# US 12,180,922 B1 · Scour protective device around piles with bidirectional flow power generation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,180,922 B1 - Document ID: US12180922B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/789,625 - Filed: 2024-07-30 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2024-07-30 - Assignees: Zhejiang University - Applicants: Zhejiang University - Inventors: Yizhi Sun; Zhilin Sun; Jing Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12180922B1 ## CPC - F03B 17/06: using liquid flow {with predominantly kinetic energy conversion}, e.g. of swinging-flap type {, "run-of-river", "ultra-low head" (F03B13/264 takes precedence)} - E01D 19/00: Structural or constructional details of bridges - E02B 17/0017: {Means for protecting offshore constructions} - E02D 31/00: Protective arrangements for foundations or foundation structures {(protective casings for piles E02D5/60)}; Ground foundation measures for protecting the soil or the subsoil water, e.g. preventing or counteracting oil pollution (spillage retaining means for tanks B65D90/24) - F05B 2220/705: the other apparatus being a wind turbine - H02K 7/1807: {Rotary generators (H02K7/006 takes precedence)} - F03B: MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS (positive-displacement engines for liquid F03C; machines for liquids and gases F01; positive-displacement machines for liquids F04, rotary fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type F16H41/00) - E01D: CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGES, {ELEVATED ROADWAYS} OR VIADUCTS; ASSEMBLY OF BRIDGES (bridges extending between terminal buildings and aircraft for embarking or disembarking passengers B64F1/305; {tracks for special kinds of railways E01B25/00; culverts E01F5/005}) - E02B: HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING (ship-lifting E02C; dredging E02F) - E02D: FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS (specially adapted for hydraulic engineering E02B); UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES {(tunnels, tunnelling, mining E21)} - F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) ## Abstract A scour protective device around piles with bidirectional flow power generation. A smooth water flow channel is formed by guide walls and baffle walls. A power generation device is placed at smallest section of the channel. The piles are wrapped by smooth normal distributional surfaces, and the water flow is divided to outsides of normal distributional surfaces. The guide walls at both ends are tangent to eliminate downflow of the incident flow surface and horseshoe vortex around the piles, to avoid local scour. The tidal current is introduced into the channel to accelerate, and contraction panels are further compressed to realize hydropower generation and improve the utilization rate of tidal energy. The swing door makes hydraulic turbines rotate in the same direction when the tide rises and falls, realizing reliable bidirectional hydropower generation. The system provides efficient and environmentally friendly renewable power for bridge lighting, signal lights and vessels. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A scour protective device around piles with bidirectional flow power generation, comprising a first smooth normal distributional surface guide wall, a first vertical baffle wall, a first flat-plate variable-diameter scour prevention bottom plate, a first variable-diameter semicircular cover plate, a first power generation device, a second smooth normal distributional surface guide wall, a second vertical baffle wall, a second flat-plate variable-diameter scour prevention bottom plate, a second variable-diameter semicircular cover plate and a second power generation device; wherein the first smooth normal distributional surface guide wall and the second smooth normal distributional surface guide wall wrap a pile and are symmetrically distributed; wherein an outer side of the first smooth normal distributional surface guide wall is provided with the first vertical baffle wall, a bottom of the first smooth normal distributional surface guide wall is provided with the first flat-plate variable-diameter scour prevention bottom plate, and a top of the first smooth normal distributional surface guide wall is provided with the first variable-diameter semicircular cover plate; the first variable-diameter semicircular cover plate is smoothly connected to the first smooth normal distributional surface guide wall and the first vertical baffle wall by a quarter arc, respectively; the first flat-plate variable-diameter scour prevention bottom plate is smoothly connected to the first smooth normal distributional surface guide wall and the first vertical baffle wall, respectively; the first smooth normal distributional surface guide wall, the first vertical baffle wall, the first flat-plate variable-diameter scour prevention bottom plate and the first variable-diameter semicircular cover plate form a first smooth water flow channel; and the first power generation device is placed at a minimum section of the first smooth water flow channel; and wherein an outer side of the second smooth normal distributional surface guide wall is provided with the second vertical baffle wall, a bottom of the second smooth normal distributional surface guide wall is provided with the second flat-plate variable-diameter scour prevention bottom plate, and a top of the second smooth normal distributional surface guide wall is provided with the second variable-diameter semicircular cover plate; the second variable-diameter semicircular cover plate is smoothly connected to the second smooth normal distributional surface guide wall and the second vertical baffle wall by a quarter arc, respectively; the second flat-plate type variable-diameter scour prevention bottom plate is smoothly connected to the second smooth normal distributional surface guide wall and the second vertical baffle wall, respectively; the second smooth normal distributional surface guide wall, the second vertical baffle wall, the second flat-plate variable-diameter scour prevention bottom plate and the second variable-diameter semicircular cover plate form a second smooth water flow channel; and the second power generation device is placed a at a minimum section of the second smooth water flow channel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The scour protective device around piles with bidirectional flow power generation according to claim 1, wherein the pile is a bridge pier or one in the wind power foundation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The scour protective device around piles with bidirectional flow power generation according to claim 1, wherein a section width W(x) of the first smooth water flow channel or the second smooth water flow channel is formed by taking a center of the pile as origin, taking an ebb current direction as positive direction of x-axis, taking a direction perpendicular to the ebb current in horizontal plane as a positive direction of y-axis, and taking an upward direction along axis of the pile as positive direction of z-axis, and taking z=0 as an unwashed seabed plane: W ⁡ ( x ) = W L - b 2 ⁢ π ⁢ σ ⁢ exp ⁢ ( x 2 z ⁢ σ 2 ) , where WL=W(x=L) represents width of an inlet section; σ represents variance of a normal distributional curve; L represents a distance from the inlet section to the minimum section; and b represents a amplification factor of the normal distributional curve; b and σ satisfy a condition described as b 2 ⁢ π ⁢ σ = D 2 + Δ , where D represents diameter of the pile; and Δ represents thickness of the first or the second smooth normal distributional surface guide wall; flow area A(x) of a section in the first smooth water flow channel or the second smooth water flow channel satisfies equation A ⁡ ( x ) = W ⁡ ( x ) [ π 4 ⁢ W ⁡ ( x ) + H ] , where H represents water depth; flow area of the inlet section is: A L = A ⁡ ( L ) = W L ( π ⁢ W L 4 + H ) , flow area of the minimum section satisfies equation A 0 = A ⁡ ( x = 0 ) = ( W L - b 2 ⁢ π ⁢ σ ) [ π 4 ⁢ ( W L - b 2 ⁢ π ⁢ σ ) + H ] . ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The scour protective device around piles with bidirectional flow power generation according to claim 3, wherein the first power generation device comprises a first rotating shaft, a first gear transmission system, a first hydraulic turbine, a first generator, a first contraction panel, a second contraction panel and a first support structure; the first rotating shaft is arranged inside the first support structure, and the first gear transmission system is connected to the first rotating shaft; an upper end of the first gear transmission system is connected to the first generator, and a lower end of the first gear transmission system is connected to the first hydraulic turbine; the first hydraulic turbine comprises a first blade group; each blade of the first blade group is arc-shaped; the first contraction panel is perpendicular to a water-passing section, a side of the first contraction panel is connected to a side of the first support structure, another side of the first contraction panel is fixedly connected to the first vertical baffle wall, an upper end of the first contraction panel is fixedly connected to the first variable-diameter semicircular cover plate, and a lower end of the first contraction panel is fixedly connected to the first flat-plate variable-diameter scour prevention bottom plate; the second contraction panel is perpendicular to the water-passing section, a side of the second contraction panel is connected to another side of the first support structure, another side of the second contraction panel is fixedly connected to the first smooth normal distributional surface guide wall, an upper end of the second contraction panel is fixedly connected to the first variable-diameter semicircular cover plate, and a lower end of the second contraction panel is fixedly connected to the first flat-plate variable-diameter scour prevention bottom plate; the first retractable panel is provided with a first swing door; and the second contraction panel is provided with a second swing door; and wherein the second power generation device comprises a second rotating shaft, a second gear transmission system, a second hydraulic turbine, a second generator, a third contraction panel, a fourth contraction panel and a second support structure; the second rotating shaft is arranged inside the second support structure, and the second gear transmission system is connected to the second rotating shaft; an upper end of the second gear transmission system is connected to the second generator and a lower end of the second gear transmission system is connected to the second hydraulic turbine; the second hydraulic turbine comprises a second blade group; each blade of the second blade group is arc-shaped; the third contraction panel is perpendicular to the water-passing section, a side of the third contraction panel is connected to a side of the second support structure, another side of the third contraction panel is fixedly connected to the second vertical baffle wall, an upper end of the third contraction panel is fixedly connected to the second variable-diameter semicircular cover plate, and a lower end of the third contraction panel is fixedly connected to the second flat-plate variable-diameter scour prevention bottom plate; the fourth contraction panel is perpendicular to the water-passing section, a side of the fourth contraction panel is connected to the other side of the second support structure, another side of the fourth contraction panel is fixedly connected to the second smooth normal distributional surface guide wall, an upper end of the fourth contraction panel is fixedly connected to the second variable-diameter semicircular cover plate, and a lower end of the fourth contraction panel is fixedly connected to the second flat-plate variable-diameter scour prevention bottom plate; the third contraction panel is provided with a third swing door; and the fourth retractable panel is provided with a fourth swing door. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The scour protective device around piles with bidirectional flow power generation according to claim 4, wherein a shortest distance between the first smooth normal distributional surface guide wall and the first vertical baffle wall or a shortest distance between the second smooth normal distributional surface guide wall and the second vertical baffle wall is n times the diameter of the pile, where n≥2. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The scour protective device around piles with bidirectional flow power generation according to claim 5, wherein the first smooth normal distributional surface guide wall is tangentially connected to the second smooth normal distributional surface guide wall, a first smooth arc is arranged at a tangency joint at an end, and a second smooth arc is arranged at a tangency joint at another end; and the first smooth arc and the second smooth arc have same thickness, and both are less than ½ of the thickness of the first smooth normal distributional surface guide wall or the second smooth normal distributional surface guide wall. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The scour protective device around piles with bidirectional flow power generation according to claim 6, wherein kinetic energy Emax of water per unit weight at the minimum section of the first or the second smooth water flow channel is calculated by Emax=ELN2, where EL represents kinetic energy of water per unit weight at the inlet section of the first or the second smooth water flow channel, and N represents a ratio of a maximum water flow velocity vmax in the first or the second smooth water flow channel to a water flow velocity vL at the inlet section or a ratio of the flow area AL at the inlet section to a minimum water cross-section area Amin, namely N = v max v L = A L A min ; and Amin is set as Amin=αβA0, where α represents a lateral contraction coefficient of the first hydraulic turbine or the second hydraulic turbine, and a is calculated by α=r/Rϵ[0.25, 0.4], R represents a diameter of the first hydraulic turbine or the second hydraulic turbine, and r represents a flow length of any blade of the first hydraulic turbine or the second hydraulic turbine; and β represents a vertical contraction coefficient of the first hydraulic turbine or the second hydraulic turbine, and β is calculated by β=h/Hϵ[0.4, 0.5], and h represents a flow height that impacts the first hydraulic turbine or the second hydraulic turbine.