Hydroelectric power generation / storage system

Abstract

Provided is a hydroelectric power generation / storage system enabling both hydroelectric power generation and power storage therefor at the open sea, coastal waters, or any other locations.　A hydroelectric power generation / storage system 1 is provided with a hydro-drive device 2, a power generation device 3, a mounting body 4, and a battery tanker 5. The hydro-drive device 2 and the power generation device 3 are mounted onto the mounting body 4, and the mounting body 4 is mounted with a bracket 10 onto a lateral side part of the battery tanker 5. The hydro-drive device 2 is a device for outputting a rotational force corresponding to a water flow pressure, and the power generation device 3 is a device that receives the rotational force of the output shaft of the hydro-drive device 2 and performs a power generation operation. The battery tanker 5 is equipped with a power storage device 50 for storing electricity generated at the power generation device 3. Due to this configuration, electricity generated by the hydro-drive device 2 and the power generation device 3 can be stored in the power storage device 50 of the battery tanker 5.

Description

Hydroelectric power generation / energy storage systems

[0001] This invention relates to a hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system that can generate electricity using hydropower and store the generated electrical energy.

[0002] As shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2, there are hydroelectric power generation technologies that can efficiently convert water power into electrical energy, enabling stable generation of high power generation efficiency and large power output regardless of weather or solar radiation. These hydroelectric power generation technologies can be used on shallow water by fixing a support structure, to which various devices are assembled, to the seabed. Therefore, the cost and time required for construction are not significant. However, when these hydroelectric power generation technologies are used in deep offshore waters, construction of the hydroelectric power generation system requires considerable cost and time. Furthermore, maintenance work is troublesome and complicated. Therefore, the hydroelectric power generation technology described in Patent Document 3 was invented. This hydroelectric power generation technology not only efficiently converts water power into electrical energy to obtain high power generation efficiency and large power output, but it is also an excellent technology that can reduce the construction cost of the hydroelectric power generation system and alleviate the burden of maintenance work, even when used in deep offshore waters. This technology involves assembling a hydraulic drive device and a power generation device on a floating device. Therefore, by transporting these devices to the target offshore location, lowering them, and securing the floating components of the floating devices with mooring equipment, hydroelectric power generation systems can be installed in deep water. This not only reduces the cost and time required for construction in deep water, but also simplifies maintenance.

[0003] Patent No. 6731561 Patent No. 6894556 Patent No. 7174503

[0004] However, the conventional technologies described above have the following problems. In the technology of Patent Document 3, in order to send the electricity generated by hydropower to an onshore power storage station, it is necessary to connect the hydropower generation system and the power storage station with a submarine cable. Therefore, when a plurality of hydropower generation systems are installed far apart on the open sea, submarine cables must be laid between each system and the onshore power storage station, which causes problems in terms of cost. In addition, the impact on the environment due to the laying of submarine cables must also be considered. For this reason, the number of submarine cables to be laid on the seabed is limited to the minimum necessary number, and the installation locations of this hydropower generation system are also limited to near the submarine cables. That is to say, in the above conventional technology, it is not possible to generate hydropower at any location on the open sea. The locations where hydropower can be generated by this technology are significantly limited.

[0005] This invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is to provide a hydropower generation / power storage system capable of generating hydropower and storing power at any location in the open ocean and the coastal ocean.

[0006] To solve the above problems, the first invention is a hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system comprising: a hydraulic drive device having an output shaft capable of outputting rotational force corresponding to water flow pressure; a power generation device that performs power generation operation by receiving the rotational force of the output shaft; a mounting body to which the hydraulic drive device and the power generation device are attached; and a power storage vessel having a power storage device for storing electricity generated by the power generation device, wherein the hydraulic drive device comprises: a first rotating body rotatably attached to one end of the mounting body; a second rotating body rotatably attached to the other end of the mounting body such that its rotational axis is parallel to the rotational axis of the first rotating body; an endless belt wrapped around the first rotating body and the second rotating body; and recesses for each resistance member to receive water flow pressure. The power generation device comprises a plurality of first resistance members having a pressure-receiving surface and erected at predetermined intervals on the surface of an endless belt, and a plurality of auxiliary rotating bodies disposed between the first rotating body, the second rotating body and the endless belt, with their rotational axes parallel to the rotational axes of the first and second rotating bodies, and attached to a mounting body. The power generation device includes a generator that performs power generation operation by receiving the rotational force of the output shaft of the hydraulic drive device on its rotating shaft, and the hydraulic drive device is mounted to the mounting body such that at least the rotational axes of the first rotating body and the second rotating body are located above the water surface, and the plurality of first resistance members located in the portion of the endless belt below the first and second rotating bodies are completely submerged in water. With this configuration, the power storage vessel can be moved to move the hydraulic drive device and the power generation device together with the mounting body to a desired offshore position. The power storage vessel can then be moored at that offshore position, and the hydraulic drive device and the power generation device together with the mounting body can be fixed at that offshore position. As a result, multiple first resistance members completely submerged in water receive water flow pressure, causing the first and second rotating bodies, around which the endless belt is wrapped, to rotate in the direction of the water flow. This rotational force is then output to the output shaft of the hydraulic drive unit and transmitted to the power generator, where power generation is performed. The electricity generated by the power generator can be used to charge the power storage unit of the power storage vessel. If the water flow weakens or changes occur, the power storage vessel is restarted and moved to the open sea where the desired water flow is present. By then stopping the power storage vessel again at that location, power generation and storage operations can be performed at sea using the hydraulic drive unit and power generator.Then, once the battery storage system is fully charged, the battery storage vessel can be driven to transport the stored electricity to a desired onshore battery storage station.

[0007] The second invention is a hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the first invention, wherein the mounting body is provided on the hull of the energy storage vessel.

[0008] The third invention is a hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the first invention, wherein the mounting body is provided on a floating device separate from the energy storage vessel.

