JPH02252976A - Tide level power generation set - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To carry out power generation continuously by generating the pressurized oil through a hydraulic cylinder by the buoyancy of the first float when the tide level rises and generating the pressurized oil through the second hydraulic cylinder by the weight of the second float when the tide level lowers, CONSTITUTION:When the tide level WL rises, a selector valve 8 is at a left position, and the pistons c1 and c2 of the first and second hydraulic cylinders 3 and 4 are pushed up by the first and second floats 1 and 2. Therefore, the oil in the upper chamber (b) of the second hydraulic cylinder 4 is introduced into the lower chamber (a) through a branched pipe 22, conduit 17, and a branched pipe 16, and the rest flows into an oil tank 11 through a main pipe 18. While, the hydraulic pressure in the upper chamber (b) of the first hydraulic cylinder 3 is introduced into a prime mover 6 through a branched pipe 13 and a main pipe 14, and drives a power generator 7. When a prescribed quantity of oil flows, and the selector valve 8 is shifted to a right position by the output of a flow meter 2, and the tide level lowers, the pressurized oil in the lower chamber (a) of the second hydraulic cylinder 4 is supplied into the prime mover 6 through the branched pipe 16 and a main pipe 20, and the power generator 7 is driven.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a device that generates electricity using the ebb and flow of the tide.

(Prior art) A conventional tidal level power generation device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 51-42842, for example.
As described in the publication, fluctuations in the tide level were generally converted into air pressure in a tank, and the compressed air was used to rotate a turbine to generate electricity.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, those that utilize air pressure have a problem in that it is difficult to construct a small power generation device with a large output.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of these problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tidal level power generation device that can provide a large output with a small device.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, the tidal level power generation device of the present invention has the following features:
first and second floats, first and second hydraulic cylinder groups each having one end connected to the first and second floats and the other end fixed to the ground surface or the seabed, and these hydraulic cylinder groups; A prime mover driven by pressure oil from a cylinder group, a generator driven by the prime mover, and a pressurized oil generated by the buoyancy of a first float from the first hydraulic cylinder group. and a hydraulic circuit including a switching valve configured to supply pressurized oil generated by the gravity of the second float from the second hydraulic cylinder group to the prime mover when the tide level falls. be.

In the present invention, the float is not only formed in a box shape, but also formed so that the horizontal cross-sectional area of the portion receiving the buoyancy force gradually increases from above to below the first float, and the second float may be formed so that the horizontal cross-sectional area of the portion receiving the buoyancy force gradually narrows from above to below.

(Function) In the present invention, the first hydraulic cylinder group uses the buoyancy of the first float to generate pressure oil to turn a prime mover such as a turbine when the tide level rises, and when the tide level falls, the second hydraulic cylinder group uses the weight of the second float to generate pressure oil. A group of hydraulic cylinders generates pressure oil to turn the prime mover.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and shows l, 2
are the first and second floats, respectively, 3.4 are hydraulic cylinders constituting the first and second hydraulic cylinder groups, and one end (lower end) of each of them is the first and second float l, 2, respectively. The other end (upper end) is fixed and vertically attached to a stationary body 5 fixedly installed on the ground or the seabed. These hydraulic cylinders 3.4 are provided, for example, in tens or hundreds of cylinders depending on the size of the hydraulic cylinders 3.4 and the intended power generation output.

6 is a prime mover such as a turbine or a hydraulic motor operated by pressure oil; 7 is a generator driven by the prime mover 6; 8 is pressure oil from the first hydraulic cylinder 3 and pressure oil from the second hydraulic cylinder 4. This is a switching valve that switches and supplies the power to the prime mover 6.

In the first hydraulic cylinder 3, each lower chamber (piston chamber in this embodiment) a is connected to an oil tank 11 via a branch pipe 9 and a main pipe 10, and each upper chamber (bottom chamber) b is connected to a branch pipe 9 and a main pipe 10. tube 1
3 and a main pipe 14 to one inlet boat of the switching valve 8. Further, the main pipe 1O114 is connected via a pipe line 35 having a check valve 12.

The second hydraulic cylinder 4 has each lower chamber (piston chamber) a
is connected to the oil tank 11 via a branch pipe 16, a pipe line 17 having a check valve 15, and a main pipe 18, and is connected to the oil tank 11 via a main pipe 20 between the branch pipe 16 and pipe line 17. The switching valve 8
Each upper chamber (bottom chamber) is connected to the other inlet boat of b
is connected to the oil tank 11 via the branch pipe 22 and the main pipe 18.

23.24 sets the maximum pressure of the main pipe 14.20 connected to the inlet boat of the switching valve 8 to prevent damage to the hydraulic cylinder 3.4, the pipe line 13.14.16.17.20.35, etc. Glue leaf valve as safety valve, 25.26 is main pipe 14
．． 20 is an accumulator that suppresses sudden fluctuations in the oil pressure and accumulates pressure, and 32.33 is an oil pressure gauge that displays the oil pressure of the main pipe 14.20.

