HK1151085B - Turbine assembly - Google Patents

Description

Turbine assembly

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a turbine assembly which may be used for the purpose of power generation. The turbine assembly may be driven by a fluid flow, such as wind or water. More particularly, the turbine assembly may be used in a hydro-power generation system that uses dynamic water energy.

Background

Turbines for generating electricity are known in the art. Us patent No.5009568 relates to a wave-driven power plant including a water turbine mounted for rotation within a housing on an upright output shaft. The housing includes a backplate forming a water nozzle adapted to face oncoming waves and direct the waves into the housing, opposing sides, and upper and lower surfaces. The wave splitter directs a portion of each oncoming wave directly against the facing surface of the blades of the water turbine, while another wave portion is directed against the back plate of the housing and redirected against the facing surface of the opposing water turbine blade.

The turbine may be mounted on a shaft of a weighted flywheel (weighted flywheel) operatively connected to the generator.

Us patent No.5664418 relates to an upright axis wind turbine supported on a frame held in place by an annular series of crescent shaped tubular deflector wings. The wings widen towards the core or hub of the turbine, which concentrates the wind. The wind momentarily plunges into and enters the hollow interior of the turbine. The shaft supporting the turbine is connected to a drive shaft which is then associated with a differential gearbox. There is also a pair of drive shafts connected to separate axes of the differential gear box, which transmit power through the brakes and the wheel plate connectors to the generator.

Us patent No.5451138 describes an elongate turbine having propeller-shaped blades mounted transversely to the direction of fluid flow. The turbine rotates in the same direction regardless of the direction of fluid flow. Associated U.S. patent No.5451137 describes a similar turbine having blades arranged in a helical configuration. The helical design has been used to generate electricity from tides and fluid flows and has been seen as the Gorlov helical turbine that appears after the inventor Alexander Gorlov.

With respect to the prior art, it has been found that the turbine structure is overly complex, resulting in a turbine that is difficult and costly to manufacture. The connection between the turbine and the generator has also been found to be structurally complex, particularly with respect to U.S. patent nos. 5009568 and 5664418.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a turbine assembly which is simple in construction and efficient in operation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a blade assembly for a turbine assembly.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide the public with a useful alternative to existing turbines and turbine blade assemblies. Other objects will become apparent from the following description.

In one form, which is required but not exclusively or indeed the broadest form, the invention resides in a turbine assembly comprising a blade assembly and a generator. The blade assembly has a plurality of curved blades, each of which terminates at an interior end in an interior cavity or space. The internal cavity or space is open on one side. The generator is located within the internal cavity or space and is connected or attached to the blade assembly. Each curved blade has a dynamic configuration that can flex under fluid pressure and fold under opposing pressure.

The cavity is suitably sealed and provides an air pocket for the generator. The cavity may be filled with an insulating fluid such as air.

The blade assembly suitably has a central hub that is engageable with a mating shaft of the generator in a male-female relationship or a plug-and-socket relationship. Preferably, the central hub of the blade assembly has a hollow interior and thus forms a socket for engagement with the shaft of a generator, which is preferably solid and forms a mating plug of said socket. However, it is also possible that the generator shaft has a socket that engages with a spigot of the central hub of the blade assembly.

Thus, the blade assembly is releasably attached to the generator shaft and may thus be provided with suitable fasteners interconnecting the blade assembly hub and the generator shaft.

In any of the above configurations, it will be appreciated that the blade assembly will rotate the central shaft of the generator and thus generate electricity in a conventional manner.

Each blade of the blade assembly is suitably arcuate so as to form a concave surface facing the fluid impingement. The opposite surface may be convex or flat. Preferably, each vane has a uniform width or transverse dimension along its length, but this is not essential. Each blade may have a dynamic configuration that can flex under fluid pressure and fold under opposing pressure.

Each blade may suitably be inclined at an angle relative to the axis of rotation. A suitable inclination is 45 degrees. The pitch may vary from one end of the blade to the other.

The generator may be used to generate direct current or alternating current, as is well known in the art. The generator may also be electric, hydraulic or pneumatic.

Drawings

Reference is made to preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a turbine of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the turbine of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the turbine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of the turbine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the turbine of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the turbine of the present invention; and

fig. 7 is a view showing that the turbine shown in fig. 1 is installed on the sea bed or river bed.

Detailed Description

The turbine assembly 10 shown in FIG. 1 has a blade assembly 11 that includes a plurality of blades or airfoils. As best shown in fig. 4, each blade of the blade assembly 11 is arcuate in shape and terminates in an internal cavity 14. Each blade has a concave facing surface 12 and a convex opposite surface 13, wherein the concave facing surface 12 captures the fluid flow. The blade assembly 11 sits on a flange 17, the flange 17 terminating in the internal cavity 14 and extending to the outer end of the blade.

