GB1603764A

GB1603764A - Power generating system

Info

Publication number: GB1603764A
Application number: GB21661/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-05-23
Filing date: 1978-05-23
Publication date: 1981-11-25

Description

(54) POWER GENERATING SYSTEM (71) I, JAMES GILLILAN of 4330 Howe Drive, Sherman, Texas 75090 United States of America, a citizen of the United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to an energy conversion system of the type which utilizes a flawing liquid to drive a power converter or turbine in combination with air pressure pumping means adapted to recycle the turbine driving liquid.

The ever increasing need of civilized man for power is rapidly depleting the world's reserves of fossil fuels and requiring civilization to turn to other sources of energy. One of these sources is water which has been used as a source of energy for many years. It has been harnessed to drive mills and to provide a driving force for a large variety of mechanical devices during the industrial revolution. With the advent of electrical power, it has provided the energy to drive turbines adapted to create electrical power for masses of people and industrial users. However, all of these uses for water to create energy in a more usable form demand that the water supply should have a sufficient head of pressure and be of relatively inexhaustible volume because the discharge fluid from the power converters is lost to the system.

Some attempts have been made to recycle water but they provide a reclamation of only a small percentage of the total volume utilized.

An example d such devices is presented in U.S. Patent No. 3,829,246 entitled: "System For Raising And Using Water". In this system, water flowing from a pressure head is used to raise a portion of the water via vacuum means so that the water may be recycled through a turbine. As previously suggested, systems similar to this lose most of the fluid and only a small portion is recycled.

One means of lessening the amount of fluid wasted in systems similar to those previously described would be to create a more energyconservative means for recycling the fluid. One means of conserving energy in recycling fluids which has met with some success is presented in U.S. Patent No. 3,941,509 for a "Pumping System". In systems such as this, air is compressed in a plurality of storage chambers as a function of water or a similar fluid entering a different chamber. The pressure head of water is thus converted to an air pressure in a plurality of tanks having a much greater volume than the original pressure-generating volume.

This potential energy in the form of air pressure is then used to reduce the pressure across a compressed gas pumping system so as to reduce the power required for fluid recirculation.

All of the foregoing systems fail to achieve a high efficiency level due to their failure to maximise conservation of materials as well as energy.

The present invention provides the following features and advantages: (i) The production of usable energy while conserving the fluids utilized to create the energy and the potential energy in the form of fluid pressures, whereby the efficiency of the overall system is maximised.

(ii) The creation of energy in a usable form, such as electrical energy, from a flowing fluid under a predetermined pressure head which is maintained by recycling the fluid.

(iii) A means for recycling fluid to maintain a pressure head through the application of a compressed gas to the pumping chambers.

(iv) The compression of gas by permitting a fluid to enter pumping chambers filled with a gas and connected to a gas storage tank by a one-way valve means.

(v) An energy conservation electrical generating system wherein an electrical generating turbine is driven by water exiting the base of a standpipe.

(vi) A power generation system wherein pressurized water flowing through a turbine enters pumping chambers and forces air therefrom into a storage tank which in turn is utilized to discharge the pumping chambers when full of fluid so that the discharged fluid is recycled to the top of a standpipe.

(vii) An air compressor adapted to boost the air pressure of air exiting pumping chambers in response to fluid entering therein.

