WO2014020241A2 - Apparatus for generating power - Google Patents

Description

 ENERGY PRODUCTION INSTALLATION

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention generally relates to installations for producing energy from renewable energy.

 More particularly, the invention relates to a power plant that uses atmospheric pressure to supply a liquid with potential energy by raising it from a low level to a high level.

 This potential energy can be used as such or be transformed into mechanical energy or mechanical energy then electrical.

 Since the atmospheric pressure exists permanently over the entire surface of the earth, the present invention finds its application in fixed or mobile installations.

STATE OF THE PRIOR ART

There are many sites that use the evaporation of water and the natural rise of steam and its condensation and its fall in the form of rain to recover in a dam of the water at altitude to use its potential energy by producing electricity. When in a country the geographical sites are exhausted and as there is not always a good correlation between the periods of production and those of use, the energeticians store energy by realizing -Compression of accumulation by pumping- whose operation is based on the use of low cost electrical energy produced during off-peak hours (low consumption) to pump water from a low level to a high level in order to be able to turbinate this water during peak hours (high consumption). The difference in rates to obtain a positive balance sheet.

 Renewable energies are not directly used on vehicles. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes these disadvantages because it allows to provide at any time a potential energy to a liquid.

 It starts from Aristotle's "Nature abhors the emptiness" which had found that if one made a vacuum at the free end of a tube immersed in water, the latter rose into the tube. This experiment was later specified by Torricelli who showed that under the best conditions, the atmospheric pressure allowed to obtain a maximum height H of 0.76 meter with mercury or 10 meters with water.

 The present invention makes it possible to spray this ceiling H which limits the exploitation of this interesting phenomenon. The invention relates more particularly to an installation that makes it possible to supply a liquid with potential energy. She understands :

 a lower tank whose level represents the altitude of the low level of the installation,

an upper reservoir whose level represents the altitude of the high level of the installation, - Several stairs that are successively crossed by the liquid which raises from the lower tank to the upper tank. Each step is formed of an intermediate reservoir placed at a height H relative to the level of the preceding reservoir. In addition to a suction line that connects them, the intermediate tank is equipped with necessary devices to fill it by suction and to return the liquid it contains to the open air. The height H depends on the density of the liquid used and the value of the atmospheric pressure of the place of use.

 The number of steps is equal to the difference in altitude between the high and low levels divided by the height H.

 We thus realize a staircase of elevation of liquid which raises in a continuous way the liquid from a low level to a high level.

 It should be noted that the variation of the atmospheric pressure is not very significant on the differences of altitudes of some tens or even hundreds of meters that this installation requires.

 The energy supplied to the liquid depends on the density of the liquid used,

the acceleration of gravity and the difference in altitude between the high and low levels of the installation.

 According to a first particular embodiment of the invention, the intermediate tank of each step is formed of an open tank and placed at the upper end of the suction pipe associated therewith a self-priming pump of which the commissioning produces the vacuum which induces the rise of the liquid in this pipe. At the pump outlet, the liquid fills the intermediate tank. A control automation controls the pump to maintain the level of the intermediate tank within the desired range of levels. In the last step, the upper tank replaces the intermediate tank.

 If the pump is not self-priming, it will be necessary to add a device for evacuating the upper end of the suction pipe to prime the system at start-up.

 According to a second particular embodiment of the invention, the intermediate tank of each step is formed of a closed tank equipped with pipes and valves controlled by an automatism which carries out the cycle of elevation namely:

opening of the valve placed on its suction pipe and the valve which makes it possible to connect it to an auxiliary vacuum generating station, which causes the tank to be filled,

 - At the end of filling, closing of these two valves then opening of the valve which allows to put it in the open air and the valve placed on the suction line of the upper tank to allow the realization of the following cycle of 'elevation.

According to a first particular use of this installation, the potential energy of the liquid is used directly for, for example, supplying water to an irrigation channel. We will then choose the first embodiment of the liquid elevation staircase.

