GB2354554A - Device for obtaining energy from flowing fluid to power hydraulic or pneumatic tools or actuators - Google Patents

Abstract

A device comprises an impeller or similar component 1 to capture power from a moving body of fluid such as a river or air flow. The impeller powers a pump/compressor 4 which may be supplied with fluid from the moving body itself, or may pump fluid in a closed loop. The output of pump 4 is used to directly drive a tool, motor or other actuator such as piston-cylinder arrangement 7. The device is particularly applicable to the extraction of energy from streams or rivers (see Figures 2 and 3) and a version may be used in a boat to actuate/control the boat navigation (see Figure 4). By driving the tool or motor directly, the disadvantages of using electrical generators in remote areas, for example, are avoided.

Description

1 2354554 A device which removes the requirement for electric motors in

electric or- mechanical actuators or positioning mechanisms This invention relates to a device which replaces air electric motor or motors used in devices or machines or apparatus by harnessing power from a body of water or gas or air in movement relative to the device.

The electric motor in all its formats is well known for versatility in all its various types and designs.

There are many circumstances in which the use of an electric motor poses difficulties or inconvenience or potential hazard. Examples of these applications and circumstances include, but are not confined to, examples outlined in the following text.

In the case of portable or transportable equipment or tools which require electric motors, it is readily apparent that in military or hostile or expeditionary conditions or in remote locations, readily available or installed electric power will not always be obtainable.

Offshore installations and floating platforms or vessels usually have a requirement for mechanical power to actuate tools or equipment or to move levers or arms or turn shafts commonly under the control of a computer or other electronic facility. In some of these situations elaborate and costly precautions must be taken to minimise risk of fire or explosion caused by sparks, typically emanating from the armature of an electric motor.

In the above situations the customary practice is to obtain power from a battery bank or from an electric gener I 1-fbr which fuel must be provided. These items are invariably bulky, heavy to transport, require a relatively high maintenance commitment and the transport of fuel raises safety issues.

This invention provides for a device or machine comprising of a component or components or modules or elements to obtain energy from a body of water or wind or gas or other fluid medium moving in relation to the device, the energy thus obtained is used to pump or compress some of this body of fluid or gas (henceforth in this document referred to as the medium) or pump or compress recirculating fluid or gas to power or activate tools, machines or mechanical devices (henceforth in this document referred to as the application) instead of using electric motors or manual force.

2 The energy is extracted or captured from the medium using any of the well known methods such as an impeller or paddle wheel or water turbine or wind turbine or sevonious rotor or such like.

The ensuing rotation of the- turbine- or other energy capturing device isused topump or compress some of the medium or compress air, gas, or pump oil or other suitable fluid via a control valve- to- air appropriate pneumatic or hydraulic motor or to a single or double acting piston within a cylinder.

Further, an electric generator may be- incorporated with or attached to the pump or compressor to provide power for microprocessors or computational -devices which may be required to controt- the mechanicalmovement or positioning or actuation of the tool or lever. or shaft movement required by the equipment, device or object that is actuated or powered by the invention.

To assist the reader to readily understand the invention, examples of two applications are described below, however, any application requiring the availability of an ongoing significant force without the use of electrical or manual power which may be adjacent to water or other fluid or gas or wind -iff movement relative to the invented device will benefit by using the invention. The following examples were extensively researched andtested- with due regard to the patent rules relating to prior exposure.

A tool box was provided with the-following -compontnts:A water impeller and a stabilising shaft with a ring welded to one end. An inflatable buoy and suspended- bearings for the-stabilising shaft. A length of suitable rope. A control valve and pump with a ring attached to its drive shaft. A hydraulic cylinder connected to-the-blade& of an- industrial metal shears. Suitable lengths of connecting pressure tubing.

A log was placed across a mountain stream. In this example, the water was flowing at 1.37 meters per second. The pump was lashed to the log using a length of rope on each side to counteract torque. The impeller was connected- to the pump with a rope of suitable callendered construction using the rings provided on both the pump and the impeller shafts.;Lengths, of tubing were--affanged to raise water from the stream to supply the pump suction inlet and the pump output was connected to the hydraulic cylinder via the control valve. On each exhaust cycle of the cylinder the medium, in this example, water, was run to waste.

