Method and apparatus for generating electrical energy from underwater falls

Abstract

Electrical energy is generating by submerging a tank in a body of water so that its water inlet is located under a water surface and covered by water and water flows into an interior of the tank, evacuating water from the tank by an evacuating element through a water outlet of the tank to maintain in the interior of the tank a space for flowing water through the inlet into the interior of the tank, arranging a converting element which convert energy of the water flowing into the interior of the tank into an electrical energy, and arranging the evacuating element so that its discharge is located below the outlet of the tank and above the water surface.

1 . A method of generating electrical energy form water at a first location, comprising the steps of: providing a tank comprising an inlet, an interior portion and an outlet; a conduit comprising a first end and a second end portion positioned at a second location remote from said first end, said first end in fluidic communication with said tank outlet, said second end positioned at a lower elevation that said outlet and at elevation higher than the surface of a body of water at the second location; converting energy of water flowing into the interior of the tank into electrical energy;
 submerging the tank in a said body of water at said first location so that the water inlet is located below the water surface at said first location such that water flows through said inlet into the interior of the tank;   evacuating water from the tank through the outlet and said conduit to maintain in the interior of the tank a space for flowing water through the inlet into the interior of the tank and then through the outlet of the tank to said second location.   
     
     
         2 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said evacuating includes evacuating the water from the tank by gravity. 
     
     
         3 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a step of providing in the interior of the tank concentrically to an outer wall of the tank a water directing insert which is radially spaced from an outer wall of the tank so that water flows through the inlet into a space between the insert and the outer wall of the tank in the interior of the tank creating within the tank with a horizontal turbine a tubular waterfall; and locating the converting means axially downwardly under the insert, so that the tubular waterfall exits the space between the insert and the outer wall of the tank and then acts on the blades of the converting means. 
     
     
         4 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said converting includes rotating by the water flowing in the interior of the tank a rotary element connected to a shaft of a generator of electrical energy and having an axis of rotation selected from the group consisting of a vertical axis and a horizontal axis. 
     
     
         5 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising rotating by the water flowing in the interior of the tank in said converting means a rotary element connected to a shaft of a generator of electrical energy and having a horizontal axis of rotation, and forming the inlet of the tank so that the water flows onto the blades of one half of diameter of rotary element leaving the other half in the air inside of the tank and allowing free rotation of vertical rotary element; and evacuating said water thru the outlet of the tank to maintain inside of tank a space for continuously flowing water through the inlet of the tank. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus for generating electrical energy form water at a first location, comprising a tank having an inlet, an interior portion and an outlet; a conduit with a first end and a second end portion positioned at a second location remote from said first end, said first end being in fluidic communication with said tank outlet, said second end being positioned at a lower elevation that said outlet and at elevation higher than the surface of a body of water at the second location; means for converting energy of water flowing into the interior of the tank into electrical energy; wherein the tank is submerged in a said body of water at said first location so that the water inlet is located below the water surface at said first location such that water flows through said inlet into the interior of the tank; and evacuating means for evacuating water from the tank through the outlet and said conduit to maintain in the interior of the tank a space for flowing water through the inlet into the interior of the tank and then through the outlet of the tank to said second location. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said evacuating means evacuate the water from the tank by gravity. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising means for providing in the interior of the tank concentrically to an outer wall of the tank a water directing insert which is radially spaced from an outer wall of the tank so that water flows through the inlet into a space between the insert and the outer wall of the tank in the interior of the tank to create within the tank a tubular waterfall; wherein the converting means is located axially downwardly under the insert, so that the tubular waterfall exits the space between the insert and the outer wall of the tank and then acts on the blades of converting means. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said converting means includes a rotating element rotated by the water flowing in the interior of the tank and connected to a shaft of a generator of electrical energy, said rotating element having an axis of rotation selected from the group consisting of a vertical axis and a horizontal axis. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said converting means includes rotating by the water flowing in the interior of the tank rotary element connected to a shaft of a generator of electrical energy and having a horizontal axis of rotation, and forming the inlet of the tank so that the water flows only onto the blades of one half of diameter of rotary element leaving the other half in the air inside of the tank and allowing free rotation of vertical rotary element; and evacuating said water thru the outlet of the tank to maintain inside of tank a space for continuously flowing water through the inlet of the tank.