WO2012085604A1

WO2012085604A1 - Engine and method of production of energy by means of buoyancy, gravity, lever and compressor

Info

Publication number: WO2012085604A1
Application number: PCT/GR2011/000055
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ioannis Kalivas
Original assignee: Ioannis Kalivas
Priority date: 2010-12-20
Filing date: 2011-12-07
Publication date: 2012-06-28
Also published as: GR20100100734A

Abstract

An engine comprising three or more levers (A, B, C) with large arms alternately ascending and descending within water, these large arms having an interior airbag (14) at one end thereof, which is being filled with compressed air when the arm is located at the bottom dead centre of its stroke, whilst it is being rapidly emptied with the help of pressure of water surrounding it when it moves upwardly at the top dead centre by the force of buoyancy via a valve (15) of a large diameter. Arm (A, B, C) with the airbag (14) being empty and under the effect of the weight thereof descends downwardly at the seabed of water therein also attracting its other end (9). The other ends (9) of levers (A, B, C), the small arms during ascending and descending movement of the large arms to which are connected through articulations (24), connecting rods (25) and buttons (27) initiate rotation of a large gear (28) and the latter through another small gear (22) initiates rotation of a shaft (21) and this activates an electric generator (19) via a gearbox (20).

Description

Engine and method of production of energy by means of Buoyancy, Gravity, Lever and Compressor

The engine and the method of production of energy that will be described hereinafter comes to contribute in the known methods of the prior art in coverage of the enormous demand of energy whilst providing an absolute protection of the environment and bringing up a novel breath in the quest of new sources of energy.

Up to day the known non pollutant methods and means being employed in the production of energy are those methods that do not use fuel materials, but make use of natural sources of energy provided in our planet, i.e. sun, water, wind, geothermic energy, etc. and their multiplication would be welcomed.

With this hope in mind and in consideration of the insufficiency of the solutions currently known that is due either because they are interrupted (night, clouds, calm, but also due to large unexploited areas) with the exception of hydro-turbines whose operation is continuous, however still requiring dams and waterfalls from a large height, something that apart from being costly requires an appropriate configuration of the ground.

In brief, the newly proposed engine comprises the following auxiliary configurations, structures and elements the combination of which will provide the final product.

In a lake, in the sea or at the beach, within an artificial reservoir or at any place whatsoever ensuring the conditions for installation of the group that it is being described hereinafter, we can create a source of energy.

A platform at a distance exceeding six metres from the seabed provided, we construct a wall from concrete so as to provide the possibility of installing our system behind the abovementioned wall. A large Arm (sizes are indicative) manufactured from knitted stainless steel pipes having a length of twelve metres and exhibiting a high resistance in bending forces provided with longitudinally extending arc-shaped reinforcements from stainless steel pipes having a square, cylindrical or other section so as to form an interior gap up to the end wherein the arm takes an almost spherical form with a diameter of two metres, whilst its diameter or its side internally, along the cylindrical or other form thereof does not exceed the length of around half a metre, i.e. the arm takes the approximate form of a pear. At a length of around two metres from the beginning of the other end, the arm is fixedly mounted at the wall with a powerful articulation so as to form a lever that will function with its portion of ten metres length that will be immersed in the water of the reservoir. The wall in reservoirs where the water is calm with no waving has a height that extends marginally above the surface of the water.

In the interior of the arms we have placed bags made from rubber, plastic or other flexible material available with a durable composition so as to withstand the requirements and stress conditions of the structure.

This bag takes the form of the interior of the arm when it is inflated with compressed air being supplied therein by the air storage chamber of the compressor and covers the length of the arm that lies within the water around twenty cm from the water surface when the arm reaches the top dead-centre (LL) of its stroke, i.e. the airbag always remains underneath the surface of water.

An articulation is provided at the other end of the Arm whereby the arm is connected to a connecting rod the other end of which is connected with a button at the side of a large gear. This gear is being engaged with a small gear, the latter being connected to a shaft for the transfer of torque. All above items are made from cast-iron.

The large gears are fixedly mounted on shafts of their own, one side of the latter being mounted onto a fixed metal body with a bearing. The engine operates autonomously with three similar systems which end up to the shaft through the small gears and they move simultaneously.

