System and method for reducing the downstream environmental impact of water extracted from a hydraulic dam

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for reducing the environmental impact caused downstream by water extracted from a hydraulic dam which includes a floating structure in the surface water, connected to the water inlet of a tube and designed to float in the surface water, and a water outlet of the tube connectable to a feed gate in the retaining wall of the dam; the tube being designed to be adapted to various levels of the surface water in which the floating structure floats without preventing the flow of surface water through the tube, and the system allowing the performance of the method according to the present invention, all this in the event that there is in the dam a hydroelectric power station, without loss of power therein.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention is comprised in the technical field of environmental technologies and, particularly, of the environmental technologies intended to reduce the environmental impact caused by hydraulic dams, with or without hydroelectric use, in a water stream, particularly, a water stream downstream of such dams.BACKGROUND[0002]A hydraulic dam refers to a wall manufactured with stone, concrete or loose materials, which is constructed in a ravine or gorge on a river, creek or canal, for the purpose of containing the water in the fluvial bed for its subsequent use. It can be used to increase its level for the purpose of diverting it to pipelines for watering, supply or irrigation, avenue control, etc. or for electric energy production upon transforming the potential energy of the storage into kinetic energy. This kinetic energy will be again transformed into mechanical energy when the force of the water operates a mobile element. When this mechanical energy is...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0031]The invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior state of the art detailed above by means of a system and a method for reducing the downstream environmental impact of water extracted from a hydraulic dam comprising at least one upstream dammed water intake conduit with a water inlet and a water outlet which can be connected to a gate of the retaining wall of a dam.

[0044]On the other hand, the method for reducing the downstream environmental impact of water extracted from a hydraulic dam is wherein it comprises extracting only surface water and directing the surface water to the feed gate of the retaining wall of the hydraulic dam by means of one or more embodiments of the system defined above.

[0046]Therefore, by means of the present invention, similar temperature, oxygenation and turbidity conditions can be assured in the surface water upstream and downstream of the dam, while at the same time, in the event that there is hydroelectric production, the electric power produced does not decrease, in view of the fact that the present invention allows sizing through the design and sizing of the tube or tubes and no type of energy consumption is performed, nor is it necessary to perform substantial constructive modifications in already existing dams or in newly constructed dams, all this with a highly simple structure formed by elements which can be manufactured and assembled with conventional technologies.

[0052]all this with a system which can be easily installed and uninstalled in a relatively short time (30 min), in a manual manner by a single person and without providing electric energy, there even being the possibility of providing the system with automatic installing and uninstalling means.

Problems solved by technology

There is a surface layer at a higher temperature than the layer immediately below it and, evidently, than the deepest layer, the temperature difference between the top and bottom layer being able to reach +13° C. Said thermal gradient does not occur in winter and autumn periods, in which the surface layer of water is colder, close to the temperature existing in the deepest layers.Degree of oxygenation: This problem results from the stratification occurring in the dammed water, described above, and consists of the fact that the lower layers have a very reduced oxygen content.

In the case of water for human consumption, turbidity gives rise to more complex physicochemical water treatments, in addition to the latent risk of causing health problems for the consumers of such water.

However, this document does not describe a system assuring the maintenance of the electric power in a hypothetical hydroelectric power station, nor does it explain the form of operation in the dam in relation to anchors of the system, assembly and disassembly thereof, etc.

Although this system considers the intake of surface water and the resolution of the environmental impact caused by the dams, it has the problem of requiring a system of gates to mix surface water with deep water.

However, this document also does not describe a system assuring the maintenance of the electric power in a hypothetical hydroelectric power station, nor does it explain the form of operation in the dam in relation to anchors of the system, assembly and disassembly thereof, etc.

Nevertheless, although the purpose is to feed the gates of the dam with surface water, it is not known if said system affects the electric production, if any, or if it affects the physicochemical conditions of the downstream water.

But, as has been stated, it still uses deep water with the environmental drawbacks that this entails, as described above.

Nevertheless, some of these solutions only improve the oxygenation of the water downstream of the dam by means of devices installed in the dam itself and others, although they take surface water upstream of the dam, require this surface water to be mixed with deep water for a correct operation.

Furthermore, the different patents mentioned do not describe the different elements or devices necessary for the installation of the system, nor those used to uninstall it (in the event that it is necessary in risk situations).

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