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Should Windmills become Watermills?
Patent Disclosure:
If all existing Windmills on Windfarms were converted to Watermills and moved to major rivers across America, they would generate power 24-7, instead of only 1 or 2 hours per day, since rivers are more abundant with strong steady currents, than wind farms with strong steady winds.
Background:
The Poncelet Water Wheel was invented in about 1824, started the Industrial Revolution, and, eventually, started the Electrical Revolution around the World.
“So, if Rivers move boulders,
And winds only move sands;
Then, what should turn Generators,
Over our cherished lands?”
Answer: Watermills, not Windmills.
The best place to experiment with converting existing Windmills to Watermills would be along the California Aqueduct, where California already has the legal rights to generate electricity from the California Water Project all along the Aqueduct, which has over 600 miles of open, concrete lined canals, over 40 feet wide, with no boat traffic and very little floating debris.
And, the best design might be created by using two existing 1 MW Windmills, removing the propellers and mounting the housing with the generator, gears, and bearings on opposite sides of the Aqueduct, and then adding a large, undershot, Poncelet “paddle-wheel” on a new drive shaft and axel between said generators, which would be attached to both generators.
The undershot “Poncelet paddle-wheel” would be turned by the water flowing in the Aqueduct, as the water is moving, and would rotate said generators with enough speed and torque to generate 2 MW of electricity, or more.
All new “Poncelet paddle-wheels” could be designed with some buoyancy in order to reduce any added weight to the existing bearings in the Windmills. And, the axel-drive shaft of new “paddle-wheels” could be attached to the existing Windmill hubs or shafts.
I’m just guessing, but the best Poncelet “paddle-wheel” might be less than 50 feet in diameter by about 3 feet wide, unless actual tests prove otherwise. Plus, the “paddle-wheel” positions on the drive shafts could be varied between adjacent Watermills to prevent the blockage of water flow current between Watermills. And, multiple paddles could be added to the same drive shaft to increase Horsepower, if needed.
And, it might be possible to design the new “paddle-wheels” where no “stilts” are needed to support the generators above the Aqueduct, and where all housing for the generators, gears and drive-axel connections would be mounted on the banks of the Aqueduct, which would provide easy access for maintenance, since the Aqueduct is about 30 ft. deep in most places.
The same general design could be used along many rivers and streams, if Special Lanes were reserved and protected by a chain-link fence or concrete barrier from floating debris, small boats and other river traffic; where, one support frame could be positioned in shallow, fast moving water near the banks of any river or stream, and the other generator would be mounted on the riverbank or levee, as above.
Or, the generators could be mounted on barges, river boats or House Boats and moored along the banks of any large river, where permitted, to generate 2 MW of power or more, 24-7.
Plus, many existing owners of Windmills may be willing to lease their units to State or Federal Agencies for conversion to Watermills to improve their monthly revenue; thus, making any new Watermill Project easier to finance in the present Economy, nationwide.
Sincerely,
James H. Armistead
Inventor, age 79,
Ex-DWR Control System Engineer
Gen. Delivery
Laughlin, NV, 89029
or shakespirit@gmail.com
If all existing Windmills on Windfarms were converted to Watermills and moved to major rivers across America, they would generate power 24-7, instead of only 1 or 2 hours per day, since rivers are more abundant with strong steady currents, than wind farms with strong steady winds.
Background:
The Poncelet Water Wheel was invented in about 1824, started the Industrial Revolution, and, eventually, started the Electrical Revolution around the World.
“So, if Rivers move boulders,
And winds only move sands;
Then, what should turn Generators,
Over our cherished lands?”
Answer: Watermills, not Windmills.
The best place to experiment with converting existing Windmills to Watermills would be along the California Aqueduct, where California already has the legal rights to generate electricity from the California Water Project all along the Aqueduct, which has over 600 miles of open, concrete lined canals, over 40 feet wide, with no boat traffic and very little floating debris.
And, the best design might be created by using two existing 1 MW Windmills, removing the propellers and mounting the housing with the generator, gears, and bearings on opposite sides of the Aqueduct, and then adding a large, undershot, Poncelet “paddle-wheel” on a new drive shaft and axel between said generators, which would be attached to both generators.
The undershot “Poncelet paddle-wheel” would be turned by the water flowing in the Aqueduct, as the water is moving, and would rotate said generators with enough speed and torque to generate 2 MW of electricity, or more.
All new “Poncelet paddle-wheels” could be designed with some buoyancy in order to reduce any added weight to the existing bearings in the Windmills. And, the axel-drive shaft of new “paddle-wheels” could be attached to the existing Windmill hubs or shafts.
I’m just guessing, but the best Poncelet “paddle-wheel” might be less than 50 feet in diameter by about 3 feet wide, unless actual tests prove otherwise. Plus, the “paddle-wheel” positions on the drive shafts could be varied between adjacent Watermills to prevent the blockage of water flow current between Watermills. And, multiple paddles could be added to the same drive shaft to increase Horsepower, if needed.
And, it might be possible to design the new “paddle-wheels” where no “stilts” are needed to support the generators above the Aqueduct, and where all housing for the generators, gears and drive-axel connections would be mounted on the banks of the Aqueduct, which would provide easy access for maintenance, since the Aqueduct is about 30 ft. deep in most places.
The same general design could be used along many rivers and streams, if Special Lanes were reserved and protected by a chain-link fence or concrete barrier from floating debris, small boats and other river traffic; where, one support frame could be positioned in shallow, fast moving water near the banks of any river or stream, and the other generator would be mounted on the riverbank or levee, as above.
Or, the generators could be mounted on barges, river boats or House Boats and moored along the banks of any large river, where permitted, to generate 2 MW of power or more, 24-7.
Plus, many existing owners of Windmills may be willing to lease their units to State or Federal Agencies for conversion to Watermills to improve their monthly revenue; thus, making any new Watermill Project easier to finance in the present Economy, nationwide.
Sincerely,
James H. Armistead
Inventor, age 79,
Ex-DWR Control System Engineer
Gen. Delivery
Laughlin, NV, 89029
or shakespirit@gmail.com
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