Thus, when arm (A) begins an upward movement, arm (B) is found at the middle of a downward movement, whilst arm (C) is located at the beginning of its downward movement. This arrangement with minor differentiations helps in an equivalent distribution of the forces of buoyancy and gravity applied on the arms in the receptor gears. The fixed engagement with the shaft also achieves a constant movement of the arms, whilst compressed air is introduced and discharged from the airbags following signals provided by the arms themselves. The shaft is connected with an electric generator at one end thereof or it might be connected to a pair of generators at the two ends thereof with the interference of a gearbox. The shaft is fixedly mounted either onto an appropriate housing or onto the ground, the same as the bodies supporting the large gears. The continuous rotation of the shaft is being achieved by means of regulation of the operation of the arms by means of regulation of the supply valves enabling flow of compressed air in and out of their airbags.

The system needs electronic support and a large compressor in order to operate, such compressor being powered by the system after starting thereof. A number of cables are provided on the platform adapted for effecting control of the system and auxiliary components, such cables extending up to the uppermost end of the spherical part wherein the airbag is being retained and has an automatic opening and closure mechanism with a diameter of 0.15 m fixedly mounted onto the arm, i.e. a valve providing a speedy flow of the compressed air contained therein.

At the location of the Arm wherein starts the airbag, there is provided a connection with a flexible pipe that supplies air to the airbag from the system of compressor with its air storage chambers installed therein. This is the general description of this system and it is obvious that we can have coupled at the same source of energy as many similar systems as we wish.

Description of the operation of the engine

1. A compressor (31) with a large flow rate of compressed air is initiated by means of fossil fuel or installed electric power source and stores the compressed air into one or more air reservoirs (32) located adjacently and outside the housing of the power plant. The three arms of the system (A, B, C) are mounted in three different places, so as to provide an arrangement of buttons (27) of the large gears (28) having the configuration as shown in Fig. 5 (F 1). That is to say: Arm (A) is located at the middle of its ascending movement within water; Arm (B) is located at the bottom dead-centre and Arm (C) is located at the middle of its descending movement. By means of a switch, arm (A) is supplied with compressed air so that its airbag (3) is being filled with air and covers the interior spaces within the arm. This is taking effect only during the starting off process. During continuous operation, the airbag of this arm is being filled with air when it is located at the bottom dead-centre. The airbag (B) is being filled with air simultaneously with arm (A) as it rises towards its top dead-centre.

Because of the force of buoyancy, arm (A) rises towards the surface of water and it exerts pressure with the other end (A-9) thereof onto the connecting rod (25) and the latter exerts pressure on button (27) of the large gear (28) that is thereby rotated. When it reaches the surface, following an electronic signal being activated by the same, valve of air discharge (15) opens and on the basis of the Principle of Archimedes, the air contained in airbag (3) empties very rapidly, whilst the valve closes by itself with the aid of a small resilient spring force and is thereby locked.

Subsequently the weight of Arm (A) acts and effects once again a descending movement towards the seabed, while its weight effects continuation of rotation of the large gears of the other two arms (B, C) when they reach their top and bottom dead centre through their engagement with the shaft.

The large gear (28) transfers the torque to a small gear (22) and the latter transfers the same to the shaft (21) and from there to the gearbox (20) and through shaft (30) to the electric power generator (19).

Arm (B) performs the same ascending movement towards its top dead-centre and thereby supplies force to the system, whilst arm (C) performs a descending movement towards its bottom dead-centre and supplies the force of its weight at the rotation of the shaft and of the electric power generator.

The weight and the length of the arms, as well as the size of the airbags will be calculated prior to the construction for the right and optimum performance of the engine. The cycle of operation of the engine

1^st Phase

The three Arms (A, B, C) are mounted in positions as follows:

Arm (A) is located at the middle of its upward stroke, arm (B) at the bottom dead-centre and arm (C) at the middle of its downward stroke. (Fig. 5 - F 4).

Arm (A) with compressed air in the airbag thereof rises towards the surface, arm (B) being supplied with compressed air also moves upwardly towards the top dead-centre and arm (C) moves downwardly towards the bottom dead-centre with its airbag being empty.

2^nd Phase

Arm (A) is located at the top dead-centre, arm (B) at the middle of its upward stroke, whilst arm (C) is located at the bottom dead-centre.

3^rd Phase

Arm (A) is located at the middle of its downward stroke, arm (B) is located at the top dead-centre and arm (C) is located at the middle of its upward stroke.

4^th Phase

Arm (A) is located at the bottom dead-centre, arm (B) is located at the middle of its downward stroke and arm (C) is located at the top dead-centre.

5^th Phase

Arm (A) is located at the middle of its upward stroke, arm (B) is located at the bottom dead-centre and arm (C) is located at the middle of its downward stroke. The strokes of operation of the engine.

