United States Patent (19) (11) Patent Number: 4,746,808

Kaeser (45) Date of Patent: May 24, 1988

54 PORTABLE HYDROELECTRIC FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
GENERATOR UNIT
0.066508 12/1982 European Pat. Off. .
76 Inventor: Charles Kaeser, 18, chemin de 0125184 11/1901 Fed. Rep. of Germany .
Rennier, Pully, Switzerland 0464553 8/1928 Fed. Rep. of Germany .
21 Appl. No.: 19975 0566940 12/1932 Fed. Rep. of Germany .
3247376 7/1984 Fed. Rep. of Germany .
22, PCT Filed: Jun. 3, 1986 0009231 1/1913 United Kingdom .
2138510 10/1984 United Kingdom .
(86). PCT No.: PCT/CH86/00078
Primary Examiner-William M. Shoop, Jr.
S371 Date: Feb. 3, 1987 Assistant Examiner-W. E. Duncanson, Jr.
S 102(e) Date: Feb. 3, 1987 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Sandler & Greenblum
87, PCT Pub. No.: WO86/07414 57 ABSTRACT
PCT Pub. Date: Dec. 18, 1986 The generator unit is driven by a small Pelton turbine
(10) having a plurality of injectors (11) each comprised
(30) Foreign Application Priority Data of a single tubular part connected to a ring-shaped dis
tribution chamber. The turbine wheel drives a multi
Jun. 4, 1985 (FR France ................................ 85 08520 phase synchronous generator (20) having permanent
(51) Int, C. .... a one ss F03B 1/00 magnets. The alternating voltages produced by the
52 U.S. C. ................... 8 88 to 290/52; 290/54 generator are rectified in order to obtain a direct volt
58 Field of Search ................. see as 290/1 A, 43, 52, 54 age of 24 V. The water flow rate is regulated at the
input of the turbine by means of a regulation valve (13)
(56) References Cited controlled by an electronic regulation unit (23), to auto
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS matically control the power of the generator unit as a
1,327,953 1/1920 Hamilton .................... 415/121 RX function of the output voltage variations. Said portable
4,246,753 1/1981 Redmond ......................... 290/43X generator unit, which is extremely simple and reliable
4,276,482 6/1981 Crockett ............................... 290/52 may be provisionally or permanently used wherever a
4,293,777 10/1981 Gammell ............................... 290/52 pressure water connection is available.
4,512,201 4/1985 Konrad ....... . 73/861.79
4,595,841 6/1986 Yaguchi.............................. 290/1 A 12 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
U.S. Patent May 24, 1988 Sheet 1 of 3 4,746,808
U.S. Patent May 24, 1988 Sheet 2 of 3
4746,808
U.S. Patent May 24, 1988 Sheet 3 of 3 4,746,808
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4,746,808
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stantially smaller than the diameter or the diameters of
PORTABLE HYDROELECTRC GENERATOR the inlet section. To avoid dispersion of the jet, the
UNIT ejection section has a length at least equal to twice its
diameter.
The present invention relates to portable hydroelec 5 The walls of the annular distribution chamber are
tric generating set comprising a hydraulic turbine of the preferably formed of two elements which together con
Pelton type with several jets arranged for connection to stitute the body of the turbine.
a source of water under pressure, an electric generator Thanks to these arangements, the body, the injectors
and a device for controlling the power delivered by the and the turbine wheel may be advantageously made of
generator. 10 molded synthetic material.
To provide an electric power supply in case of failure In a set according to the invention, the generator is
of the mains supply or in locations remote from the advantageously of the low-voltage a.c. type, coupled
public mains supply, for example to supply electric with a rectifier for delivering an output current of low,
power to an isolated chalet, hydroelectric generator substantially continuous voltage. The electric generator
sets have been designed which constitute small power 15 is preferably of the multiphase synchronous type having
stations fed with a water supply under pressure coming permanent magnets.
from a stream or caught from a spring. With respect to With an a.c. generator, power control may be ef
conventional internal combustion sets, the utilization of fected in a simple manner. The control device prefera
a hydraulic turbine provides evident advantagees with bly comprises an electronic regulating unit, arranged to
regard to the running time, which may be extremely control the motor of the control valve as a function of
long, to operational reliability, to safety and to noise. the d.c. output voltage of the set.
On the other hand, it necessitates a water supply instal According to an advantageous embodiment, this set
lation which can not be realized except in a few loca comprises a housing provided with a carrying handle
tions and which is always very expensive. This solution and containing at least the turbine, the generator and
thus leads to the use of sets which have quite high 25 the control device.
power to cover the needs of at least one household, that An embodiment of a portable generating set accord
is to say several kilowatts, and which are not utilizable ing to the invention will be described below by way of
as portable sets. a non limiting example, with reference to the accompa
Patent application GB-ANo. 2 138510 describes a set nying drawings, wherein:
of this type provided with several control valves ar 30 FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of a portable
ranged in parallel and each controlling the waterflow of electric generating set according to the invention,
a respective injector. A regulator detects the frequency FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the set according to
variations of the electric current produced and it con FIG. 1, after removal of the housing,
trols the power of the set accordingly by successively FIG. 3 is a schematic vertical sectional view of the
opening or closing the valves. From the constructive 35 turbine of the generating set of FIGS. 1 and 2.
point of view, this device is relatively heavy and com FIG. 4 is a schematic horizontal sectional view repre
plex, hence expensive, subject to failure and difficult to senting this turbine and its distribution means, and
transport. From the control point of view, the mainte FIG. 5 is a diagram of the automatic control device of
nance of a constant frequency, thus also of a constant the set.
speed of rotation of the Pelton wheel, implies a hydrau The portable generator set illustrated in FIG. 1 forms
lic pressure situated in restricted limits in order that the a compact and light assembly enclosed in a housing 1 of
speed of the jets may remain compatible with the speed insulating synthetic material, provided with a transport
of the wheel. This known generator set can thus not be handle 2. The set externally includes an inlet 3 for con
utilized as a mobile apparatus which may be branched nection to a source of water under pressure, a discharge
to any supply of water under pressure. conduit 4 for the utilized water, a manometer 5 indicat
The present invention has the object of providing a ing the water pressure, a low voltage electric socket 6
portable electric generating set of this type mentioned and ventilating ears 7.
in the preamble, which is in the form of an assembly of FIG. 2 represents in greater detail the essential parts
low weight and small volume, capable of being con of this generating set, such as they appear on removing
nected to the water supply mains, which is available 50 the housing 1. The lower part of the set is formed of a
practically permanently simple manner permitting low Pelton turbine 10 with several injectors 11 and a verti
construction costs, safe automatic control and a great cal axis 12. The inlet of the turbine is connected to a
ease of utilization and maintenance. water inlet connector 3 via a control valve 13, while its
To this end, a generator set according to the present outlet is connected to the discharge conduit 4. The
invention is characterized in that the turbine comprises 55 distribution means of the turbine, which will be de
a distribution chamber of annular form, disposed coaxi scribed further on in greater detail, are connnected to
ally with the wheel and connected to an inlet conduit the manometer 5 by a pressure tapping 15. The turbine
provided with a valve for controlling the water flow, assembly, with the exception of the control valve 13, is
actuated by the control device and a set of injectors enclosed in a sealed body 16 of synthetic material, con
consisting of a single tubular part fitted into a respective stituted by two elements screwed to one another.
opening of the wall of this chamber facing the wheel. An electric generator 20 is mounted above the tur
According to a preferred embodiment, each injector bine 10 and on the same axis. In the preferred embodi
is formed of a rectilinear tube comprising a holding ment here described, this generator is of the three-phase
flange at its rear end. This tube is preferably cylindrical synchronous type whose rotor comprises permanent
and is provided with an axial conduit comprising two 65 magnets, that is to say that it requires no energizing
successive sections of different diameters, namely an current. In this regard, a rotor with tangential magnets
inlet section and an ejection section, the ejection section has been found as effective as a rotor with radial mag
having the form of a cylinder whose diameter is sub nets, while at the same time being less expensive, and
 4,746,808
3 4.
safer with regard to the fixation of the magnets. This place a gasket between the flange 42 and the rim 40. In
point is important in a machine which is required to the represented example, the injectors 11 are six in num
operate at varying speeds, which may for example go ber, but this number may evidently be different, accord
up to 12000 rpm. For its cooling, the generator is ing to the hydraulic energy available. If need be, some
equipped with a finned radiator 21 which is fixed to the 5 of the injectors 11 could be replaced by plugs if the
outer metallic jacket of the generator. available water flow is low.
The three-phase currents produced by the generator In FIG. 4, one of the injectors 11 is represented in
20 are transmitted by a cable 22 to an electronic block section to show its internal form. The injector 11 has the
23 including particularly a three-phase rectifier which form of a straight tube, provided with an axial conduit
delivers to the current socket 6 a nominal d.c. voltage of 10 comprising two successive sections of different diame
24 V. Thanks to this low voltage, the utilization of this ters, that is to say an inlet section 43 whose diameter is
set and the receivers which it supplies do not present relatively large and which extends over the major part
any danger, even if humidity accidentally reaches the of the length of the injector, and a cylindrical ejection
electrical parts of the apparatus. section 44 whose diameter is substantially smaller.
To control the power of the set, in a manner which 15 The inlet section 43 may be cylindrical or slightly
will be described later on with reference to FIG. 5, the conical. In order to reduce the pressure loss, the mini
block 23 feeds, by a cable 24, a motor 25 which actuates mum diameter of the inlet section 43 is a multiple of that
the control valve 13 by means of a drive pinion 26 of the section 44. Between the sections 43 and 44, the
mounted on the shaft of the motor 25 and a tooth crown axial conduit of the injector presents an abrupt variation
