RIVER-CHANNEL POWER PLANT Russian patent published in 2001 - IPC

FIELD: conversion of river-water flow energy to electricity. SUBSTANCE: power plant has several parallel four-cable flexible shafts uniformly arranged along river course from bank to bank and water-wheels mounted on these shafts. Waterwheels are similar in design to ship propellers; they are made of polymeric materials, spaced apart by means of foam plastic hubs, and covered with high-strength surface later; waterwheels are mounted on tail part of each shaft by means of two clamps. Head parts of flexible shafts are fastened in cases. Each case incorporates bevel gear transmission for coupling flexible shafts with vertical power shaft. Each case is fixed with respective pulley block mounted on power cable lying on river bottom. Power cable ends are secured on riverside pile-bitts in man- made coves. Each flexible shaft is passed at certain distance from case through extended three-face pyramid for lifting it from river bottom whenever necessary and for preventing waterwheel brushing against river bottom. One end of power shaft is locked in position on last case and other end (top one) is coupled with generator shaft through chain transmission. Two adjacent shafts rotate in opposite directions as waterwheels are designed for clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation. EFFECT: provision for power generation without interfering with navigation. 4 dwg