The engine operates in two strokes.

1. First Stroke

Whilst the arm is located at its bottom dead-centre inside the water with its airbag empty, its connecting rod is located at the upmost point of its circular stroke. The bag is filled with air and the arm moves upwardly thereby exerting pressure on the connecting rod and through the button rod the gear moves and executes a circular arc of 180 degrees. Thus, as the arm arrives at the top dead-centre, our engine has executed a half rotation. 2. Second Stroke

As the airbag is being emptied of the compressed air contained therein, the weight of the arm as it moves downwardly towards the bottom dead-centre attracts the connecting rod and the button of the gear moves at the other semicircle and a complete rotation of the engine is thereby obtained. This operation is repeated by all arms with a phase difference of 90 degrees so as to create a successive coverage of the force of rotation of the buttons with a simultaneous supportive assistance of the buttons at their top and bottom dead-centers so as to ensure that they do not change their course of rotation or they do not stop.

Five Phases are required for the completion of the cycle of operation of the engine, whilst work is being produced during two active strokes, according to which, the first stroke is executed with the impulse of the connecting rod applied by the force of buoyancy, whilst the second stroke is executed with the attraction of the connecting rod during the downward movement of the arm initiated by the force of its weight since the airbag is being emptied from compressed air. Brief Description of the drawings: FIG. l

1) The exterior wall of the water reservoir.

2) The sectional view of the wall of the water reservoir.

3) The airbag of Arm (A) full of air.

4) The lower reinforcements extending along the Arms.

5) Flexible pressure pipes conveying compressed air to the airbags.

6) Central electronic-electric control.

7) Platform providing access at the upper part of the wall.

8) The points of articulation and support of the levers.

9) The small arms of the levers.

10) The articulation of the arms.

1 1) The upper reinforcements extending along the levers.

12) The pipes with the control cables of the large valves of the Arms.

13) The points of connection of the compressed air pipes with the

airbags fixed onto the arms.

14) The airbag of Arm (C) empty of air.

15) The large valves of air discharge from the airbags.

16) The big Arm of lever (C).

17) The big Arm of lever (B).

18) The level of water within the reservoir.

FIG. 2

(A, B, C): The small arms of the three levers of the engine. 19) The electric generator.

20) The gearbox.

21) The shaft wherein torque is collected and transferred.

22) The small gears.

23) The small arms of levers (A, B, C).

24) The articulations of the levers with the connecting rods.

25) The connecting rods.

26) The direction in which the connecting rods are being moved.

27) The articulations with the buttons of the gears.

28) The large gears.

29) The shafts of support and rotation of the large gears.

30) The shaft of torque transfer from the gearbox to the generator. FIG. 3

The general layout of the installation.

31) The compressor supplying the engine.

32) The air chambers for storage of the compressed air.

33) The compressed air supply valve.

34) The electronic system of supplying compressed air to the airbag

35) Collector and distribution panels of electric current being

produced.

36) The wall of the water reservoir of water in sectional view.

37) The wall whereupon the engine is being mounted.

38) The three pipes supplying compressed air to the airbags.

39) Conductors supplying electric current to the consumption.

40) The wall of the other side of the reservoir.

FIG. 4

(0, 1, II): The two strokes of operation of the engine.

FIG. 5

(Fl, F2, F3, F4, F5): The five phases of operation of the engine.