[0009] The fourth invention relates to the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the first invention, wherein the first resistance member is formed of a pressure-receiving surface portion made of a flexible material and a support member that supports the pressure-receiving surface portion upright on the surface of an endless belt. With this configuration, the first resistance member of the hydraulic drive device receives water flow pressure at the pressure-receiving surface portion facing the flow, causing the first and second rotating bodies to rotate. When the direction of the water flow changes, the pressure-receiving surface portion made of the flexible material bends in the direction of the flow. As a result, the pressure-receiving surface portion changes to face the flow, receives water flow pressure, and rotates the first and second rotating bodies. In other words, according to this invention, the orientation of the pressure-receiving surface portion of the first resistance member changes in accordance with the change in the direction of the water flow. Therefore, when the direction of the water flow changes, it is not necessary to adjust the orientation of the hydraulic drive device to match the direction of the water flow. That is, power generation can be continued without changing the orientation of the hydraulic drive device or the power generation device.

[0010] The fifth invention relates to the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system of the first invention, wherein the first resistance member is formed of a pair of pressure-receiving surfaces joined back to back, and a support member that supports these pressure-receiving surfaces upright on the surface of an endless belt. With this configuration, even if the direction of water flow changes, the pressure-receiving surface facing the direction of flow among the pair of back-to-back pressure-receiving surfaces will capture the water flow, so power generation can be continued without changing the orientation of the hydroelectric drive device or power generation device.

[0011] The sixth invention relates to a hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the fourth or fifth invention, wherein a rotation direction converter is provided between the output shaft of the hydraulic drive unit and the rotation shaft of the generator, capable of changing the rotation direction of the generator's rotation shaft to either the same direction or the opposite direction relative to the rotation direction of the output shaft of the hydraulic drive unit. With this configuration, when there is no change in the direction of the water flow, the rotation direction of the generator's rotation shaft relative to the rotation direction of the output shaft of the hydraulic drive unit can be set to, for example, the same direction by the rotation direction converter. When the direction of the water flow reverses, the rotation direction of the generator's rotation shaft relative to the rotation direction of the output shaft of the hydraulic drive unit can be set to the opposite direction by the rotation direction converter.

[0012] The seventh invention is a hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the first invention, wherein one or more of the auxiliary rotating bodies among the plurality of auxiliary rotating bodies are positioned lower than the other auxiliary rotating bodies, and the lower portion of the endless belt is curved in a roughly V-shape in the direction of water depth. With this configuration, when the plurality of first resistance members completely submerged in water are subjected to water flow pressure, the first and second rotating bodies around which the endless belt is wound rotate in the direction of water flow pressure, and this rotational force is output to the output shaft of the hydraulic drive device. At this time, since the lower portion of the endless belt is curved in a roughly V-shape in the direction of water depth, the plurality of first resistance members completely submerged in water can efficiently receive the water flow pressure. This rotational force is then transmitted to the power generation device, and the generated electricity is stored in the energy storage device.

[0013] The eighth invention relates to the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the seventh invention, wherein the downstream auxiliary rotating body among the multiple auxiliary rotating bodies is positioned lower than the other auxiliary rotating bodies. With this configuration, the multiple first resistance members can efficiently secure water flow pressure, and as a result, extremely large amounts of power can be generated. That is, the multiple first resistance members located upstream of the auxiliary rotating body located below receive strong water flow pressure. The multiple first resistance members located downstream of the auxiliary rotating body located below receive weak water flow pressure. However, in this invention, the downstream auxiliary rotating body among the multiple auxiliary rotating bodies is positioned lower than the other auxiliary rotating bodies. Therefore, almost all of the first resistance members can efficiently receive strong water flow pressure, and as a result, extremely large amounts of power can be generated.

[0014] The ninth invention provides a configuration in the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the seventh invention in which an auxiliary rotating body located approximately in the center of a plurality of auxiliary rotating bodies is positioned lower than the other auxiliary rotating bodies. With this configuration, a plurality of first resistance members located upstream of the auxiliary rotating body positioned lower receive water flow pressure, causing the first rotating body, the second rotating body, and the endless belt to rotate. Therefore, for example, when water flows from left to right, the plurality of first resistance members located to the left of the auxiliary rotating body positioned lower receive the water flow pressure, while the plurality of first resistance members located to the right receive almost no water flow pressure. However, when the water flow changes from right to left, the plurality of first resistance members located to the right of the auxiliary rotating body positioned lower receive the water flow pressure, while the plurality of first resistance members located to the left receive almost no water flow pressure. In this case, the auxiliary rotating body located approximately in the center of the multiple auxiliary rotating bodies is positioned lower than the other auxiliary rotating bodies. Therefore, the number of first resistance members located to the left of this auxiliary rotating body is approximately the same as the number of first resistance members located to the right of this auxiliary rotating body. Consequently, by applying, for example, the first resistance member of the fourth or fifth invention, the rotational energy obtained by the water flow pressure from the left and the rotational energy obtained by the water flow pressure from the right become almost the same, and even if the direction of the water flow changes, approximately the same amount of power can always be obtained.

[0015] The tenth invention is a hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the first invention, wherein a plurality of auxiliary rotating bodies are mounted on a mounting body so as to be able to move up and down. With this configuration, the water depth of the first resistance member, the slack of the endless belt, etc., can be corrected by moving a specific auxiliary rotating body up and down.

