US 6,546,726 B1 · Gravity power plant

Abstract

A power plant for producing electricity utilizing the buoyancy of a liquid. A first and second expandable chamber are each place in a liquid filled shaft are coupled together with a cable so that when one of the expandable chambers is raised, the other one is lowered. The cable is couple to a pulley for turning a generator for producing electricity. An electrode and electrolyte are placed within each expandable chamber for generating heat and steam to expand the expandable chamber when the expandable chamber is at the bottom of the liquid filed shaft. The increased volume of the expandable chamber causes it to rise in the liquid filled shaft at the same time as the other expandable chamber is reduced in volume and caused to be lowered into the other liquid filed shaft. A valve in the expandable chamber releases the steam causing the volume of the expandable chamber to be reduced. The released steam may be used to power a turbine or enter a heat exchanger.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A gravity power plant comprising:

a column of liquid;
an expandable chamber placed within said column of liquid;
an electrode placed within said expandable chamber;
an electrolyte placed within said expandable chamber contacting said electrode;
and
means, associated with said expandable chamber, for connecting said expandable chamber to a generator so that movement of said expandable chamber causes the generator to move generating electricity,
whereby said electrode is capable of causing said electrolyte to be heated creating a gas and expanding said expandable chamber causing said expandable chamber to rise within said column of liquid.

4 more elements

A gravity power plant using Archimedes' principle comprising:

a first shaft filled with a first liquid;
a first expandable chamber placed in said first shaft;
a first electrode placed within said first expandable chamber;
a first valve associated with said first expandable chamber, whereby steam is capable of selectively being released from said first expandable chamber;
a first steam turbine located adjacent a position of said first valve, whereby the steam released from said first valve is directed to said first steam turbine;
a first generator coupled to said first steam turbine;
a first heat exchanger located adjacent said first steam turbine, whereby heat from the steam exiting said first steam turbine is capable of being exchanged;
a second shaft filled with a second liquid;
a second expandable chamber placed in said second shaft;
a second electrode placed within said second expandable chamber;
a second valve associated with said second expandable chamber, whereby steam is capable of selectively being released from said second expandable chamber;
a second steam turbine located adjacent a position of said second valve, whereby the steam released from said second valve is directed to said second steam turbine;
a second generator coupled to said second steam turbine;
a second heat exchanger located adjacent said second steam turbine, whereby heat from the steam exiting said second steam turbine is capable of being exchanged;
an electrolyte placed in said first and second expandable chambers;
a cable connecting said first and second chambers;
a pulley attached to said cable;
and
a third generator attached to said pulley,
whereby said first and second expandable chambers are alternately raised and lowered within respective said first and second shafts causing said pulley to turn and generate electricity.

17 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Gravity power plant

Life of this patent

Gravity power plant

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17