27 fixed to the actuating shaft of the valve 13. The 20 of the diameter, downstream of which the water flows
crown 27 comprises two stops (not shown) which re in the injection conduit without
spectively correspond to the closed position and the However, to produce a jet withsuccessive slight
turbulence.
dispersion, the
open position of the valve and which actuate contacts ejection section 44 presents a length which is a multiple
connected to the electronic block 23 to stop feeding the of its diameter. This length is preferably two or three
motor 25 when the valve is at the end of its travel. 25
FIGS. 3 and 4 represent in greater detail the interior times the diameter of this section.
of the turbine 10. It is in fact a turbine of the Pelton type duit 38water
The under pressure arriving via the inlet con
and passing through the valve 13 is distributed
with several injectors 11, whose distribution and con with a substantially uniform pressure in the distribution
trol means have an extremely simple form. The turbine
comprises a wheel 30 with blades 31 of conventional 30 same chamber 41, which hence feeds the injectors 11 at the
form with double buckets, but of extremely reduced pressure. These transform the pressure energy of
dimensions as in conventional Pelton-type turbines, the which the water into kinetic energy, by each forming a jet 45
wheel rotates in air. For the applications described strikes the blades 31 so as to make the wheel 30
further on, the diameter of the wheel is of the order of rotate. The water then leaves the blades while going
a few centimeters. This wheel may be advantageously 35 away from the axis of the turbine and it falls freely into
fabricated in large series of a molded synthetic material. the lower part of the body 16b to reach the water dis
It is directly fixed to the lower extremity of the genera charge 4 (FIG. 2).
tor shaft 32. The design of the annular chamber 41 described
The body 16 of the turbine consists of an upper ele above thus allows a single control member to be uti
ment 16a and a lower element 16b which are screwed 40 lized, that is to say the valve 13, for all of the injectors
together by a threaded connector 34. Sealing is ensured 11. In addition, the injectors do not need to occupy a
between these two elements by means of an annular precise position with respect to the lateral orifice 36 of
packing 35, compressed in an appropriate lodging. The the distribution chamber. Finally, by separating the two
upper element 16a comprises a lateral orifice 36 which elements 16a and 16b which form the body of the tur
is connected by a threaded connector 37 to the control 45 bine, one may very easily control and maintain the
valve 13 comprising an inlet conduit 38 of the turbine. turbine, especially the injector and the wheel. One may
In the represented example, this valve is of the globe readily modify the power range of utilization of the
type with a shutter 39, solid with a shaft on which the turbine by replacing the injectors by other ones having
tooth crown 27 represented in FIG. 2 is fixed. The a different flow rate. It must be remarked in this connec
passage for the water across the shutter 39 may be of 50 tion that since all the parts are fabricated of molded
circular section, equal to that of the conduit 38, or of synthetic material, their replacement is inexpensive.
another form specially arranged to favor the stability of FIG. 5 schematically illustrates the automatic control
the automatic control. circuits for controlling the generating set as a function
The lower part 16b of the body of the turbine 10 is of the electrical load of the consumers 50. The elec
provided with an inner rim 40 of cylindrical form, 55 tronic block 23 comprises a three-phase rectifier 51
which fits into the upper element 16a, but at a certain which receives the alternating currents supplied by the
distance from the peripheral wall of this element, to generator 20 and delivers a continuous voltage Um of
define between these two elements 16a and 16b an annu about 24 V to the consumers and a regulator 52 inte
lar chamber 41 serving as a distribution chamber. This grated in the block 23. In addition, this voltage is limited
annular chamber is disposed coaxially with the wheel30 60 to avoid excessive values during closure of the valve 13.
and at the same level therewith and with the inlet con If Um drops below a certain lower limit Uc1, for
duit 38, with which it communicates by the orifice 38. example 23 V, the regulator 52 acts upon the convertor
The inner wall of the distribution chamber 41, consist 53 which feeds the motor 25 so as to close the valve 13
ing of the rim 40, includes a series of substantially cylin until the turbine 10 provides to the generator sufficient
drical holes, which are oriented tangentially to the 65 power to reestablish the voltage. At the same time, the
wheel 30 and in which the injectors 11 are fitted. These speed of rotation increases. Inversely, if Um exceeds an
include at their rear extremity a flange 42 which holds upper Uc2, for example 25 V, the regulator 52 controls
them axially and ensures sealing. If need be, one may closure of the valve.
 4,746,808
5 6
A portable generating set such as described above has (ii) a turbine wheel being mounted on a shaft and
been found to be utilizable with very hydraulic pres rotating in air within said body, said turbine
sures, comprised between 1 and 7 bars, while providing wheel having a plurality of blades;
electric power comprised between 100 and 300 W. One (iii) an annular distribution chamber located within
has mesured an overall efficiency of about 50%, with said body and being arranged substantially coaxi
partial efficiencies of 65 to 68% for the Pelton turbine, ally with said turbine wheel, said annular distri