The device readily and repeatedly cut lengths of 6min thick steel plate owing to the force multiplication avadable from the hydraulics without the use of any electric motor.

In a further example, the invention may be used to provide mechanical power responding to a complex control application which may be microprocessor or computer controlled. In such an application the electronic control function will require a relatively minute electric power supply to drive its microprocessor 3 circuits and this electric demand may conveniently be met from a battery or photovoltaic source or a small- generator within- or connected to the invented device described herein, while the invented device can supply the -main mechanical forces pneumatically or hydraulically under the control of the microprocessor.

A sailing boat equipped with a very popular brand of automatic pilot was fitted with accurate equipment to measure-charge. and discharge data relating to the vessels battery bank and other facilities. The vessel had a 12 Volt system.

Battery data was recorded over a 29L day period during a trans Atlantic passage.

In this example, the automatic pilot consumed an average of 118.2 Amp Hours per 24 hours passage run whiW in7 use. 'Fhe automatic pilot while steering the vessel consumed more power per day than any other facility on board. Other battery demands, i.e., navigation- equipment-, refrigeration and sundry domeftic demand for lighting, entertainment and so forth consumed 105.8 Amp Hours -per day. Accordingly, in this example the-total-demand-for- electric power aboard-thevessel on that voyage amounted to 224 Amp Hours per day on average. On a typical sailing vessel it is itecessary to- run- the engine- for between 3, and- 6- hours per day for battery charging duties to make good the foregoing deficit.

The vessel was also fitted--with- the--No- Motor invented! device. The installation comprised of the following- - An impeller fitted with a stabilising shaft with a ring welded on one end.

commercially availaWwater driven alternator was- lashed to the aft rail.

pump was fitted to the back of the alternator.

double acting hydraulk ram-was-fitted to-the rudder of the vessel.

solenoid operated directional control valve controlled the pump output to the ram. The electrical steering signal output from the automatic pilot was connected to the control valve via a- switek which permitted the output to be readilydiverted to and from the electric motor drive of the automatic pilot and the directional control valve of the invention.

The impeller was connected to the alternator and pump combination by a tow line rope of suitable construction- and deployed off the stern of the vesset; The spinning impeller provided all the required hydraulic power to steer the vessel in response to the steering- contman& of the- electronic automatic pilot- th-us eliminating the requirement of the automatic pilot to use its electric drive motor and the associated power drain front-the vessels battery bank.

In this example, the electronic circuitry of the automatic pilot course computer was observed to consume 60 miffimps or 1.44 Amp Hours per day. The- control valve consumed an average of 10 Amp Hours per day. Thus, in this example, the battery bank was relieved of -10&.76 Amp- Hours drain per day due to the elimination of the electric drive motor.

Further, in this example, the alternator attached to the pump produced an average output of 5.2 Amp Hours or 124.8 Amp Hours per day passage run.

Accordingly, there was no requirement to run the vessels engine on that voyage for battery charging as all energy requirements were met by using the invented device, which was used in both closed circuit configuration (using oil and open 4 circuit configuration using sea water, on alternate days, for the purposes of ascertaining if any perform-ante-variartion wasnotable-.

All figures herein are averaged and are included only for the purpose of example and to assist the reader to- appreciate the -important energy implicatiolm of the invention. The ships log showed that historically, while on passage, -the.-engine was customarily run for 5A hours per day for battery charging purposes7, half of the power being required for steering the vessel.

Depending on the a0plication-i all- tFic-ft-gures- illustrated may be much larger or smaller than the examples discussed herein by using suitably sized components.

The foregoing examples illustrate- a7 wide -range of useful applicationsincluding military, offshore, industrial, research -operations and marine activities located in tidal or water flow or areas- expo ed -to wind or on moving platforms or craft of all descriptions.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure I is a conceptual -block -diagram of the -movement of the pumped or compressed medium in an open circuit where the medium is discarded after use.

Figures 2 and 3 illustrates the principle of deployment of the components of the invention described in the- first example, that being a heavy metal cutting application.

Figure 4 illustrates an example.,of the -circulation. or movement of the gas, oil or other pumped fluid when- in- a- closed circuit- a& defined by a- fluid being recirculated within the invention. In this figure-an installation on a sailing boat is depicted as described in the second example.

Referring to figures 1, 2 and 3 the impeller -with a stabilising shaft attached 1 is suspended below the surface of-the-moving-water in two bearings 2 which in turn are suspended in a suitable manner from a floatation chamber or floating object 8. The stabilising shaft is connected by a rope or cable of suitable construction 3 or a shaft or a combination of these elements to the drive shaft of the pump or compressor or generator 4 whether or not they be integral to each other or arranged or coupled as separate entities or otherwise assembled. For the purpose of brevity, the pump or compressor module and generator module or modules shall henceforth be referred to herein, collectively, as the torque converter in view of the fact that it converts energy from one form into another.

The torque converter 4 raises water from the stream and pumps the water to the control valve 6 via suitable tubing 5. The output from the valve 6 controls the cylinder or ram 7 (or pneumatic or hydraulic motor, not shown) which activates the required application, in this example, a metal shearing machine (Not shown).

Referring to figure 4 the perspective sketch illustrates the invention installed on a sailing vessel. The energy capturing device (in this example an impeller) I is towed behind the vessel on a rope 3 which turns a torque converter 4 (in this example comprising of an alternator coupled to a pump. This combination was tied to the aft rail with cord.) which simultaneously generates power for the domestic battery bank and pumps nuid (in the example illustrated in Figure 4, this is oil) or filtered sea water via- pressure- tubing 5- to the directional control valve 6. In the tests using open circuit configuration the sea water -was discharged overboard after use each exhaust cyck- of the hydraulic cylinder.

The output from the directional -control valve 6 is supplied to the steering-ram 7 which is mechanically connected- to the rudder of the vessel for the purposes of steering.

The automatic pilot of a vessel essentially comprises of a fluxgate compass (not shown), a course computer 9-, a7emtrol head (not shown) and an electric motor 11 driving a hydraulic or mechanical connection (not shown) to the rudder or tiller (not shown) or steering wheel of the vessel (not shown).

The output of the course computer may be fed to a -switch 12 which diverts at will the output to either the-automatic pilot -electric HHAor 11 or to the directional control valve 6 of the invention.

This invention may be controlled by.-a conventional existing automatic pilot. (as in the example), and or fifted witk a7generator, compass and course- computer of its own, this combination of elements resulting -in a hydraulic or pneumatic automatic pilot running on- oit-or sea-water- or air which requires no battery bank or engine running for battery charging duties, and while steering the vessel, simultaneously provides power for domestic and navigation requirements.

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Claims (8)

1. I A device or machine comprising of a component or components or modules or elements to obtain energy from a body of water or wind or gas or other fluid medium moving in relation to the device, the energy thus obtained is used to pump or compress some of this body of fluid or gas or pump or compress recirculating or free fluid or gas to directly power or activate tools, machines or mechanical devices (in this document referred to as the application) instead of using electric motors or manual force.
2. 2 A device or machine as claimed in Claim 1 wherein an electric generator may be incorporated with, or attached to, the compressor or pump to provide electric power for general duties and or the requisite power to run a computer or other electrical facility used to control the invention if needed in accordance with the requirements of the application.
3. 3 A device or machine as claimed in Claim I or Claim 2 wherein the control of the device or machine may be electronic or mechanical or manual operation of the control valve.
4. 4 A device or machine as claimed in Claim I or Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein a control valve of whatever suitable type may be incorporated with, or attached to, or be separate from the pump or compressor as convenient for the application.
5. A device or machine as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the pump or compressor may be incorporated with or attached by a shaft or shaft and gearbox or rope or cable of suitable construction to the impeller or water turbine or wind turbine or sevonious rotor or such like used to capture energy from the body of air or gas or water or other fluid in movement relative to the pump or compressor.
6. 6 A device or machine as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the pumped or compressed water or other fluid or air or gas is used to drive a hydraulic or pneumatic motor or drive a single or double acting piston within a cylinder as suited to the application.
7. 7 The motor or cylinder referred to in Claim 6 is mechanically connected by a suitable drive arrangement or linkage to the application or object which requires force or otherwise to be rotated or moved.
8. 8 A device or machine substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying diagrams marked Figure 1 / 4, 2 / 4, 3 / 4, and 4 / 4.