ES2362851B1 - METHOD FOR THE GENERATION OF ENERGY, AND INSTALLATION TO CARRY OUT THAT METHOD. - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for the generation of energy, and installation for carrying out said method # The method comprises the steps of: # - Water pumping from a low zone (3) to a high zone (4); # - Water supply pumped to a receiving basin (2); # - Descent of the water pumped through an energy use channel (1); # - Water passage through a set of generation stations (7), and energy use water kinetics. # The installation comprises: # - A pumping station (5), which pumps the water from a lower zone to an upper zone; # - a water lift duct (6); # - a waterway of energy (1), which collects the water raised by the pumping station (6); and # - A plurality of generation stations (7) arranged along the energy utilization channel (1).

Description

Method for power generation, and installation to carry out said method.

The present invention aims at a method for the generation of electrical energy by pumping seawater or taken from rivers in areas near the mouth at a high altitude, the channeling of that water and the recovery of kinetic and gravitational energy by installing a set of turbines along the descent route.

This invention allows the production of clean, ecological, cheap and inexhaustible electricity. State of the art

Water courses are used for power generation, through There are two types of turbines There are numerous devices for using water energy, particularly in water courses and in waterfalls.

ES 2 195 789 describes an installation for energy production that consists of juxtaposing a set of generators. Pre-existing waterways are used and does not include the supply of water to high areas for reuse.

However, in all cases such use is limited by the amount of water available. Object of the invention

It is, therefore, object of the present invention a method for the generation of energy in which the inconvenience of the availability of water is eliminated by pumping in one or more stages from a low zone, such as the sea or the mouth of a river, to a high area, such as a mountainous area, and the use of water energy by means of a plurality of generators arranged along the path that the water makes until it reaches the low level again. The watercourse can be natural or artificial.

The required installation includes:

•

At least one pump for pumping water from a low zone to a high zone;

•

At least one elevation pipe of the water pumped from the low zone to the high zone; said driving must be a closed driving;

•

At least one gravity discharge line towards a low water zone contributed to the high zone (energy use channel); said driving may be an open or closed driving; said conduction can be a natural conduit, such as an existing watercourse, or an artificial conduit;

•

A set of generation stations arranged at regular or irregular distances of use of the energy of the circulating water; said generating stations may be formed by one or more blade generators, or of any other type.

The energy utilization channels, at full capacity, will carry enough water to move some armed blades in at least one wheel or turbine arranged in each generation station, this will in turn move, possibly, a multiplier, which according to an option will move two generators of one megawatt one on each side of the channel, which will allow a correct balance and adequate use of water power.

Also depending on the channel and the flow, the generation stations will be placed with their generators every 15 or 20 meters, that is, about 50 generation stations every 1000 meters.

Thus, the sea water is raised to land and taking advantage of the return difference also takes advantage of its potential and kinetic energy to move the turbines of the generation stations and provide electrical energy during its return transit to the sea.

A great advantage of the proposed invention is the elimination of contaminants, such as CO2 produced by the combustion of fossil fuels.

The evaporation that occurs along the channeled route, for example in the areas of the generating stations, helps the dissolution of oxygen in the water, and evaporation, humidifying the surrounding air, with the environmental advantages that this entails. The high water or the water vapor that is generated can also be used to feed water purification stations that allow the supply to the population or for irrigation of crops.

The motor turbines can be blades or blades; the first of vertical or horizontal transverse axis, and the last of longitudinal axis to the flow of water.

Each turbine can be connected to one or more electric generators, directly or through a speed multiplier. Brief description of the drawings

In order to illustrate the explanation to be followed, we attach to the present specification, sheets of drawings, in which the essence of the present invention is represented in figures, and in which:

Figure 1 shows a scheme of a territory that has high mountainous areas and low maritime areas, in which a set of lifting ducts and channels of descent and energy use have been arranged;

Figure 2 shows a diagram of the profile of a lift and descent channel;

Figure 3 shows a diagram of a descent channel provided with a set of energy use stations;

Figure 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of a turbine for the use of water current energy, in which the turbines are arranged horizontally and are rotatable with respect to a vertical axis;

Figure 5 shows another alternative embodiment to that of Figure 4, in which the turbines are arranged vertically, and are rotatable with respect to a horizontal axis. Description of the embodiments of the invention

According to a first embodiment of the invention a method for the generation of energy is described, comprising the phases of:

• pumping and raising water to a high area

(4) from a low (3) maritime zone or in an area near the mouth of a river; the high zone (4) can be, for example, a mountainous zone, and the low zone (3) can be, by

3. 4

example the shore of the sea or the mouth of a river; the water is supplied to a receiving basin (2) that channels that water into a descent channel, which we will call the energy use channel (1), said channel being a natural channel or an artificial channel;

• operation of a set of turbines in the descent of the water from the high zone (4) to the low zone (3) or to an intermediate height zone between the high zone and the low zone. The turbines are arranged in series at regular or irregular distances.

According to the invention, juxtaposing electric generators every few tens of meters is considered appropriate.

The electrical energy produced by the turbines will feed some pumping stations (5) and the remaining energy will be used for different domestic or industrial uses.

The present invention is also referred to in an installation for carrying out the method described above, as described in claim 4. The installation comprises:

• At least one pumping station (5), which pumps the water from a lower zone to a higher zone;

•

At least one water lift duct (6);

•

At least one channel for the use of energy (1), which collects the water raised by the pumping station (6);

•

A plurality of generation stations (7) arranged along the energy utilization channel (1); as indicated, it is considered ideal to place a generator every few tens of meters, so that the energy use is maximum.

Obviously, within the scope of the invention there may be different pumping stations (5) from different sources, for a single channel of energy use (1), as well as a single pumping station (5) can supply water to multiple channels of use of energy (1).

According to one embodiment, the generation stations (7) comprise turbines (8) of the vertical axis type; in the channel of use of the energy (1) there will be narrowing devices (9) that will increase the transit speed of the water and move the turbine faster. In an alternative embodiment the generating stations will comprise horizontal axis turbines, such as those schematically represented in Figure 5.

5 6

Claims (11)

1. Method for power generation, which includes the steps of:

•

Water pumping from a low zone (3) to a high zone (4);

•

Supply of pumped water to a receiving basin (2);

•

Descent of the water pumped through an energy use channel (1);

•

Water passage through a set of generation stations (7), and use of the kinetic energy of water.

2.

Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises the supply and reception from intermediate reservoirs between the upper zone and the lower zone.

3.

Method, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the generators that form the generating stations (7) comprise connection / disconnection means according to the energy demand.

Four.

Installation for carrying out the method of claim 1, characterized in that it comprises:

•

At least one pumping station (5), which pumps the water from a lower zone to a higher zone;

•

At least one water lift duct (6);

•

At least one channel for the use of energy (1), which collects the water raised by the pumping station (6);

•

A plurality of generation stations (7) arranged along the energy utilization channel (1).

5.

Installation according to claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises a set of intermediate reservoirs between the upper and lower zones.

6.

Installation, according to any one of claims 4 to 5, characterized in that the energy utilization channel (1) is a natural watercourse.

7.

Installation, according to any one of claims 4 to 5, characterized in that the energy use channel (1) is an artificial water course.

8.

Installation according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the generation stations (7) comprise vertical axis turbines (8), the energy utilization channel (1) comprising a narrowing for each turbine.

9.

Installation according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the generating stations (7) comprise horizontal axis turbines (8).

10.

Installation, according to any of claims 8 and 9, characterized in that a multiplier element is arranged between the turbine (8) and the generator or the electric generators that they move.

SPANISH OFFICE OF THE PATENTS AND BRAND Application no .: 201130697 SPAIN Date of submission of the application: 03.05.2011 Priority Date: REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE 51 Int. Cl.: F03B13 / 06 (2006.01) E02B9 / 00 (2006.01) RELEVANT DOCUMENTS

Category

Documents cited Claims Affected

X

EP 1650430 A1 (DE WIJNGAERT ACHILLE ANDRE) 04.24.2006, summary; paragraphs 6,9,15,23-37.51; figures. 1,2,4,5,7,8

X

US 5396393 A (THURIES EDMOND et al.) 07.03.1995, summary; column 4, lines 12-17; Figure 1. 1,3,4,7

X

GB 2376270 A (WU SHIANG-HUEI) 11.12.2002, the whole document. 1-4,5,7

X

US 4443707 A (SCIERI FRANK et al.) 04.17.1984, summary; column 1, lines 13-25,36-51, column 2, lines 9-37,45-54; figures. 1,4,7

X

US 2011027107 A1 (BEKKEN BJOERN) 03.02.2011, the whole document. 1,4,7

X

GB 2454260 A (LIN HSIEN-MING) 06.05.2009, the whole document. 1,2,4,5,7

Category of the documents cited X: of particular relevance Y: of particular relevance combined with other / s of the same category A: reflects the state of the art O: refers to unwritten disclosure P: published between the priority date and the date of priority submission of the application E: previous document, but published after the date of submission of the application

This report has been prepared • for all claims • for claims no:

Date of realization of the report 01.07.2011

Examiner P. Del Castillo Penabad Page 1/4

REPORT OF THE STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE Application number: 201130697 Minimum documentation searched (classification system followed by classification symbols) F03B, E02B Electronic databases consulted during the search (name of the database and, if possible, terms of search used) INVENES, EPODOC State of the Art Report Page 2/4  WRITTEN OPINION Application number: 201130697 Date of Written Opinion: 01.07.2011 Statement

Novelty (Art. 6.1 LP 11/1986)

Claims Claims 1-10 IF NOT

Inventive activity (Art. 8.1 LP11 / 1986)

Claims Claims 1-10 IF NOT

The application is considered to comply with the industrial application requirement. This requirement was evaluated during the formal and technical examination phase of the application (Article 31.2 Law 11/1986).  Opinion Base.- This opinion has been made on the basis of the patent application as published. State of the Art Report Page 3/4  WRITTEN OPINION Application number: 201130697 1. Documents considered.- The documents belonging to the state of the art taken into consideration for the realization of this opinion are listed below.

Document

Publication or Identification Number publication date

D01

EP 1650430 A1 (FROM WIJNGAERT ACHILLE ANDRE) 04/26/2006

2. Statement motivated according to articles 29.6 and 29.7 of the Regulations for the execution of Law 11/1986, of March 20, on Patents on novelty and inventive activity; quotes and explanations in support of this statement Document D01 is considered to be the closest to the object claimed in the prior art. This document D01 (references refer to this document) describes (summary; paragraphs 6, 9, 15, 23-37, 51; figures) a method for generating electricity, which comprises the steps of: -Pump of water from a low zone (13) to a high zone (2) - Descent of the water pumped through an outlet (4) -Water pass through generation stations (7.12) and use of the kinetic energy of water. It also describes an installation to carry out this method comprising: -A pumping station (19), which pumps water from a lower zone to a higher one -A water lift duct (18) -An outlet (4), which collects the water raised by the pumping station -Generation stations between the upper and lower zones The only differences between claims 1 and 4 of the application and D01 lie in the existence of a basin receiver (instead of an exit) and a channel (instead of another type of conduction), which are known design options in the technical sector of the hydroelectric plants and that the person skilled in the art would implement in the invention object of request without making use of inventive activity. Therefore these claims lack inventive activity. In view of document D01, the remaining claims are practical issues, which are previously known. of the cited document or are obvious to an expert in the field, so they lack inventive activity. For example, the claims 2 and 5 lack inventive activity since the method and installation set out in D01 comprise a intermediate deposit between the high and low tank. For all of the above, claims 1-10 of the application are new but lack inventive activity according to Articles 6 and 8 of Patent Law 11/86. State of the Art Report Page 4/4