The disclosure relates to a power device, more particular to a water-flow power device.
A water-flow power generation device is an apparatus that can generate power by using ocean currents, tides, or rivers, and needs to be equipped with a mechanism that can convert water-flow kinetic energy into mechanical energy and electric energy in order. For example, in “sea-current power generation apparatus” of TW Patent No. 1526609, a mechanical energy is generated by pushing rotating blades by using water flows, and the mechanical energy is then converted into electric energy by using a power generator. However, the power structure design of the foregoing sea-current power generation apparatus is not desirable. The sea-current power generation apparatus can work only in high-flowing speed (>3 m/s) water flows, and is cannot normally work if being placed in ocean currents or sea currents whose average flowing speed is lower than 1 m/s.
In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a water-flow power device includes a carrier, a first sprocket component, a second sprocket component, a first chain, a second chain, a plurality of blade structures, and an energy conversion unit. The carrier has a first end portion and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion. The first sprocket component is disposed at the first end portion of the carrier. The second sprocket component is disposed at the second end portion of the carrier. The first chain is configured to surround the first sprocket component and the second sprocket component. The second chain is configured to surround the first sprocket component and the second sprocket component. The second chain is spaced from the first chain. The blade structures are spaced from each other. Two ends of each of the blade structures are respectively connected to the first chain and the second chain. The energy conversion unit is connected to the first sprocket component or the second sprocket component.
Aspects of the present disclosure are understood from the following detail flapped description when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion.
It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples, for implementing different features of various embodiments. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. The present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this description will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the present is disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific detail flaps.
In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.
It will be understood that singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms; such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
The carrier 10 has a first end portion 11, a second end portion 12, a first side portion 13, a second side portion 14, and two buoyancy adjusting pipes 15. The second end portion 12 is opposite to the first end portion 11. The first side portion 13 extends between the first end portion 11 and the second end portion 12. The second side portion 14 is opposite to the first side portion 13, and also extends between the first end portion 11 and the second end portion 12. The two buoyancy adjusting pipes 15 are disposed at the first side portion 13 and the second side portion 14, respectively. In the present embodiment, the two buoyancy adjusting pipes 15 extend between the first end portion 11 and the second end portion 12.
A plurality of separation compartments 15S are provided within each of the buoyancy adjusting pipes 15, wherein a high-pressure gas and freshwater are injected into each of the separation compartments 15S, so as to adjust an overall buoyancy of the water-flow power device 1. Moreover, considering an accumulation of an operation time, a weight of the water-flow power device 1 is increased because an external portion of the carrier 10 is easy to be attached by marine organisms. Buoyancy adjustment of each of the buoyancy adjusting pipes 15 is offsetting an additional load generated by an increase of the marine organisms by managing a water-storage capacity of each of the separation compartments 15S. In addition, injecting the high-pressure gas into each of the buoyancy adjusting pipes 15 can also prevent a water pressure from compressing the buoyancy adjusting pipes 15. In one or more embodiments, each of the buoyancy adjusting pipes 15 is a hollow cylindrical pipe, which can effectively resist squeezing caused by an external water pressure, can simultaneously reduce a strength required by a material, and can also effectively reduce the weight of the water-flow power device 1.
The first sprocket component 20 is disposed at the first end portion 11 of the carrier 10. The first sprocket component 20 has a first sprocket portion 21, a second sprocket portion 22, and a first connecting rod 23. Two ends of the first connecting rod 23 are connected to the first sprocket portion 21 and the second sprocket portion 22, respectively.
The second sprocket component 30 is disposed at the second end portion 12 of the carrier 10. The second sprocket component 30 has a third sprocket portion 31, a fourth sprocket portion 32, and a second connecting rod 33. The third sprocket portion 31 corresponds to the first sprocket portion 21. The fourth sprocket portion 32 corresponds to the second sprocket portion 22. Two ends of the second connecting rod 33 are connected to the third sprocket portion 31 and the fourth sprocket portion 32, respectively.
The second chain 50 is configured to surround the first sprocket component 20 and the second sprocket component 30, and is spaced from the first chain 40. In the present embodiment, the second chain 50 is configured to surround the second sprocket portion 22 of the first sprocket component 20 and the fourth sprocket portion 32 of the second sprocket component 30.
In order to enable the first chain 40 and the second chain 50 to transmit synchronously, in one or more embodiments, a length of the first chain 40 is equal to that of the second chain 50.
Each of the blade bodies 61 has a first end 611, a second end 612, and a side portion 613. Each of the first ends 611 is connected to the first chain 40. Each of the second ends 612 is opposite to each of the first ends 611, and is connected to the second chain 50. Each of the side portions 613 extends between each of the first ends 611 and each of the second ends 612. In the present embodiment, each of the first ends 611 has a first pivoting portion 611P; each of the second ends 612 has a second pivoting portion 612P; each of the first ends 611 is pivoted to the first chain 40 by using each of the first pivoting portions 611P; and each of the second ends 612 is pivoted to the second chain 50 by using each of the second pivoting portions 612P.
