The invention relates to the field of flow power plants. It relates in particular to underwater flow power plants, but also to wind power plants. Flow power plants comprise a water turbine, a generator in drive connection with said turbine, and a support construction standing on the ground of the water body as the most essential components. Such flow power plants are used in any kind of flowing water bodies such as rivers, but especially in the sea. The energy of tidal flows is utilised for example.
The turbine and the generator are situated in a torpedo-shaped housing (see DE 10 2013 001 212 and DE 10 212 025 127). The turbine, the generator and the housing form the so-called nacelle. U.S. Pat. No. 8,109,728 B2 describes a turbine with a hub body which carries a plurality of turbine blades, an adjusting body arranged in the hub body, and a guide rod chain for each blade.
The turbine comprises a hub body which carries a plurality of turbine blades. This frequently concerns three turbine blades. They are adjustable about their longitudinal axis, about 180° if possible. The twisting occurs for adjustment to operating conditions, especially to the direction and the power of the incoming flow.
The devices for the adjustment of the blades are numerous. Complex sprocket mechanisms are frequently used. They must be sealed against the ambient environment. Sealing must be highly reliable in the case of maritime underwater flow power plants. This leads to expensive solutions. Continuous maintenance is necessary. Since the twisting or adjusting devices are encapsulated in a sealed fashion, such work usually very laborious.
The invention is based on the object of providing a turbine according to the preamble of claim 1, and especially its twisting apparatus, in such a way that it has a simple configuration, it need not be sealed or encapsulated against the surrounding medium but can be exposed to the medium, and the pitch angle of the blade can be adjusted reliably and with high reproducibility.
This object is achieved by a turbine with the features of claim 1.
Accordingly, the fundamental idea of the invention contains the use of a twisting apparatus. It is enclosed by the hub body. It concerns a so-called spherical link chain. A shaft is connected to the hub body, which shaft transmits torque generated by the turbine to a driven machine. Two guide rods are connected to the twisting apparatus per blade. The guide rods transmit a twisting moment from the twisting apparatus to the respective blade.
The spherical link chain in accordance with the invention offers the following advantages:
The following conditions prevail in the concrete embodiments:
The link points of the guide rods are arranged as water-resistant swivel joints. The link chain can thus be operated in a flooded fashion. The link points and the lever conditions are arranged in such a way that twisting of at least 180° can be set at the output of the link chain. The joints and levers do not collide with each other during adjustment.
The invention is explained in closer detail by reference to the drawings in 3D, wherein:
Three guide rod chains are connected to the spherical shell 10.2. They are completely identical in the present case. Deviations from this are also possible however. Each guide rod chain comprises two guide rods. The configuration of the three guide rod chains will be explained by reference to one of these guide rod chains with guide rods 1 and 2.
Swivel joint B is situated at the second end of the articulated lever 1 and represents an articulated connection to the second guide rod. Said second guide rod 2 could also be referred to as blade connection guide rod.
The second end of the blade connection guide rod 2 has the shape of a circular ring. The circular ring comprises boreholes 3 for guiding screws through said boreholes, by means of which the blade (not shown) is fixed to the blade connection guide rod 2. The second end of the blade connection guide rod 2, which is shaped as a circular ring, is embedded in a hub body 11, which will be described below in closer detail.
The hub body 11 is driven during operation of the turbine. The torque generated by the turbine is transmitted via a shaft (not shown) to a power engine, e.g. a generator. The adjusting body 10 can be twisted about the twisting axis of the drive pin 10.1, even during operation. The twisting also simultaneously twists all blades by the guide rod chains, e.g. by 180° or more.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2013 012 844.7 | Aug 2013 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2014/062142 | 6/11/2014 | WO | 00 |