HYDRO – EOLIC ELECTRIC ENERGY
Masayuki Okumura, Nagib Curi, Sandra Maria Okumura Bulgarelli e Flavio Hashiguchi
OBJECTIVE: Because of the closure of the sluice Gates of the Three Gorges Hydroelectric Dam of the
Yangtze River in China, and particularly after confirmation of the almost 80 cracks in its dam we
would like to suggest its transformation into a Hydro-eolic Plant, based on the principle of the “Ÿ” or
water trompe.
PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION – A HYDRO-EOLIC PLANT consists of interposing a “Y”
or water trompe system between the dam and the river’s spillway gate, substituting the traditional
Hydroelectric Dam: a) in one of the oblique branches of the “Y”, install a hydraulic turbine that
generates electricity produced by the water flow; b) on the other oblique branch interpose an eolic
turbine that would be moved by the flow of the air sucked by the water trompe.
The sum of both turbines would increase electrical potential.
DESCRIPTION: The use of a torrential river(1) for installation of a hydro-eolic plant based on the
“Y” water trompe principle consists of:
1- closing the river’s(1) narrowest site/locate throat);
2- divert river to construct a dam and sluice gate;
3- construct a dam(3) along the entire width of the gorge, sufficiently high to retain the river’s
water producing a reservoir(2) whose volume would be proportional to the desired electrical
potential and a compatible with to house the machines and room for moving service
vehicles(J);
4- prepare the area to be flooded, studying the effect of the environmental impact that the
reservoir would have on removal of animals, trees and population living along the river bed
clean, free of any foreign objects;
5- prepare the site of the dam for construction of the housing for the machines with the objective
of installing two types of electrical generators:
a) hydraulic turbine(A) moved by the water from the reservoir(2) and which would drain
through a cylindrical conduit (F) communicating the reservoir with the spillway gate(D)
and
b) in the other branch one of the extremities surpassing the water liver (H) of the reservoir
(2) in contact with environment and the other extremity would empty in the spillway
gate(4) within the water volume and upstream from the eolic turbine(B) resulting in
suction of air(H) from the environment and eliminating it(G) into the current(D).
These turbines should not be constructed with the same specifications: the hydraulic(A) one must
be more resistant to withstand the impact of the weight and volume of the liquid column on its
blades, while the eolic(B) one will serve merely for passage of the air current, that besides being
elastic and of lesser weight, will only withstand the force of suction of the “Y” or water trompe
and the volume of free air flow towards the gate. This way, both turbines generate the electric
current (hydraulic + eolic).
FUNCTION: a) the water from the reservoir(2) forming a liquid cylinder(F), which by its weight
and volume will drive the blades of the hydraulic turbine(A) causing it to rotate and produce an
electro-magnetic field generating the electric current (hydraulic); after its passage through the
turbine, the water volume will empty through the gate producing vacuum upstream; b) the
environmental air(H), sucked by the vacuum formed by the water current after its passage through
the hydraulic turbine(A), will move the second or eolic turbine(B), that will also produce an
electro-magnetic field generating the other type of electricity- the eolic one- and it will be
eliminated dissolved in the shape(G) (hydraulic and eolic) will be distributed for consumption.
PRESENTATION OF THE SOLUTION: In the present case, the Three Gorges Dam on the
Yangtze River (Popular Republic of China), whose project is concluded (Hydroelectric Plant), all
that is necessary is to attach a conduit containing an eolic turbine ©. The air sucked (I) from the
current would move the turbine generating electricity. Depending on the capacity of suction of the
water trompe, other eolic turbines could be installed in the tubing upstream, or downstream from
the hydraulic turbine.
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The changeover from a Hydroelectric to a Hydro-eolic Dam: a) would increase the generating
potential of electricity or b) would produce less impact on the environment by reducing the flooded
area, maintaining the same potential of the initial plan.
SUMMARY: The authors propose a new Hydro-eolic Plant to substitute for Hydroelectric Plants
currently in use, based on the “Y” or water trompe principle.
It consists of interposing a “Y” or water trompe between the water reservoir(2) and the
spillway(4), installing a hydraulic turbine (A) in one of the branches and an eolic one (B) in the
other branch of the “Y”. When the water(F) passes through (A), the flow will cause suction of
environmental air(H), that passing through (B) will produce rotation of the blades and both
turbines will generate electrical current. Since current hydroelectric plants are already functioning
(including the two greatest in the world – Itaipu (Brazil) and Three Gorges (China)) we could
supplement them by installing pipes containing an eolic turbine(G), with one of the extremities
surpassing the water level(I) of the reservoir(2) in contact with the environment(I) and the other
extremity terminating in the spillway(4) within the water level(G), producing air suction that upon
passing through the turbine(C) would produce an electric current. Presently when cracks were
detected in the Three Gorges Dam, our suggestion is to add an eolic plant, maintaining the
electrical potential programmed and reducing the environmental impact by reducing the size of the
reservoir.
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HYDRO-EOLIC ELECTRIC; ENERGY
LEGENDS:
1- River
2- Reservoir
3- Main Dam
A- Hydraulic turbine
B- .Eolic turbine within dam
C- Eolic turbine exterior
D- Exit
E- Aerial pipe crossing water of reservoir
F- Admission of water from reservoir
G- End of Aerial pipe of Y branches (hydraulic and eolic turbine)
H- Entrance of air to eolic turbine (B)
I- Entrance of air to eolic turbine exterior©,(supplement pipe)
4- Spillway
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