Each of the tail flaps 62 has a third end 621, a fourth end 622, and a side connecting portion 623. Each of the fourth ends 622 is opposite to each of the third ends 621. Each of the side connecting portions 623 extends between each of the third ends 621 and each of the fourth ends 622. Moreover, each of the side connecting portions 623 is pivoted to the side portion 613 of each of the blade bodies 61, so that each of the tail flaps 62 can swing up and down.
In the present embodiment, one end of each of the first positioning components 63 is connected to a first link plate 401 of the first chain 40, and the other end of each of the first positioning components 63 is connected to a pivot 621P of each of the third ends 621. Each of the first link plates 401 has a first eccentric pivot 401P, and is defined to have a first center line L1 and a first center point C1. In addition, a horizontal distance d1 is between a center of each of the first eccentric pivots 401P and each of the first center lines L1, and a vertical distance d2 is between the center of each of the first eccentric pivots 401P and each of the first center points C1, in the present embodiment, the vertical distance d2 is greater than the horizontal distance d1. Or, in another embodiment, the vertical distance d2 may be smaller than or equal to the horizontal distance d1.
In the present embodiment, one end of each of the second positioning components 64 is connected to a second link plate 501 of the second chain 50, and the other end of each of the second positioning components 64 is connected to a pivot 622P of each of the fourth ends 622. Each of the second link plates 501 has a second eccentric pivot 501P. A structure configuration of each of the second link plates 501 is the same as that of each of the first link plates 401, and therefore details are not described herein again.
Each of the blade bodies 61 is driven to swing while each of the tail flaps 62 swings. Therefore, each of the first positioning components 63 and each of the second positioning components 64 also have a function of controlling a swinging angle of each of the blade bodies 61.
Furthermore, in order to enable each of the blade bodies 61 and each of the tail flaps 62 to automatically adjust the swinging angle according to a water flow pushing force, in the present embodiment, each of the first positioning components 63 has a first sliding slot 63H, wherein each of the first sliding slots 63H is pivoted to the first eccentric pivot 401P of each of the first link plates 401. Each of the first positioning components 63 can move with respect to each of the first link plates 401. That is, each of the first eccentric pivots 401P is located within each of the first sliding slots 63H, and can slide in each of the first sliding slots 63H with respect to each of the first positioning components 63. Each of the second positioning components 64 has a second sliding slot 64H. Each of the second sliding slots 64H corresponds to each of the first sliding slots 63H, and is pivoted to the second eccentric pivot 501P of each of the second link plates 501. Each of the second positioning components 64 can move with respect to each of the second link plates 501. That is, each of the second eccentric pivots 501P is located within each of the second sliding slots 64H, and can slide in each of the second sliding slots 64H with respect to each of the second positioning components 64. Alternatively, each of the first positioning components 63 can slide along a length direction of each of the first sliding slots 63H by using each of the first eccentric pivots 401P as a fulcrum; and each of the second positioning components 64 can slide along a length direction of each of the second sliding slots 64H by using each of the second eccentric pivots 501P as a fulcrum, so as to adjust their own positions, and thereby adjusting swinging angles of each of the tail flaps 62 and each of the blade bodies 61.
In one or more embodiments, a length of each of the first sliding slots 63H is equal to that of each of the second sliding slots 64H.
In one or more embodiments, each of the blade structures 60 can use a pivoting rod 65 to pass through the side portion 613 of each of the blade bodies 61 and the side connecting portion 623 of each of the tail flaps 62, so that each of the pivoting rods 65 may serve as a pivot when each of the tail flaps 62 swings. Furthermore, a distance d is between a center of each of the pivoting rods 65 and a center of the pivot 621P of each of the third ends 621.
In addition, as shown in
Angles of attack of the front column and rear column of the blade structures 60 are designed to enable the water-flow power device 1 to obtain the maximum energy, and have an effect that the flowing speed of the water flow passing through the front column of blade structures 60 is partially accelerated, wherein the flowing directions satisfy requirements of angles of attack of the rear column of the blade structures 60. Further, the flowing directions of water flows passing through the rear column of the blade structures 60 are also recovered to be parallel to the flowing directions of water flows at an inlet of the front column of the blade structures 60. Accordingly, for the water flows passing through the water-flow power device 1, flowing directions of former and later flow fields are consistent and wake flows are stable, thereby significantly reducing effects on the environment.
Referring to
The water-flow power device 1 of the present disclosure can normally work in ocean currents or sea currents whose average flowing speed is lower than 1 m/s, which facilitates wide development of ocean-current or sea-current power generation.
Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, and composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As those skilled in the art will readily appreciate form the present disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed, that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure.
Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, and compositions of matter, means, methods or steps. In addition, each claim constitutes a separate embodiment, and the combination of various claims and embodiments are within the scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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106102561 | Jan 2017 | TW | national |