Vortex micro hydropower plant (HPP)

Abstract

The invention relates to a Vortex Micro Hydropower Plant (HPP) designed to address irregularities in water supply to turbines, enabling efficient electricity generation from small rivers. The vortex micro HPP comprises a vertical pressure cell with upper conical and lower cylindrical parts, an inlet channel peripherally connected to the upper edge of the pressure cell, and an outlet tube channel connected to the cylindrical part of the pressure cell, a hydro turbine placed in the cylindrical part of the pressure cell, while in the conical part of the pressure cell, the wings are located at equal intervals along the wall, which are rigidly attached to radial joints placed in the wall of the pressure cell, to which the telescopic levers with loads are rigidly connected from the outside of the cell.

Description

[0001] VORTEX MICRO HYDROPOWER PLANT (HPP)

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The invention relates to the reactive -type hydropower units with radial flow of water in the high- pressure region and axial flow in the low-pressure region, and it can be used in devices and systems to generate electricity on small rivers.

[0004] Prior Art

[0005] There are known low-capacity hydroelectric power plants, particularly low-pressure hydroelectric power plants for converting the kinetic energy of water flow into electrical energy containing a pressure cell with inlet channels connected peripherally to its upper edge and outlet channels connected centrally below it [1].

[0006] A group of inventions is known which describes a power-generating device located in a water reservoir or near a water reservoir at another end-use site close to a production site, configured as a free-standing portable device and a system for generating electricity, which includes a vertical pressure cell located between the inlet and outlet channels with spiral guiding elements formed therein to give vorticity to the flow of water. A turbine is placed in the central part below the pressure cell. In addition, the inlet channel may be equipped with a flow control device, such as a control valve. An inlet channel may also be formed with the ability to supply water into the chamber. The said channel may be formed in the form of a pipe, the pipe may have a straight section. The chamber is also equipped with an output channel. The shape and dimensions of this channel may be selected to facilitate the formation of the vorticity in the pressure cell. In one variant embodiment, the discharge channel is formed in the form of a tube and contains a vertical part (section) and a horizontal part located perpendicular to it. The area of the outlet hole may be larger than the area of the inlet channel, and this configuration is used for high-velocity flows [2].

[0007] The said analog [2] is closer to the object of the invention in terms of features and is selected as a prototype.

[0008] The disadvantage of this device is the irregularity of supply of water supply to the turbine

[0009] This disadvantage is eliminated by the fact that the guiding elements are made in the form of wings located at equal intervals, which are rigidly attached to the radial joints embedded in the chamber wall, to which the load-bearing telescopic levers are rigidly connected from the outside of the chamber with the ability to fix their sections between each other, while the inclination of the wings to the horizon increases in the downward direction. The technical result of the invention is the compensation of the irregularity of water supply to the turbine.

[0010] The technical result is achieved due to self- variation of the angles of inclination of the wings to the horizon depending on the intensity of the water flows in the pressure cell.

[0011] Summary of the Invention

[0012] The essence of the invention is a vortex micro HPP, which comprises a vertical pressure cell with upper conical and lower cylindrical parts, an inlet channel peripherally connected to the upper edge of the pressure cell and a discharge tubular channel connected to the cylindrical part of the pressure cell, a hydro turbine placed in the cylindrical part of the pressure cell and also the wings located in short intervals in the conical part of the pressure cell along the wall, which are rigidly attached to the radial joints placed in the chamber wall, to which the load-bearing telescopic levers are rigidly connected from the outside of the chamber with the ability to fix their sections between each other, while the inclination of the wings to the horizon increases in the downward direction.

[0013] The essence of the invention is revealed by the drawings illustrating: Fig. 1 — A vortex micro HPP, view from above; Fig. 2 — vertical pressure cell, side view; Fig. 3 — kinematic -dynamic characteristics reflecting the equilibrium conditions of the wing. Dashed arrows show the directions of movement of water flows, while solid arrows show the directions of movement of mechanisms.

[0014] The vortex micro HPP comprises a vertical pressure cell with upper conical 1 and lower cylindrical 2 parts, an inlet channel 3 peripherally connected to the upper edge 4 of the pressure cell and an outlet tube channel 5 connected to the cylindrical part 2 of the pressure cell, a hydro turbine 6 placed in the cylindrical part 2 of the pressure cell, and the wings 7 are located in equal intervals in the conical part 1 of the pressure cell along the wall, which are rigidly attached to the radial joints 8 placed in the wall of the pressure cell, to which the telescopic levers 9 which the loads 10 are rigidly connected from the outside of the chamber, with the possibility of fixing their sections (positions not shown because of clarity) to each other, in addition, the inclination of the wings 7 to the horizon increases in the downward direction, which corresponds to the angular arrangement of the levers 9 with respect to them.

[0015] Detailed Description

[0016] The vortex power plant works as follows.

[0017] The flows of water from the river pass through inlet channel 3 and then through peripheral upper edge 4 causing a circulation, and descend in the conical part 1 of the pressure cell with a spiral trajectory formed as a result of inflow from the inlet channel 4 to the upper edge 3 of the pressure cell, where as a result of the flow of the wings 7, their angle of inclination is reduced and enter the vertical part 2 of the pressure cell, return the hydro turbine 3 and be sucked through the channel 5. Masses of loads 9, the inclination angles of the wings 7 and the lengths of telescopic levers 10 rigidly connected to them with horizontal radial joints 8 are selected according to the volume flow of water passing through the pressure cell in a unit of time, and due to the acceleration of the flows of water in the chamber, the inclination of the wings 7 to the horizon increases in the downward direction.

[0018] The determination of the inclination (angle 0) of the wing profile (its chord) of the wing 11 with respect to the horizontal plane is subject to calculation (Fig. 3)

[0019] Fye-FbC, here c=bSin6, or Fye=FbbSin6, from which

[0020] 6 =ArcSin(Fye / Fbb)' , (2) where 6 — the inclination angle of the wing to the horizon; Fy— the pressure force acting on the wing; e — the arm of the pressure force acting on the wing towards the joint; , — the ballast weight force; c — the arm of the ballast weight force acting on the wing towards the joint (horizontal projection of the inclination of ballast); b — the length of the lever.

[0021] The tractive force of outlet channel 5 causes an increase in the vertical velocity coefficient in the pressure cell and provides an opportunity to absorb the increased kinetic energy of the river. By the self-variation of the inclination angles of the wings 7 to the horizon, the irregularity of the water flows in the conical part of the pressure cell 1 is compensated, and as a result, the water supply balance to the hydro turbine 6 is achieved.

[0022] Sources of information:

[0023] 1. The Vortex Turbine. Source: https

[0024] 2. Electric power generation device and electric power generation system. RU2016104619A (A3, C2) • 2017-09-08. source (prototype):

Claims

CLAIMS1. The vortex micro HPP, which comprises a vertical pressure cell with upper conical and lower cylindrical parts, an inlet channel peripherally connected to the upper edge of the pressure cell and an outlet tube channel connected to the cylindrical part of the pressure cell, and a hydro turbine placed in the cylindrical part of the pressure cell, and the guiding elements placed along the wall in its conical part, characterized in that the guiding elements are made in the form of the wings located at short intervals, which are rigidly fixed on radial joints placed in the wall of the pressure cell, to which the load levers are rigidly connected from the outside of the cell.

2. The vortex micro HPP according of claim 1 , characterized in that the load levers are telescopic with the ability to fix the sections between each other.

3. The vortex micro HPP according of claim 1, characterized in that the inclination of the wings to the horizon increases in the downward direction.

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