RUNNER FOR A TIDAL POWER PLANT AND TIDAL POWER PLANT COMPRISING SUCH A RUNNER
A runner for a tidal power plant, comprising a hub body provided with openings for receiving blades, individual rotating means for rotating each blade with respect to the hub body, around an axis that is perpendicular to a rotation axis of the runner. The rotating means include at least one linear servomotor or an electric motor capable of rotating a corresponding blade independently of the other blades, over an angle superior or equal to 180° around its axis.
1 . A runner for a tidal power plant, comprising:
a hub body provided with openings configured to receive blades;
an individual rotating means configured to rotate each blade with respect to the hub body, around an axis that is perpendicular to a rotation axis of the runner,
wherein the rotating means include at least one of a linear servomotor or an electric motor capable of rotating a corresponding blade independently of the other blades, over an angle superior or equal to 180° around its axis.
2 . The runner according to claim 1 , wherein the blade includes a blade airfoil arranged on an external side of the hub body and a blade lever that is arranged on an internal side of the hub body and that is fixed to the blade airfoil; and
the blade airfoil bears against the outer surface of the hub body and the blade lever bears against the inner surface of the hub body.
3 . The runner according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating means further comprise:
two linear servomotors for each blade, each linear servomotor having a fixed part which is fixed with respect to the hub body and a moving part; and
two rods for each blade, the rods connecting the blade with the moving parts of the two servomotors.
4 . The runner according to claim 3 , wherein the rods are connected to the blade lever.
5 . The runner according to claim 3 , wherein the rods are articulated at both ends, respectively on the end of the linear servomotor moving part and on the blade.
6 . The runner according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating means further comprise:
one linear servomotor for each blade, each linear servomotor having a fixed part which is fixed with respect to the hub bod and a moving part; and
a rack which is fixed to the moving part of the linear servomotor and which engages a geared pinion that is fixed with respect to the blade and that is centered on the rotation axis of the blade.
7 . The runner according to claim 3 , wherein each linear servomotor extends parallel to the rotation axis of the runner.
8 . The runner according to claim 3 , wherein the moving part of each linear servomotor is a piston moving inside a housing forming the fixed part.
9 . The runner according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating means include a motor and a geared pinion for each blade.
10 . The runner according to claim 9 , wherein the geared pinion is fixed with respect to the blade lever and centered on its rotation axis.
11 . The runner according to claim 1 , wherein the runner further comprises a locking mechanism for blocking the orientation of the blades in two angular operative positions.
12 . The runner according to claim 11 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a retractable locking pin mounted on the hub body.
13 . The runner according to claim 12 , wherein the locking pin is configured to engage a recess formed in the blade lever for blocking the rotation of the blade.
14 . The runner according to claim 12 , wherein the locking mechanism is configured to move the locking pin between a releasing position and a locking position.
15 . A tidal power plant, comprising a runner according to claim 1 .
16 . A tidal power plant, comprising a runner according to claim 14 .
17 . The runner according to claim 2 , wherein the rotating means further comprise:
two linear servomotors for each blade, each linear servomotor having a fixed part which is fixed with respect to the hub body and a moving part; and
two rods for each blade, the rods connecting the blade with the moving parts of the two servomotors.
18 . The runner according to claim 2 , wherein the rods are connected to the blade lever.
19 . The runner according to claim 4 , wherein the rods are articulated at both ends, respectively on the end of the linear servomotor moving part and on the blade.
20 . The runner according to claim 2 , wherein the rotating means further comprise:
one linear servomotor for each blade, each linear servomotor having a fixed part which is fixed with respect to the hub bod and a moving part; and
a rack which is fixed to the moving part of the linear servomotor and which engages a geared pinion that is fixed with respect to the blade and that is centered on the rotation axis of the blade.