the outlet 8, thereby extracting the rotational energy as thermal energy to the outside.

[0005] However, this design had a complex sealing structure to prevent pressurized water from the sealed container from leaking out of the power transmission shaft 3 to the bearing section. This increased the number of parts and thus the cost, and also had problems with thermal efficiency because the heated water was directly released to the outside. Moreover, if the characteristics of this design needed to be changed to suit various types of wind turbines, the shape of the stator 2 or pump 5 had to be significantly altered, making such changes difficult and inevitably increasing costs.

[0006] The present invention has been proposed in view of the above, and aims to provide a heating device that has a simplified sealing structure, a reduced number of parts, and excellent thermal efficiency, and whose characteristics can be easily adapted to a wide variety of wind turbines and the like. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the present invention comprises a sealed container in which an annular first stator is fixed immovably inside; a fluid filled inside the sealed container; an annular pump rotatably disposed inside the sealed container opposite the first stator and forming a helical flow path for the fluid between itself and the first stator; a power transmission shaft that immovably supports the pump at one end and connects the other end protruding from the sealed container to a power source for rotational power; a bearing member that rotatably supports the power transmission shaft in the sealed container; a second stator fixed immovably and removablely to the sealed container between the pump and the first stator; and a heat dissipation section provided on the outer wall of the sealed container. The first feature of the present invention is that the fluid in the helical flow path is stirred by the power of the power source, and the heat generated in the fluid by fluid friction is released from the heat dissipation section to perform heat exchange with an external heat transfer medium.

[0008] Furthermore, in addition to the first feature, the present invention has a second feature in which the first and second stators each have a stator hub on their inner circumference, and the first stator hub of the first stator has an anti-rotation portion that can detachably fix the second stator hub of the second stator.

[0009] Furthermore, in addition to the first or second feature, the present invention has a third feature in which the first and second stators each have the same number of stator blades, and the second stator is removably fixed to the sealed container such that the second stator blades of the second stator can be mounted relative to the first stator blades of the first stator at any phase.

[0010] Furthermore, in addition to the first or second feature, the present invention has a fourth feature in which the second stator has a number of second stator blades different from the number of first stator blades of the first stator, and is detachably fixed to the sealed container.

[0011] Furthermore, in addition to the second feature, the present invention has a fifth feature in which the first stator is formed integrally with the sealed container, and the first stator hub has a sealing portion that seals the fluid inside the sealed container between itself and the power transmission shaft, and a bearing member for rotating the power transmission shaft inside the sealed container.

[0012] Furthermore, in addition to the first feature, the present invention has a sixth feature in which the sealed container has the power transmission shaft, which extends parallel to the direction of gravity, protruding from its upper surface.

[0013] Furthermore, in addition to the first or sixth feature, the present invention has a seventh feature in which at least a portion of the heat dissipation section overlaps with the helical flow path in the radial direction.

[0014] Furthermore, in addition to the first or sixth feature, the present invention has an eighth feature in which the sealed container is housed in a hot water storage tank filled with a heat transfer medium and sealed, the other end of the power transmission shaft protrudes from the hot water storage tank, a circulation pipe is connected between the hot water storage tank and a heat exchanger located outside the hot water storage tank for circulating the heat transfer medium between the hot water storage tank and the heat exchanger, and a plurality of stirring blades extending radially from the outer circumference of the power transmission shaft are attached to the power transmission shaft so as to cover at least a part of the heat dissipation section of the sealed container.

[0015] In addition to the eighth feature, the present invention also has a ninth feature in which the extended portion of the circulation piping that extends from the inlet of the circulation piping to the hot water storage tank into the hot water storage tank opens on the inner circumference side of the stirring blade. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the first feature of the present invention, an annular first stator fixedly immovable inside a sealed container is opposed to an annular pump connected to a power source, and the annular pump is rotated by the rotational power of the power source, thereby stirring the fluid in the spiral flow path between the first stator and the pump, and releasing the heat of the fluid generated by fluid friction from the heat dissipation part to perform heat exchange with an external heat medium. Since the heat generating device includes a second stator in addition to the first stator, the resistance of the fluid increases, and the rotational energy transmitted from the power source can be efficiently converted into thermal energy. Moreover, since the fluid to be stirred is enclosed in a sealed container, the seal structure does not become complicated.