According to a second particular use of this installation, the potential energy of the liquid is used to produce mechanical energy. The most appropriate liquid elevation staircase is selected and the installation is completed by a penstock which connects the upper tank to a turbomachine (turbocharger, turbo generator, etc.) placed at a slightly elevated altitude. higher than that of the low level to ensure the return of the turbined liquid in the lower tank through a pipe. This property makes it possible to use the installation both in a fixed and mobile way. In this second use, the turbomachine can be used to pull vehicles.

 According to a third particular use of this installation, we use the potential energy of the liquid to produce electrical energy; the most appropriate liquid elevation staircase is selected and the installation is completed by a penstock that connects the upper tank to a turbo-alternator at a slightly higher elevation than the low-level one. ensure the return of the turbined liquid in the lower tank through a pipe. This property makes it possible to use the installation both in a fixed and mobile way.

 In its fixed installation, it makes it possible to realize electric power stations in any point of the planet ie near the use which limits the realization of important electrical networks of transport and distribution. We can

for example, to realize the energy supply of a building, a district, a city, a factory, etc.

 It is important to note that since the liquid elevation ladder continuously feeds the upper tank, the proper functioning of the installation requires only a limited volume for this upper tank which restricts the usefulness of large dams flooding or the creation of water reserves.

 In its mobile installation on a vehicle, it can make it possible to supply the traction motor or motors by being associated with an accumulator battery which will charge at a standstill or during the low needs and which will provide additional energy when this will be necessary. We thus realize an electric vehicle whose capacity of the battery is clearly lower than those which equip the current electric cars.

 According to a fourth particular use of this installation, we place a staircase of elevation of liquid between the reaches downstream and upstream of an existing hydroelectric power station which makes it possible to use the forced pipe and the (s) turboalternateur (s) of this power plant to transform the potential energy of the water raised by

the staircase into electrical energy. In other words, it makes it possible to no longer be dependent on the rainfall and to operate the hydroelectric plant permanently at its nominal power if necessary.

 According to a fifth particular use of this installation, we place a liquid elevation staircase between the low and high levels of an existing pumped storage unit in order to use the penstock and the turbo generator (s) this pumped storage unit to transform the potential energy of the water raised by the staircase into electrical energy. In other words, it reduces the cost of raising water and keeps the pumped storage unit running at its nominal power if necessary.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

 The attached diagrams and drawings illustrate and explain the invention.

Figure 1 shows the scheme of the invention with N steps and open intermediate tanks.

 Figure 2 shows the scheme of the invention with N steps and closed intermediate tanks.

 Figure 3 shows the use of the invention with open intermediate tanks in the production of a power plant.

Figure 4 shows the use of the invention with closed intermediate tanks in the production of a power plant. FIG. 5 represents the installation of the invention between the downstream and upstream reaches of an existing hydroelectric power station.

 FIG. 6 represents the single-phase power diagram of an installation and mobile electricity production unit where the alternator supplies, via a bridge rectifier, a buffer battery and the vehicle engine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

 From Figures 1 and 3 we will detail, by way of example, an embodiment of the invention to ensure the energy autonomy of a city. We choose water as a liquid and the embodiment with intermediate tanks open for reasons of simplification of the installation.

 We must start by identifying user needs and future planning projects, in order to be able to define the nominal power Ph necessary to supply the city during rush hours while taking a safety margin.

 It is then necessary to identify and retain a nearby or nearest geographical relief which will make it possible to obtain the desired height difference HD between the two low and high levels and on which will be constructed the lower (1), upper (2) and intermediate (RI) reservoirs. at RN). If no natural relief or existing relief, it will be necessary to envisage the realization of the desired unevenness.

 From the height HD of the difference in elevation and the nominal power Pn, the flow of the elevation staircase is determined taking into account, of course, the

performance of the turboalternator. The number of steps N of the escalator is defined by dividing HD by the height H of staircase which seems realistic for the site (about 8m)

 Lower (1), upper (2), and intermediate (RI to (RN-1) tanks are installed, or constructed, at their respective locations and elevations. The turbo-alternator (58) and the electrical cabinet containing the automation are installed in a building located at a level slightly higher than that of the low level.