Reference numeral 27 denotes a control device that switches the switching valve 8. In this embodiment, the switching valve 8 is controlled by the output signal of a flow meter (or a pressure gauge) 28, 29 provided in the main pipe 14, 20.
This is to switch between.

In this configuration, when the tide level WL shown at A in FIG. position, and the pistons C1 and C2 of the first and second hydraulic cylinders 3.4 are pushed up. In this case, the second
The oil in the upper chamber of the hydraulic cylinder 4 passes through a branch pipe 22, and is transferred to the lower chamber a through a pipe line 17 having a check valve 15 and a branch pipe 16.
The remainder flows into the oil tank 11 via the main pipe 18. Then, the piston C2 of the second hydraulic cylinder 4 is raised by an amount equal to the amount of rise of the tide level WL while mainly receiving resistance from the flow back from the upper chamber to the lower chamber a via the branch pipes 16, 22 and the pipe line 17. rises.

On the other hand, the piston CI of the first hydraulic cylinder 3 exerts a force (Fi
By being pushed up by /Ml, the oil pressure in the upper chamber rises, and is guided to the prime mover 6 via the branch pipe 13, main pipe 14, and switching valve 8, and moves the prime mover 6, thereby turning on the generator 7. It is driven to generate electricity, and oil flows into the lower chamber a of the hydraulic cylinder 3 from the oil tank 11 via the main pipe 10 and the branch pipe 9.

In this case, the hydraulic pressure consumed by the prime mover 6 is generated in the main pipe 14, so the first float l and piston c1 are
As shown in cl in Fig. 2, it rises after the tide rises. In this way, since the piston cl lags behind the rise in the tide level WL, buoyancy is applied to the first float l even after the high tide peak time t1, and for this reason, the piston C1 of the first hydraulic cylinder 3 does not rise. Continuing, as time B passes from the high tide peak time t1, the buoyancy of the first float l decreases,
When the flow rate (or oil pressure) detected by the flow meter 28 falls below a predetermined value, the control device 27 closes the switching valve 8 at time t2.
Switch to the right position and move the main pipe 20! 1 is connected to motive 6.

Here, before the switching valve 8 is switched to the right position, the lower chamber a of the second hydraulic cylinder 4 is prevented from flowing into the oil tank 11 by the check valve 15, and the main pipe 20 is connected to the switching valve. 8, it is blocked from the driving force @a, so at the peak of high tide t
1 has passed and the tide level WL changes from rising to falling, the piston c2 cannot shift from rising to falling, and when the high tide peak time t1 passes, the weight W2 of the second float 2 changes to that float 2. The load obtained by subtracting the applied buoyant force F2 (
The hydraulic pressure corresponding to the load (Wl-F2)/N2 divided by the main aN2 of the second hydraulic cylinder 4 is
The pressure is applied to the lower chamber a of the hydraulic cylinder 4. In this state, when the switching valve 8 is switched to the right position at time t2 in Fig. 2, the height of the float 2 when the weight w2 of the float 2 matches the floating force F2 and the actual height are shown in Fig. 2. Difference from height Δ
With the hydraulic pressure corresponding to h, pressure oil in the lower chamber a of the second hydraulic cylinder 4 is supplied to the prime mover 6 via the branch pipe 16, the main pipe 20, and the switching valve 8, and is driven. In this way, C in Figure 2
When the tide level falls, the prime mover 6 is driven using the weight of the second float 2.

At this time C when the tide level falls, the oil in the lower chamber a of the first hydraulic cylinder 3 passes through the branch pipe 9 and passes through the pipe line 35 having the check valve 12.
and enters the upper chamber via the branch pipe 13, and the rest enters the main pipe lO
The oil flows to the oil tank 11 via the. The piston CI of the first hydraulic cylinder 3 mainly receives resistance from the flow back from the lower chamber a to the upper chamber A via the branch pipe 9.13 and the pipe line 35, and the piston CI of the first hydraulic cylinder 3 is lowered by an amount equal to the lowering amount of the tide level WL. descend with

Even in the operation at the time C when the tide level falls, the hydraulic pressure consumed by the prime mover 6 is generated in the main pipe 20, so the second float 2 and the piston c2 lag behind the fall of the tide level WL, as shown in cl in Fig. 2. and descend. In this way, piston c
2 is delayed from the decline of the tide level Wt, so the low tide peak time t3
The weight of the second float 2 exceeds the buoyancy even after the buoyancy has passed, so the piston c2 of the second hydraulic cylinder 4 continues to descend, and after a period of time D has passed from the low tide peak time t3, the second float 2 When the descending force decreases and the flow rate (or oil pressure) detected by the flow meter 29 becomes less than a predetermined value, the control device 27 switches the switching valve 8 to the left position as shown in the figure at time t4.

On the other hand, during the period when the tide level begins to rise at D in Figure 2,
The oil in the upper chamber of the hydraulic cylinder 3 is prevented from flowing into the oil tank 11 by the check valve 12, and the main pipe 14 is shut off from the prime mover 6 by the switching valve 8. Even after the peak time t3 passes and the tide level WL starts to rise, the piston C1 cannot shift from descending to rising, and after the low tide peak time t3 passes, the weight w1 changes from the buoyant force F1 on the first float l. The value obtained by subtracting (Fl-Wl)
is divided by the number N1 of the first hydraulic cylinders 3 (Fl
-Wl)/Nl is applied to the upper chamber of each first hydraulic cylinder 3. In this state, when the switching valve 8 is switched to the left position at time t4, the height of the float 1 when the weight W1 of the first float 1 matches the buoyancy F1 and the actual height are shown in FIG. Pressure oil in the upper chamber of the first hydraulic cylinder 3 is supplied to the prime mover 6 via the branch pipe 13, the main pipe 14, and the switching valve 8, and is driven by the oil pressure corresponding to the difference Δh between the two cylinders. In this way, when the tide level rises at E after time t4, the prime mover 6 is driven using the buoyancy acting on the first float l.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which the first float 3
0 is formed so that the horizontal cross-sectional area of the portion receiving buoyancy force gradually increases from above to below, and the second float 31 is formed such that the horizontal cross-sectional area of the portion receiving buoyancy force gradually narrows from above to below. This is what I did.

According to the configuration shown in FIG. 3, as shown in FIG. 4, the float 30.31 corresponds to the floating amount or submerged amount from a state where the buoyancy F3, F4 of each float 30.31 is equal to the weight W3, W4. The increase in the upward force or downward force of 31 is alleviated. Therefore, even if the depth or floating amount of the float 30.31 becomes large due to severe tidal level fluctuations, the force acting on the first cylinder 3 due to the net buoyancy (F3-W4) or the net gravity (W4- F4) is prevented from exerting an excessive force on the second cylinder 4.

In the above embodiment, changes in oil flow or pressure are used as the switching means for the switching valve 8, but instead, changes in the amount of movement of the float itself may be analyzed using a calculator, or a reduction in power generation output may be used. It may be controlled based on empirical rules or may be switched manually. In addition, it is also possible to take measures such as suppressing fluctuations in the tide level due to waves and lateral movement of the float, rather than controlling the tide level itself. Moreover, each float 1.2 or 30.31 may be provided in a plurality of floats instead of one each, and a float 1.2 or 30.31 may be provided for each hydraulic cylinder 3.4. Further, the hydraulic cylinder 3.4 may have a structure in which one or both of the bottom sides are facing down. In addition, depending on the magnitude of the tidal level difference between the peak low tide and the peak high tide, auxiliary devices such as adjusting the flow rate to the turbine 6 may be added, or relief valves 23 and 24 may be added.
Measures such as changing the set pressure can be taken.

(Effect of the invention) According to claim 1, the vertical movement of the float is hydraulically operated.

Since the oil is converted to pressure oil in the cylinder to drive the prime mover, it is possible to realize a small-sized tidal level power generation device with a large output.

Furthermore, since the first float and the second float are provided, and the first float uses buoyancy to generate electricity, and the second float uses weight to generate electricity, it is possible to operate without interruption in electricity generation.

According to claim 2, the shapes of the first and second floats are tapered at the top and tapered, respectively, so that when the amount of submergence or floating amount of the float increases during severe tidal level fluctuations, This prevents the force acting on the first cylinder due to the first float and the force acting on the second cylinder due to the second float from becoming excessive.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the steps of an embodiment of the tidal level power generation device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a characteristic comparison diagram of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and the embodiment shown in FIG. ■, 30: first float, 2.31: second float, 3: first hydraulic cylinder 14: second hydraulic cylinder,
6: Prime mover, 7: Generator, 8: Switching valve

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1, a first, and a second float, and a first and second float each having one end connected to the first and second floats and the other end fixed to the ground surface or the seabed. A hydraulic cylinder group, a prime mover driven by pressure oil from these hydraulic cylinder groups, a generator driven by the prime mover, and pressure generated by the buoyancy of a first float from the first hydraulic cylinder group. a switching valve configured to supply oil to the prime mover when the tide level is rising, and to supply pressure oil generated by the gravity of the second float from the second hydraulic cylinder group to the prime mover when the tide level is falling; A tidal level power generation device characterized by comprising a hydraulic circuit. 2. The first float is formed such that the horizontal cross-sectional area of the portion receiving the buoyant force gradually increases from above to below, and the horizontal cross-sectional area of the portion receiving the buoyant force gradually narrows from the above to the downward direction of the second float. 2. The tidal level power generation device according to claim 1, wherein the tidal level power generation device is formed so as to have the following characteristics.