[0017] Also, when connecting the heat generating device to a windmill, by adjusting the pump capacity of the heat generating device so as to obtain the tip speed ratio (the ratio of the tip speed of the windmill blade to the wind speed) at which the power coefficient of the windmill is maximized, the windmill efficiency can be maximized. However, according to the first feature of the present invention, since the second stator is fixedly immovable and removable from the sealed container, it is possible to change the pump capacity according to the characteristics of various windmills only by changing the blades of the second stator, and it is possible to obtain a pump capacity suitable for a wide variety of windmills without changing the blade shapes of the pump and the first stator.

[0018] Moreover, since the heat generating device of the present invention has a fluid coupling structure in which the input torque is proportional to the square of the rotational speed, the output torque of the windmill connected to the power transmission shaft of the heat generating device can always be made proportional to the square of the rotational speed of the windmill. Therefore, once the pump capacity of the heat generating device is adjusted so as to obtain the tip speed ratio at which the power coefficient of the windmill is maximized, it is possible to obtain the tip speed ratio at which the power coefficient is always maximized even when the wind speed changes. Thus, the windmill can always be operated with maximum efficiency without performing special control on the windmill.

[0019] According to the second feature of the present invention, the first and second stators each have a stator hub in their inner circumferential portions, and the first stator hub of the first stator has a locking portion that can removably fix the second stator hub of the second stator. Therefore, with a simple structure that does not increase weight or cost, second stators of various shapes can be added.

[0020] According to the third feature of the present invention, the first and second stators each have the same number of a plurality of stator blades, and the second stator can attach the second stator blades of the second stator at an arbitrary relative mounting angle (phase) with respect to the first stator blades of the first stator. Therefore, by simply changing the phase of the second stator with respect to the first stator, the pump capacity can be easily changed, and a heat generating device optimal for various wind turbines can be easily provided.

[0021] According to the fourth feature of the present invention, the second stator has a different number of a plurality of second stator blades from the plurality of first stator blades of the first stator. Therefore, even if the mounting angle of the second stator with respect to the first stator changes, variations in the pump capacity can be suppressed.

[0022] According to the fifth feature of the present invention, the first stator is integrally formed with a sealed container, and the first stator hub has a seal portion for sealing the fluid in the sealed container between the power transmission shaft and a bearing member for rotating the power transmission shaft within the sealed container. Therefore, in addition to the holding function of the second stator, the first stator hub can have a sealing function and a bearing function, contributing to the compactification of the heat generating device.

[0023] According to the sixth feature of the present invention, the sealed container projects the power transmission shaft extending parallel to the gravitational direction from the upper surface, so that the power transmission shaft can be arranged perpendicular to the ground. Therefore, the sealed container can be installed near the ground or a building, simplifying the support columns and the like, and reducing costs and weight.

[0024] Furthermore, according to the seventh feature of the present invention, since at least a portion of the heat dissipation section overlaps with the spiral flow path in the radial direction, the heat dissipation section can be brought closer to the spiral flow path, which is the heat source. As a result, when the sealed container is driven in a water tank or hot water storage tank, the heat conductivity from the sealed container to the heat transfer medium in the water tank or hot water storage tank is improved, and the heat transfer medium can be heated quickly.

[0025] Furthermore, according to the eighth feature of the present invention, a sealed container is housed in a hot water storage tank filled with a heat transfer medium and sealed, with the other end of the power transmission shaft protruding from the hot water storage tank. A circulation pipe is connected between the hot water storage tank and a heat exchanger located outside the hot water storage tank to circulate the heat transfer medium between the hot water storage tank and the heat exchanger. As a result, the heat generated in the sealed container by the rotation of the power transmission shaft can be sent to the heat exchanger outside the hot water storage tank by the heat transfer medium filled in the hot water storage tank and the circulation pipe to perform heat exchange. Moreover, on the outside of the sealed container inside the hot water storage tank, a plurality of stirring blades extending radially from the outer circumference of the power transmission shaft are attached to the power transmission shaft so as to cover at least a part of the heat dissipation area of ​​the sealed container. As a result, the rotation of the stirring blades attached to the power transmission shaft agitates the heat transfer medium inside the hot water storage tank, promoting heat dissipation from the sealed container.