 Each tank is equipped with maximum level and minimum level contacts that define its filling range. Each intermediate tank (R1 to R (N-1)) is equipped with its self-priming pump (15 to N5) and its suction (10 to N0) and evacuation (16 to N6) lines. The volume of the tanks depends on the power of the plant and the equipment used. As an indication, we will say that the volume of tanks

The intermediaries will have an order of magnitude of one or a few cubic meters, and that of the upper and lower tanks will have an order of magnitude of a few tens or even a hundred cubic meters. These values are to be optimized according to the performance of the equipment used.

The upper tank (2) is connected via the regulating valve (67) and the forced pipe (68) to the turbo-alternator (58). The pipe (59) connects the turbine outlet to the lower tank (1).

The lower tank (1) must initially be filled and maintained at the start of the installation; then only a top up to compensate for the losses is necessary. On commissioning, the automation controls the successive filling of the intermediate tanks (R1 to R (N-1)) and the filling of the upper tank (2). The control of the valve (67) causes the turbo-alternator (58) to be driven by the water and this returns to the lower reservoir through the pipe (59). The installation then contains all the water necessary for its proper functioning. From Figures 2 and 4 we will detail, by way of example, an embodiment of the invention to supply power to a building. We

choose water as liquid and the embodiment with intermediate tanks closed so as not to have the nuisance of vibration due to the operation of the intermediate pumps. For the same reason of vibrations, we will plan to install the vacuum production unit and the turboalternator group in an annex building close to the building. This building will also contain the electrical cabinet of the process with the automation that will ensure the proper functioning of the installation.

 We must start by identifying user needs, in order to define the power required to power the building during peak hours and take a safety margin to define the nominal power Pn of the plant.

 The building being of a height HI and as we plan to place the lower tank (1) under the turboalternateur group and the upper tank (2) on the roof slab of the building, the flow of the staircase of elevation will be defined from Pn and HI taking into account, of course, the efficiency of the turbo-alternator.

 If the distance between three stages is less than 10m with a margin of safety (one takes a step lower in the opposite case), one installs at level +3 the intermediate tank (RI) equipped with its valves (11, 12, 13 and 14); and at the level +6 the intermediate tank (R2) equipped with its valves (22, 23 and 24) and this up to the roof with the intermediate tank (RN) equipped with its valves (N2, N3 and N4) and of course the upper tank (2). Each tank is equipped with contacts that define its filling fork. The volume of the tanks depends on the power of the plant and the equipment used. As an indication, we will say that the order of magnitude of the volume of the intermediate tanks will be a fraction of m3 and that of the upper and lower tanks will be m3. Values to be optimized according to the equipment used.

 A technical duct allows the driving of the penstock (68) and suction (10 to N0), vacuum, and electrical lines between the annex building, the building and the various tanks. The vacuum production plant is not shown.

 The lower tank (1) must initially be filled and maintained at the start of the installation; then only a top up to compensate for the losses is necessary. On commissioning, the automation controls the successive filling of the intermediate tanks (RI to RN) and the filling of the upper tank (2).

 The filling of the reservoir (RI) is carried out according to the sequencing below: the valves (12) and (14) being closed, it opens (11) and (13) which causes the evacuation of the reservoir and its filling of the does the elevation of the liquid by the pressure

in the suction pipe (10). At the end of filling, the high level contact is actuated and (11) and (13) are closed in order to isolate the liquid volume from the low level and the vacuum system, and then (12) and (14) are opened in order to put it in the open air and make it available for the next stage of elevation.

 The reservoir (RI) being filled, to fill the reservoir (R2), the valves (22) and (24) being closed and (12) and (14) open, is opened (23). At the end of filling, we close (14) and (23) and then open (22) and (24), etc.

 When the liquid is in the tank RN, the opening of the valves (N2) and (N4) leads to the filling of the upper tank (2)

The automation manages the control of the valves in order to repeat with order and method the transfer of the capacity of an intermediate tank from the first to the last step without recovery. In Figure 4 we have the assembly with the control valve (67) which regulates the flow of water. The latter borrows the forced pipe (68), drives the turboalternator (58) and returns to the lower reservoir (1) via the pipe (59). Starting from figure 5 relating to the use of a staircase of elevation of liquid between the reaches downstream and upstream of an existing hydroelectric power station, we will say that the definition of the characteristics of the staircase of elevation of liquid depends the aim of knowing how to operate the turbo-alternators at their nominal power only during peak or continuous hours, and the low-water flow of the river. Geographical relief exists to install the liquid elevation staircase and its operation provides the desired potential energy. In such an application, the volume of intermediate tanks is to be optimized and we will give as order of magnitude one or a few tens of m3.

 The problem is of the same nature as regards the installation of a staircase of elevation of liquid between the low and high levels of a pumped accumulation plant with however a zero flow of low water of the river.

From Figures 3 or 4 and 6 we will detail, for example, a use of the invention for motorizing on a vehicle. For those who are terrestrial and will travel on the usual communication routes, the realization is limited by the height available above the existing channels. The problem remains for vehicles moving on rivers and canals but no longer exists for vehicles traveling on the sea and in the air. When the possible height is limited, it is advisable to start by choosing a liquid of high density. It is also necessary to make an embodiment choice between FIGS. 3 or 4.

 The flow rate of the liquid elevation ladder will be defined from the desired Pn power, the difference in height between the high and low levels and the density of the liquid used.

 The diagram of FIG. 6 represents this single-phase solution with a turbo-alternator assembly (58) plus rectifier bridge (78) and the contactor (79)

corresponding; the storage battery (88) and its contactor (89); a single motor (98) with its contactor (99).

 In normal operation, the three contactors (79), (89), and (99) being closed, the accumulator battery responds to acceleration and loads when the requested motor torque is low.

 The charging of the storage battery can also be done on manual or automatic vehicle stopped (contactor (99) open) and the installation in operation with the contactors (79) and (89) closed.

 On such an installation, the volume of the lower (1), upper (2) and intermediate tanks (RI to RN) will be highly optimized and the nuisance of the pumps or valves will be controlled.

POSSIBILITIES OF INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS OF THE INVENTION

 This installation makes it possible to exploit the atmospheric pressure which is a renewable energy little used currently although it has the advantages to be available permanently and to exist on all the surface of the earth.

In its main application fixed for the production of electrical energy, it allows to make achievements of the same power as that of existing plants. If one compares with identical power a central of this type with a central

hydroelectric that currently corresponds to the optimum in the field, it is found that in addition to the identical part, the realization of the intermediate tanks of a liquid elevation staircase and that of the lower and upper tanks of limited volume represents a job and therefore a much lower cost than those needed for the construction of a dam. In addition, this facility will be able to operate continuously at its nominal power, whereas the energy produced by a hydroelectric plant depends on rainfall.

 We can therefore say that in terms of value analysis, this installation corresponds to the just necessary to ensure fixed large amounts of electrical energy.

 In its use between the downstream and upstream reaches of an existing hydroelectric power station (or between the low and high levels of a pumped storage plant), it increases in a very significant way, doubly in many case, of the energy produced by the hydropower plant with a very limited investment.

 In its other fixed applications, its use for raising water can be very competitive compared to existing pumping stations and its use to drive turbomachines can also be very interesting.

 In its main application in mobile; on land vehicles it reduces the volume of the electric battery and it removes the need for a

mains connection to recharge the battery; for marine vehicles without height limitation, it simplifies the engine and optimizes transport costs.

 The present invention is not limited to the modes of realization described and represented, but the skilled person will be able to make any variant consistent with his mind.

Claims

A plant for producing energy using atmospheric pressure to move a liquid different steps to raise it from a low level to a high level characterized in that it comprises:  a lower reservoir (1) whose level represents the altitude of the low level of  installation,  an upper reservoir (2) whose level represents the altitude of the high level of the installation,  between the low level and the high level is arranged a succession of N identical elevation steps;  Characterized in that each step comprises:  an intermediate reservoir (RN) placed at the height H with respect to the level of the reservoir which is below it,  a suction pipe (NO) which plunges into the lower tank and ends at the height H at the intermediate tank (RN),  A device that makes it possible to evacuate at the upper end of the pipe  suction (NO) so that the atmospheric pressure causes the liquid to rise from the height H in this pipe,  a device that makes it possible to fill the intermediate reservoir (RN) with the liquid returned to atmospheric pressure,  0 - automation of management of the whole;  for the first step, the intermediate tank is called (RI), the lower tank (1) and the suction pipe is numbered 10.  2- Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises, for each step, an intermediate reservoir (RN) of open type and said device which 25 makes it possible to evacuate as well as said device which makes it possible to fill the reservoir  intermediate (RN) with the liquid returned to atmospheric pressure, are both performed by a self-priming pump (N5) associated with an evacuation pipe (N6); for the first step, the self-priming pump bears the number (15) and the evacuation line the number (16); with the understanding that if the pump is not 30 self-priming, it must be added a vacuum device at the upper end of the suction pipe (N0), to boot the system at startup; it is also understood that in the last step, the upper tank (2) replaces the intermediate tank and that the correct filling of the intermediate tanks (RI to RN) and the upper tank (2) are managed by the automation.  3- Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a valve (11) on the suction line of the first tank and then, for each step, a closed intermediate tank (RN) which is equipped with:  - a valve (N2) for venting, valve (12) for the first,  a valve (N3) and a pipe for placing in communication with a vacuum production plant, valve (13) for the first,  - a valve (N4) on the suction pipe of the next step, valve (14) for the first;  also being characterized by the fact that said device which makes it possible to evacuate as well as said device which makes it possible to fill the intermediate reservoir with the liquid subjected at the end of the cycle at atmospheric pressure, are both managed by the automatism which controls, for each step, the filling of the intermediate tank by its communication with the lower level and its evacuation, then its isolation of the vacuum and the lower level, and then its venting; which corresponds for the first operating on closing the valves (12) and (14) and then opening the valves (13) and (11) and then closing the valves (13) and (11) and opening the valves (12) and (14); at the general level, the automation manages the successive transfer of unit volumes in each intermediate tank (RI to RN) and the correct filling of the upper tank (2).  4- Installation according to claims 2 or 3 characterized in that the upper reservoir (2) feeds through a control valve (67) and a forced pipe (68), a turbomachine (58) which produces mechanical, or mechanical and then electrical energy; it being understood that the liquid leaves the turbomachine at an altitude slightly higher than that of the low level of the installation, which makes it possible to produce a closed circuit by means of a pipe (59) for returning the liquid into the lower tank (1).  5- Installation according to claim 4 characterized in that the assembly of, the installation is placed on a vehicle and that the mechanical energy produced by the turbomachine can motorize the vehicle that moves on the earth, water o in the air.  6- Installation according to claim 4 characterized in that the turbomachine is a turboalternator (58) which produces electrical energy that can feed a distribution network.  7- Installation according to claim 6 characterized in that the entire installation is placed on a vehicle that moves on land, water or in the air and that the electrical energy is rectified (78) to supplying, in addition to the motor (98) during operation, a battery (88) not only during operation but also when stopped by manual or automatic control.  8- Installation according to claim 2 characterized in that the place between the 3 reaches downstream and upstream of an existing hydroelectric plant, the tailbay serving as a lower reservoir and the upper reservoir forebay; which makes it possible to use the forced pipe (68) and the turbo generator (58) of this power plant to transform the potential energy of the water raised by the installation into electrical energy; which corresponds to an improvement in the plant's production.  9- Installation according to claim 2 characterized in that it is placed between the high and low levels of an existing hydroelectric pumped storage facility which allows to use the penstock (68) and the (s) turboalternator (s) (58) of this hydroelectric pumped storage facility to convert the potential energy of the water raised by the installation into electrical energy; which corresponds to an improvement in the plant's production.