80 to 85% for the generator with permanent magnets (8 bution chamber being in communication with
said water inlet, said annular distribution cham
poles) and 85 to 90% for the rectifier and the control ber having a wall, said wall having a plurality of
device. With only 5 bars pressure, the set was capable of 10 openings facing said turbine wheel;
feeding ten fluorecent lamps of 13 W. (iv) a flow control valve in said water inlet for
The construction described above allows a portable controlling the water flow rate entering said
generating set of very small dimensions and slight turbine;
weight to be realized. In particular, the turbine 10 fabri (v) a plurality of injectors, each injector compris
cated entirely of synthetic material and is much lighter 15 ing a tubular member fitted into one of said plu
than a gasoline engine of equivalent power. In addition, rality of openings and having an open end to
it is not necessary to transport or to store a reserve of generate a water jet directed onto said blades of
fuel. said turbine wheel;
Such a generating set is utilizable everywhere where 20 (b)said an electric generator having a shaft connected to
turbine wheel; and
a source of water under pressure is available and evi (c) an output power regulating device comprising an
dently a water discharge. For example, it may be electronic regulator electrically connected to a
branched to a tap in a bathroom or a kitchen, without its power output of said generator set and electric
operation causing any hinderance to the occupants of actuating means adapted to control said flow con
the building. On the outside, it may be connected for 25 trol valve.
example to a garden tap, a fire hydrant or any other 2. Generator set according to claim 1, characterized
outlet of pressure water supply mains. The set may in that each injector is formed of a straight tube com
likewise be connected to a fixed or provisional water prising at its rear end an external holding flange.
catching installed in a stream, particularly in the moun 3. Generator set according to claim 2, characterized
tains, provided that a sufficient drop is available be 30 in that each injector is a straight cylindrical tube pro
: tween the water outlet and the set to ensure a sufficient vided with an axial conduit comprising two successive
pressure. For example, with a flow rate of 1 1/s at a sections of different diameters, namely an inlet section
pressure of 4 bars, the hydraulic power available is 400 and an ejection section, the ejection section having the
W, of which about one half may be converted to electri 35 form of a cylinder whose diameter is substantially
smaller than the diameter or diameters of the inlet sec
cal energy by the portable generating set. These values tions.
are only given by way of example; it is evident that a 4. Generator set according to claim 3, characterized
generating group according to the invention may like in that said ejection section has a length at least equal to
wise be designed to utilize a substantially greater hy twice its diameter.
draulic power. 40 5. Generator set according to claim 1, characterized
In addition to the fact that one disposes of a source of in that the walls of the annular distirbution chamber are
water under pressure of several bars in practically all formed of two elements and which together constitute
inhabited places, the generating set according to the the body of the turbine.
invention has the advantage of being able to operate 45 6. Generator set according to claim 5, characterized
automatically during long periods, without necessitat in that are the body, the injectors and the wheel of the
ing controls, fueling and maintenance operations. It is turbine 7.
made of molded synthetic material.
Generator set according to claim 1, characterized
silent, clean and without danger. That is why it is like in that the electric generator is of the low voltage a.c.
wise advantageous for supplying consumers who are type, coupled to a rectifier to deliver an output current
remote from electric supply mains, for example, an 50 at a low substantially continuous voltage.
isolated building, lighting up a building site or a tempo 8. Generator set according to claim 7, characterized
rary installation, for maintaining the charge of a battery in that the electric generator is of the multphase syn
of accumulators, etc. chronous type with permanent magnet.
The present invention is not limited to the embodi 9. Generators set according to claim 7, characterized
ments described above, but it extends to all modifica 55 in that the control device comprises an electronic regu
tions or variants obvious to a person skilled in the art. lating block arranged to actuate the motor of the con
The alternator may in particular have another number trol valve as a function of the continuous output voltage
of the set.
of phases than three or be replaced by a d.c. generator, 10. Generators set according to claim 1, character
provided with an adequate control device. ized in that said generator set comprises a housing pro
I claim:
1. a portable hydroelectric generator set comprising: vided with a carrying handle and containing at least the
(a) a hydraulically multi-jet Pelton type turbine in turbine, the generator and the control device.
cluding: 11. Generator set according to claim 1, wherein said
injectors are removable.
(i) a body having a water inlet for connection to a 65 12. Generator set according to claim 1, wherein said
source of water under pressure and a water dis electric generator is mounted outside said turbine body.
charge conduit;
 UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
PATENT NO. : 4,746,808
DATED : May 24, 1988 Page l of 2
INVENTOR(S) : Charles KAESER
It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent is hereby
corrected as shown below:

