Patent Application
20120211988
The invention is directed to a submersible electric power generator system wherein the turbine or propeller assembly is disposed underwater and is driven by a flowing stream such as, for example, a river.
A generator system for converting a fluid stream into electrical energy without the burning of fossil fuel has long been desirable. Large scale hydroelectric power plants are well known in the art and typically require a huge volume of water that descends from a relatively high elevation to a lower elevation so as to drive turbine blades that are connected to a generator. Hydroelectric power plants typically utilize naturally occurring water falls, e.g., Niagara Falls on the US Canadian border, and man made dams such as Hoover Dam in Nevada. However, such large scale hydroelectric power plants are costly to build and once built cannot be disassembled and moved to another location.
The submersible electric power generator system provides at least one submersible turbine blade or propeller unit which is disposed in a flowing body of water with the generator portion of the system also deposed underwater. In a preferred embodiment, the submersible electric power generation system includes a plurality of turbine blade or propeller units which are disposed in a flowing body of water with the generator portion of the system also deposed underwater. The body of water can be silt laden and debris filled such as, for example, the Mississippi river.
Each propeller unit constitutes a series of individual propellers constructed with a large hollow barrel like hub of sufficient size to render each propeller unit slightly buoyant. The propeller blades can be constructed of virtually any material and can even be hollow to further assist in the buoyancy of the assembly.
The propeller unit is interconnected via a universal joint to provide rotational force to the drive shaft of a generator. In the preferred embodiment, independent propeller units are interconnected via universal joints between them, and are also configured to provide rotational force to the generator disposed at one end of the interconnected propeller units. The rotational force developed by the propeller unit or units is translated through the universal joints to the generator drive shaft causing an armature of electrical wiring disposed within an electric field to thereby generate electrical power, as is well known in the art.
The universal joint encourages undulating movement of the propeller unit in relation to the generator when disposed in the flowing stream. In the preferred embodiment, the propeller units are configured to decrease in radial size so as to encourage the snake like undulation when disposed in the flowing stream. The undulation helps to free any debris carried by the flowing stream that might get entangled in one or more of the propeller units.
The submersible electric power generator system is mounted at the generator end to a set of arms which allows deployment of the system in the flowing stream at selectable depths from a water going vessel such as a barge, boat or the like. The arms can be spring loaded or include hydraulic cylinders to provide relative vertical movement if the submersible electric power generator system is struck by debris carried within the flowing stream of water. The arms can be operated to deploy the generator system by a mechanical crank and gearing arrangement, as is well known in the art, or by a conventional electric motor and gearing system.
Insulated waterproof wiring from the generator can be brought aboard the water going vessel and connected to an alternator, ac/dc converter, battery or other electrical storage device. Alternatively, the waterproof wiring from the generator can be brought onto land for powering electrical equipment or connection to electrical storage devices.
The submersible electric power generator system can be anchored within a flowing stream or body of water having tidal currents. In the case of water having tidal currents the submersible electric power generator system can be disposed so as to be rotatable on an anchored pole or pier so that it can rotate in accordance with the tidal flow to maximize electrical power generation.
In another exemplary embodiment, the submersible electric power generator system can be made buoyant by the provision of inflatable bladders or tubes between propeller units, and between the propeller unit and generator. An air compressor can provide compressed air through air passages or tubing that interconnects the bladders or tubes between the propeller sections.
Propeller units 10 are designed to impart rotational motion to generator system 18 when the propeller units are disposed within a flowing stream. As is well known in the art, generator system 18 includes a wound wire coil (not shown) disposed within a magnetic field (not shown) so as to generate electrical current when the wound core is caused to rotate within the magnetic field by the propeller units.
Propellers 12 and hubs 18 are preferably slightly buoyant to encourage an undulating or snakelike motion when disposed under water and to remove weight from the generator shaft. The diameter size of each propeller unit 10 decreases as its distance from the generator system increases which thereby further encourage the undulating or snakelike motion of the propeller units when submerged underwater.
Although the preferred embodiment involves generator system 18 being submerged underwater together with propeller units 10, those skilled in the art will recognize that generator system 18 could be disposed above water with suitable coupling connections to propeller units 10 which are submerged.
Arms 64 can be arranged to lock in at one or more specific angles θ or can be arranged to be locked in at virtually any angle θ between zero degrees and nearly 90 degrees. Preferably, arms 64 include damping springs, hydraulic cylinders or the like within their casing so that the arms can slightly retract upwards, and away from, debris carried within the flowing stream that strikes the generation system.
Control unit 66, disposed within water going vessel 60, is operated to deploy arms 64 at a particular depth. Control unit 66 can be a hand operated crank and gear arrangement (not shown) or a conventional electric motor and gear arrangement (not shown). Suitably insulated electrical wires (not shown) are connected from generator system 18 to electrical powered equipment (not shown) or to an electrical storage device (not shown) aboard water going vessel 60. Alternatively, the insulated electrical wires could be connected to these electrical devices on dry land.
While the technology herein has been described in connection with exemplary illustrative non-limiting implementations, the invention is not to be limited by the disclosure. For example, instead of providing air filled bladders between propeller units for providing flexibility conventional springs could be deployed. The invention is intended to be defined by the claims and to cover all corresponding and equivalent arrangements whether or not specifically disclosed herein.
