Reversible pump-turbine installation
AssigneeHenry Obermeyer
InventorsHenry K. Obermeyer, Claudiu M. Iavornic, Grant Quinn Baker
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Abstract
The present invention is a reversible pump-turbine installation positioned in a vertical borehole instead of in a conventional underground powerhouse or deep concrete powerhouse. The required plant cavitation coefficient may be achieved by simply boring a vertical borehole to the required depth rather than routing the water flow to and from a deeply buried powerhouse. A pneumatically controlled pressure relief valve may be incorporated into this invention.
Claims6
A pumped storage system comprising:
- an upper water storage basin,
- a lower water storage basin,
- a reversible pump-turbine connected to said upper water storage basin by a penstock conduit and also connected to said lower water storage basin by means of a tail water conduit, and
- a motor-generator operably connected to said pump-turbine;
- wherein said pump-turbine comprises multiple stages, wherein said pump turbine is positioned in a vertical borehole at an elevation below the surface of said lower water storage basin, and wherein said pump-turbine is axially removable from said vertical borehole;
- said system further comprising a removable manifold fixed to the top of said vertical borehole during operation, wherein said removable manifold includes a pressure relief valve for relieving excess head pressure to said tail water conduit, and wherein said pressure relief valve comprises an elastomeric diaphragm held by controlled gas pressure against one or more orifices containing headwater pressure.
A pumped storage system having an upper water storage basin, a lower water storage basin, and a reversible pump-turbine connected to said upper water storage basin by a penstock conduit and also connected to said lower water storage basin by means of a tail water conduit, wherein said pump-turbine is positioned in a vertical borehole at an elevation below the surface of said lower water storage basin;
- wherein said pump-turbine is axially removable from said vertical borehole;
- wherein said conduits are coaxially positioned in said vertical borehole;
- further comprising a removable manifold fixed to the top of said vertical borehole during operation;
- wherein said removable manifold includes a pressure relief valve for relieving excess head pressure;
- wherein said pressure relief valve comprises an elastomeric diaphragm held by controlled gas pressure against one or more orifices containing headwater pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.