Generating Electricity Using the Outfall of a Waste Water Treatment Plant

Abstract

Described is a process whereby the water discharged from a Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) can be used to generate electricity.

Claims

1. An electric power generation system comprising: the treated outflow from a water/waste water treatment plant or treated/untreated water outfall from another source; a containment vessel with a circular interior with a controllable inlet and outlet; a rotating shaft; a paddle affixed to the rotating shaft; a generator connected to the rotating shaft in such a manner the shaft can act on the generator; said generator connected to an electrical distribution system or battery(s)

2. The inlet and outlet of claim 1 being tangentially angled to induce and increase rotation of liquid inside the containment vessel;

3. The embodiment of claim 1 having multiple inlets and/or outlets.

4. The embodiment of claim 1 having multiple paddles, blades, fins or other means for extracting mechanical energy.

5. A means of injecting liquid into the embodiment of claim 1 by pump, gravity flow, or other mechanical or natural means.

6. The embodiment of claim 1 where the paddle or paddles are of a solid rigid construction.

7. The embodiment of claim 1 where the paddle or paddles are rigid, hollow, and filled with liquid.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING

[0005] The present invention will be explained below by means of non-limiting examples with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

[0006] The drawing shows a view of the parts of one possible embodiment of the invention consisting of a representation of ground level, representation of a WWTP, a circular container with an inlet and outlet for water, a rotating shaft with an affixed paddle, possible gearing and a connection to a generator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] In the drawing, the dashed line 1 designates ground level. As can be seen in the drawing, in the preferred embodiment, the WWTP 2 and generator 10 are located on ground level, while the circular tank 6 is located mostly below ground level. This increases the downhill distance the water flows from the WWTP before entering the circular tank 6 thus increasing its head while at the same time allowing earth to be piled against the tank 6 reinforcing it against collapse. Water enters the circular tank 6 through the pipe 4 which acts as both the outlet for the WWTP 2 and the inlet for the tank 6. The inlet part of pipe 4 is aligned tangentially with the interior wall of the container to help impart rotation to the water in the tank 6. The inlet pipe 4 is sized based on the available volume of water to impart a velocity to the incoming water sufficient to induce rotation in the water in the tank as a whole. The outlet pipe 3 is located above the inlet. This means that only the top layer of the water is being removed, and the only energy lost removing water from the tank 6 is the energy needed to lift water above the inlet part of pipe 4 to outlet pipe 3. The present invention uses the solid body effect, this is where when a non-compressible liquid is contained and rotated, after the liquid is rotating cohesively, the liquid takes on the characteristics of a rigid body of the same mass. This allows the rotating liquid to assume the characteristics of a rigid body flywheel. This in turn allows the kinetic energy of the flowing water to be accumulated as rotational energy which can be used to rotate the shaft 5 through its connection to the paddle 7. Once the velocity of the rotating liquid and the incoming liquid are equal, the contained liquid will continue to rotate at the same velocity as long as liquid is continually injected into the container at the same velocity and volume that caused the initial rotation to begin and no additional load is applied. The water rotating in the tank 6 continuously pushes against the paddle 7 engaging gears 8 and 9 and turning the shaft connected to the generator 10. The water exiting through the outlet pipe 3 is slowed before it is released into the river or other body of water preventing possible erosion.