[0026] Furthermore, according to the ninth feature of the present invention, the rotation of the stirring blade attached to the power transmission shaft causes the heat transfer medium in the hot water storage tank to rotate, and this rotational motion of the heat transfer medium causes high pressure on the outer circumference of the stirring blade and low pressure on the inner circumference, resulting in an action similar to that of a centrifugal pump. Therefore, by opening the extension of the circulation piping that extends from the inlet of the circulation piping to the hot water storage tank into the hot water storage tank on the inner circumference of the stirring blade, it becomes possible to make the stirring blade perform a pumping action. As a result, it becomes unnecessary to install a circulation pump in the middle of the circulation piping, which can contribute to reducing the number of parts and simplifying the structure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0027] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the configuration when the heating device of the first embodiment is installed in a water tank and connected to a vertical-axis wind turbine and a heat exchanger. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an enlarged view of section A in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3(A) is a schematic plan view showing the overlap of the first and second stator blades when the phases of the first and second stators are aligned and superimposed in the heating device of the first embodiment, and Figure 3(B) is a schematic plan view when the phases of the two are different and superimposed. Figure 3(C) is a graph showing the change in pump capacity τ in response to the change in the phase of both stators. [Figure 4] Figure 4(A) is a schematic plan view showing the degree of overlap between the first and second stator blades when the first and second stators are stacked in the heating device of the second embodiment, and Figure 4(B) is a graph showing the change in pump capacity τ with respect to the change in phase of both stators. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the heating device of the third embodiment when installed in a water tank. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic plan view showing the stirring blade of the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0028] The first to third embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0029] The heating device 1 of the first embodiment, as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, an enlarged view of part A in Figure 1, comprises an annular first stator 2 having a plurality of first stator blades 2a arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, a sealed container 3 in which the first stator 2 is fixed so as not to rotate, fin-shaped heat dissipation parts 4 provided on the outer wall of the sealed container 3, oil 5 as a liquid filled in the sealed container 3, an annular pump 6 having a plurality of blades 6a facing the first stator blades 2a of the first stator 2 and rotatably arranged in the sealed container 3, and forming a spiral flow path 7 of oil 5 between itself and the first stator 2, a power transmission shaft 8 that non-rotatably supports the hub 6b of the pump 6 on one end 8a side and connects the other end 8b protruding from the sealed container 3 to a wind turbine 9 as a power source for rotational power, and a second stator 10 fixed so as not to rotate and detachably to the sealed container 3 between the pump 6 and the first stator 2.

[0030] The sealed container 3 is housed inside a sealed hot water storage tank 12 filled with a heat transfer medium 11 such as water, and is fixedly positioned on the floor 13 of a building or the like with the power transmission shaft 8 facing the direction of gravity, and is sealed by the joint of the upper half 3a and the lower half 3b. A circulation pipe 15 is connected between the hot water storage tank 12 and the external heat exchanger 14 to circulate the heat transfer medium 11 between the hot water storage tank 12 and the heat exchanger 14, and a circulation pump (not shown) is interposed in the middle of the circulation pipe 15.

[0031] A base 12b for securing the sealed container 3 is fixed to the floor surface 12a of the hot water storage tank 12. Heat transfer fluid 11 flows between the upper surface of the base 12b and the lower surface of the lower half 3b of the sealed container 3, performing heat exchange with the oil 5 inside the sealed container 3. The circulation piping 15 is attached to the side wall of the hot water storage tank 12 with its inlet 15a to the hot water storage tank 12 on the lower side and its outlet 15b from the hot water storage tank 12 on the upper side. A sealing member 12c is also positioned where the power transmission shaft 8 protrudes from the hot water storage tank 12.

[0032] As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, the first stator 2 is formed in the upper half 3a of the sealed container 3 so as to constitute a part of the sealed container 3, and in the center of the upper half 3a, the first stator hub 2b of the first stator 2, which also serves as the hub of the sealed container 3, is formed so as to allow the power transmission shaft 8 to rotatably pass through it. On the inner circumferential surface of the first stator hub 2b facing the power transmission shaft 8, a seal portion 16 that seals the oil 5 inside the sealed container 3 between itself and the power transmission shaft 8, and a bearing member 17a for rotating the power transmission shaft 8 inside the sealed container 3 are arranged.

[0033] The second stator 10 has a second stator hub 10b on its inner circumference that rotatably surrounds the power transmission shaft 8, and is positioned between the pump 6 and the first stator 2 such that the second stator hub 10b faces both the first stator hub 2b of the first stator 2 and the hub 6b of the pump 6. The second stator 10 has the same number of second stator blades 10a as the first stator blades 2a, and these second stator blades 10a extend radially outward from the outer circumference of the second stator hub 10b, and are positioned between the first stator blades 2a and the blades 6a of the pump 6.

