# US 4,396,842 A · Tidal power generation utilizing the atmospheric pressure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,396,842 A - Document ID: US4396842A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/310,110 - Filed: 1981-10-09 - Granted: 1983-08-02 - Earliest claimed: 1980-11-10 - Inventors: Bonghan Jhun - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4396842A ## CPC - F03B 13/26: using tide energy - F03B 13/086: {Plants characterised by the use of siphons; their regulation (siphon weirs E02B7/18; siphons in general F04F10/00)} - Y02E 10/20: Hydro energy - Y02E 10/30: Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient - 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) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A strong air suction is created by installing an air tube on the top of the discharge side of a large siphoning tube over a dam to drive air turbines for electricity generation. To facilitate the discharge of air bubbles, the intake air thru the air tube is manipulated thru a plate with numerous small holes located at the air exit to the water discharge tube and thru small tubes in the water discharge tube so that the air is discharged as small bubbles. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for hydroelectric power generation in low water head situations utilizing the atmospheric pressure, comprising; a water tube disposed between two (2) pools of water at different elevations, said water tube being of a U-shape with an inlet and discharge side, means to mount said water tube at a predetermined elevation above the water pools as to produce a near zero pressure at the inside top of said water tube, said water tube having a discharge side consisting of a sluice section through which the excess over flow water may be discharged and a plurality of smaller size tubes to prevent the aggregation of air bubbles entrapped within the water, said air bubbles having entered the discharge side of the water tube through an opening located at the apex of the water tube; and an air tube connected to the opening located at the apex of the water tube on the discharge side, said air tube having an air plate disposed within said opening into which the air tube exists into the water tube. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A device for hydroelectric power generation, as defined in claim 1, wherein said air plate has a plurality of small holes located therein to convert the intake air into small air bubbles. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A device for hydroelectric power generation, as defined in claim 2, wherein said predetermined elevation of the water tube above the lower water pool is Z=10+H.sub.2, Z being the distance above the surface of the lower water pool to the inside top of the water tube, H.sub.2 is the instantaneous total amount of intake air in the water tube and 10 being equal to approximately 10 meters of water column. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A device for hydroelectric power generation, as defined in claim 3, wherein valves are disposed in the inlet and discharge side of the water tube and the air tube exit, which allows the regulation of the rate of flow of both the water and air. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A device for hydroelectric power generation, as defined in claim 4, further comprising an air turbine, said air turbine being connected by suitable means to said air tube. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A device for hydroelectric power generation, as defined in claim 5, further comprising an electric generator, said electric generator being connected by suitable means to said air turbine. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A device for hydroelectric power generation, as defined in claim 6, wherein a plurality of water tubes are used, with means to connect the plurality of air tubes in series to increase the air flow within said air turbine. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A device for hydroelectric power generation, as defined in claim 7, wherein the water tube discharge side has a rectangular cross section. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A device for hydroelectric power generation, as defined in claim 7, wherein the water tube discharge side has a square cross section. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) A device for hydroelectric power generation, as defined in claim 2, wherein said predetermined elevation of the water tube above the higher water pool is Y=10-H.sub.1, Y being the distance above the surface of the higher water pool to the inside top of the water tube, H.sub.1 is the necessary head to maintain the water flow in the water tube, and 10 being equal to approximately 10 meters of water column. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A device for hydroelectric power generation, as defined in claim 10, wherein valves are disposed in the inlet and discharge side of the water tube and the air tube exit which allows the regulation of the rate of flow of both the water and air. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A device for hydroelectric power generation, as defined in claim 11, further comprising an air turbine, said air turbine being connected by suitable means to said air tube. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A device for hydroelectric power generation, as defined in claim 12, further comprising an electric generator, said electric generator being connected by suitable means to said air turbine. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A device for hydroelectric power generation, as defined in claim 13, wherein a plurality of water tubes are used, with means to connect the plurality of air tubes in series to increase the air flow within said air turbine. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A device for hydroelectric power generation, as defined in claim 14, wherein the water tube discharge side has a rectangular cross section. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) A device for hydroelectric power generation, as defined in claim 14, wherein the water tube discharge side has a square cross section. ### Claim 17 A device for tidal power hydroelectric generation utilizing the atmospheric pressure, comprising; a water tube disposed between two (2) pools of water at different elevations, said water tube being of a U-shaped with an inlet and discharge side, means to mount said water tube at a predetermined elevation above the water pools as to produce a near zero pressure at the inside top of said water tube, said water tube have a discharge side consisting of a sluice section through which the excess over flow water may be discharged and a plurality of smaller size tubes to prevent the aggregation of air bubbles entrapped within the water, said air bubbles having entered the discharge side of the water tube through an opening located at the apex of the water tube; an air tube connected to an opening located at the apex of the water tube on the discharge side, said air tube having an air plate disposed within said opening into which the air tube exits into the water tube, and adjustable floats, said adjustable floats being attached by suitable means to both the inlet and discharge side of said water tube in order to maintain the predetermined elevation of the inside top of said water tube above the water pools as the elevation of water varies due to the fluctuation of tidal water. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A device for tidal power hydroelectric generation, as defined in claim 17, wherein said air plate has a plurality of small holes located therein to convert the intake air into small air bubbles. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A device for tidal power hydroelectric generation, as defined in claim 18, wherein said predetermined elevation of the water tube above the lower water pool is Z=10+H.sub.2, Z being the distance above the surface of the lower water pool to the inside top of the water tube, H.sub.2 is the instantaneous total amount of intake air in the water tube and 10 being equal to approximately 10 meters of water column. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A device for tidal power hydroelectric generation, as defined in claim 19, wherein valves are disposed in the inlet and discharge side of the water tube and the air tube exit which allows the regulation of the rate of flow of both the water and air. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A device for tidal power hydroelectric generation, as defined in claim 20, further comprising an air turbine, said air turbine being connected by suitable means to said air tube. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A device for tidal power hydroelectric generation, as defined in claim 21, further comprising an electric generator, said electric generator being connected by suitable means to said air turbine. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) A device for tidal power hydroelectric generation, as defined in claim 22, wherein a plurality of water tubes are used, with means to connect the plurality of air tubes in series to increase the air flow within said air turbine. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) A device for tidal power hydroelectric generation, as defined in claim 23, wherein the water tube discharge side has a rectangular cross section. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) A device for tidal power hydroelectric generation, ad defined in claim 23, wherein the water tube discharge side has a square cross section. ### Claim 26 (depends on 18) A device for tidal power hydroelectric generation, as defined in claim 18, wherein said predetermined elevation of the water tube above the higher water pool is Y=10-H.sub.1, Y being the distance above the surface of the higher water pool to the inside top of the water tube, H.sub.1 is the necessary head to maintain the water flow in the water tube, and 10 being equal to approximately 10 meters of water column. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) A device for tidal power hydroelectric generation, as defined in claim 26, wherein valves are disposed in the inlet and discharge side of the water tube and the air tube exit which allows the regulation of the rate of flow of both the water and air. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) A device for tidal power hydroelectric generation, as defined in claim 27, further comprising an air turbine, said air turbine being connected by suitable means to said air tube. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) A device for tidal power hydroelectric generation, as defined in claim 28, further comprising an electric generator, said electric generator being connected by suitable means to said air turbine. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) A device for tidal power hydroelectric generation, as defined in claim 29, wherein a plurality of water tubes are used, with means to connect the plurality of air tubes in series to increase the air flow within said air turbine. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) A device for tidal power hydroelectric generation, as defined in claim 30, wherein the water tube discharge side has a rectangular cross section. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) A device for tidal power hydroelectric generation, as defined in claim 30, wherein the water tube discharge side has a square cross section. ### Claim 33 A method of generating electricity utilizing the water head potential energy behind a dam, by converting it into kinetic energy of air for driving air turbines connected to an electric generator, said method including the steps of placing a water tube or tubes (siphon) over a dam, priming the water tube to allow siphoning of the water, adjusting the height of the water tube to a predetermined distance above the water surface so that the pressure at the inside top of the water tube is nearing zero atmospheric pressure, connecting an air tube to the discharge side of the top of the water tube, regulating the rate of flow of both the water and intake air by means of gate valves, and connecting said air tube to an air turbine which operates an electrical generator. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The method as recited in claim 33, and further including the step of placing an air plate with a plurality of holes at the exit of the air tube on the discharge side of the water tube. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method as recited in claim 34, and further including the step of placing small tubes into the discharge side of the water tube, to prevent the aggregation of the air bubbles into larger ones. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method as recited in claim 35, and further including the step of attaching adjustable floats to the water tube to maintain its predetermine height above a fluctuating water pool. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The method as recited in claim 36, and further including the step of placing a plurality of water tubes over the dam. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The method as recited in claim 37 and further including the step of connecting the plurality of air tubes attached to the water tubes in series. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The method as recited in claim 38 and further including the step of calculating said predetermined elevation of the water tube above the lower water pool using the formula Z=10+H.sub.2. ### Claim 40 (depends on 38) The method as recited in claim 38 and further including the step of calculating said predetermined elevation of the water tube above the higher water pool using the formula Y=10-H.sub.1.