[0016] As explained in detail above, this invention allows for power generation and storage at any desired location offshore, eliminating the need to transmit hydroelectric power to land-based power plants using submarine cables or the like. Therefore, environmental degradation due to submarine cable laying is not a concern. Furthermore, since the power storage vessel can move freely to different locations on the ocean, hydroelectric power generation and storage operations can be performed anywhere accessible by the vessel. For example, the vessel can be moved to an optimal location to handle seasonal changes in ocean currents, enabling power generation and storage. While power generation is typically performed with the vessel stationary, in urgent situations requiring a desired capacity of storage, power can be generated using the hydroelectric drive and power generation equipment while the vessel is in operation. This increases the fuel consumption of the vessel, but allows for rapid storage of the desired capacity of electricity in the storage device. Of course, if the vessel uses an electric motor instead of a fuel-burning engine, the stored electricity can be used to power the vessel.

[0017] This is a perspective view showing a hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a side view showing the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system. This is a front view showing the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system. This is an exploded perspective view showing the hydraulic drive unit, the power generation unit, and the mounting body. This is a side view showing the hydraulic drive unit and the power generation unit mounted on the mounting body. This is a plan view showing the hydraulic drive unit and the power generation unit mounted on the mounting body. This is a perspective view showing the first resistance member. This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in Figure 7. This is a perspective view showing the auxiliary rotating body being supported by a pair of hydraulic jacks. This is a partial cross-sectional view for explaining the mounting state of the hydraulic jacks. This is a side view showing the slack correction state of the endless belt. This is a partial side view showing an example of a slack correction structure using the first rotating body or the second rotating body. This is a partial side view showing another example of a slack correction structure using the first rotating body or the second rotating body. This is a perspective view showing a modified example of the mounting body. This is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This is a plan view for explaining the rotation direction converter applied to the second embodiment. This is a perspective view showing the first resistive member, which is a key part of the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the third embodiment of this invention. This is a side view for explaining the operation of the third embodiment. This is a side view showing the key part of the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the fourth embodiment of this invention. This is a side view showing the key part of the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the fifth embodiment of this invention. This is a front view showing the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the sixth embodiment of this invention. This is a front view showing the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the seventh embodiment of this invention. This is a perspective view of the floating device. This is a front view showing the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the eighth embodiment of this invention, where Figure 24(a) shows a system equipped with two mounting bodies, Figure 24(b) shows a system equipped with auxiliary devices, and Figure 24(c) shows a system equipped with two energy storage boats.

[0018] The best mode of this invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0019] (Example 1) Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the first embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a side view showing the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system, and Figure 3 is a front view showing the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system. As shown in Figure 1, the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system 1 of this embodiment comprises a hydraulic drive unit 2, a power generation unit 3, a mounting unit 4, and an energy storage vessel 5.

[0020] The hydraulic drive unit 2 and the power generation unit 3 are attached to the mounting body 4, and as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the mounting body 4 is fixed to the side of the battery storage ship 5 by a bracket 10.

[0021] As shown in Figure 1, the hydraulic drive device 2 is a device for outputting rotational force corresponding to water flow pressure, and the shaft portion 20b of the second rotating body 20B serves as the output shaft. This hydraulic drive device 2 includes a first rotating body 20A, a second rotating body 20B, an endless belt 21, a plurality of first resistance members 22, and a plurality of auxiliary rotating bodies 20C to 20G, and these members are assembled to the mounting body 4.

[0022] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the hydraulic drive unit 2, the power generation unit 3, and the mounting body 4. Figure 5 is a side view showing the hydraulic drive unit 2 and the power generation unit 3 mounted on the mounting body 4. Figure 6 is a plan view showing the hydraulic drive unit 2 and the power generation unit 3 mounted on the mounting body 4. As shown in Figure 4, the mounting body 4 consists of a support plate 40 and a base 41. The support plate 40 is a rectangular grid plate, with a pair of bearing parts 42 and a pair of bearing parts 43 erected on the front side (left side in the figure) and rear side (right side in the figure), respectively. Five long, plate-shaped bridge parts 44 are arranged in a row approximately in the center of the support plate 40. On the other hand, the base 41 is a rectangular frame body formed by an upper frame 45, a lower frame 46, and a column frame 47, and in plan view, it forms a rectangle the same size as the support plate 40. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the support plate 40 is placed on the upper frame 45 of the base 41 and fixed to the base 41 with bolts and nuts (not shown). In this way, the strength of the support plate 40 is reinforced by the base 41.

[0023] The first rotating body 20A is rotatably mounted on the front end of the mounting body 4, and the second rotating body 20B is rotatably mounted on the rear end of the mounting body 4 such that its rotational axis is parallel to the rotational axis of the first rotating body 20A. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the first rotating body 20A has a shaft portion 20a as its rotational axis, and both ends of this shaft portion 20a are rotatably mounted on a pair of bearing portions 42 of the support plate 40. The second rotating body 20B is the same shape as the first rotating body 20A and has a shaft portion 20b as its rotational axis, similar to the first rotating body 20A. Both ends of this shaft portion 20b are rotatably mounted on a pair of bearing portions 43.

[0024] The endless belt 21 is wrapped around the first rotating body 20A and the second rotating body 20B. The endless belt 21 is a wide, strip-shaped body and can be made of a multi-layered rubber material, synthetic resin, metal chain belt, etc. Multiple first resistance members 22 are erected at equal intervals on the surface of the endless belt 21, with their concave pressure-receiving surfaces 22A (see Figure 7) facing in the longitudinal direction of the endless belt 21.

[0025] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the first resistance member, and Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in Figure 7. As shown in these figures, each first resistance member 22 is composed of a pressure-receiving surface 22A and a support member 22B that holds the pressure-receiving surface 22A. The pressure-receiving surface 22A is the part that receives the water flow pressure and is concave in cross-section. The length of the pressure-receiving surface 22A is set to correspond to the width of the endless belt 21. The material of the pressure-receiving surface 22A is arbitrary, but in this embodiment, a metal plate curved in a concave shape is used. The support member 22B has a frame portion 22b1 and fixing portions 22b2, 22b2 formed at both ends of the frame portion 22b1. The frame portion 22b1 is arranged along the width direction of the endless belt 21, and the fixing portions 22b2 are fixed to the endless belt 21 with screws or the like. The pressure-receiving surface portion 22A is fitted into the frame portion 22b1, and its upper end 22a1 and lower end 22a2 are fixed to the frame portion 22b1.