Claims

1. Engine for the production of energy that comprises a set of elements suitably arranged for the use of the force of Buoyancy, of Gravity, of Lever, of the hydrostatic pressure of water and of the compressed air supplied by a compressor (31 ) which is thereafter powered by the system, for the production of energy, characterized by that it comprises a mechanism that achieves continuous operation and simultaneous production of work with an impulse applied onto a large arm (A, B, C) moving upwardly towards the surface of water (18) by the force of Buoyancy and with an attraction applied therein during its downward movement by the force of gravity of the weight of the same, said work being provided through a small arm (9) to a connecting rod (25) that rotates a large gear (28), wherein a lever arm (A, B, C) is being pivotally mounted at a fixedly articulated (10) onto a platform (8) made of crossed (knitted) stainless pipes with gaps intermediately along the mesh so as to allow inlet and discharge of water, but to also allow an airbag (14) being retained in its interior, is being mounted above the water having a substantial depth (18), said lever arm (A, B, C) being provided with an airbag (14) at the end thereof, said airbag (14) being filled with compressed air and creating a force of buoyancy when it is located at a lower dead centre within the water thereby pushing the large lever arm (A, B, C) upwardly, whilst the other small lever arm (9) exerts a rotational force on said gear (28) through articulation (24) of the connecting rod (25) and button (27), wherein, as airbag (14) arrives at the top dead centre of the stroke thereof, following an electronic signal being provided at valve (15), it is being emptied from the air contained therein by means of the force of the pressure of water that surrounds the same and, under the action of the weight of arm (A, B, C), it moves downwardly towards the bottom end point of the reciprocating movement thereof, thereby adding the force of its weight to the system, wherein, when airbag (14) is filled with compressed air, it covers the interior space of arm (A, B, C) so as to form an integral body with said arm (A, B, C) and this results in the elimination of gaps in the continuity of force being applied at the other end (9) of the lever during change of status of airbag (14), i.e. no pressure gaps can occur at the large gear (28) through button (27) and connecting rod (25) as airbag is being filled with air or as air is discharged from the same, such structure and the mass of the large gear (28) allowing employment of engines of this type even for a small production of energy, such engines being constituted even from one arm only, wherein in the phase of change of movement, i.e. when the button (27) of the large gear (28) is located at dead-centres (I, II) and arm (A, B, C) at the end of its ascending or descending movement it is not essential that it is assisted by another arm in order to rotate since this work is accomplished by the stored energy of the initial impulse that is contained in the mass of the large gear (28), whilst the large diameter of valve (15) also helps immediate discharge of air, thereby effecting time saving for the engine, wherein gear (28) is engaged with another small gear (22) that is mounted onto shaft (21), said shaft (21) transferring torque to an electric power generator (19) through a gearbox (20), said engine being constituted from three similar systems (A, B, C) that alternately move upwardly and downwardly with a phase difference of 90 degrees so as to ensure continuity in the forces applied at the shaft (21) and its smooth rotation for engines of high production rates.

2. Engine as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said airbag (14) functions in absolute cooperation with the lever arm (A, B, C), i.e. when it is being filled with compressed air it becomes an integral part of arm (A, B, C) are moves together with the same both during the upward and the downward movement, such movements being for this reason fully controlled with the result of regulation of operation of the engine at specific points without gaps in the application of force either of Buoyancy during their ascending movement or of Gravity during their descending movement and specifically at the points wherein one force is succeeded by the other.

3. Engine as claimed in Claim 1, characterized by the use also of gravity, i.e. of the weight of the large arm of the lever (A, B, C), said weight providing during the descent thereof a force to the engine equivalent with the buoyancy, so that the force applied at the button (27) during descent of the arm might be the same for smooth operation of the engine.

4. Engine as claimed in Claim 1, characterized by the arrangement of the basic elements and partial mechanisms thereof (14, 15, 31, 33, 34) that may be suitably regulated to increase or decrease speed depending on the demand of energy.

5. Engine as claimed in Claim 1, characterized by two active strokes in each complete cycle of operation thereof and continuous production of energy (0, 1, II).

6. Method of production of energy characterized by the use of the force of buoyancy, gravity, the properties of a lever, the compression of gases and the hydrostatic pressure of water, thereby performing production of work in the entire cycle of operation thereof, i.e. producing work both during the ascending movement of arm (A, B, C) in its way from the seabed to the surface of water (18) and during descending movement thereof from the surface of water to the seabed, this being achieved through calculation of the appropriate dimensions of arm (A, B, C) corresponding to the demand of energy prior to construction thereof, that is to say, if we wish to have a force of the order of 100 kg during ascending and descending movement of arm (A, B, C), an airbag (14) with an air content of the order of 200 litres should be employed to which should be added the volume resulting from the buoyancy exerted onto the same arm (A, B, C) when immersed within water, thereby providing calculation of the volume of the airbag (1 ) for effecting ascending movement, as well as descending movement of arm (A, B, C) when it is emptied from air thereby shrinking so as to prevent obstructing free descend of arm (A.B.C), wherein the volume of the interior of arm (A, B, C) where airbag (14) works is manufactured following the same calculations so that airbag (14) abuts precisely onto the interior of the arm and leaves no gaps when it is filled with compressed air, thereby providing absolutely harmonic movements of arms (A, B, C) having no gaps and correspondence with the succession of movements, whilst regulation is made easy through regulation of the supply of compressed air with a scope of increasing or decreasing the speed of the engine, such characteristic being the working volume of the engine in analogy with Otto and Diesel engines.

7. Use of the engine and method of production of energy in any site available for the installation and operation thereof wherein conditions are satisfied varying from domestic to urban application in an entire city.