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US 7,478,974 B1Granted
Apparatus for hydroelectric power production expansion
OwnerWilliam Lowell Kellyinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerWilliam Lowell Kellyinventor
Estimating the term…
Normally hydroelectric dam powerhouses use river flow once before discharging it as turbulent tailwater, ineffective to spin turbines. The present invention uses tapered channels to confine and constrict turbulent tailwater into laminar flow that drives turbines both submersible and floatable utilizing the same water three times concurrently to generate new electricity. Channels originate adjacent to draft tube outlets, constrict in the downstream direction to create narrow necks where turbine/generators benefit from debris free, increased velocity and laminar flows to generate electricity. Hydroelectricity uses zero fuel, creates zero waste and has zero carbon dioxide emissions. Structures are uncomplicated, construction is within project boundaries minimizing environmental impacts and speeding projects coming online. New facilities are protected by existing dam security. Hydroelectricity replaces less dependable renewable energy systems.
In a dam for generating hydroelectric power that utilizes water head through at least one gate-controlled intake to a penstock to drive a primary turbine that in turn drives a generator then past the primary turbine exits through at least one draft tube that discharges the water into an afterbay, the improvement comprising means for converting turbulent tailwater flow exiting the at least one downstream draft tube into laminar flow, first means for generating electricity from a lowermost portion of the laminar flow, and second means downstream from the first generating means for generating further electricity from an uppermost surface portion of the laminar flow.
In a dam for generating hydroelectric power that utilizes water head through at least one gate-controlled intake to a penstock to drive a primary turbine that in turn drives a generator then past the primary turbine exits through at least one draft tube that discharges the water into an afterbay, the improvement comprising means for converting turbulent tailwater flow exiting the at least one downstream draft tube into laminar flow, said turbulent tailwater flow converging means being a venturi channel defined by an upstream channel portion converging in the direction of the tailwater flow from the at least one draft tube with a medial parallel channel portion which opens into a downstream diverging channel portion;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.