Patent Description:
The production of energy from renewable sources has become increasingly important in global energy production over time and is key to the sustainability of the energy system and the fight against climate change.

One example of renewable energy that has been used for centuries is the harnessing of the energy of water currents in rivers and canals and converting it into mechanical energy. Hydroelectric power in particular, i.e., the harnessing of water currents in waterfalls and their conversion into mechanical energy by means of turbines and in turn into electrical energy by means of alternators, is one of the main sources of renewable energy in use today.

In the seas and oceans there are also various forms of harnessing water energy, for example by harnessing the tides (tidal energy), waves (wave energy) and ocean currents. In these cases, the level of harnessed energy in relation to the economic and environmental cost of the systems needed to extract it has made it difficult to implement.

Especially in the case of harnessing both sea and river currents and converting them into electrical energy, various types of devices have been developed, some on a small scale and others on a large scale, depending on the environment and the level of energy produced.

These devices are normally based on turbines with rotors of various geometries linked to alternators or electric generators. In general, they are completely submerged and fixed to the ocean, sea, or river bottoms. The disadvantage of this type of design is that, as all the mechanical and electrical equipment is below the surface of the water, maintenance work is complicated, and the danger of short circuits and corrosion increases. In addition, electrical connections have to be made underwater, which is highly complex and costly.

On the other hand, such equipment is generally fixed in a rigid position and can therefore suffer or cause damage from extreme impacts. In addition, they often require a support structure from the seabed or river bottom with a high environmental impact. In some cases, the device blocks the water current, not maintaining a passage for fauna and hindering the passage of ecological flows in the case of being used in rivers.

From a performance point of view, existing equipment tends to operate in only one direction and direction of the water flow, which limits the time of use of the water flow and the locations in which it can be used. On the other hand, existing equipment has a high resistance to drifting in the water flow, which also makes it difficult to orientate the equipment in relation to the water flow.

Therefore, in the case of allowing a change of orientation, complicated manoeuvres are necessary for optimal orientation in direction and direction in the face of changing water currents.

Finally, in many cases, the equipment often converts electrical energy to a single generator, which means less production flexibility and total system failure in the event of a breakdown.

It is for all these reasons that there is a need in the market for the production of electrical energy through equipment that, by taking advantage of marine and river currents, overcomes the disadvantages described above, allowing the use of currents regardless of their orientation and having little resistance to "drift" by the current. It is also desirable that they can be fixed flexibly and reduce their environmental impact without needing a support structure from the seabed or river bottom, and without blocking the current, maintaining a passage for fauna and an ecological flow in the case of applications in rivers, and additionally allowing mechanical and electrical maintenance above the water surface, with several alternators that allow greater flexibility of use.

As a background, there is the invention <CIT> on a mechanism for converting the linear motion of a fluid into the rotational motion of a shaft which, although it does not have the features described above on its own, may form part of a larger device which does have them Another example of a floating multiple hydrogenerator is disclosed in <CIT>.

The object of the present invention is to obtain an independent multiple hydrogenerator on a floating blade with a maximum thrust surface and self-orientable, which generates electrical energy by taking advantage of marine and river currents independently of their orientation and having little resistance to drifting by the current.

Another object of the present invention is to obtain an independent multiple hydrogenerator on a floating blade with maximum thrust surface and self-orientable, which can be fixed in a flexible way, thus reducing damage from external impacts, and has a reduced environmental impact as it does not need a support structure from the sea or river bottom and does not block the current, maintaining a passage for fauna and an ecological flow in the case of applications in rivers.

Another object of the present invention is to obtain an independent multiple hydrogenerator on a floating blade with a maximum thrust surface and self-orientable that allows its electrical connection, as well as its mechanical and electrical maintenance above the surface of the water, having several alternators that allow greater flexibility of use.

The independent multiple hydrogenerator on a floating blade with a maximum thrust surface and self-orientable which is the subject of the present invention is formed, at least, by a floating structure in the form of a blade with four arms at each end of which there is an electric generator whose shaft is driven by the device defined in the document <CIT> Mechanism for the conversion of the linear movement of a fluid into the rotational movement of a shaft, which we will refer to hereinafter as the "conversion mechanism".

As described in <CIT>, each of the conversion mechanisms basically consists of a rotor with four arms attached to a main rotation axis, the ends of which incorporate oscillating thrust pieces that act as blades.

Considering the conversion mechanisms arranged clockwise around the central axis of the blade, each of them is configured for clockwise or counter clockwise rotation alternately. That is, if one rotates clockwise, the next rotates counter clockwise, the next rotates clockwise and the last rotates counter clockwise.

This configuration of four generators and counter-rotating vane-shaped converter mechanisms allow maximum use to be made of the thrust surface opposite the water flow.

A tube of a length greater than the depth reached by the conversion mechanisms is attached to the bottom of the central part of the structure in the form of a cross. This tube is partially closed at its lower end and has a chain or mooring cable attached to its central axis to the anchor or bottom anchor. This tube has two openings for the incoming and outgoing electrical cables.

The tube has a fixed plate attached to it along the entire length of its generatrix and located at the mid-position of the imaginary line joining two adjacent conversion mechanisms clockwise about the axis of the blade.

The forces acting on the fixed plate rotate the assembly so that it always faces the entire cross-section of the maximum thrust surface perpendicular to the direction of the water flow, which enters from one side of the imaginary square formed by the four converter mechanisms.

The counter clockwise alternation of the direction of rotation of the conversion mechanisms in the blade configuration with fixed plate thus forces the assembly to orient itself by offering one of the sides of the imaginary square formed by the four generators in the direction of flow of the water current, maximising the thrust surface of this current and, therefore, the production of energy.

Each of the electrical generators is accessible out of the water by means of a hatch at the top of the floating blade-shaped structure.

The floating, vane-shaped structure has a dome in its centre, which is also accessible through a hatch, in the interior of which the connections, couplings and electrical processing of the electrical energy waves produced independently by each of the electrical generators are carried out.

The electrical waves produced by the four independent generators can be treated electrically and coupled in series, in parallel or in mixed configuration, depending on the speed of the water flow at any given moment (even at low speeds) for maximum energy utilisation.

The device thus described has the main advantages of the invention, as well as other additional advantages, such as its lack of impact on the seabed, its low visual impact, and its simple construction, not requiring dams or civil works to channel the water currents.

It is also a modular system that can be connected to other similar equipment and can produce energy continuously as long as there is water flow in any direction and direction.

Finally, the device provides space for power electronics elements, transformers, etc., enabling connection to the distribution network either in direct current with the maximum possible voltage and transformation to earth, or in alternating current with transformation in each group and output at the highest possible voltage or at mains voltage.

Throughout the description and the claims, the word "comprising" and its variants are not intended to exclude other technical features, components or steps. To those skilled in the art, other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent in part from the invention and in part from the practice of the invention. The following examples and drawings are provided by way of illustration and are not intended to restrict the present invention.

In order to complement the description herein and to assist in a better understanding of the features of the invention, a set of drawings is attached hereto as an integral part of the said description, in which the following is illustratively and non-limitingly depicted:.

Using the numbering adopted in <FIG> and <FIG> of the present documents to identify the elements that make up the floating blade independent multiple hydrogenerator with maximum thrust surface and self-orientable which is the subject of the present invention, we proceed to the description of these elements for a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the self-orientable floating blade independent multiple hydrogenerator with maximum thrust surface and self-orientable consists of at least a floating blade-shaped structure (<NUM>) with four arms at each end of which there is an electric generator (<NUM>) driven by a mechanism for converting the linear motion of a fluid into the rotational motion of a shaft (<NUM>).

Considering the conversion mechanisms (<NUM>) arranged clockwise around the central axis of the blade (<NUM>), each of them is configured to rotate clockwise or counter clockwise alternately. That is to say, if one turns clockwise, the next one will turn counter clockwise, the next one clockwise and the last one counter clockwise.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a tube (<NUM>) of a length greater than the depth reached by the conversion mechanisms (<NUM>) is attached to the central part of the vane-shaped structure (<NUM>) on its underside. This tube (<NUM>) is partially closed at its lower end and has a chain or mooring cable attached to its central axis to the anchor or bottom Deadman. This tube (<NUM>) has two openings for the inlet and outlet electrical cables.

The tube (<NUM>) has a fixed plate (<NUM>) attached to it along the entire length of its generatrix and located at the mid-position of the imaginary line joining two mechanisms of (<NUM>) adjacent to each other clockwise about the axis of the blade (<NUM>).

The forces acting on the fixed plate (<NUM>) rotate the assembly so that it always faces the entire cross-section of the maximum thrust surface perpendicular to the direction of the water flow, which enters through one side of the imaginary square that would form the four conversion mechanisms (<NUM>).

The counter clockwise alternation of the direction of rotation of the conversion mechanisms (<NUM>) in the blade configuration (<NUM>) with fixed plate (<NUM>) thus forces the assembly to orient itself by offering one of the sides of the imaginary square formed by the four generators in the direction of flow of the water current, maximising the thrust surface of this current and, therefore, the production of energy.

Each of the electrical generators (<NUM>) is accessible out of the water through a hatch (<NUM>) at the immediate top of the floating blade-shaped structure (<NUM>).

The floating blade-shaped structure (<NUM>) has at its centre and out of the water a dome (<NUM>), also accessible through a hatch (<NUM>), inside which the connections, couplings and electrical treatment of the electrical energy waves produced independently by each of the electrical generators (<NUM>) are carried out.

Claim 1:
Independent multiple hydrogenerator on a floating blade with maximum thrust surface and self-orienting employing a series of conversion mechanisms (<NUM>) for converting the linear motion of a fluid into the rotational motion of a shaft, whereby the hydrogenerator comprises at least one floating blade-shaped structure (<NUM>) with four arms at each end of which there is an electric generator (<NUM>) driven by a conversion mechanism (<NUM>), and, the conversion mechanisms (<NUM>) being arranged clockwise around the central axis of the blade-shaped structure (<NUM>), whereby each of the conversion mechanisms (<NUM>) is configured to rotate clockwise or counter clockwise alternately, i.e. if one rotates clockwise, the next rotates counter clockwise, the next rotates clockwise and the last rotates counter clockwise; and wherein on a lower face of a central part of the blade-shaped structure (<NUM>) a tube (<NUM>) of a length greater than the depth reached by the conversion mechanisms (<NUM>) is fixed, and whereby to the tube (<NUM>) is attached a fixed plate (<NUM>) along the entire length of a generatrix of the tube (<NUM>) and located at the mid-position of the imaginary line joining two adjacent conversion mechanisms (<NUM>) clockwise about the axis of the blade-shaped structure (<NUM>), so that the forces acting on the fixed plate (<NUM>) rotate the assembly so that it always faces the entire cross-section of the maximum thrust surface perpendicular to the direction of the water flow, which enters through one side of an imaginary square that would form the four conversion mechanisms (<NUM>); and wherein the tube (<NUM>) is partially closed at its lower end and has a chain or mooring cable attached to its central axis and to an anchor or deadman at the bottom, with said tube (<NUM>) having two openings for an inlet and outlet electrical cables.