[0034] A cylindrical portion 2c is formed on the innermost axial portion of the sealed container 3 on the inner surface of the first stator hub 2b, projecting toward the inner circumferential surface of the second stator hub 10b so as to surround the power transmission shaft 8 in a relative rotatable manner. A stepped portion 2d is formed by reducing the diameter radially inward at the lower end of the cylindrical portion 2c, and an inward-facing cylindrical portion 10c formed on the lower inner circumference of the hub 10b of the second stator 10 is removably fitted into this stepped portion 2d. Multiple outward-facing teeth 2e are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 2c that is continuous with the stepped portion 2d of the first stator 2, projecting radially outward. Multiple inward-facing teeth 10d, projecting radially inward from the upper surface of the cylindrical portion 10c of the hub 10b, are removably fixed to these outward-facing teeth 2e. These outward-facing teeth 2e and inward-facing teeth 10d constitute an anti-rotation portion for removably fixing the second stator hub 10b to the first stator hub 2b.

[0035] The outward-facing teeth 2d of the first stator hub 2b and the inward-facing teeth 10c of the second stator hub 10b are all formed with the same pitch. Therefore, after removing the inward-facing teeth 10c of the second stator hub 10b from the outward-facing teeth 2d of the first stator hub 2b, these inward-facing teeth 10c can be meshed with another outward-facing tooth 2d of the first stator hub 2b and fitted into place, thereby changing the relative mounting angle, i.e., the phase, between the first stator blade 2a of the first stator 2 and the second stator blade 10a of the second stator 10.

[0036] Figures 3(A) and 3(B) are schematic plan views showing the overlap of the first and second stator blades 2a and 10a when the first and second stators 2 and 10 of the heating device 1 of the first embodiment are superimposed. Figure 3(A) shows a state in which the phase of the first stator blade 2a of the first stator 2 and the second stator blade 10a of the second stator 10 are in the same phase, while Figure 3(B) shows a state in which the phases of the first and second stator blades 2a and 10a are out of phase. Furthermore, the graph in Figure 3(C) shows the relationship between the phase angle difference of the second stator blade 10a relative to the first stator blade 2a and the pump capacity τ of the heating device 1. As is clear from the graph in Figure 3(C), the smaller the phase difference between the first and second stator blades 2a and 10a, the larger the pump capacity τ of the heating device 1. Therefore, by temporarily removing the second stator hub 10b from the first stator hub 2b, changing the phase of the second stator blade 10a relative to the first stator blade 2a, and then reattaching it, it is possible to change the pump capacity τ of the heating device 1.

[0037] The hub 6b of the pump 6 is spline-fitted 6c to the power transmission shaft 8 in a non-rotatable manner, and the lower end of one end 8a of the power transmission shaft 8 is rotatably held by a bearing member 17d within an engagement hole 3c in the center of the lower half 3b of the sealed container 3. In addition, the lower surface of the hub 6b of the pump 6 is rotatably supported by bearing members 17c arranged around the engagement hole 3c, and a bearing member 17b is also positioned between the upper surface of the hub 6b of the pump 6 and the lower surface of the second stator hub 10b of the second stator 10, thereby rotatably supporting the pump 6 between the upper surface of the lower half 3b of the sealed container 3 and the lower surface of the second stator hub 10b.

[0038] The heat exchanger 14, which circulates a heat transfer medium 11 such as water with the hot water storage tank 12, may be a hot water panel for snow melting that directly uses thermal energy, or it may be a heat engine that converts the thermal energy of a radiator or heat transfer medium into mechanical energy such as rotational energy. Furthermore, it is also possible to use a heat storage device that stores the thermal energy of the heat transfer medium. For example, in a system that converts the rotational energy of a wind turbine 9 into electrical energy and stores the generated electrical energy, it is essential to use an expensive battery. However, a heat storage device is cheaper than a battery and there is no concern about discharge, so storing rotational energy as thermal energy in a heat storage device is an effective energy storage method.

[0039] In this embodiment, the power transmission shaft 8 extending upward in the direction of gravity from the sealed container 3 is directly connected to the vertical axis 9a of the vertical-axis type wind turbine 9. However, the direction in which the power transmission shaft 8 extends may be horizontal, and the shape of the wind turbine 9 is not particularly limited to a vertical axis type. Furthermore, as a power source, anything that generates rotational power other than a wind turbine, such as a water turbine, may be used.

[0040] In the heat generating device 1 of this embodiment, the power transmission shaft 8 connected to the wind turbine 9 rotates with the power of the wind turbine 9, causing a spiral flow of oil 5 between the blades 6a of the pump 6 and the blades 2a and 10a of the first and second stators 2 and 10, similar to that of a normal fluid coupling. However, unlike a normal fluid coupling, the blades 2a and 10a of the first and second stators 2 and 10 are fixed to a sealed container 3 permanently placed on the floor 13 of the building, so the oil 5 is agitated between the blades 6a of the pump 6 and the blades 2a and 10a of the first and second stators 2 and 10, generating heat due to fluid friction and raising the temperature of the oil 5. The heated oil 5 is cooled by heat exchange with the heat transfer medium 11 filled in the hot water storage tank 12 via fin-shaped heat dissipation parts 4 provided on the outer wall of the sealed container 3. Meanwhile, the heat transfer medium 11 in the hot water storage tank 12 is sent to a heat exchange device 14 by a circulation pump (not shown) and heat exchange takes place with the heat exchange device 14.

[0041] Furthermore, when converting wind energy into mechanical power using the wind turbine 9, it is desirable to maximize the power coefficient Cp, which is the conversion efficiency. The power coefficient Cp of the wind turbine 9 changes parabolic in accordance with the peripheral speed ratio λ, which is the ratio of the tip velocity Vr of the wind turbine blade 9b to the wind velocity V (Vr / V). Therefore, there exists a peripheral speed ratio λ in the middle of this change that maximizes the power coefficient Cp. Thus, when connecting the heating device 1 to the wind turbine 9, the wind turbine efficiency can be maximized by adjusting the pump capacity τ of the heating device 1 to obtain the peripheral speed ratio λ that maximizes the power coefficient Cp of the wind turbine 9.

[0042] Incidentally, in conventional wind turbines that do not use fluid couplings to convert the rotational energy of the wind turbine 9, the wind turbine rotation speed N changes when the wind speed V changes, and this changes the peripheral speed ratio λ. Therefore, even if a peripheral speed ratio λ that maximizes the power coefficient Cp is obtained at a specific wind speed V, it is not possible to obtain a peripheral speed ratio λ that maximizes the power coefficient Cp when the wind speed V changes. For this reason, it was necessary to deal with changes in wind speed V by pitch control, adding a transmission, or controlling the load of the generator. However, in the present invention, the rotational energy of the wind turbine 9 is converted into thermal energy by a heating device 1 using a fluid coupling, so that a peripheral speed ratio λ that maximizes the power coefficient Cp can always be obtained even when the wind speed V changes. The reason for this is explained below.

[0043] The output E of a wind turbine is given by, where Cp is the power coefficient, ρ is the air density, A is the pressure-receiving area of ​​the blade, and V is the wind speed. E = Cp × (1 / 2) × ρ × A × V 3 ...(1) It can be expressed as follows. Here, if d is the diameter of the rotor blade, λ is the circumferential velocity ratio, Vr is the tip velocity of the wind turbine blade, and N is the rotational speed of the wind turbine, V = Vr / λ Vr = πdN / 60 Therefore, V = πdN / 60λ Since it can be expressed as, equation (1) is, E=Cp×(1 / 2)×ρ×A×(πdN / 60λ) 3 ...(2) It can be transformed as follows. Furthermore, if we let the output torque of the wind turbine be T, then the output torque T is, T = 60E / 2πN·····(3) Since it can be expressed as such, from equations (2) and (3), the relationship between T and N is, T=60×(Cp×(1 / 2)×ρ×A×(πdN / 60λ) 3 / 2πN ={(Cp×ρ×A×π 2 d 3 ) / (4×60 2 ×λ 3 )} × N 2 ...(4) It can be expressed as follows.

[0044] (4) The formula (Cp×ρ×A×π 2 d 3 ) / (4×60 2 ×λ 3 ) indicates that if it is constant, the output torque T of the windmill 9 is proportional to the square of the rotational speed N of the windmill 9. Conversely, if the output torque T of the windmill 9 is made proportional to the square of the rotational speed N of the windmill 9, then (Cp×ρ×A×π 2 d 3 ) / (4×60 2 ×λ 3 ) becomes a proportionality constant and is fixed to a constant value, that is, if T∝N 2 holds, it also shows that the power coefficient Cp and the tip speed ratio λ that change correspondingly can always be fixed to constant values regardless of the wind speed V. However, as is well known, the input torque of a fluid coupling is proportional to the square of the rotational speed N. Therefore, by using the fluid coupling as the heating device 1, the output torque T of the windmill 9 connected to the power transmission shaft 8 of the heating device 1 can be made proportional to the square of the rotational speed N of the windmill 9. Thus, by using the fluid coupling as the heating device 1 and adjusting the pump capacity τ of the heating device 1 so as to obtain the tip speed ratio λ at which the power coefficient Cp of the windmill 9 is maximized, it becomes possible to obtain the tip speed ratio λ at which the power coefficient Cp is always maximized even when the wind speed V changes.

