ELECTRICAL ENERGY GENERATION DEVICE

Abstract

This invention describes the electrical power generation in a sustainable way, by means of a device, which is installed in the downpipes of rainwater collected by the building roofs, capable of transforming the potential energy present in said rainwater runoff into electrical power, where the generated energy is stored in batteries or fed into the utility network.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. An electric power generation device comprising: a concave blades turbine (1) and a water flow concentrator (5) enclosed inside a protective housing (4); and a permanent magnet generator having a stator (2) and a rotor (3), said permanent magnet generator being electrically connected to electrical components enclosed inside an external a metal box (11) for storing, controlling and distributing electric energy generated by said permanent magnet generator.

13. The electric power generation device according to claim 12, wherein the concave blades turbine (1) is driven by water flowing through said water flow concentrator (5).

14. The electric power generation device according to claim 12, wherein the rotor (3) of said permanent magnet generator is driven by a voltage generated by the concave blades turbine (1).

15. The electric power generation device according to claim 12, wherein the rotor (3) of said permanent magnet generator is directly coupled to a shaft of the concave blades turbine (1).

16. The electric power generation device according to claim 12, wherein the stator (2) and the rotor (3) have a 6 to 12 poles range.

17. The electric power generation device according to claim 12, wherein said electrical components comprise a full-wave rectifier (6), a charge controller (7), batteries (8), an on-grid inverter (9), and an off-grid inverter (10).

18. The electric power generation device according to claim 17, wherein the full wave rectifier (6) receives the electric energy provided by said permanent magnet generator and delivers a continuous and variable voltage to the charge controller (7).

19. The electric power generation device according to claim 17, wherein the charge controller (7) stores the generated electric energy electronically on said batteries (8).

20. The electric power generation device according to claim 19, wherein the rotor (3) of said permanent magnet generator becomes heavier as a charge of said batteries (8) increases, stabilizing a voltage generated based on an amount of water being supplied for generation.

21. The electric power generation device according to claim 17, wherein a consumption system is installed after the batteries (8), said consumption system comprising equipment at a voltage of at least one of 12V or 48V connected directly to at least one of the batteries (8), the on-grid inverter (9) or the off-grid inverter (10).

22. The electric power generation device according to claim 12, wherein the electric energy is generated through water flowing through a rainwater downpipe.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0020] This invention can be better understood by a brief description the following figures:

[0021] FIG. 1 represents an exploded view of the electric energy generating device;

[0022] FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of the device for generating electric energy.

[0023] FIG. 3 represents the electric power generating device installed in a rainwater pipeline.

[0024] FIG. 4 represents a block diagram of the storage and distribution of the energy generated by the electric power generation device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] This invention describes the electric power generation in a sustainable way, by means of a device which is installed in the downpipes of the rainwater collected by the building roofs, capable of changing the potential energy present in said rainwater runoff into electric power, where the generated energy is stored in batteries or fed into the utility network.

[0026] This device can be installed in both new and existing buildings, since it is very easy to install, and more than one of them can be installed in the same water column.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, this device consists of the following components: [0028] concave-bladed turbine (1)—An element capable of transforming the potential energy of the waterfall into rotation; [0029] permanent magnet generator stator (2)—Fixed generator component, where the windings and wiring are located; [0030] permanent magnets generator rotor (3)—Movable component of the generator, which has the permanent magnets positioned in an alternative manner to generate the induction on the stator (2), according to the movement; [0031] protective casing (4)—An element destined to the turbine's casing to prevent any external contact or the water from scattering away; [0032] water flow concentrator (5)—Conical component for directing the water flow to a given point.

[0033] Through the waterfall, the device drives a concave blades turbine (1), thus generating enough voltage to drive the permanent magnet generator rotor (3), regardless of whether the water volume or flow is being held constant, since both the frequency and the generated voltage are handled electronically.

[0034] Thus, the device herein pleaded does not present a restriction on the water passage, since the generator blades are driven by the water flow passing through the flow concentrator (5) and directs the volume to the turbine blades (1).

[0035] The referred flow concentrator (5), which presents an angle from 10° to 20°, has the sole function of directing the water flow, causing a minimal restriction in the water course or any impurity (dirt, branches, leaves, etc.) that might be in the system.

[0036] After passing through the flow concentrator (5), the water reaches the turbine blades (1), generating the rotor movement, and thus, it flows freely through the interior of the turbine and returns to its normal course through the piping.

[0037] That is, in this invention, the concave blades turbine (1) is able to capture volumes of water ranging from small to large, taking into account that the rainfall is not constant.

[0038] Such a turbine with concave blades (1) can be changed according to the installation site, by varying the number of blades and the distance of the blades from the shaft, thus enabling the installation in sites with different water volumes and different water columns.

[0039] The permanent magnet generator rotor (3) is coupled directly to the turbine shaft with concave blades (1), thus enabling the power generation with as little mechanical loss as possible, and at low rotation speeds.

[0040] Low mechanical losses occur due to direct coupling of the rotor shaft of the permanent magnet generator (3) to the concave blades turbine shaft (1), without any type of belt, pulleys, or adaptation that could generate mechanical losses.

[0041] Such direct coupling is possible because this invention uses a permanent magnet generator, consisting of the permanent magnet generator stator (2) and permanent magnet generator rotor (3), which shows a range of 6 to 12 poles, where such a variation of the number of poles occurs in said stator of the permanent magnet generator (2) and in said rotor of the permanent magnet generator (3) by changing the number of permanent magnets, and thus making the voltage generation at low rotation possible.

[0042] If any other type of generator was used, the turbine shaft speed would have to be mechanically increased, and through pulleys or gearboxes, which would result in many Additionally, in order for the power generated by the device to be stored, controlled and distributed, external elements—such as: full-wave rectifier (6), charge controller (7), batteries (8), on-grid inverter (9) and off-grid inverter (10)—are internally allocated to a metal box (11), which is located next to the said device and is interconnected to the device be means of conventional electrical wiring, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0043] In cases where larger battery banks are required, the batteries can be installed separately from the other components, also interconnected by conventional electrical cables with gauge, according to the project current. All power generated by the device goes through a full wave rectifier (6), which delivers a continuous but variable voltage to the load controller (7).

[0044] As the delivered voltage rises, the charging of the batteries (8) increases, generating more weight on the permanent magnet generator rotor (3), which will automatically stabilize the voltage according to the amount of water being supplied for generation.

[0045] After the batteries (8), a consumption system is installed, which may be either equipment in the range of 12V and 48V and is directly connected to the battery, (8) or on-grid inverters (9) or off-grid inverters (10), according to the site's needs.

[0046] The batteries (8) can be connected in series, parallel, or both, thus making it possible to form the voltage and current set according to the system's needs and size.

[0047] Such batteries (8) should be of the rechargeable lead acid, lithium, or any other type that allows charging and discharging, as required by the system.

[0048] The charge controller (7) is accountable for accumulating the energy generated electronically and with batteries (8) by measuring the voltages and currents in the batteries (8).

[0049] In case the batteries (8) are at a low load level, that load controller (7) disconnects the inverters and battery consumers, thus increasing their lifespan.

[0050] On the other hand, if there is excess power generation and the batteries (8) are fully charged, the charge controller (7) directs the generated energy to the on-grid inverter (9) which feeds that energy into the utility network, thus preventing any generated energy from being wasted.

[0051] This invention has been disclosed in this descriptive report in terms of its preferred mode. However, other changes and variations are possible from this description and are still within the scope of the invention disclosed herein.