Underground Hydroelectric System Using Directional Drilling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hydroelectric power generation systems face challenges such as land use scarcity, high construction costs, environmental impact, and inefficiency due to the need for large dams and significant water extraction, which also affect biodiversity and have high carbon footprints.
Innovation Solution
A method for constructing an underground hydroelectric power generation system that utilizes directional drilling to create tunnels and conduits, minimizing land use and water extraction by harnessing high 'head' water sources like waterfalls, with a focus on reducing environmental impact and increasing power output per unit volume of water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If conventional dam-based hydroelectric systems are constructed, then power generation capability is improved, but land use is significantly increased and environmental damage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the hydroelectric power generation function from the conventional dam structure. By using directional drilling to create underground tunnels and caverns, the system removes the need for surface dams and large reservoirs, thereby eliminating the land use problem while maintaining power generation capability through high-head water flow exploitation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from surface-based hydroelectric generation to underground-based generation. By moving the power generation facilities into the subsurface through directional drilling and underground cavern construction, the system exploits the vertical dimension (high head) rather than requiring extensive horizontal land area, thus resolving the land use contradiction
2Power
If conventional dam-based hydroelectric systems are constructed, then power generation capability is improved, but construction costs and carbon footprint are significantly increased
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the conventional mechanical construction approach (building large concrete dams) with directional drilling technology. This substitution eliminates the need for extensive concrete and steel infrastructure, thereby reducing material costs, construction time, and associated carbon emissions while achieving the same power generation objective through high-head water flow
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameters of hydroelectric construction by abandoning the dam-reservoir model in favor of directional drilling and underground caverns. This parameter change transforms the construction process from high-cost, high-carbon concrete work to lower-cost, lower-carbon drilling and tunneling operations, thereby resolving the construction cost and carbon footprint contradiction
3Area of stationary object
If run-of-the-river low-head systems are used, then land use is reduced, but water flow rate is slowed and environmental disfigurement occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the water flow path from the surface environment by routing it through underground tunnels. This removes the visible disfigurement to the river landscape while maintaining natural water flow characteristics, thereby resolving the environmental impact contradiction without sacrificing the compact land use advantage of run-of-the-river systems
4Length of moving object
If conventional surface piping is used, then water conveyance is achieved, but installation on steep inclines is impossible and environmental damage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention moves the water conveyance system from the surface to the subsurface through directional drilling. This dimensional change enables installation in steep and mountainous terrain where surface piping would be impossible, while also eliminating the environmental damage associated with surface infrastructure, thereby resolving both the installation feasibility and environmental impact contradictions
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 approach reduces water extraction, lowers construction costs, minimizes environmental impact, and achieves higher power output per unit volume of water compared to traditional systems, with lower carbon emissions and easier maintenance, making it economically and environmentally more viable.
Implementation Method 1
a first conduit which in-use conveys water from said water source location to said underground power cavern
Implementation Method 2
installing an at least one electricity generating turbine in said underground power cavern in fluid flow communication with said first tunnel and said second conduit
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to a method for the construction of a hydroelectric power generation system and to hydroelectric power generation systems constructed by such a method.