[0045] When applying the heating device 1 of this embodiment to windmills 9 with different characteristics, it is conceivable that the pump capacity τ of the heating device 1 does not match the characteristics of the windmill, resulting in the inability to obtain the tip speed ratio λ at which the power coefficient Cp of the windmill 9 is maximized. However, in this embodiment, the first and second stators 2, 10 each have a plurality of stator blades 2a, 10a of the same number. The second stator 10 can mount the second stator blades 10a of the second stator 10 at an arbitrary phase with respect to the first stator blades 2a of the first stator 2. Therefore, by simply changing the relative mounting angle (phase) of the second stator 10 with respect to the first stator 2, it becomes possible to easily change the pump capacity τ and easily provide an optimal heating device for various windmills.

[0046] Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention having the above configuration will be described.

[0047] In this embodiment, an annular first stator 2 is fixed immovably inside a sealed container 3, and an annular pump 6 connected to a wind turbine 9 is positioned opposite it. The annular pump 6 is rotated by the rotational power of the wind turbine 9, agitating the oil 5 in the helical flow path 7 between the first stator 2 and the pump 6. The heat generated by fluid friction in the oil 5 is released from the heat dissipation section 4 to exchange heat with an external heat transfer medium 11. In this heating device 1, in addition to the first stator 2, a second stator 10 is provided, which increases the resistance of the oil 5 and allows the rotational energy transmitted from the wind turbine 9 to be efficiently converted into thermal energy. Moreover, since the agitated oil 5 is sealed inside the sealed container 3, the sealing structure does not become complicated.

[0048] Furthermore, when the heating device 1 is connected to the wind turbine 9, the wind turbine efficiency can be maximized by adjusting the pump capacity τ of the heating device 1 to obtain the peripheral speed ratio λ (the ratio of the tip speed Vr of the wind turbine blade 9b to the wind speed V) that maximizes the power coefficient Cp of the wind turbine 9. However, in the first embodiment of the present invention, since the second stator 10 is fixed to the sealed container 3 in a non-rotatable and removable manner, the pump capacity τ to match the characteristics of various wind turbines 9 can be changed simply by changing the second stator blade 10a of the second stator 10, and it is possible to obtain a pump capacity τ that can be used with a wide variety of wind turbines 9 without changing the blade shape of the pump 6 and the first stator 2.

[0049] Furthermore, since the heating device 1 of the first embodiment has a fluid coupling structure in which the input torque T is proportional to the square of the rotational speed N, the output torque of the wind turbine 9 connected to the power transmission shaft 8 of the heating device 1 can always be made proportional to the square of the rotational speed of the wind turbine 9. Therefore, once the pump capacity τ of the heating device 1 is adjusted to obtain a peripheral speed ratio λ that maximizes the power coefficient Cp of the wind turbine 9, a peripheral speed ratio λ that always maximizes the power coefficient Cp can be obtained even if the wind speed V changes, so the wind turbine 9 can always be operated at maximum efficiency without any special control of the wind turbine 9.

[0050] Furthermore, the first and second stators 2 and 10 each have stator hubs 2b and 10b on their inner circumferences, and the first stator hub 2b of the first stator 2 has outward-facing teeth 2d and inward-facing teeth 10c as anti-rotation parts that can detachably fix the second stator hub 10b of the second stator 10. Therefore, various shapes of the second stator 10 can be attached with a simple configuration that does not increase weight or cost.

[0051] Moreover, since the first and second stators 2 and 10 each have the same number of stator blades 2a and 10a, and the second stator 10 can mount its second stator blade 10a to the first stator blade 2a of the first stator 2 at any phase, the pump capacity τ can be easily changed simply by changing the relative mounting angle (phase) of the second stator 10 to the first stator 2, making it easy to provide a heat generating device 1 that is optimal for various wind turbines 9.

[0052] Furthermore, the first stator 2 is integrally formed with the sealed container 3, and the first stator hub 2b has a sealing portion 16 that seals the oil 5 inside the sealed container 3 between it and the power transmission shaft 8, and a bearing member 17a for rotating the power transmission shaft 8 inside the sealed container 3. Therefore, the first stator hub 2b can be given a sealing function and a bearing function in addition to the holding function of the second stator 10, which contributes to making the heating device 1 more compact.