[0026] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the multiple auxiliary rotating bodies 20C to 20G are arranged between the first and second rotating bodies 20A and 20B and the endless belt 21, with their shaft portions 20c to 20g, which will be described later as central axes, aligned parallel to each other. Each auxiliary rotating body 20C (20D to 20G) is supported so as to be able to move up and down by a hydraulic jack 6 attached to the mounting body 4.

[0027] Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the auxiliary rotating body 20C (20D to 20G) supported by a pair of hydraulic jacks 6, and Figure 10 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating the mounting state of the hydraulic jacks 6. As shown in Figure 9, the hydraulic jacks 6 are a common, well-known jack and consist of a cylinder 61 and a ram 62. The ram 62 can be raised and lowered by adjusting the hydraulic pressure in the cylinder 61 by operating a lever (not shown).

[0028] In this embodiment, a pair of hydraulic jacks 6 are arranged opposite each other, and both ends of the shaft portions 20c (20d to 20g) of each auxiliary rotating body 20C (20D to 20G) are rotatably attached to the tips of the rams 62 of the pair of hydraulic jacks 6. As shown in Figure 10, the pair of hydraulic jacks 6 supporting the auxiliary rotating bodies 20C (20E, 20G) are mounted downwards on the bridge portion 44 of the support plate 40 that constitutes the mounting body 4, and the pair of hydraulic jacks 6 supporting the auxiliary rotating body 20D (20F) are mounted upwards on the bridge portion 44.

[0029] Specifically, in a pair of hydraulic jacks 6 supporting an auxiliary rotating body 20C (20E, 20G), a hole 44a is made in the bridge portion 44 of the support plate 40, a ram 62 is inserted downward through the hole 44a, and the shoulder portion of the cylinder 61 is fixed to the upper surface of the bridge portion 44. The shaft portion 20c (20e, 20g) is rotatably attached to the tip of the ram 62 that extends downward to the bridge portion 44. On the other hand, in a pair of hydraulic jacks 6 supporting an auxiliary rotating body 20D (20F), the tail portion of the cylinder 61 is fixed to the bridge portion 44 with the ram 62 facing upward. The shaft portion 20d (20f) is rotatably attached to the tip of the upward-facing ram 62. This allows the ram 62 of the hydraulic jack 6 to move up and down, thereby partially pushing up or down the endless belt 21 (see Figure 5) by each of the auxiliary rotating bodies 20C (20D to 20G).

[0030] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the rams 62 of all hydraulic jacks 6 are retracted into the cylinders 61, and the upper belt portion 21A and the lower belt portion 21B of the endless belt 21 are held horizontally by the auxiliary rotating bodies 20C to 20G.

[0031] Figure 11 is a side view showing the state in which the slack in the endless belt 21 has been corrected. When the first and second rotating bodies 20A and 20B are operated for a long time in the state shown in Figure 5, slack occurs in the endless belt 21. In such cases, as shown in Figure 11, the slack in the endless belt 21 can be corrected by raising both or one of the auxiliary rotating bodies 20D and 20F with the hydraulic jack 6.

[0032] Figure 12 is a partial side view showing an example of a slack correction structure using the first rotating body 20A or the second rotating body 20B, and Figure 13 is a partial side view showing another example of a slack correction structure using the first rotating body 20A or the second rotating body 20B. The technique for correcting the slack of the endless belt 21 is possible not only with the technique shown in Figure 11, but also with techniques that modify the first rotating body 20A or the second rotating body 20B. For example, as shown in Figure 12(a), the bearing portion 42 (or 43) is rotatably attached to the support plate 40 of the mounting body 4. Then, as shown in Figure 12(b), the slack of the endless belt 21 can be eliminated by rotating the bearing portion 42 (or 43) and moving the first rotating body 20A (or the second rotating body 20B) to the front side (or rear side) of the mounting body 4. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 13(a), the bearing portion 42 (or 43) is slidably attached to the support plate 40 of the mounting body 4. Then, as shown in Figure 13(b), by sliding the bearing portion 42 (or 43) along the guide groove 40a, the first rotating body 20A (or the second rotating body 20B) is slid toward the front (or rear) side of the mounting body 4, thereby eliminating the slack in the endless belt 21.

[0033] The power generation device 3 shown in Figure 1 is a device that generates electricity by receiving the rotational force of the output shaft of the hydraulic drive device 2. Specifically, as shown in Figures 4 and 6, the power generation device 3 consists of a gear mechanism made up of bevel gears 31 and 32 and a generator 30. One end of the shaft portion 20b, which serves as the output shaft of the hydraulic drive device 2, is connected to the rotating shaft 30a of the generator 30 via the meshed bevel gears 31 and 32. These gear mechanism and the generator 30 are then assembled and fixed to the upper surface of the mounting body 4.

[0034] As described above, the mounting body 4 to which the hydraulic drive unit 2 and the power generation unit 3 are attached is fixed to the side of the battery storage ship 5 by the bracket 10 shown in Figures 1 and 3. Specifically, as shown within the dashed line A in Figure 3, the bracket 10 has a horizontal fixing part 11 and a U-shaped hook part 12. The fixing part 11 is fixed to the deck of the battery storage ship 5 by bolts 13 and nuts 14. The hook part 12 is engaged with the upper frame 45 (base 41) of the mounting body 4.

