Free-flow turbine screen deflecting bars
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing free electricity turbine systems, such as electricity buoys, face efficiency reductions and increased maintenance due to the accumulation of smaller debris like branches, algae, and plastic at the deflection devices, which can lead to larger objects getting stuck and damaging the turbine wheels.
Innovation Solution
The deflection sticks of the rake extend downstream and outside the inflow opening, directing flotsam along the outside of the flow housing, preventing accumulation and ensuring the electricity-generating ends of the deflection rods remain free and unobstructed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If deflecting bars are arranged to extend from support to inlet opening, then objects and living beings are directed away from inlet opening, but debris accumulates at attachment point causing clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The deflecting bars are extended into the third spatial dimension by projecting them downstream beyond the inlet opening and spacing them from the flow housing. This creates a new spatial configuration where debris is directed along the outside of the flow housing rather than accumulating at the attachment point, resolving the clogging problem while maintaining protection function
Solution Approach 2:
The problematic attachment point where debris accumulates is effectively removed from the system by extending the deflecting bars downstream and spacing them from the flow housing. The bars are now connected only to the support structure upstream, extracting the clogging issue from the inlet opening area while preserving the deflection function
2Productivity
If deflecting bars extend downstream and are spaced from flow housing, then debris is directed away from inlet opening without accumulation, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deflecting bars exhibit local quality variation along their length - they are rigid near the support attachment point for structural stability, and become more flexible downstream where they are spaced from the flow housing to allow debris passage. This localized property change enables the bars to serve multiple functions without increasing overall structural complexity
3Ease of manufacture
If rigid rod or tube deflection rods are used, then simple and cost-effective design is achieved, but they may break under heavy loads
Solution Approach 1:
The deflecting bars transition from a static rigid structure to a dynamic system that can adapt to loading conditions. Under normal operation, they maintain their rigid rod or tube form for simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Under heavy loads, they can bend or deflect, absorbing impact energy and preventing breakage, thus combining manufacturing simplicity with enhanced strength
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
This design enhances the efficiency of the electricity turbine system by preventing debris from getting stuck, reducing maintenance needs, and ensuring continuous operation with improved power yield and reduced operational effort.
Implementation Method 1
By guiding the deflection rods outside and around the inlet opening, debris is directed along the deflection rods past the inlet opening and along the outside of the flow casing
Implementation Method 2
free-flow turbine system, in particular a current buoy, for generating electrical energy in free-flowing waters with slow-running, axially driven turbine runners
Implementation Method 3
the free-flow turbine system has at least one generator that is rotatably connected to the turbine runner
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a free-flow turbine system, in particular a current buoy, for generating electrical energy in free-flowing waters with slow-running, axially driven turbine runners (3), and with a flow-through housing (1) surrounding the turbine runners (3), wherein the flow-through housing (1) has at least one bow-side inlet opening (2) for the water to enter and wherein a screen (20) is arranged upstream of the inlet opening (2), wherein the screen (20) has deflecting bars (7, 7a-7c) which extend from a support (6) upstream of the inlet opening (2) in the direction of the inlet opening (2), characterized in that the deflecting bars (7, 7a-7c) of the screen (20) extend downstream of the inlet opening (2) and outside the inlet opening (2) and are spaced apart from the flow-through housing (1).