[0053] Furthermore, since the sealed container 3 has a power transmission shaft 8 protruding from its top surface, which extends parallel to the direction of gravity, the power transmission shaft 8 can be positioned perpendicular to the ground. As a result, the sealed container 3 can be installed near the ground or the floor 13 of a building, simplifying the support columns and other structures that support it, thereby reducing costs and weight.

[0054] Furthermore, since at least a portion of the heat dissipation section 4 overlaps with the spiral flow path 7 in the radial direction, the heat dissipation section 4 can be brought closer to the spiral flow path 7, which is the heat source. As a result, when the sealed container 3 is driven inside the hot water storage tank 12, the heat conductivity from the sealed container 3 to the heat transfer medium 11 inside the hot water storage tank 12 is improved, and the heat transfer medium 11 can be heated up quickly.

[0055] Next, a heating device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 4.

[0056] Figure 4(A) shows a schematic plan view illustrating the overlap of the first and second stator blades 2a and 10a when the first and second stators 2 and 10 of the second embodiment of the present invention are superimposed. As shown in this figure, the heating device 1 of the second embodiment of the present invention differs from the heating device 1 of the first embodiment in that the number of second stator blades 10a of the second stator 10, which is removably fixed to the sealed container 3, is different from the number of first stator blades 2a of the first stator 2. Therefore, when the first and second stators 2 and 10 are superimposed, the first and second stator blades 2a and 10a are configured to overlap in random positional relationships regardless of the relative mounting angle (phase).

[0057] The graph in Figure 4(B) shows the relationship between the phase angle difference of the second stator blade 10a relative to the first stator blade 2a in the second embodiment and the pump capacity τ of the heating device 1. As is clear from this graph, in the second embodiment, the pump capacity τ remains approximately constant regardless of the phase in which the first and second stators 2 and 10 are superimposed, thus avoiding the pump capacity τ changing due to phase differences. Therefore, if the second stator blade 10a of the second stator 10 is manufactured with a predetermined shape that yields a specific pump capacity τ, even if there is a slight difference in mounting angle between the first and second stator hubs 2b and 10b, the pump capacity τ of the sealed container 3 will not change when the second stator hub 10b is attached to the first stator hub 2b, and the predetermined pump capacity τ can be reliably obtained.

[0058] Next, a heating device according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6.

[0059] As shown in Figure 5, in the third embodiment of the present invention, the heating device 1 has a plurality of stirring blades 18 attached to a power transmission shaft 8 on the outside of the sealed container 3 inside the hot water storage tank 12, with the blades extending radially from the outer circumference of the power transmission shaft 8. As shown in Figure 6, the stirring blades are formed in a shape similar to the impeller of a centrifugal pump and cover at least a part of the heat dissipation section 4 of the sealed container 3 (in this embodiment, the entire heat dissipation section 4). Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the circulation piping 15 on the inlet 15a side to the hot water storage tank 12 extends from the inlet 15a to the inside of the hot water storage tank 12, enters the base 12b from between the upper surface of the base 12b and the lower surface of the lower half 3b of the sealed container 3, passes through the inside of the power transmission shaft 8 from the center of the lower half 3b of the sealed container 3, and its tip 15c opens at the inner circumference side of the stirring blade 18 (at this time, a sealing member (not shown) is interposed between the base 12b, the center of the lower half 3b of the sealed container 3 and the power transmission shaft 8).

[0060] In this way, the stirring blade 18 attached to the power transmission shaft 8 rotates, stirring the heat transfer medium 11 in the hot water storage tank 12. This not only promotes heat dissipation from the sealed container 3, but the rotational motion of the heat transfer medium 11 in the hot water storage tank 12 causes high pressure on the outer circumference of the stirring blade 18 and low pressure on the inner circumference, similar to a centrifugal pump, thus allowing the stirring blade 18 to function as a pump. Therefore, even without installing a circulation pump in the middle of the circulation piping 15, the heat transfer medium 11 in the circulation piping 15, which flows out from the tip 15c of the circulation piping 15 that opens on the inner circumference of the stirring blade 18, is stirred in the hot water storage tank 12, and then sent back to the circulation piping 15 from the outlet 15b formed on the periphery wall of the hot water storage tank 12, thus eliminating the need to specially install a circulation pump in the middle of the circulation piping 15, which can contribute to reducing the number of parts and simplifying the structure.

