HYDRAULIC ENERGY RECOVERING UNIT

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hydraulic energy recovering device capable of efficiently recovering hydraulic energy from river streams. SOLUTION: This hydraulic energy recovering unit 10 is configured, as a unit, of a water wheel 11 and an accelerating flow passage 12 for introducing water into the water wheel 11 by accelerating the water. The accelerating flow passage 12 has a flow passage structure to introduce flowing water into the water wheel 11 by accelerating the flowing water, and is provided with a narrow part 14 as a means for accelerating the flowing water. An upstream intake port 15 on the accelerating flow passage 12 has a water receiving area larger than that of the water wheel 11, and the narrow part 14 is formed by arranging both side walls 16, 17 of the flow passage 12 to have a V-shape, such that a gap between the both side walls 16, 17 becomes gradually narrower from the upstream side to the down stream side. The hydraulic energy recovering unit 10 takes in part of a stream from the upstream intake port 15 and gradually accelerates the flowing water in the narrow part 14. Due to this, hydraulic energy per unit is increased, and large hydraulic energy acts by a water receiving surface of the water wheel 11. Accordingly, large hydraulic energy can be recovered. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI