Hydropower Sluice Gate Roller Lubricant Return System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sluice gates with rollers for hydropower stations cause environmental and health issues due to uncontrolled leakage of used lubricant into surrounding water bodies, contaminating living organisms.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of lubricant return lines connected to rollers to collect and dispose of used lubricant, with a central or shared collection system that includes a vertically oriented lubricant return collection line for efficient drainage and removal, and protective plates to prevent damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If lubricant lines are provided to feed lubricant to rollers, then the rollers can be continuously lubricated for smooth operation, but used lubricant leaks into surrounding water bodies causing environmental contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful element (used lubricant) is extracted from the system through dedicated return lines that collect and remove lubricant from the rollers, preventing its discharge into the environment. The extraction principle separates the lubrication function from the potential pollution problem by creating a closed-loop system where used lubricant is actively removed and disposed of properly.
Solution Approach 2:
Return lines act as an intermediary component between the rollers and the environment, providing a controlled pathway for used lubricant to be transported to collection points rather than leaking directly into water bodies. This intermediary system enables controlled management of the lubricant flow and facilitates proper disposal.
2Reliability
If lubricant is continuously fed to rollers through lubricant lines, then the rollers maintain proper lubrication, but used lubricant accumulates and leaks into the surrounding area
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements discarding and recovering by providing return lines that actively collect and remove used lubricant from the rollers. Instead of allowing lubricant to leak, the system recovers the used lubricant through dedicated collection points, enabling proper disposal and preventing environmental contamination while maintaining continuous lubrication.
Solution Approach 2:
The lubrication system operates continuously with both supply lines feeding fresh lubricant and return lines removing used lubricant simultaneously. This continuous action ensures rollers remain properly lubricated while preventing accumulation and leakage, maintaining the useful lubrication function without the harmful side effect of contamination.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple individual lubricant return lines are provided for each roller, then used lubricant can be collected from each roller, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual return lines from different rollers are merged into a common return line that leads to a shared collection point. This combining approach maintains the ability to collect used lubricant from each roller while reducing the total number of separate lines and collection points needed, thereby simplifying the overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A single common return line serves multiple rollers by collecting used lubricant from each of them, making the return line system multi-functional. This universal approach allows one return line to perform the collection function for multiple rollers simultaneously, reducing redundancy and simplifying the lubricant management system.
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
Prevents lubricant leakage and contamination by facilitating the collection and proper disposal of used lubricant, reducing environmental and health impacts while ensuring continuous lubrication for smooth operation.
Implementation Method 1
the lubricant return collection line is roughly vertically oriented. In this manner, gravity alone effects on the one hand a simple collection of used lubricant at the base of the lubricant return collection line
Implementation Method 2
lubricant lines are provided through which lubricant can be fed to the rollers
Data Source
AI summary
A sluice gate for a hydropower station, a method of operating a sluice gate and a hydropower station. The sluice gate includes rollers via which the sluice gate can be movably mounted on rails and a sealing surface having a seal with which an upstream water can be sealed off from a downstream water. Lubricant lines are provided through which lubricant can be fed to the rollers and lubricant return lines are connected to the rollers. Via the lubricant return lines, used lubricant can be guided from the rollers to one or more collection locations in order to be able to collect and properly dispose of used lubricant.