System and process for generating hydroelectric power

A system for generating hydroelectric power beneath the surface of a body of water at a predetermined depth comprising

• a reservoir mounted in the body of water beneath the surface of the body of water, said reservoir having an internal chamber being selectively filled with air,
• a water conduit extending generally upward from said reservoir to an upper portion and being in selective fluid communication with said chamber,
• a submerged water intake connected at a position on an upper portion of said conduit, said water intake being in selected fluid communication with said conduit,
• said water intake establishing a pressure differential between said intake position and said air filled chamber for creating a flow of water through said conduit into said chamber in a first cycle,
• an electric turbine generator being operatively connected to said conduit and arranged to generate electricity in response to the flow of water through said conduit, a controller operatively connected to said water intake and said reservoir, said controller for establishing the flow of water between said water intake and said chamber to generate electricity during said first cycle, means controller capable of closing the flow of water through said conduit upon said chamber being generally filled with water to begin a second cycle of operation,
• an air pump, connected to said reservoir to establish a flow of air into said chamber for forcing water from said generally filled chamber through an outlet into the body of water during said second cycle while said flow of water through said conduit is closed,
• an air inlet tube in fluid communication with said air pump and chamber for introducing said flow of air into said chamber, and
• a platform supported above the surface of the body of water, said platform carrying said water intake and said conduit, said air pump being supported on said platform.

A system for generating hydroelectric power beneath the surface of a body of water at a predetermined depth comprising:

• a reservoir mounted in the body of water beneath the surface of the body of water, said reservoir having a plurality of internal chambers being selectively filled with air,
• a plurality of water conduits being respectively in fluid communication with said plurality of chambers, said water conduits each extending generally upward from said reservoir to upper portions,
• a plurality of submerged water intakes respectively connected at a position on said upper portions of said plurality of conduits, said water intakes each being in selected fluid communication with one of said plurality of conduits,
• said water intakes establishing a pressure differential between said intake position and said air filled chambers for creating a flow of water through a selected one of said plurality of conduits into a respective one of said plurality of chambers during one of a plurality of electric generation cycles associated with a selected one of said conduits being subjected to a flow of water,
• at least one electric turbine generator being operatively connected to said plurality of conduits and arranged to generate electricity in response to the flow of water through said plurality of conduits,
• a controller operatively connected to said water intakes and said reservoir for establishing the flow of water through a selected one of said conduits between said water intakes and at least one of said chambers to generate electricity during one electric generation cycle,
• said controller sequentially closing the flow of water through said selected one of said plurality of conduits upon said respective one of said chambers being generally filled with water to end said one electric generation cycle and said fluid control
• at least one valve, establishing flow of water through another one of said plurality of conduits to generate electricity during another electric generation cycle,
• an air pump operatively coupled to said plurality of chambers of said reservoir to establish a flow of air into said one of said chambers having been generally filled with water, said flow of air for forcing water from said one of said chambers through one of a plurality of reservoir outlets into the body of water during a non-generation cycle.