FLOATING POWER PLANT WITH PADDLE WHEELS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICITY

Abstract

A floating power plant with paddle-wheels for the production of electricity, which will be utilized in the hydro power industry and mainly in the production of electricity from flowing waters, rivers, and channels. The created facility is a pontoon-type trimaran, including three floating bodies with vertical sides and in the shape of two mirror curvatures which connect to each other with a straight portion, and where the two end floating bodies are identical and symmetrical to the middle floating body. Each end body is half the size and shape of the middle floating body. Between the floating bodies there are two identical grooves, each groove holding a paddle-wheel. The three floating bodies are connected by a common deck, on which an electric generator is placed, coupled with a reduction gear, and connected to the major axis of each of the paddle-wheels.

Claims

1. A floating power plant for the production of electricity from flowing waters, comprising: a hauled floating pontoon-type trimaran, comprising: at least two paddle-wheels; three floating bodies comprising vertical sides and in the shape of two mirror curvatures which connect to each other with a straight portion; and wherein two of the three floating bodies are located on either end and identical and symmetrical to the middle floating body, each end body being half the size and shape of the middle floating body; and between the three floating bodies are two identical grooves, each holding at least one paddle-wheel; and wherein the three floating bodies are connected by a common deck, on which an electric generator is placed; said electric generator coupled with a reduction gear; said reduction gear connected to the major axis of each of the at least one paddle-wheels.

2. The floating power plant of claim 1, wherein each of the two grooves comprises a length (L) and width (B), and further defined as the distance between the bows of the three floating bodies, so that L is two times greater than B.

3. The floating power plant of claim 1, wherein the curvature starting from the bow of the three floating bodies is a concaved portion of the clothoid, passing through its inflection point in the swell of the clothoid; and wherein the length of the curvature, formed by the clothoid is a quarter of the length of the groove L.

4. The floating power plant of claim 3, wherein the curvature passes into a straight part with a length equal to one half of the length of the groove L

5. The floating power plant of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two paddle wheels comprises a diameter (D), a main axis, and an eccentric axis, spaced by a distance (E), and further comprising radial arms, which, at one end, are rigidly attached to the main axis, and, at an other end, are pivotally connected to at least one blade; and wherein the eccentric axis is connected at one end to eccentric levers via a knee hinge; and which, at the other end, is fixed and perpendicularly connected to at least one corresponding blade; and wherein one of the eccentric levers is rigidly connected at a right angle to the knee hinge and to at least one corresponding blade.

6. The floating power plant of claim 1, wherein the at least one blade is rectangular comprising a height (h) and length (b), and where h/b equals 0.3.

7. The floating power plant of claim 1, wherein E/l equals 0.7 and wherein l is the length of the knee hinge.

8. The floating power plant of claim 1, wherein the number of the at least one blade (z) is not less than 6 and not greater than 8.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The present invention is illustrated in the enclosed figures, are:

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a floating power plant on flowing waters with paddle-wheels.

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a perspective side view of the floating power plant.

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a perspective front view of the floating power plant.

[0024] FIG. 4 shows graphical representation of the clothoid.

[0025] FIG. 5 shows an illustrative view of pontoons and the grooves between them.

[0026] FIG. 6 shows a perspective side view of a paddle-wheel.

[0027] FIG. 7 shows a perspective front view of a paddle-wheel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Identical elements in the various figures are identified with the same reference numerals.

[0029] Reference will now be made in detail to each embodiment of the present invention. Such embodiments are provided by way of explanation of the present invention, which is not intended to be limited thereto. In fact, those of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate upon reading the present specification and viewing the present drawings that various modifications and variations can be made thereto.

[0030] The present invention comprises a floating power plant with paddle wheels for the production of electricity from flowing waters. The power plant sits on a pontoon-type trimaran, A trimaran being a multihull boat that comprises a main hull and two smaller outrigger hulls (or floats) which are attached to the main hull with lateral beams. The preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises three floating bodies with vertical sides and in the shape of two mirror curvatures which connect to each other with a straight portion. The two end floating bodies are identical and symmetrical to the middle floating body. Each end body being half the size and shape of the middle floating body. Between the floating bodies there are two identical grooves, each of which holds a paddle wheel. The three floating bodies are connected by a common deck, on which an electric generator is placed, coupled with a reducing agent connected to the major axis of each of the paddle wheels. According to the invention, each of the grooves is with a length (L) and width (B), defined as the distance between the bows of any two adjacent floating bodies, so that L is two times greater than B. The curvature starting from the bow of the floating body is a concaved portion of the clothoid. The length of the curvature, formed by the clothoid is a quarter of the length of the groove (L). The curvature, starting from the bow of the floating body, is a concave portion of the clothoid, passing through its inflection point in the swell of the clothoid. The length of the curvature, formed by the clothoid, is a quarter of the length of the groove (L). The curvature passes into a straight portion with a length equal to one half of the length of the groove (L). Each paddle wheel with the diameter (D) includes a main axis and eccentric axis spaced by a distance E, and radial arms, which at one end are rigidly attached to the main axis, and at the other end are pivotally connected to the blades. The eccentric axis is connected to eccentric levers, and connected a knee hinge with length L, which, at its other end, is fixed and perpendicularly connected to its corresponding blade. One of the eccentric levers is connected rigidly and at a right angle to the respective knee and its corresponding blade, called the leading one. The preferred embodiment of the present invention may be comprised of steel (e.g. the Bulgarian standard of CT3 or the US standard of S235JRG3, or something of the like). In another embodiment, plastic material could be used for improvement. In a preferred embodiment, at least one person may be stationed on the floating facility to monitor.

[0031] The created facility, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, is a hauled floating pontoon-type trimaran, including three floating bodies, where the two end floating bodies 1 are identical and symmetrical to the middle floating body 2. Each end of body 1 is half the size and shape of the middle floating body 2. The floating bodies 1 and 2 comprise a length (L), forming two identical grooves, each holding a paddle-wheel 3. FIG. 4 shows graphical representation of the clothoid. As shown in FIG. 5, each groove comprises a length (L) and a width (B), defined as the distance between the bows of any two adjacent floating bodies, so that (L) is two times greater than (B). The floating bodies 1 and 2 are comprises of vertical sides and in the shaped of two mirror curvatures which connect to each other with a straight portion. The curvature, starting from the bow of the floating body is a concaved part of the clothoid, passing through its inflection point in the swell of clothoid. The length of the curvature, formed by the clothoid, is a quarter of the length of the groove (L). The curvature passes into a straight part with a length equal to one half of the length of the groove (L).

[0032] The cross-section of the grooves in the middle straight portion, where the paddle-wheels 3 are located, is twice smaller than the cross-section in the bow in the form of two branches of clothoid. According to the equation of continuity of watercourses S.sub.1V.sub.1=S.sub.2V.sub.2, the speed of the water flow also increases twice. Here, S.sub.1 (m.sup.2) is the area of the inlet cross section, and V.sub.1 (m/s) is the speed of the water flow in the inlet cross section, and S.sub.2 (m.sup.2) is the area of the working section and V.sub.2 (m/s) is the speed of the water flow in the working part. Additionally, due to the vertical sides of the floating bodies and the unique clothoid curvature, vortex generating is avoided yet vortex generating take energy from the tide to create parasitic vortices. The clothoid is a curve that provides a linear increase of the centrifugal acceleration if a body moves on this curve. Therefore a laminar water flow moving in a clothoid curve retains its character and there is no waste of kinetic energy.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, each paddle-wheel 3 with the diameter (D), is defined by the formula D=2(H+0.05), where H=2.0 m is the height of the pontoon, including the main axis 4 and the eccentric axis 5, the distance between them being Ecalled the eccentric distance. The design of the paddle-wheel 3 includes radial arms 6, which, at one end, are rigidly attached to the main axis 4, and, at the other end, are pivotally connected with the blades 7, with height (h=0.75 m) and length (b=2.5 m). The eccentric axis 5 is connected to eccentric levers 8. The eccentric levers 8 are connected to a knee hinge 9 with length (l=0.35 m), which, at its other end, is fixed and perpendicularly connected to its corresponding blade 7. One of the eccentric levers 8a is connected rigidly and at a right angle to the respective knee 9a and its corresponding blade 7a, called the leading one, ensuring in this way the vertical position of the blades 7 when in the water.

[0034] When constructing the paddle-wheel 3, the following ratios are met, defining its optimal hydraulic characteristics: [0035] Ratio E/1=e=0.7 and is called relative eccentricity; [0036] Ratio h/b=0.3 and determines the size of the blades [0037] the number of blades z is not less than 6 and not greater than 8, depending on the wade of the pontoon.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each blade is rectangular in shape with height (h) and length (b), wherein h/b=0.3. Furthermore, the observed ratio is E/l=0.7, where l is the length of the knee hinge. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the number of the blades (z) is not less than 6 and not larger than 8.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the three floating bodies 1 and 2 are connected by a common deck 10, creating a sufficiently strong connection between the bodies. In the middle of the deck 10 a deck-house 11 is placed. The deck-house 11 houses a main panel 12, an electric generator 13 and coupled thereto a reducer 14, which is connected to the main axis 4 of the paddle-wheels 3. The produced electricity is transferred to shore by a cable, suspended on a column 15. A mooring device comprising securing elements 16, signaling equipment, and winches 17 are also provided on the floating power plant facility.

[0040] In another embodiment, lighter and cheaper materials may be used to construct the pontoon. The paddle wheels could be made of suitable plastic materials making the paddle wheels lighter. Lighter paddle means the kinetic energy of the river flow could be used more effectively and the initial investment (start-up cost) would be minimized. In another embodiment, Suitable plastic materials could be used for the structure on the deck. Such materials could be of lightweight construction and may also minimized initial investments.

[0041] In another embodiment, the paddle wheels may be attached to the floating power plant in a variety of different ways, including hinge locks and magnets. The attachment mechanisms can assure that the facility can easily be broken down and reassembled in another location. In another embodiment, the floating power plant can be automated and controlled wirelessly. The speed of the paddle wheels may be controlled wirelessly as may the attack angle of the paddle wheels in the flowing water. The location, installation, distance and direction of the facility can be remote controlled or automated. This would allow for the facility to be moved to different locations when needed and minimize staff and operating costs. In another embodiment, the eccentric levers and the secondary eccentric wheel to which they are coupled may be removed to ensure the design and construction of the paddle wheel will be lighter. In another embodiment

[0042] Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of illustration and that numerous changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.