Active Vane Control for Liquid Flow Turbines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow converters for generating electricity from liquid flows face reliability issues due to repeated high impacts on vanes, leading to increased wear and maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves actively pivoting the vanes about their pivot axes using a mechanical mechanism, such as a cam mechanism or a link mechanism, to control their movement and reduce wear, thereby enhancing reliability and reducing maintenance intervals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the vanes are passively self-aligning to the liquid flow upon rotor rotation, then the efficiency of the flow converter is improved, but the vanes repeatedly hit the limit stop causing increased wear and requiring short maintenance intervals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the Dynamics principle by transitioning from passive self-aligning vanes to actively controlled vanes. The control system dynamically adjusts the vane angular position based on rotor rotational position, allowing optimal alignment with liquid flow for efficiency while preventing excessive impact against limit stops to reduce wear and maintain reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements Feedback by using sensors to detect the rotor's rotational position and using this information to control the angular position of the vanes. This closed-loop control ensures that vanes are optimally positioned for efficiency while preventing them from repeatedly hitting the limit stop, thereby reducing wear and extending maintenance intervals.
2Productivity
If the vanes are passively self-aligning to minimize impact surface in the non-driven half, then efficiency is improved, but the vanes require frequent maintenance due to repeated impacts on limit stop
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses active control to dynamically adjust vane positions based on rotor rotation. In the non-driven half, the control system optimizes vane alignment to minimize liquid flow impact while preventing excessive movement that would cause repeated collisions with limit stops, thereby extending maintenance intervals while maintaining efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system uses feedback from rotational position sensors to actively manage vane positioning. This allows the system to achieve optimal efficiency by minimizing impact surfaces in the non-driven half while simultaneously preventing repeated limit stop collisions that would require frequent maintenance.
3Reliability
If actively pivoting the vanes is implemented using a mechanical mechanism, then wear is reduced and reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex passive mechanical self-aligning mechanisms with an active control system that uses sensors and actuators. This substitution reduces mechanical wear by eliminating repeated limit stop impacts while managing device complexity through electronic control rather than purely mechanical solutions.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system automatically adjusts vane positions based on real-time rotational position feedback, enabling the system to self-optimize its performance and prevent wear without external intervention. This self-service capability improves reliability while the automated nature of the system helps manage operational complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Active pivoting of vanes reduces wear and maintenance costs, improves efficiency by minimizing resistance from rotational movement, and enhances reliability by preventing high-impact collisions and fluttering.
Implementation Method 1
the liquid flow impacts on a large surface of the vanes resulting in rotation of the rotor
Implementation Method 2
one may force the vanes in one rotational direction by urging the vane about the pivot axis in one direction. This may be achieved by providing an elastic element, particularly a spring
Data Source
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AI summary
Device for generating electricity from a liquid flow, comprising a rotor (10) rotatable about an axis of rotation (12) and a plurality of vanes (16) extending parallel to the axis of rotation and fixed to the rotor for common rotation with the rotor, each vane (16) being pivotable about a pivot axis (17) parallel to the axis of rotation within a predetermined limited angular range. It is suggested to actively pivot the vanes (16) about the pivot axes (17) rather than passively. This may according to one aspect be achieved by a mechanical mechanism transmitting the rotation of the rotor (10) to the vanes (16) thereby pivoting the vanes about the pivot axes (17) depending on the rotational position of the rotor (10), This may for example be realized by a cam mechanism (24, 26, 28), a transmission (40), link mechanism or a combination thereof. Alternatively, the vanes (16) may be by urged about the pivot axis (17) to force the vanes into at least one rotational direction by use of an elastic element, particularly a spring (53).