Integrated Gate Water Supplement Channel for Precise Ecological Flow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gate water supplement devices for hydropower stations require significant resource investment and lack accurate control, leading to ecological disruptions in downstream river channels during gate lowering.

Innovation Solution

A gate water supplement device with an ecological water supplement channel integrated into the gate body, featuring an opening and closing member controlled by a contactor frame and controller, allowing precise control of water flow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a separate ecological water supplement channel is arranged, then ecological water supplement function is provided, but resource investment increases and control accuracy decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveecological water supplement functionVSAvoidresource investment
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the ecological water supplement function with the gate body by integrating an ecological water supplement channel directly into the gate structure. This merging eliminates the need for separate channel construction, reducing resource investment while maintaining the ecological water supplement function. The gate body itself becomes the conduit for ecological water flow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The gate body is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as both the primary flow control structure and the ecological water supplement channel. By making the gate body multi-functional, the patent eliminates redundant structures and reduces overall resource investment while providing both flow control and ecological water supplement capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a separate ecological water supplement channel is arranged, then ecological water supplement function is provided, but control accuracy decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveecological water supplement functionVSAvoidcontrol accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

By merging the control mechanism into the gate body itself, the patent ensures that the opening and closing member is directly integrated with the structure that provides the ecological water supplement function. This integration enables precise control accuracy while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates a contactor frame with contactor members that provide feedback control. When the gate body is at the predetermined position, the contactor frame contacts the contactor member to trigger the opening or closing of the opening and closing member, ensuring accurate control of water flow in the ecological water supplement channel.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If opening and closing equipment is arranged on layout platform, then gate opening and closing is enabled, but equipment becomes submerged and reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegate opening and closingVSAvoidequipment reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the opening and closing equipment from the layout platform and relocates it to the gate body itself. This extraction prevents the equipment from being submerged during reservoir impoundment, as the gate body remains above water or is the highest structure. The equipment is positioned on the gate body where it remains accessible and functional throughout the impoundment process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent positions the opening and closing equipment vertically on the gate body at a height that remains above the maximum reservoir water level. By changing the vertical dimension of equipment placement, the system ensures equipment reliability while maintaining ease of operation, as the equipment remains accessible but protected from submersion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Adaptability or versatility

If water supplement hole remains open, then ecological water flow is maintained, but leakage occurs under high water head affecting safety

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveecological water flowVSAvoidleakage and safety risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic control system where the opening and closing member can adjust its position based on operational requirements. During gate lowering, the member remains open to maintain ecological water flow. During reservoir impoundment, the member closes to prevent harmful leakage under high water head, thus adapting to different operational phases to eliminate safety risks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The contactor frame provides feedback control that automatically triggers the opening or closing of the opening and closing member based on the gate body position. This feedback mechanism ensures the water supplement channel is open when needed for ecology and closed when high water head creates safety risks, dynamically responding to operational conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4372151B1Gate water supplement device
Publication Date: 2025.01.22 CHINA THREE GORGES CORPORATION
  • EP4372151B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4372151B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4372151B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to the technical field of water conservancy and hydropower projects, in particular to a gate water supplement device. A gate water supplement device, comprising: a gate body (2) configured to be arranged in a dam body (1), wherein a lower part (16) of the gate body (2) is provided with an ecological water supplement channel (23), an opening and closing member is provided in the ecological water supplement channel (23), the downstream surface of the gate body (2) is provided with a contactor member (18) which is communicated with the opening and closing member through lines; a control structure configured to be arranged in the dam body (1), wherein the control structure comprises a controller (15) and a contactor frame (7) arranged towards the downstream surface, the controller (15) is communicated with the contactor frame (7) through lines, after the gate body (2) falls to a predetermined position, the contactor frame (7) is in contact with the contactor member (18), the controller (15) controls the opening or closing of the opening and closing member through lines to control the water flow in the ecological water supplement channel (23). The present invention solves the problem that arranging special ecological water supplement channel requires more resources and the control is not accurate enough at the beginning of design of hydropower station project.