Patent Publication Number: US-2007096569-A1

Title: Hollow Pump

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS:  
      This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Appl. No. 60/731,665, filed Oct. 31, 2005 by the present inventor.  
      This application is related to application, application Ser. No. 10/885,876, filed Jul. 6, 2004, by the present inventor. Everything included in this application, application Ser. No. 10/885,876, HOLLOW TURBINE, is incorporated by reference in the present application.  
      This application is related to application, application Ser. No. 11/410,387, filed Apr. 24, 2006, by the present inventor. Everything included in this application, application Ser. No. 11/410,387, HOLLOW GENERATOR, is incorporated by reference in the present application.  
      This application is related to application, Provisional Appl. No. 60/845,036, filed Sep. 14, 2006, by the present inventor. Everything included in this provisional application, Appl. No. 60/845,036, HOLLOW HYDROELECTRIC GENERATOR, is incorporated by reference in the present application. 
    
    
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH: None  
     SEQUENCE LISTING: None  
     BACKGROUND—FIELD OF INVENTION  
      This invention generally relates to electric pumps, specifically the pumps used along California&#39;s aqueducts and as a propulsion means for vessels.  
     BACKGROUND—PRIOR ART  
      Previously, conventional electric pumps used to lift water over steep elevations, such as the Tehachapi Mountains along the California aqueduct, suffer from the same disadvantages as conventional hydroelectric generators, such as those at Hoover Dam and illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Foremost among these disadvantages is the separation of the steel turbine and rotor by a massive steel shaft. This design is inefficient and requires too much space.  
      Ships and boats share a common liability, an exposed propeller and drive shaft that may become entangled or otherwise compromised. This design also limits maneuverability.  
     BACKGROUND—OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES  
      Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the invention are that it further extends the unique advantages leveraged by the HOLLOW TURBINE and HOLLOW HYDROELECTRIC GENERATOR. Chief among these advantages is the all-in-one turbine and rotor, incorporated here as an all-in-one pump. This reduces complexity, weight, space, and energy requirements. This design eliminates not only the connecting shaft, but also the axle found in conventional rotors and pump blade implementations.  
      Installing the present invention to replace the existing pumps, along California&#39;s aqueduct, together with at least one HOLLOW ELECTRIC GENERATOR to capture the energy now lost when the water descends, will significantly reduce the electricity now required to operate the pump.  
      Incorporated as a propeller, safely tucked away within a vessel&#39;s hull, this pump is capable of propelling a vessel. Installing multiple pumps horizontally, in parallel, will increase maneuverability, especially if the intake pipes open on the sides of the vessel. A telescoping keel will enable these vessels to enter ports previously unapproachable.  
     SUMMARY  
      This is a new use patent, that incorporates a HOLLOW TURBINE, a HOLLOW GENERATOR, and a HOLLOW HYDROELECTRIC GENERATOR; the result is a versatile and efficient pump. Instead of harvesting electrical energy from kinetic energy, this invention utilizes electrical current to turn a HOLLOW GENERATOR&#39;s cylinder, effectively creating a pump.  
      The very large three-phase AC synchronous motors utilized here are capable of tens of thousands of kW in output, and are commonly used for pipeline compressors and wind-tunnel drives. This makes the present invention suitable for the heavy lifting required along California&#39;s aqueducts as well as for propelling large vessels. 
    
    
     DRAWINGS—FIGURES  
       FIG. 1  PRIOR ART is a side view of a traditional hydroelectric generator.  
       FIG. 2  is a front view of a HOLLOW TURBINE and its blades.  
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the preferred embodiment, a three-phase AC synchronous pump with both slip rings on one side of the rotor.  
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the preferred embodiment, a three-phase AC synchronous pump with a slip ring on both sides of the rotor.  
       FIG. 5  is a side view of a three-phase AC synchronous pump with permanent magnets mounted on the rotor.  
       FIG. 6  is a side view of an AC induction pump.  
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a waterproof inclosure for the present invention that incorporates rotational energy connecting elements instead of a all-in-one pump and rotor.  
       FIG. 8  is an illustration of how the present invention and two hydroelectric generators provide an efficient means of pumping water over an elevation.  
       FIGS. 9 through 11  depict HOLLOW PUMPs as a means of propelling boats and vessels.  
       FIG. 12  illustrates a conventional hull with telescoping keel retracted.  
      FIGS.  13  to  15  is a rear view of a vessel&#39;s hull with a telescoping keel in various stages of extension. 
    
    
     DRAWINGS—REFERENCE NUMERALS  
     
         
           1  Traditional hydroelectric generator/pump  
           2  Rotor  
           3  Shaft  
           4  Turbine/pump  
           5  HOLLOW TURBINE blades  
           6  Inner surface of a HOLLOW TURBINE&#39;s cylinder  
           7  Outer surface of a HOLLOW TURBINE&#39;s cylinder  
           8  Rotor  
           9  Rotor coils  
           10  Slip rings  
           11  Brushes  
           12  Stator  
           13  Axis of rotation  
           14  Permanent magnet  
           15  Bar conductor capable of carrying an eddy current  
           16 . Bearing  
           17 . Turbine shroud  
           18  Pipeline  
           19  Intake  
           20  Rotational energy connecting element  
           21  Axil  
           22  Bearing  
           23  Electric motor  
           24  Waterproof housing  
           25  Direction of flow  
           26  HOLLOW PUMP  
           27  HOLLOW HYDROELECTRIC GENERATOR  
           28  Vessel  
           29 . Telescoping keel  
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION—PREFERRED EMBODIMENT—FIGS.  2 ,  3  AND  4   
      Three outside stators  12 , only two shown, having coils supplied with an alternating current, produce a rotating magnetic field. Inside rotor coils  9  are attached to the outside surface of a cylinder  7  that is free to rotate within the stators  12 . The cylinder  6  has an array of blades  5  symmetrically attached to its inner surface  6  and is given torque by the rotating magnetic field.  
      Rotor coils  9  are connected to electric current via two slip rings  10 ; each is attached to the cylinder  7  on the same side of the rotor coils  9  as in  FIG. 3 , or on opposite sides  10  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The two slip rings  10  make electrical contact with two carbon brushes  11  that connect to a separate field current that creates a continuous magnetic field.  
      The motor is driven by a transistorized variable frequency drive, not shown, and will rotate in synchronism with the rotating magnetic field produced by the polyphase electrical supply. The result is a three-phase AC synchronous motor whose axil/output shaft is a pump. A one-phase design, using ordinary AC, is also possible for smaller loads.  
     Operation—Preferred embodiment—FIGS.  2 ,  3  and  4   
      Direct current is supplied to the rotor coils  9  to produce a continuous magnetic field. Alternating current is applied to the stators  12  that produces a rotating magnetic field. Under a wide range of conditions, the rotor  8  and attached cylinder  7  will rotate in synchronism with the rotating magnetic field produced by the polyphase electrical supply. As the rotor  8  and attached blades  5  rotate, they effectively transfer any substances that come into contact with the blades  5  from one end of the cylinder  7  to the other.  
     Detailed Description—FIGS.  2  and  5   
      Three outside stators  12 , only two shown, having coils supplied with an alternating current, produce a rotating magnetic field. Permanent magnets  14  attached to the outside surface of a cylinder  7  are free to rotate within the stators  12 . The cylinder  6 ,  FIG. 2 , has an array of blades  5  symmetrically attached to its inner surface  6  and is given torque by the rotating magnetic field.  
      The motor is driven by a transistorized variable frequency drive, not shown, and will rotate in synchronism with the rotating magnetic field produced by the polyphase electrical supply. The result is a three-phase AC synchronous motor whose axil/output shaft is a pump. A one-phase design, using ordinary AC, is also possible for small loads.  
     Operation FIGS.  2  and  5   
      Alternating current is applied to the stators  12  producing a rotating magnetic field. Under a wide range of conditions, the rotor  8  and attached cylinder  7  will rotate in synchronism with the rotating magnetic field produced by the polyphase electrical supply. As the rotor  8  and attached blades  5 ,  FIG. 2 , rotate, they effectively transfer any substances that come into contact with the blades  5 ,  FIG. 2 , from one end of the cylinder  6 ,  FIG. 2 , to the other.  
     Detailed Description—FIGS.  2  and  6   
      Three outside stators  12 , only two shown, having coils supplied with an alternating current, produce a rotating magnetic field. A plurality of conductors  15 , in the shape of a bar and capable of carrying an eddy current, are attached to the outer surface or embedded into a cylinder  7 . Two circular conductors, not shown and typically made form cast aluminum, are joined by the conducting bars  15 . Any two bars  15  and the arcs, not shown, that join them form a coil as they pass a magnetic field. The cylinder  6 ,  FIG. 2 , has an array of blades  5  symmetrically attached to its inner surface  6  and is given torque by the rotating magnetic field. With single phase AC, one can produce a rotating field by generating two currents that are out of phase using, for example, a capacitor.  
     Operation FIGS.  2  and  6   
      The three wires, not shown, (not counting earth) carry three potential differences which are out of phase with each other by 120°, producing a smoothly rotating field. Current within the stators  12  energizes the coils, not shown, mounted on the rotor  8 -that will turn at a rate slightly lower than that of the rotating magnetic field.  
     Detailed Description—FIG.  7   
      This embodiment of the present invention separates the cylinder  6 ,  FIG. 2 , with attached blades  5 , from the alternating magnetic fields. Rotational energy connecting elements  20  connect an electric motor  23  with the cylinder  7 . Blades  5  symmetrically attached to the inner surface of the cylinder  6 ,  FIG. 2 , form the pump. The cylinder  7  rotates on bearings  16  that attach to the waterproof housing  24 . An intake pipe  19  and exhaust pipeline  18 , attach to the turbine shroud  17 .  
     Operation FIG.  7   
      Electric current energizes the motor  23  that rotates the axil  21  on bearings  22 . Rotational energy is transferred by rotational energy connecting elements  20  that turn the cylinder  7  and blades  5 ,  FIG. 2 , that connect to the intake pipe  19  and the pipeline  18 .  
     Detailed Description—FIG.  8   
      This an illustration of the present invention  26  as utilized in conjunction with HOLLOW HYDROELECTRIC GENERATORs  27  to offset the high energy requirements of pumping water over high elevations. The pump  26 , submerged in an aqueduct, is connected to a pipeline, not shown, that carries the water over an elevation  25  to hydroelectric generators  27  on the downward side of said elevation. Transmission lines, not shown, route the electricity generated back to the initial pumps  26 .  
     Operation FIG.  8   
      Descending water powers the hydroelectric generators  27  that produce electricity which is transmitted by power lines, not shown, back to the pump  26  forming a complete circuit and reducing the amount of electricity needed from the grid. The discharged water continues along the aqueduct as usual.  
     Detailed Description—FIGS.  9 ,  10 , and  11   
      This embodiment utilizes the present invention  26  to propel boats and ships  28 . The cylinder, not shown, is incorporated into the hull with intakes at the front, along the sides of, or at the bottom of the vessel, also not shown. One intake may supply multiple in-line pumps  26 , to increase power. Multiple parallel pumps  26 ,  FIGS. 10 and 11 , will improve maneuverability by reducing or reversing the flow in one of the pumps  26 . A telescoping keel  29 ,  FIGS. 12-15 , made from stainless steel or other suitable material, can be deployed and retracted by hydraulics or an actuator, not shown, for shallow harbors.  
      This design may also be suitable for submarines and high performance boats. A directional nozzle or rudder will enable steering, and a hydrofoil will increase efficiency, as well as keep the bow submerged. Steering may also be achieved by applying different amounts of rotational or electric energy to the pumps on opposing sides of the ship. Removal of the propeller shaft eliminates a point of failure in the power train.  
     Operation—FIGS.  9 ,  10 , and  11   
      The pumps  26  are energized by either electricity or a rotational energy source, as outlined in the previous descriptions of the present invention. Water enters the pump, or multiple pumps, from intakes along the sides, the bottom or bow of the ship  28 , and exits at the stern, causing forward motion. If intake pipes are incorporated along the two sides of the ship, reducing or reversing the flow on one side will cause the vessel to turn in that direction.  
     CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE  
      Accordingly, the reader will see that according to the invention, I have provided a new means of saving energy along California&#39;s aqueduct system, as well as a new means of propelling vessels.  
      While the above description contains many specificitiess, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but as exemplifications of the presently preferred embodiments thereof. Other ramifications and variations are possible within the teachings of the invention. For example, reservoirs and grain elevators may also benefit.  
      Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not by the examples given.