[0061] In this embodiment, the stirring blade 18 is fixed to the power transmission shaft 8 with bolts 18a, but there are no particular limitations on the fixing method. Also, in this embodiment, the circulation piping 15 is routed from the lower surface of the lower half 3b of the sealed container 3, through the inside of the power transmission shaft 8, and opens on the inner circumference side of the stirring blade 18. However, the piping extending from the inlet 15a of the circulation piping 15 to the hot water storage tank 12 into the hot water storage tank may be routed directly through the hot water storage tank 12 to the inner circumference side of the stirring blade 18 and opened on the inner circumference side of the stirring blade 18. In that case, a sealing member between the base 12b and the center of the lower half 3b of the sealed container 3 and the power transmission shaft is not necessary.

[0062] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, various design modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from its spirit. For example, in the embodiment, oil 5 was used as the liquid filled in the sealed container 3, but this liquid may be another liquid such as water. Also, as mentioned above, the direction in which the power transmission shaft 8 extends may be horizontal, and the power source is not limited to the wind turbine 9. Furthermore, various types of heat exchangers 14 can also be selected. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1. Heating device 2. First stat 2a...First stator blade 2b...First stator hub 3. Airtight container 4...Heat dissipation part 5. Oil as a fluid to be filled into a sealed container. 6. Pump 7...Spiral flow path 8. Power transmission shaft 8a...One end 8b...Other end 9. Wind turbines as a power source 10. Second State 10a ··2nd stator blade 10b ··Second stator hub 11. Heat transfer fluid 12. Hot water storage tank 14...Heat exchange equipment 15...Circulation piping 15a ·· Inlet of the circulation piping to the hot water storage tank 16. Seal part 17a~17d ··Bearing members 18... Stirring blade

Claims

1. A sealed container with an annular first stator fixed inside in a non-rotatable manner, The fluid filled in the sealed container, An annular pump is rotatably positioned inside the sealed container opposite the first stator, forming a helical fluid channel between it and the first stator, A power transmission shaft is provided, which supports the pump at one end in a non-rotatable manner and connects the other end, which protrudes from the sealed container, to a power source for rotational power. A bearing member that rotatably supports the power transmission shaft in the sealed container, Between the pump and the first stator, a second stator is fixed to the sealed container in a way that prevents rotation and allows for removal. The sealed container comprises a heat dissipation section provided on the outer wall of the sealed container, A heating device characterized by stirring the fluid in the helical channel using the power of the power source, and releasing the heat generated by fluid friction from the heat dissipation section to perform heat exchange with an external heat transfer medium.

2. A heating device according to claim 1, The heating device is characterized in that the first and second stators each have a stator hub on their inner circumference, and the first stator hub of the first stator has an anti-rotation portion that can detachably fix the second stator hub of the second stator.

3. A heating device according to claim 1 or claim 2, The heating device is characterized in that the first and second stators each have the same number of stator blades, and the second stator is removably fixed to the sealed container such that the second stator blades of the second stator can be mounted relative to the first stator blades of the first stator at any phase.

4. A heating device according to claim 1 or claim 2, The heating device is characterized in that the second stator has a different number of second stator blades than the number of first stator blades of the first stator, and is detachably fixed to the sealed container.

5. A heating device according to claim 2, The heating device is characterized in that the first stator is formed integrally with the sealed container, and the first stator hub has a sealing portion for sealing the fluid inside the sealed container between itself and the power transmission shaft, and a bearing member for rotating the power transmission shaft inside the sealed container.

6. A heating device according to claim 1, The aforementioned sealed container is characterized in that the power transmission shaft, which extends parallel to the direction of gravity, protrudes from its upper surface.

7. A heating device according to claim 1 or claim 6, The heat dissipation section is characterized in that at least a portion of it overlaps with the helical flow path in the radial direction.

8. A heating device according to claim 1 or claim 6, The heat generating device is characterized in that the sealed container is housed in a hot water storage tank filled with a heat transfer medium and sealed, the other end of the power transmission shaft protrudes from the hot water storage tank, a circulation pipe is connected between the hot water storage tank and a heat exchanger located outside the hot water storage tank for circulating the heat transfer medium between the hot water storage tank and the heat exchanger, and a plurality of stirring blades extending radially from the outer circumference of the power transmission shaft are attached to the power transmission shaft outside the sealed container inside the hot water storage tank so as to cover at least a portion of the heat dissipation part of the sealed container.

9. A heating device according to claim 8, A heating device characterized in that the extension of the circulation piping that extends from the inlet of the circulation piping to the hot water storage tank into the hot water storage tank opens on the inner circumference side of the stirring blade.

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