[0035] Figure 14 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the mounting body 4. As shown in Figure 4, the mounting body 4 consists of a support plate 40 and a base 41, and the base 41 is a rectangular frame body formed by an upper frame 45, a lower frame 46 and a column frame 47. Therefore, the sides of the base 41 are open, and transverse waves may enter through the openings in the base 41, causing the hydraulic drive device 2 to be strongly affected by these transverse waves. In such cases, as shown in Figure 14, by using a mounting body 4 in which the column frame 47 of the base 41 is replaced with a flat wave-breaking frame 47', the transverse waves can be blocked by the wave-breaking frame 47'. Note that the wave-breaking frame 47' may be provided on only one side of the base 41, rather than both sides.

[0036] As shown in Figure 1, the energy storage vessel 5 is equipped with an energy storage device 50, which can store electricity generated by the generator 30 of the power generation device 3. Specifically, the energy storage device 50 has an AC / DC converter 51 and a battery 52, and the output line 30b of the generator 30 of the power generation device 3 can be connected to the AC / DC converter 51 of the energy storage device 50. The output of this AC / DC converter 51 is electrically connected to the input of the battery 52. ​​As a result, the AC electricity generated by the generator 30 is converted to DC by the AC / DC converter 51 and then stored in the battery 52. ​​The shape of the energy storage vessel 5 is arbitrary. However, since the mounting body 4 is attached to the side of the hull, stability against balance is required. Therefore, it is preferable that the energy storage vessel 5 itself has a low height and a wide deck structure, like a tugboat or crane ship.

[0037] Next, the operation and effects of the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system 1 of this embodiment will be described. As shown in Figure 1, the hydraulic drive unit 2 and the power generation unit 3 are assembled to the mounting body 4, and the mounting body 4 is fixed to the side of the energy storage vessel 5 through the bracket 10. Therefore, by driving the energy storage vessel 5, the hydraulic drive unit 2 and the power generation unit 3 can be moved to a distant offshore location. Once the desired offshore location is reached, the energy storage vessel 5 is moored there, as shown in Figure 2. At this time, the orientation of the energy storage vessel 5 is determined so that the front side of the mounting body 4 (the left side in Figure 2) faces the water flow. Furthermore, by submerging the mounting body 4 in seawater W to a predetermined depth, the plurality of first resistance members 22 located on the lower belt portion 21B of the endless belt 21 in the hydraulic drive unit 2 can be completely submerged in seawater W. By the way, if the shaft portion 20a of the first rotating body 20A and the shaft portion 20b of the second rotating body 20B are located in seawater W, the first and second rotating bodies 20A and 20B will be covered by waves from the seawater W, hindering their smooth rotation. Therefore, the sinking depth of the mounting body 4 is set so that the shaft portion 20a of the first rotating body 20A and the shaft portion 20b of the second rotating body 20B are located above the sea surface S. This setting of the sinking depth of the mounting body 4 can be done in advance before the battery ship 5 sets sail. Of course, such a setting does not have to be done before setting sail, but can be done after reaching the desired location on the open sea.

[0038] In this state, when the battery ship 5 is moored, seawater W flows from the front to the rear of the mounting body 4, and the water pressure is applied to the multiple first resistance members 22 on the lower belt section 21B. As a result, the first rotating body 20A and the second rotating body 20B, around which the endless belt 21 is wound, rotate in the direction of the water flow. This rotational force is output from the shaft section 20b, which is the output shaft of the hydraulic drive unit 2, and transmitted to the generator 30 of the power generation unit 3 via a gear mechanism consisting of bevel gears 31 and 32 (see Figures 4 and 6). As a result, the generator 30 operates to generate electricity, and the generated alternating current is transmitted to the battery storage unit 50 of the battery ship 5 through the output line 30b shown in Figure 1. This alternating current is then converted to a direct current by the AC / DC converter 51 and stored in the battery 52.

[0039] When the battery 52 of the energy storage device 50 has finished charging, the energy storage ship 5 can be driven to transport the stored electricity to a desired onshore power station. In other words, with the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system 1 of this embodiment, there is no need to send the electricity generated by hydroelectric power to an onshore power station using submarine cables, etc., thus avoiding environmental degradation caused by laying submarine cables.

[0040] Incidentally, during the power generation and energy storage operations described above, changes in the water flow may occur, such as a weakening of the seawater W current. In such cases, the energy storage vessel 5 is restarted and moved to the open sea where the desired water flow is occurring. By then stopping the energy storage vessel 5 again at that location, power generation and energy storage operations can be performed at sea using the hydraulic drive unit 2, the power generation unit 3, and the energy storage unit 50. In other words, according to the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system 1 of this embodiment, hydroelectric power generation and energy storage operations can be performed at any location within the reach of the energy storage vessel 5. Therefore, in response to seasonal changes in tidal currents, the energy storage vessel 5 can be moved to the optimal location to perform power generation and energy storage operations.

[0041] As described above, power generation and storage operations by the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system 1 are usually performed with the energy storage vessel 5 moored at the desired location on the open sea. However, there may be situations where a predetermined capacity of energy storage is urgently required. In such cases, power generation and storage can be performed using the hydroelectric drive unit 2, the power generation unit 3, and the energy storage unit 50 while the energy storage vessel 5 is in operation. This increases the fuel consumption of the energy storage vessel 5, but allows for the rapid storage of a predetermined capacity of electricity in the energy storage unit 50. Furthermore, if the energy storage vessel 5 is powered by an electric motor rather than a fuel-burning engine, the stored electricity can be used to operate the energy storage vessel 5.

[0042] (Example 2) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of a hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 16 is a plan view illustrating the rotation direction converter applied to this embodiment. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it includes a first resistance member 22 with a flexible structure and a rotation direction converter 3A.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 15, the first resistance member 22 applied to this embodiment is composed of a pressure receiving surface portion 22C formed of a flexible material and a support member 22B that supports the pressure receiving surface portion 22C. The pressure receiving surface portion 22C only needs to be formed of a flexible material, and its type is arbitrary, such as cloth, synthetic fiber, synthetic resin, etc. In this embodiment, a cloth-made one is applied as the pressure receiving surface portion 22C. With such a configuration, when the water flow pressure is applied to the pressure receiving surface portion 22C indicated by the solid line from the direction of the arrow indicated by the dashed line, the pressure receiving surface portion 22C deflects as indicated by the dashed line due to the water flow pressure and receives the water flow pressure like the sail of a yacht. Further, when the direction of the water flow pressure changes to the direction indicated by the long dashed double dotted line, the pressure receiving surface portion 22C in the dashed line state deflects in the direction of the water flow pressure as indicated by the long dashed double dotted line and receives the water flow pressure like the sail of a yacht.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 16, the rotation direction converter 3A is provided between the hydraulic drive device 2 and the power generation device 3. Specifically, the rotation direction converter 3A is provided between the bevel gear 32 of the gear mechanism and the rotation shaft 30a of the generator 30. This rotation direction converter 3A can manually convert the rotation direction of the output shaft 20b of the hydraulic drive device 2 and the rotation direction of the rotation shaft 30a of the generator 30 to the same direction or the reverse direction. Since any well-known converter can be applied as such a rotation direction converter 3A, a detailed description is omitted here.

[0045] Since the first resistance member 22 applied to this embodiment has the above structure, as shown by the solid arrow in Figure 2, when the water flow direction is to the right, as shown in Figure 15, the pressure-receiving surface portion 22C of the first resistance member 22 bends to the right due to the water flow pressure, and the first rotating body 20A, the second rotating body 20B, and the endless belt 21 rotate counterclockwise due to the water flow pressure applied to the first resistance member 22 of the lower belt portion 21B. Then, as shown by the dashed arrow in Figure 2, when the water flow direction changes to the left, the pressure-receiving surface portion 22C of the first resistance member 22 bends to the left due to the water flow pressure. As a result, the rotation direction converter 3A operates, and the first rotating body 20A, the second rotating body 20B, and the endless belt 21 rotate clockwise. In other words, according to this embodiment, when used in a location where the flow changes, power generation and energy storage operations can be continued without changing the orientation of the hydraulic drive device 2 and the power generation device 3 in accordance with the change in the direction of the water flow. The other configurations, functions, and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment described above, so their description is omitted.

[0046] (Example 3) Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 17 is a perspective view showing the first resistive member, which is the main part of the third embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 18 is a side view for explaining the operation of the embodiment. In the hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system of this embodiment, the structure of the first resistive member in the hydroelectric drive device 2 differs from that of the first and second embodiments described above.

[0047] In other words, as shown in Figure 17, the first resistive member 22' of this embodiment has a structure in which resistive members 23 and 24, which have the same structure as the first resistive member 22 applied in the first embodiment, are joined back to back. Specifically, the pressure-receiving surface portion 22A of the resistive member 23 facing left in the figure and the pressure-receiving surface portion 22A of the resistive member 24 facing right in the figure are joined back to back via an intermediate member 25.

[0048] Since the first resistance member 22' has such a structure, as shown in FIG. 18, when the water flow direction is to the right, in the first resistance member 22' of the lower belt portion 21B, the resistance member 24 on the left side of the first resistance member 22' receives the water flow pressure in the direction indicated by the solid line arrow. And when the water flow direction changes to the left, the resistance member 23 on the right side of the first resistance member 22' receives the water flow pressure in the direction indicated by the two-dot chain line arrow. That is, even when used on the ocean where the flow changes, the power generation and power storage operations can be continued without changing the directions of the hydraulic drive device 2 and the power generation device 3 in accordance with the change in the water flow direction. The other configurations, operations, and effects are the same as those in the first and second embodiments, so their descriptions are omitted.

[0049] (Embodiment 4) Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 19 is a side view showing a main part of a hydraulic power generation / power storage system according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 11, each auxiliary rotating body 20C (20D to 20G) can be moved up and down freely by a hydraulic jack 6. Therefore, by moving any one of the auxiliary rotating bodies 20C, 20E, 20G downward, the lower belt portion 21B of the endless belt 21 can be curved in a substantially inverted U shape in the water depth direction of the seawater W. Thus, by curving the lower belt portion 21B of the endless belt in a substantially inverted U shape in the water depth direction of the seawater, the power generation amount can be increased. Focusing on this point, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 19, among the auxiliary rotating bodies 20C to 20G of the hydraulic drive device 2, the auxiliary rotating body 20G located most downstream is positioned lower than the other auxiliary rotating bodies 20C to 20F. Specifically, the auxiliary rotating bodies 20D, 20F are brought into contact with the upper belt portion

[0050]

[0050] As a result, each first resistance member 22 in the lower belt portion 21B is located below the other first resistance members 22 located in front of it, without being hidden behind them, and can receive the same water flow pressure as the first resistance member 22 in front. In other words, all first resistance members 22 in the lower belt portion 21B can receive the same water flow pressure, so the water flow pressure can be efficiently secured and an extremely large amount of power can be generated. The other configurations, operations, and effects are the same as in the first to third embodiments described above, so their descriptions are omitted.

[0051] (Example 5) Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 20 is a side view showing the main part of a hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 20, in this embodiment, the auxiliary rotating body 20E, which is located approximately in the center of the plurality of auxiliary rotating bodies 20C to 20G, is positioned lower than the other auxiliary rotating bodies 20C, 20D, 20F, and 20G.

[0052] Specifically, the upper belt portion 21A of the endless belt 21 is horizontally supported by auxiliary rotating bodies 20D and 20F. The lower belt portion 21B is curved in a V-shape by the lowest auxiliary rotating body 20E located in the center, and auxiliary rotating bodies 20C and 20G are in contact with the inner surface of the lower belt portion 21B. In this embodiment, for ease of understanding, an example is shown in which an odd number of auxiliary rotating bodies 20C to 20G are used as multiple auxiliary rotating bodies, but the number of auxiliary rotating bodies is not limited to an odd number. A structure in which an even number of auxiliary rotating bodies are used, with the auxiliary rotating body located approximately in the center positioned at the lowest position, can also be applied as the hydraulic drive device 2 of this invention.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first resistance member 22 of the second embodiment (see Figure 15), which has a flexible pressure-receiving surface portion 22C, is used as the first resistance member, and a rotation direction converter 3A (see Figure 16) is provided between the hydraulic drive device 2 and the power generation device 3. However, the first resistance member 22' of the third embodiment (see Figure 18), in which the pressure-receiving surfaces are back-to-back, can also be used as the first resistance member.

[0054] In this embodiment, the hydraulic drive device 2, with the configuration described above, as shown by the solid arrow in Figure 20, when the water flow direction is to the right, the pressure-receiving surface 22C of the first resistance member 22, located to the left of the auxiliary rotating body 20E, receives the water pressure and bends to the right, causing the first rotating body 20A, the second rotating body 20B, and the endless belt 21 to rotate counterclockwise due to the water pressure. Then, as shown by the dashed arrow, when the water flow direction changes to the left, the pressure-receiving surface 22C of the first resistance member 22, located to the right of the auxiliary rotating body 20E, receives the water pressure and bends to the left. As a result, the rotation direction converter 3A is activated, and the first rotating body 20A, the second rotating body 20B, and the endless belt 21 rotate clockwise. Therefore, according to this embodiment, even in locations where the flow changes, power generation and energy storage operations can be continued without moving the device, as in the fluid power generation system 1 of the second and third embodiments.

[0055] By the way, in the second embodiment (or third embodiment), since the lower belt portion 21B of the endless belt 21 is horizontal, the multiple first resistance members 22 (22') on the lower belt portion 21B are lined up horizontally and receive the water flow pressure. For this reason, only the first first resistance member 22 (22') can receive 100% of the water flow pressure, and the water flow pressure that the numerous first resistance members 22 (22') located behind it can receive is greatly reduced due to mutual interference. In contrast, in this embodiment, the first resistance members 22 (22') that can receive the water flow pressure are the first resistance members 22 (22') located on one side of the auxiliary rotating body 20E, and their number is half the number of first resistance members 22 (22') on the lower belt portion 21B. However, these first resistive members 22 (22') are not arranged in a single horizontal line, but are offset from each other in the direction of water depth so as not to interfere with each other, so that each first resistive member 22 (22') can receive 100% of the water flow pressure. Therefore, in this embodiment, although the number of first resistive members 22 that receive water flow pressure is less than that of the first resistive members 22 (22') in the second embodiment (third embodiment), it is understood that the power generation capacity is greater than that of the second embodiment (third embodiment). The other configurations, operations, and effects are the same as those in the first to fourth embodiments described above, so their descriptions are omitted.

[0056] (Example 6) Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 21 is a front view showing a hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 21, in the fluid power generation system 1 of this embodiment, the mounting body 4 to which the hydraulic drive device 2 and the power generation device 3 are attached is attached to a boat 5' which is a floating device separate from the energy storage boat 5 via a bracket 10. With this configuration, when necessary, only the energy storage boat 5 can be returned to an onshore power storage station or the like. The other configurations, functions and effects are the same as those of the first to fifth embodiments described above, so their description will be omitted.

[0057] (Example 7) Next, a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 22 is a front view showing a hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 23 is a perspective view of the floating device. As shown in Figure 22, in the fluid power generation system 1 of this embodiment, the mounting body 4 to which the hydraulic drive device 2 and the power generation device 3 are attached is attached to a floating device 7 which is separate from the energy storage ship 5.

[0058] Specifically, as shown in Figure 23, the floating device 7 consists of a pair of rectangularly assembled tanks 70 and an anchor 71. The mounting body 4, to which the hydraulic drive unit 2 and the power generation unit 3 are attached, is fitted into the mounting opening C of the floating device 7, as shown in Figure 22, and is floated on the sea by the air inside the tanks 70.

[0059] With this configuration, the mounting body 4 attached to the floating device 7 can be towed by the power storage vessel 5 to a desired offshore position, and the tank 70 can be moored using the anchor 71, thereby fixing the mounting body 4, which has the hydraulic drive unit 2 and the power generation unit 3, to the sea. The depth of submersion relative to the sea surface S can be set by opening the lid 70a and injecting seawater W into the tank 70 or discharging the seawater W from the tank 70. In this embodiment as well, similar to the fifth embodiment described above, only the power storage vessel 5 can be returned to a land-based power storage station, etc. Other configurations, functions, and effects are the same as in the first to fifth embodiments described above, so their description is omitted.

[0060] (Example 8) Next, an eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 24 is a front view showing a hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 24(a) shows a system equipped with two mounting bodies 4, Figure 24(b) shows a system equipped with auxiliary devices, and Figure 24(c) shows a system equipped with two energy storage boats 5.

[0061] In the first to sixth embodiments described above, the mounting body 4, which has a hydraulic drive unit 2 and a power generation unit 3, is attached to the side of the energy storage ship 5. Therefore, depending on the conditions of the sea surface S, the stable posture of the mounting body 4 may be disrupted. In this embodiment, an example of a hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system 1 that can ensure a stable posture of the mounting body 4 is presented.

[0062] First, as shown in Figure 24(a), by attaching two mounting units 4 of the same structure to both sides of the battery storage ship 5 via brackets 10, the stability of the mounting unit 4 having the hydraulic drive unit 2 and the power generation unit 3 can be ensured, and twice the amount of power can be generated.

[0063] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 24(b), the stability of the mounting body 4 can be ensured by attaching the float 8 as an auxiliary device to the side of the mounting body 4.

[0064] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 24(c), by attaching both sides of the mounting body 4 to the two energy storage vessels 5 via brackets 10, the stability of the mounting body 4 can be ensured, and the hydraulic drive unit 2 and power generation unit 3 attached to the mounting body 4 can be protected from transverse waves. The other configuration functions and effects are the same as those of the first to seventh embodiments described above, so their description is omitted.

[0065] It should be noted that this invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. For example, in the above embodiments, an example was shown in which a mounting body 4 having a hydraulic drive device 2 and a power generator 3 was attached to a battery storage ship 5 using a bracket 10, but the structure for providing the mounting body 4 to the battery storage ship 5 is not limited to this and includes any known joining structure. That is, the mounting body 4 itself may be directly joined to the battery storage ship 5 using welding or bolts and nuts, etc., without using a bracket 10. In this case, it is preferable to form a mounting piece on the mounting body 4. Also, in the above embodiments, an example was shown in which the output shaft 20b of the hydraulic drive device 2 and the rotating shaft 30a of the generator 30 were connected via a gear mechanism, but the structure for transmitting the rotational force of the output shaft of the hydraulic drive device 2 to the rotating shaft of the generator 30 is not limited to this. The output shaft of the hydraulic drive device 2 and the rotating shaft of the generator 30 can be connected using any known mechanical mechanism other than a gear mechanism. Furthermore, the output shaft of the hydraulic drive unit 2 and the rotating shaft of the generator 30 may be directly connected without the need for a special mechanism. In addition, although the above embodiment shows an example in which a hydraulic jack 6 is used as a lifting device to move the auxiliary rotating bodies 20C to 20G up and down, it is not limited to this, and any known lifting device or lifting mechanism capable of moving the auxiliary rotating bodies 20C to 20G up and down can be used.

[0066] 1...Hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system, 2...Hydroelectric drive unit, 3...Power generation device, 3A...Rotation direction converter, 4...Mounting body, 5...Energy storage ship, 5'...Ship, 6...Hydraulic jack, 7...Floating device, 8...Float, 10...Bracket, 11, 22b2...Fixing part, 12...Hook part, 13...Bolt, 14...Nut, 20A...First rotating body, 20B...Second rotating body, 20C-20G...Auxiliary rotating body, 20a-20g...Shaft part, 21...Endless belt, 21A...Upper belt part, 21B...Lower belt part, 22, 22'...First resistance member, 22A, 22C...Pressure receiving surface part, 22a1...Upper end, 22a2...Lower end, 22B...Support member, 22b1...frame section, 23, 24...resistance members, 25...intermediate members, 30...generator, 30a...rotating shaft, 30b...output wire, 31, 32...bevel gears, 40...support plate, 40a...guide groove, 41...base, 42, 43...bearing section, 44...bridge section, 44a...hole, 45...upper frame, 46...lower frame, 47...column frame, 47'...breakwater frame, 50...energy storage device, 51...AC / DC converter, 52...battery, 61...cylinder, 62...ram, 70...tank, 71...anchor, 70a...lid, W...seawater, S...sea surface.

Claims

1. A hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system comprising: a hydraulic drive device having an output shaft capable of outputting rotational force corresponding to water flow pressure; a power generation device that performs power generation operation by receiving the rotational force of the output shaft; a mounting body to which the hydraulic drive device and the power generation device are attached; and a power storage vessel having a power storage device for storing the electricity generated by the power generation device, wherein the hydraulic drive device comprises: a first rotating body rotatably attached to one end of the mounting body; a second rotating body rotatably attached to the other end of the mounting body such that its rotational axis is parallel to the rotational axis of the first rotating body; an endless belt wrapped around the first rotating body and the second rotating body; and a plurality of first resistance members erected at predetermined intervals on the surface of the endless belt, each resistance member having a concave pressure-receiving surface portion for receiving water flow pressure. A hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system characterized by comprising: a plurality of auxiliary rotating bodies disposed between the first rotating body, the second rotating body and the endless belt, and attached to the mounting body, with the axis of rotation of the auxiliary rotating body being parallel to the axis of rotation of the first and second rotating bodies; a generator that performs power generation operation by receiving the rotational force of the output shaft of the hydraulic drive device on its rotating shaft; and a plurality of first resistance members located in the portion of the endless belt below the first and second rotating bodies are attached to the mounting body such that at least the axis of rotation of the first rotating body and the second rotating body is located above the water surface, and the plurality of first resistance members located in the portion of the endless belt below the first and second rotating bodies are completely submerged in water.

2. A hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that the mounting body is provided on the hull of the energy storage vessel.

3. A hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that the mounting body is provided on a floating device separate from the energy storage vessel.

4. A hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that the first resistive member is formed of a pressure-receiving surface portion made of a flexible material and a support member that supports the pressure-receiving surface portion upright on the surface of the endless belt.

5. A hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that the first resistive member is formed of a pair of pressure-receiving surfaces joined back to back, and a support member that supports these pressure-receiving surfaces upright on the surface of the endless belt.

6. A hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to claim 4 or claim 5, characterized in that a rotation direction converter is provided between the output shaft of the hydraulic drive device and the rotation shaft of the generator, which can change the rotation direction of the rotation shaft of the generator to be the same as or opposite to the rotation direction of the output shaft of the hydraulic drive device.

7. A hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that one or more of the plurality of auxiliary rotating bodies are positioned lower than the other auxiliary rotating bodies, and the lower portion of the endless belt is curved in a substantially V-shape in the direction of water depth.

8. A hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to claim 7, characterized in that the auxiliary rotating body located furthest downstream among the plurality of auxiliary rotating bodies is located lower than the other auxiliary rotating bodies.

9. A hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to claim 7, characterized in that the auxiliary rotating body located approximately in the center of the plurality of auxiliary rotating bodies is located lower than the other auxiliary rotating bodies.

10. A hydroelectric power generation / energy storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of auxiliary rotating bodies are mounted on the mounting body so as to be able to move up and down.

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