In the Abstract line 13 insert ---, --- after

"reliable".
At column l, line - 5 insert --- a--- after "to"
and before "portable". ,
At column l, line l3, insert ---, --- after
"example".
At column l, line l9, change "advanta gees" to
---advantages----.
At column l, line 3l, change "waterflow" to ---
water flow---. .
At column l, line 47 change "this" to ---the---.
At column l, line 5l, insert --- and in all
inhabited places, this assembly being designed in a
particularly--- after "permanently".
At column - 2 line 35, change "..." to ------.
At column 3 line 32, insert ------- after
"dimensions". X
At column 3, line 32, change "as" to ---As---.
At column 4 line 67, insert ---li init--- after
upper"
At column 5, line 2, insert ---varied--- after
"very" d
At column 5 line 5, change "mesured" to ---
measured---
At column 5 line lO, change "fluorecent" to ---
fluorescent---.
At column 5 line 25, insert ------ after
"connected".
 UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
PATENT NO. : 4,746,808 Page 2 of 2
DATED May 24, 1988
INVENTOR(S) : Charles KAESER
It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent is hereby :
Corrected as shown below:

At column 5 line 26, insert ---, --- after

"exalaple".
At column 5, line 6l, i.e., at claim l r line l. r
change "a" to ---A---.
At column 5, line 62, i.e. at claim l line 2
change "hydraulically" to --- hydraulic---.
At column 6 line 4l , i.e. at clai in 5 line 2
change "distirbution" to ---distribution----
At column 6 line 42, i.e. at clai(n 5 line 3
delete "and".

Signed and Sealed this

Nineteenth Day of June, 1990

Attest:

HARRY F. MANBECK, JR.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks