VANDENS SRAUTO KINETINES ENERGIJOS KONVERTAVIMO I SUKAMAJI MECHANINI JUDESI BuDAS IR KONVERTERIS

The invention relates to microhydroelectric devices and can be used to convert the kinetic energy of a water stream into a mechanical rotary motion which can be further converted into electricity.

There are known barrier-free hydroelectric units consisting of a housing and an infinite conveyor 5 mounted on two rotating drums. Attached to the conveyor belt are paddles of various types and shapes that can change position and provide maximum resistance to water flow during operation and minimal resistance to water flow during reversing (see patents RU 2I69288C2, US

2004/0174019 A1, WO 0045048, US 5134305).

These units are complex in design and have a low payload.

There is a known wind or water turbine whose operation is based on utilizing the Magnus effect (see patent EP 0040597). It consists of a series of rotating cylinders mounted on the circumference of the wheel. In order to obtain the rotational motion of the wheel, the part of the wheel which is joined together by the rotating cylinders in contact is protected by a mechanical screen against interaction with the wind or water flow.

The disadvantage of this turbine is its low efficiency. This is determined by the fact that only a part of the rotating cylinders interact with the flow, and their coefficient of interaction is different, higher in the center and decreasing with the center, while the rotating cylinders outside the mechanical screen do not generate wheel torque. In addition, the mechanical screen distorts the flow.

A known wind or water force generator based on the use of the Magnus effect is known (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,379). It consists of a housing having a flywheel with a spindle mounted on it, two spindles mounted at right angles to each other, the ends of which are supported by rotating four cylinders. All this consists of a three degree of freedom design where two pairs of cylinders rotate about their axes, together they rotate about their common axis and spin a flywheel. The rotation of the shafts about its axis and the rotation of the pairs of shafts about a common axis are performed by separate mechanical drives or by auxiliary electric motors.

Disadvantages of this generator:

- inefficient use of water flow, as there can be only four rotating cylinders;

- low efficiency due to the fact that the pairs of cylinders rotate about a common axis and only for a small part of the time the cylinders are perpendicular to the flow of water and therefore have low torque at intermediate positions;

- bulky as the minimum construction height can be at least two cylinder heights;

complicated construction, because the cylinders are rotated in three directions simultaneously;

- limited customization - this technical solution can only be used in open v _e waters (sea or ocean), using tidal energy. This unit should not be used in small rivers.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of converting the kinetic energy of water flow into mechanical rotary motion, utilizing the Magnus effect, which would allow to increase the efficiency of small hydroelectric installations and the utilization rate of flow energy and to simplify the construction.

The stated objective is achieved by:

- the rotating cylinders are mounted in the flexible drive and placed in the water flow so that the parallel flexible drive parts (front and rear) are perpendicular to the flow direction;

- the cylinders change direction of rotation from the front parallel part to the rear parallel part.

For the purpose of the invention, the essential features of the method are specified:

- the cylinders are rotated by pulleys on the rollers of the cylinders which are in contact with guiding supports mounted behind the front and rear parallel parts of the flexible drive;

- linear rotation of the cylinders 2-4 times the water flow rate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for converting water flow energy into a mechanical rotary motion (converter), in which the proposed energy conversion method is implemented.

The stated purpose is achieved by the converter:

- the cylinders are mounted by their shafts in a chain drive consisting of two identical chains mounted on two drive units and having two parallel drive parts (front and rear);

- pulleys mounted on cylinder shafts;

- guide rails mounted behind the front and rear chain drive parts so that they are in contact with the cylinder pulleys.

To help you achieve this goal, some of the key features of the converter are specified:

- the contact surfaces of the pulleys and the guide bearings have gears;

- the cylinders have a low inertial mass, eg made hollow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The subject matter of the invention is illustrated in the drawings:

- FIG. 1 - top view of converter;

- FIG. 2 is a view of a cylinder mounted in a sprocket;

- FIG. 3 - Spatial view of the converter.

The main assemblies and details for converting the kinetic energy of water flow into mechanical rotary motion are cylinders 1-14, chain drive 15 and guide supports 16,17 and 18,19.

Chain drive 15 consists of two guide units 20, 21 and two chains 22, 23. Chain 22,23 has two parallel portions - front 22a, 23a and rear 22b, 23b. Both guide units 20, 21 have guide shafts 24, 25 on which are mounted two identical sprockets 26, 27 and 28, 29. All cylinders 1-14 are identical. A general view of the cylinder 1 and its installation in the chain drive 15 is shown in Fig. 2. Cylinder 1 has two cheeks la and lb, a shaft Ic with pulleys 1d and le on both ends. The ends of the shaft lc are incorporated in the links 22, 23 of the chain drive 15 and can rotate therein. With respect to the water flow direction 30, the guide supports 16, 17 are arranged behind the front parallel parts 22a and 23a of the chains 22, 23 so as to contact the pulleys of the cylinders 1-14 and the guide supports 18, 19 behind the rear parallel parts 22b of the chains 22, 23. 23b so that it also contacts the pulleys of the cylinders 1-14 so as to have a frictional contact between them and to rotate them when the chain gear 15 is moving. It is possible that the guide pulleys 16, 17 and 18, 19 and the pulleys of the cylinders 1-14 are made with gears and thus form a gear with each other.

The drawings do not show the frame to which the guide supports 16,17 and 18 are attached, and the bearings of the drive shafts 24, 25, and the converter loading mechanism, such as an electric generator that can be connected to one of the drive shafts 24, directly or through auxiliary gear.

The diameters of the cylinders 1-14 and their pulleys are selected so that the linear velocity of the cylinder surfaces is 2 to 4 times that of the flow of water. In order to facilitate reversing the cylinders when moving from one parallel part to another, they must be light, for example, made hollow.

Preparing the converter for operation.

The water flow converter is immersed so that the parallel portions 22a, 23a and 22b, 23b of the circuits 22, 23 of the chain drive 15 are perpendicular to the direction of the water flow 30. The converter has an undefined direction of rotation of the cylinders 1-14 and movement of the chain drive 15. The direction of movement is determined by the direction of rotation of the cylinders 1-14 and in turn by the direction of movement of the chain drive 15. Starting the converter requires initial boost. Fig. 1 shows the direction of movement and rotation: direction of flow of water 30, direction of movement of chain drive 15 31, direction of rotation 32 of cylinders 1-14 in front 22 and position 22b of rear parallel part 22b, 23b, rotation direction 33.

The operating principle of the converter is based on utilizing the Magnus effect. The essence of the Magnus effect is defined as: if the cylinder rotates in the water flow, it produces a force perpendicular to the flow direction, which is proportional to the square of the water flow velocity and depends on the linear relationship between the cylinders and the water flow velocities. When the direction of rotation of the cylinder is changed, the resulting force changes direction.

The converter works as follows.

After giving the chain drive 15 an initial displacement in the direction 31, the cylinders 1-14, which are then in parallel portions of the chains 22, 23 of the chain drive 15 and contacting their pulleys with the guide pins 16, 17 and 18, 19, start frictional contact or engagement. rotate in directions 32, 33. In the interaction between the water flow and the rotating cylinders 1-14 on both parallel parts 22a, 22b and 23a, 23b of the circuits 22, 23, forces are induced by the Magnus effect which cause the chain drive 15 to move in direction 31. The resulting forces are summed -14 from one parallel circuit 22, 23 to another 22b, 23b, the cylinders change the direction of rotation. This is due to the fact that as the chain drive 15 moves, the pulleys of the cylinders 1-14 are detached from the guide supports 16, 18, stop rotating and gently engage with the guide supports 17,19 which rotate them in the opposite direction.

Of the fourteen cylinders in the chain drive 15 as shown in FIG. 1, eight are continuously and efficiently running in parallel parts of the chain drive, another four in intermediate positions are less efficient and two cylinders are not working because they do not rotate at this time.

Characteristics and Benefits of the Proposed Method and Device.

This method and device can be used in low power hydro power plants. The power of such hydroelectric plants can range from one to several hundred kilowatts. It depends on the number of rotating cylinders and their height. The unit can be used to generate electricity in small and larger rivers, as well as in open waters (sea or ocean), using tidal power.

The converter is environmentally friendly and has a minimal impact on nature. It does not obstruct the flow of water, so several successive units can be installed in the water flow. The device has no sharp, fast rotating parts, which makes no noise and does not endanger fish.