Vertical Pipe Water Turbine for Ocean Energy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water power plants rely on conventional methods that require significant infrastructure, are limited by geographical conditions, or depend on specific flow directions, failing to efficiently harness energy from temperature and salinity gradients in seawater.
Innovation Solution
A vertical pipe system is submerged in the ocean with a lemniscate-shaped inflow cross-section, utilizing natural temperature and salinity gradients to create a self-acting flow of seawater, which drives a water turbine to generate mechanical energy for an electric generator, without the need for membranes or heating/cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional water power plants use water flowing from higher to lower level or horizontal sea currents, then they can drive electric generators, but they are limited by geographical conditions and require significant infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from horizontal water flow utilization to vertical water flow utilization by submerging the turbine system at depth. The vertical pipe structure extends from the sea floor upward, capturing water flow in the vertical dimension rather than relying on horizontal currents or elevation differences, thereby reducing infrastructure requirements and improving geographical adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the natural temperature and salinity gradients of seawater to generate flow without requiring external power or complex control systems. The thermohaline flow is self-sustaining, driven by the natural density differences between warm/saline and cold/fresh water layers, eliminating the need for pumps or additional infrastructure
2Power
If water power plants use semi-permeable membranes or heating/cooling processes to exploit osmotic energy, then they can convert salinity gradient energy, but they require specially formulated materials and energy input
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the semi-permeable membrane component from the system. Instead of using membranes to separate fresh and salt water, the invention directly utilizes the natural thermohaline flow generated by temperature and salinity gradients to drive water movement through the vertical pipe, simplifying the device while maintaining energy conversion efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system harnesses the self-sustaining thermohaline flow generated by natural temperature and salinity gradients in seawater. The flow is driven by density differences between water layers without requiring external heating, cooling, or chemical additives, thereby reducing energy input requirements and process 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
This solution enables efficient electricity production from seawater energy, reducing infrastructure needs and operational costs, suitable for remote areas with varying conditions, by leveraging natural gradients for continuous energy generation.
Implementation Method 1
one end of the pipe is in water of a different salinity or temperature than the other end of the pipe. Due to the occurrence of a natural temperature and salinity gradient in the seas and oceans
Implementation Method 2
one end of the pipe is in water of a different salinity or temperature than the other end of the pipe. Due to the occurrence of a natural temperature and salinity gradient in the seas and oceans
Implementation Method 3
convert the energy of the flowing water into electricity using a water turbine to convert the energy of the flowing water into mechanical energy driving an electric generator
Data Source
AI summary
1. Water power plant, which is a water turbine placed in a pipeline, characterized in that, the pipeline is preferably a vertical pipe (1) immersed in a sea or an ocean, which on the inlet (2) has the shape of a lemniscate (4) and has at least one set of straightening vanes (5) and at least three guide vanes (6), fixed or adjustable, located at the inflow of the turbine impeller (7), behind which there is a vane diffusor (8) that changes the direction of water flow from the axial-radial to radial, along the vertical pipe (1) peripheral on its outer side buoyancy chambers (9) in number of at least three and ballast chambers (10) in number of at least three are located on the outer side, preferably at the lower part of the pipe (1). 2. Water power plant according to claim 1 characterized in that the inflow cross-section (2) of the preferably vertical pipe (1) is placed in water with a temperature or salinity different than the outflow cross-section (3). 3. Water power plant according to claim 1 characterized in that the outflow cross-section (3) is at a diameter at least 10% larger than the inner diameter of the vertical pipe (1).