The blade assembly 11 includes a central shaft 15 that rotates with the blade assembly 11. As best shown in fig. 3, the shaft 15 is connected to a rotating central shaft 16 of a generator 20 located within the internal cavity 14. As shown in the exploded view of fig. 2, the generator 20 is fixed to a base 21. This is conveniently achieved by the flange 22 being held by the welds 23. Any other conventional securing method such as bolts or screws may also be used.

The shaft 15 is conveniently of hollow form having keyways (not visible) which cooperate with keys 24 on the shaft 16 of the generator 20. The keys 24 and keyways ensure that the shaft 16 rotates with the blade assembly 11 to operate the generator 20. The generator 20 is provided with electrical conductors 25 and 26, as shown in fig. 2, so that the electrical current generated by the generator 20 can be conducted as desired.

Referring to fig. 3, a detail of the turbine 10 is shown in cross-section. The conventional generator 20 includes a housing 27 to which an electromagnet 28 is mounted. A coil 29 on the shaft 16 rotates in the magnetic field formed by the magnet 28, thereby generating a current that flows through the electrical conductors 25, 26. The generator 20 sits within the space formed by the internal cavity 14 of the blade assembly 11. Where the turbine 10 is configured for underwater use, the internal cavity 14 is water-tight and may be filled with air, gas or oil so that the generator 20 may operate without the need to provide water protection for the generator 20. A positive pressure of the fluid (air, gas or oil) may be maintained within the cavity by pumping the fluid into the cavity at a slow rate.

As best shown in fig. 3, the cavity 14 is open at the bottom and the blade assembly sits on top of the generator 20 so that the generator 20 is located within the cavity. It should be appreciated that the generator 20 may be easily replaced by simply removing the blade assembly 11, disassembling the generator 20 from the base 21, and reassembling with a new generator.

In operation, turbine 10 is placed within the flow field of fluid. The fluid flow region may be a water flow region, such as river or ocean current. The turbine 10 may also be configured for generating electricity from an air stream (wind), but the inventors have realized that river and ocean currents are more reliable than wind. In fig. 4, the direction of fluid flow is indicated by arrow B. The fluid flow impinges on the concave surface 12 and the convex surface 13 of each vane 11. There is a pressure differential between the forces impacting the concave and convex surfaces, which causes the vane assembly 11 to rotate in the direction indicated by curved arrow a. Unlike many prior art turbines, there is no need to provide a casing to control the flow of fluid over the turbine blades. The turbine 10 is simply placed in a position with fluid flow so that the turbine rotates. In fact, it should be understood that the turbines rotate in the same direction regardless of the direction of fluid flow.

Fig. 5 shows a second embodiment of a turbine 50 in which the blade assembly 51 has blades which are pitched relative to the shaft 15. The inventors have found that a slope of about 45 degrees is suitable, but the invention is not limited to this particular angle. In fact, almost any inclination contributes to the hydrodynamics of the turbine 10. The optimum inclination angle depends on the particular circumstances. Furthermore, the pitch may vary from one end of the blade to the other. For example, the pitch may be small near the axis 15 and increase as the blade extends away from the axis 15.

The blades of the embodiment shown in fig. 5 have a pitch, the lower part of the blade guiding the upper part of the blade. This configuration provides a degree of lift upwards which is advantageous. The pitch may be reversed so that the upper part of the blade leads the lower part, which creates a certain degree of lift downwards.

Another embodiment turbine assembly 60 is shown in fig. 6, wherein the blade assembly 61 is comprised of dynamic blades that adjust shape based on applied force. This may be achieved by segmented blades such as 62 that are extended under an applied force, such as a sail. A vane with a concave side facing the fluid flow will stretch as shown in fig. 6 to better capture the fluid flow. The other blades will fold into a non-extended shape. Other structures may include resiliently deformable vanes mounted against a rigid skeleton on the concave side. The fluid pressure will cause the blades to expand as shown, but upon rotation, they will contract back to their undeformed shape. On the opposite side of rotation, the skeleton will prevent deformation.

Suitable materials for the blades of the blade assembly include plastics or metals such as aluminium. The turbine assembly may be produced by extrusion, blow forming or casting.

FIG. 7 illustrates a pair of turbine assemblies 70, which may take the form of the embodiment of FIG. 1, the embodiment of FIG. 5, or the embodiment of FIG. 6. A plurality of turbine assemblies together form a power plant. The bases 71 are mounted adjacent to the sea bed 72 or river bed, with each base 71 being supported by a pile 73 and chain 74. If desired, the base 71 may be hollow or made of a buoyant material to facilitate flotation of the turbine 70. If the base 71 is hollow, it may be filled with water to sink the turbine assembly or air to raise the turbine assembly. Filling the base with water or air is particularly advantageous for maintenance purposes as it will facilitate the retrieval of the crane or the placement of the turbine assembly.

Filling the base 71 with water or air also facilitates adjusting the depth of the turbine assembly to be positioned in the maximum fluid flow. Adding water to the base will cause the base to sink to a lower level. Pumping air into the base to displace the water will cause the base to float to a higher level. The horizontal position of the base can be varied by pumping air or adding water so that the turbine assembly is positioned in the area of maximum fluid flow.

The inventors envision that this process can be automated by placing the fluid sensors at different depths and automatically repositioning the turbine assembly at the depth with the strongest fluid flow.

It should be understood that the space or cavity 14 may be filled with air and therefore may have gases or ions that may be byproducts of the electricity generated by the generator 20 within the cavity 14. If the chamber 14 requires additional air to keep the chamber dry, the air can be delivered through a simple air hose that can be connected to an air compressor on shore. The air-providing hose may be supplemented with electrical conductors 25 and 26 from shore. The generator 20 is reasonably resistant to corrosive elements within the chamber 14, such as seawater.

It is considered that the turbine of the present invention can be very advantageously used as a subsea hydroelectric power station that does not produce pollution. It is also believed that the tidal or ocean current of the ocean is predictable, which will ensure successful operation of the turbine of the present invention.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various problems may arise when connecting a generator set to a power grid. These problems have been addressed for various other forms of power generation, such as wind generators. It is envisaged that suitable transformers and phase matching equipment will be located in the vicinity of the power plant, but not under water. For example, in a subsea application, the transformer may be located on the coastline.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that various safety devices, such as fail-safe brake and over-current protector, may be incorporated into the turbine assembly for practical applications. These devices are well known, and therefore, for the sake of brevity, a description of these devices is omitted.

The generator 20 may also be associated with a support to resist vibrations caused by rotation of the blade assembly 11. The control of vibration is well known to turbine engineers and is to be performed as required for effective operation of the invention.

While the description describes the primary embodiment of the power generator, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to this particular implementation. The generator 20 may be any suitable device that converts motive energy into other useful energy. Thus, the generator may be hydraulic or wind powered.

In summary, it will be appreciated that the blade assembly of the present invention is simple in construction and is directly connected to a generator located in an open space or cavity of the blade assembly.

Claims (20)

1. A substantially submerged turbine assembly comprising:

a blade assembly having a plurality of curved blades, an interior end of each of the curved blades terminating in a cavity having an open side; and

a generator located within the cavity and connected to the blade assembly;

wherein each curved blade has a dynamic configuration that can be flexed and extended under fluid pressure and collapsed under opposing pressure.

2. The turbine assembly of claim 1, wherein the cavity is filled with an insulating fluid.

3. The turbine assembly of claim 2, wherein the insulating fluid is air.

4. The turbine assembly of claim 1, further comprising a central hub within the blade assembly, the central hub being connected to a shaft of the generator.

5. The turbine assembly of claim 4, wherein the central hub is releasably connected to a shaft of the generator.

6. The turbine assembly of claim 4, wherein the central hub is a socket mounted on and engaged with a shaft of a generator.

7. The turbine assembly of claim 4, further wherein the central hub is a plug that fits into and engages a socket within a generator shaft.

8. The turbine assembly of claim 6 or 7, further comprising a key on the shaft engaging a keyway on the socket, or further comprising a key on the socket engaging a keyway on the shaft.

9. The turbine assembly of claim 1, wherein the blade assembly further comprises a flange extending from the cavity to an outer end of the blade.

10. The turbine assembly of claim 1, wherein the curved blade has a concave surface and an opposite convex surface.

11. The turbine assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the curved blades has a uniform width along its length.

12. The turbine assembly of claim 2, wherein the insulating fluid is a gas.

13. The turbine assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the curved blades is inclined at an angle relative to the axis of rotation.

14. The turbine assembly of claim 13, wherein the inclination is 45 degrees.

15. The turbine assembly of claim 13, wherein the pitch varies along a length of the blade.

16. A power plant comprising two or more substantially submerged turbine assemblies, each turbine assembly comprising:

a blade assembly having a plurality of curved blades, the inner end of each of said curved blades terminating in a cavity having an open side, and each curved blade having a dynamic configuration that can flex to expand under fluid pressure and collapse under opposing pressure; and

a generator located within the cavity and connected to the blade assembly.

17. The power generation station of claim 16 further comprising a hollow base on each turbine assembly.

18. The power generation station of claim 17 wherein the hollow base is filled with a buoyant material.

19. The power plant of claim 17, wherein the hollow base can be filled with air or water to adjust the depth of the power plant when underwater.

20. The power generation station of claim 16 further comprising means for securing the power generation station to the sea or river bed when underwater.