Device for generating hydro-electric energy
OwnerBoudewijn Gabriel Van Rompayinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Device for generating energy making use of the current of a river (2), with a self-floating paddlewheel (13) and an electric generator set (17) that is coupled to the paddlewheel (13), whereby the device (1) is provided with an immersed housing (3) with an open bottom (4) in which the paddlewheel (13) is rotatably affixed and whereby there is a unit (10) to control the flow of the river (2) at the level of the paddlewheel (13), whereby the speed of the generator set (17) is kept constant by controlling the water level (9) in the housing (3) by placing its internal space (7) under pressure and/or by controlling the aforementioned unit (10).
Claims19
A device for generating hydroelectric energy making use of the current of a moving, partially enclosed body of water, the device comprising:
- at least one paddlewheel that is configured to float in the moving, partially enclosed body of water and freely turn in two directions around an axis;
- at least one electric generator set having a driveshaft coupled to a shaft of the paddlewheel to transmit torque;
- at least one housing configured to be entirely or at least partially immersed in the moving, partially enclosed body of water, the housing being in the form of a bell with an open bottom that is at a bottom housing height above a bed of the moving, partially enclosed body of water, the housing having an internal space that is placed under pressure to control a water level height of a water level in the bell, the paddlewheel being rotatably affixed to the housing by bearings, the paddlewheel including paddles that protrude below the open bottom;
- and
- a flow control system configured to control the flow of the moving, partially enclosed body of water that is under the open bottom of the bell,
- wherein a speed of the at least one electric generator set is kept constant by controlling one or more of the water level height in the bell and the flow control system.
A system comprising:
- a plurality of devices configured to generate hydroelectric energy making use of the current of a moving, partially enclosed body of water, the plurality of devices being disposed in the moving, partially enclosed body of water at a distance from one another viewed in a direction of flow of the moving, partially enclosed body of water and are spread over a distance of the moving, partially enclosed body of water such that at least one device is in a zone with current, each device comprising:
- at least one paddlewheel that is configured to float in the moving, partially enclosed body of water and freely turn in two directions around an axis,
- at least one electric generator set having a driveshaft coupled to a shaft of the paddlewheel to transmit torque,
- at least one housing configured to be entirely or at least partially immersed in the moving, partially enclosed body of water, the housing being in the form of a bell with an open bottom that is at a bottom housing height above a bed of the moving, partially enclosed body of water, the housing having an internal space that is placed under pressure to control a water level height of a water level in the bell, the paddlewheel being rotatably affixed to the housing by bearings, the paddlewheel including paddles that protrude below the open bottom, and
- a flow control system configured to control the flow of the moving, partially enclosed body of water that is under the open bottom of the bell,
- wherein a speed of the at least one electric generator set is kept constant by controlling one or more of the water level height in the bell and the flow control system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.