The invention provides a power generating system comprising: a liquid reservoir having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet wherein said liquid outlet is positioned below said liquid inlet to create a head of pressure therebetween; a power converter adapted to be driven by liquid flowing from said liquid outlet; a first liquid conduit adapted to receive liquid from said liquid reservoir via said power converter; a second liquid conduit connected to said liquid reservoir inlet; an air storage tank; an air charging conduit connected to said air storage tank; pump charging conduit connected to said air storage tank;; a first pump, including a first pump chamber, a first one-way liquid flow means adapted to permit liquid from said first liquid conduit m enter said first pump chamber, a second oneway liquid flow means adapted to permit liquid to exit said first pump chamber and enter said second liquid conduit, a first valve adapted to couple said first pump chamber to said pump charging conduit, a one-way air flow control means, and a second valve adapted to permit air from said first pump chamber to pass through said one-way air control valve into said air charging conduit;; a second pump, including a second pump chamber, a first one-way liquid flow means adapted to permit liquid from said first liquid conduit to enter said second pump chamber, a second one-way liquid flow means adapted to permit liquid to exit said second pump chamber and enter said second liquid conduit, a first valve adapted to couple said second pump chamber to said pump charging conduit, a oneway air flow control means, and a second valve adapted to permit air from said second pump chamber to pass through said one-way air con trol valve into said air charging conduit; and an air compressor positioned in said air charging conduit between said air storage tank and said pump chambers.

The invention provides an energy generating system which utilizes a material and energy conservation technique wherein liquid exiting from a standpipe drives a turbine and is recycled ta the top of the standpipe. The liquid is pumped to the top of the standpipe in the recycling mode by forcing it from pump chambers with compressed air. The compressed air is provided from an air compressor and air storage tank which received a precharge as the pump chambers are initially filled with liquid from the output of the turbine. Thus, the liquid driving the power converter or turbine is recycled through the liquid system and pressurized air adapted to recycle the liquid is also recycled by being forced into a storage tank from pump chambers and then selectively returned to the pump chambers to force the liquid te. the top of the standpipe.A plurality of servo valves and check valves are incorporated in the liquid and air lines to provide the required flow control.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawing which is a flow sheet of one embedi- ment of an energy producing and material and energy conservation system according to the present invention.

The apparatus of this invention shown in Figure 1 comprises three basic parts, namely, a liquid pump represented by pump chambers 10, 20 and 30; a standpipe 60 to provide a column of water having a predetermined head; and a power converter 70 which in the preferred embodiment is a turbine-driven generator which produces energy as a result of the water weight and mass which flows through it from the standpipe 60.

In this embodiment, the water is recirculated at a fraction of the energy ccst normally required by standard pumping means since the weight of the column of water is utilized to accomplish most of the work required for recirculation in addition to driving the power converter 70. The system is designed so that the maximum possible flow allowed by the plumbing returning the water to the pump will never be exceeded. This allows the total water pressure head to be applied while refilling the pumping chambers and prevents suction, or loss of the pressure head on the line.

A booster air compressor 50 is provided in the pumping system. Its power requirements are minimal because of the pressure head provided by the standpipe through the pump chambers. The pressure of the column of water from the standpipe 60 assists the air compressor 50 in reclaiming the air in the pump chambers 10, 20 and 30 after each cycle. This creates a situation where the air compressor 50 is never required to pump against a pressure head of more than five to ten PSI while transferring air which is at a pressure many times that value.

The pump functions by selectively admitting water or air to the pump chambers 10, 20 and 30 and selectively allowing air to enter the storage tank 40 from the pump chambers or to enter the pump chambers from the storage tank.

This is accomplished by a number of check valves and electrically operated solenoid valves and associated plumbing. The solenoid valves may be operated sequentially by the use of a single, electrically driven, rotating cam sequence.

A method of utilizing the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1 will now be presented. In order that the operation of the system may be fully understood the following conditions are assumed to exist at the beginning of the operating cycle, namely, the standpipe 60 is full of water, the first pump chamber 10 is full of water and solenoid valves 14 and 15 are closed, the second pump chamber 20 is full of air and solenoids 24 and 25 are closed, and the third pump chamber 30 is full of air with solenoids 34 and 35 closed. Electrical energy is applied to the solenoid system and the fluid level sensor 16 of the pump chamber 10 detects a full chamber and holds the solenoid valve 15 closed but opens the solenoid valve 14.In the pump chamber 20, the fluid level sensor 26 senses an empty chamber and maintains the solenoid valve 24 closed but opens the solenoid valve 25 to permit air to pass from the chamber to the air compressor 50 through the check valve 21. The fluid level sensor 36 of the pump chamber 30 maintains the solenoid valve 34 closed due to the low fluid sensed signal and opens the solenoid air control valve 35 to permit air to flow from the chamber through the check valve 31 into the air compressor 50.

With the solenoid valve 14 opened, compressed air in the storage tank 40 flows through the conduit 41 through the valve and into the chamber 10. This forces the water out of the chamber through the check valve 13 and into the line 61 which carries the water to the top of the standpipe 60. Water flows through the standpipe and into the turbine 70 creating electrical energy. Water exiting the turbine 70 flows through the pipe 62 and the check valve 22 into, the second pumping chamber 20 forcing the air contained therein through the solenoid valve 25 and the check valve 21 into the air compressor 50 which boosts its pressure and applies it to the air storage tank 40 via the conduit 51.A similar function occurs with respect to the chamber 30 wherein water in the pipe 62 passes through the check valve 32 and into the pump chamber 30 causing the air to flo,w through the open solenoid valve 35 and check valve 31 into the air compressor which boosts its pressure and applies it through the conduit 51 to the air storage tank 40.

When the water in the pump chamber 10 is depleted, the fluid level sensor 16 closes the solenoid valve 14 to prevent air from passing through the pump chamber and into the fluid line 61. Simultaneously, the fluid level sensor 16 opens the solenoid valve 15 so that water exiting the converter and flowing in the line 62 may enter the pump chamber 10 through the check valve 12 and force the air in the chamber through the solenoid valve 15 and the check valve 11 into the air compressor 50 which increases the pressure and passes it via the conduit 51 into the air storage tank 40.

Simultaneously with the switching of the solenoid valves associated with the pump chamber 10, the solenoid valves of the pump chamber 20 are sequentially actuated. The fluid level sensor 26 closes the air control solenoid 25 and opens the solenoid valve 24 so that pressurized air from the storage tank 40 will flow through the conduit 41 and into the pump chamber 20, forcing water out of the pump chamber 20 through the check valve 23 and into the fluid return line 61 to the top of the standpipe 60. Under these conditions, the pump chamber 30 has been filled and the pump chamber 10 is being filled and provided ing pressurized air to the air compressor 50.

When the pump chamber 20 is emptied, the fluid level sensor 26 reverses the solenoids 24 and 25 to permit water to enter the pump chamber 20 via the check valve 22 and to allow air to pass out of the chamber via the solenoid valve 25 and the check valve 21. Simultaneously with the switching of the solenoids 24 and 25 or the pump chamber 20, the solenoid control valve 34 and 35 of the pump chamber 30 are cycled. This causes the solenoid valve 35 to close, preventing air from flowing from the chamber into the air compressor 50 and the solenoid valve 34 is opened, permitting compressed air from the storage tank 40 to pass through the line 41 and into the pump chamber 30. This action causes fluid to exit the pump chamber 30 through the check valve 33 and to enter the return fluid line 61 connected to the top of the standpipe 60.The cycle is then repeated when the pump chamber 30 is emptied which triggers the recycling of the solenoid valves 14 and 15 associated with the pump chamber 10. The sequential operation of the pump chambers is accomplished in a preferred embodiment of the present invention by activating the solenoid valves from a common cam shaft driven by a single electric motor that is incremented sequentially by the level sensors 16, 26 and 36 in a step-wise fashion. Thus, in a simplified version of the system, the level sensors 16, 26 and 36 are adapted to sense only a low water level and, when they sense such a condition, they cause the cam-actuating motor to make a single step.

The cam is formed in a preferred embodiment so that each pump chamber is open to the turbine discharge line 62 and the air return line 51 during the discharge cycles of all the other pump chambers in the system.

While preferred embodiments of this invention have been illustrated and described, variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

WHAT I CLAIM IS:- 1. A power generating system comprising: a liquid reservoir having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet wherein said liquid outlet is positioned below said liquid inlet to create a head of pressure therebetween; a power converter adapted to be driven by liquid flowing from said liquid outlet; a first liquid conduit adapted to receive liquid from said liquid reservoir via said power converter; a second liquid conduit connected to said liquid reservoir inlet; an air storage tank; an air charging conduit connected to said air storage tank;

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. the second pump chamber 20 is full of air and solenoids 24 and 25 are closed, and the third pump chamber 30 is full of air with solenoids 34 and 35 closed. Electrical energy is applied to the solenoid system and the fluid level sensor 16 of the pump chamber 10 detects a full chamber and holds the solenoid valve 15 closed but opens the solenoid valve 14. In the pump chamber 20, the fluid level sensor 26 senses an empty chamber and maintains the solenoid valve 24 closed but opens the solenoid valve 25 to permit air to pass from the chamber to the air compressor 50 through the check valve 21.The fluid level sensor 36 of the pump chamber 30 maintains the solenoid valve 34 closed due to the low fluid sensed signal and opens the solenoid air control valve 35 to permit air to flow from the chamber through the check valve 31 into the air compressor 50. With the solenoid valve 14 opened, compressed air in the storage tank 40 flows through the conduit 41 through the valve and into the chamber 10. This forces the water out of the chamber through the check valve 13 and into the line 61 which carries the water to the top of the standpipe 60. Water flows through the standpipe and into the turbine 70 creating electrical energy. Water exiting the turbine 70 flows through the pipe 62 and the check valve 22 into, the second pumping chamber 20 forcing the air contained therein through the solenoid valve 25 and the check valve 21 into the air compressor 50 which boosts its pressure and applies it to the air storage tank 40 via the conduit 51.A similar function occurs with respect to the chamber 30 wherein water in the pipe 62 passes through the check valve 32 and into the pump chamber 30 causing the air to flo,w through the open solenoid valve 35 and check valve 31 into the air compressor which boosts its pressure and applies it through the conduit 51 to the air storage tank 40. When the water in the pump chamber 10 is depleted, the fluid level sensor 16 closes the solenoid valve 14 to prevent air from passing through the pump chamber and into the fluid line 61. Simultaneously, the fluid level sensor 16 opens the solenoid valve 15 so that water exiting the converter and flowing in the line 62 may enter the pump chamber 10 through the check valve 12 and force the air in the chamber through the solenoid valve 15 and the check valve 11 into the air compressor 50 which increases the pressure and passes it via the conduit 51 into the air storage tank 40. Simultaneously with the switching of the solenoid valves associated with the pump chamber 10, the solenoid valves of the pump chamber 20 are sequentially actuated. The fluid level sensor 26 closes the air control solenoid 25 and opens the solenoid valve 24 so that pressurized air from the storage tank 40 will flow through the conduit 41 and into the pump chamber 20, forcing water out of the pump chamber 20 through the check valve 23 and into the fluid return line 61 to the top of the standpipe 60. Under these conditions, the pump chamber 30 has been filled and the pump chamber 10 is being filled and provided ing pressurized air to the air compressor 50. When the pump chamber 20 is emptied, the fluid level sensor 26 reverses the solenoids 24 and 25 to permit water to enter the pump chamber 20 via the check valve 22 and to allow air to pass out of the chamber via the solenoid valve 25 and the check valve 21. Simultaneously with the switching of the solenoids 24 and 25 or the pump chamber 20, the solenoid control valve 34 and 35 of the pump chamber 30 are cycled. This causes the solenoid valve 35 to close, preventing air from flowing from the chamber into the air compressor 50 and the solenoid valve 34 is opened, permitting compressed air from the storage tank 40 to pass through the line 41 and into the pump chamber 30. This action causes fluid to exit the pump chamber 30 through the check valve 33 and to enter the return fluid line 61 connected to the top of the standpipe 60.The cycle is then repeated when the pump chamber 30 is emptied which triggers the recycling of the solenoid valves 14 and 15 associated with the pump chamber 10. The sequential operation of the pump chambers is accomplished in a preferred embodiment of the present invention by activating the solenoid valves from a common cam shaft driven by a single electric motor that is incremented sequentially by the level sensors 16, 26 and 36 in a step-wise fashion. Thus, in a simplified version of the system, the level sensors 16, 26 and 36 are adapted to sense only a low water level and, when they sense such a condition, they cause the cam-actuating motor to make a single step. The cam is formed in a preferred embodiment so that each pump chamber is open to the turbine discharge line 62 and the air return line 51 during the discharge cycles of all the other pump chambers in the system. While preferred embodiments of this invention have been illustrated and described, variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. WHAT I CLAIM IS:-

1. A power generating system comprising: a liquid reservoir having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet wherein said liquid outlet is positioned below said liquid inlet to create a head of pressure therebetween; a power converter adapted to be driven by liquid flowing from said liquid outlet; a first liquid conduit adapted to receive liquid from said liquid reservoir via said power converter; a second liquid conduit connected to said liquid reservoir inlet; an air storage tank; an air charging conduit connected to said air storage tank;

a pump charging conduit connected to said air storage tank; a first pump, including a first pump chamber, a first onway liquid flow means adapted to permit liquid from said first liquid conduit to enter said first pump chamber, a second oneway liquid flow means adapted to permit liquid ta exit said first pump chamber and enter said second liquid conduit, a first valve adapted to couple said first pump chamber to said pump charging conduit, a one-way air flow control means, and a second valve adapted to permit air from said first pump chamber to pass through said one-way air control valve into said air charging conduit;; a second pump, including a second pump chamber, a first one-way liquid flow means adapted to permit liquid from said first liquid conduit to enter said second pump chamber, a second one-way liquid flow means adapted to permit liquid to. exit said second pump chamber and enter said second liquid conduit, a first valve adapted to couple said second pump chamber to said pump charging conduit, a one-way air flow control means, and a second valve adapted to permit air from said second pump chamber tQ pass through said one-way air control valve into said air charging conduit; and an air compressor positioned in said air charging conduit between said air storage tank and said pump chambers.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, further including: a third pump, including a third pump chamber, a first one-way liquid flow means adapted to permit liquid from said first liquid conduit to enter said third pump chamber; a second one-way liquid flow means adapted to permit liquid to exit said third pump chamber and enter said second liquid conduit, a first valve adapted to couple said third pump chamber to said pump charging conduit, a one-way air flow control means, and a second valve adapted to permit air from said third pump chamber to pass through said one-way air control valve into said air charging conduit.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, further including: a first liquid level sensor adapted to provide an electrical signal indicative of the liquid level in said first pump chamber with respect to a pre-determined minimum value; a second liquid level sensor adapted to, provide an electrical signal indicative to the liquid level in said second pump chamber with respect to a pre-determined minimum value; a third liquid level sensor adapted to provide an electrical signal indicative of the liquid level in said third pump chamber with respect to a pre-determined minimum value; and means responsive to said first, second and third liquid level sensors for sequentially controlling said first and second valves.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first and second valves are solenoid valves.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, further including: control means responsive to said liquid level sensors adapted to maintain said sets of pump chamber -- associated first and second solenoid valves in opposite states, and to permit to any given time only one of said first solenoid valves to be in an open state.

6. A system as claimed in claim 3, further including: a cam means including camming lobes adapted sequentially to open and to, close said first and second valves in a sequence wherein only one of said first valves will be open at any given time and said sets of first and second valves associated with each of said pump chambers are maintained in opposite states; and a stepping motor responsive to said liquid level sensor signals and adapted to drive said cam means.

7. A system according to claim 1, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.