1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns converting pressure variations into electrical energy through the agency of hydraulic and/or mechanical devices and more particularly concerns the various causes or pressure variations and how their energy may be more efficiently converted into electrical energy.
2. Prior Art
Piezoelectric inventions convert pressure variations directly into electrical energy but their efficiency is very low and charging piezoelectric material is expensive.
Bourdon tubes that transmit power have been proposed. See my U.S. Pat. No. 6,781,253. But the use of the invention is restricted to surface and subsurface ocean wave energy or the input. Wind and subsurface ocean currents are examples of types or energy input for this invention. They possess mechanical energy. The two relevant components of mechanical energy are pressure energy and kinetic energy. Up to now only some few efforts have been made to convert the pressure-energy o these two fluids into electrical energy. Yet the pressure energy of these two fluids as they naturally occur is far greater than their kinetic energy. Hydroelectric turbine generators are a prime example of devices which convert pressure energy into electrical energy. A pressure head is artificially built up in differentiation with the pressure of the surrounding atmosphere. Theoretical power output is calculated as this pressure difference multiplied by the rate of flow.
The relevant technology for converting the pressure energy of the wind into electrical energy is U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,419 to Roskey. Pressure energy is converted to kinetic energy by using a Venturi flume with the kinetic energy compounded with the use of a manifold. The manifold lies outside the Venturi flume so the advantage of using a manifold is minimized since pipe friction can be very great unless large pipes are used.
For converting the pressure energy of subsurface ocean currents into electrical energy the U.S. patent most relevant to this invention is U.S. Pat. No. 6,568,181 to Hassard et. al. Here an airflow is drawn through an air turbine ashore from a pipe to an offshore Venturi tube's throat, as may be observed with a manometer. The speed of the current as it is accellerated through the throat determines the speed of the airflow. But to avoid large energy glosses through the airpipe due to friction a large and expensive pipe is needed.
A live load is defined in this invention as any load causing variations in pressure through time on the walls of a chamber (a closed pipe) of working fluid. These walls may be impacted through the action of wind, waves, ocean currents, fuel explosion, or moving an automobile over the chamber directly or indirectly, among other causes. Concerning wind and wave action, specific structures are presented to improve the efficiency of converting pressure energy from these sources into electrical energy in a more efficient manner.
More specifically these structures as they relate to wind comprise a tear-shaped object oriented so its blunt end is made to face the oncoming current. The object is in two separate portions, the division being on a plane through the object's widest diameter each called an anterior dome and a posterior cone. There is sufficient structure to unite the separate parts of the object together. Through the center of the anterior dome is a hole and near this hole is a tube leading to a pressure-energy converting apparatus elsewhere. As wind flows past this tear-drop shaped object wind tends to be drawn through this hole at high velocity and out between the rims of the anterior and posterior portions of the object at the prevailing current velocity due to lifting force.
This object is a form of diverging nozzle arranged to reduce pressure in the tube to make an energy sink. The energy used to make the sink is converted into electrical energy by a Bourdon tube or similar-acting structure geared to be made to operate an electric generator. The described object is modified for use of subsurface ocean currents as a working fluid by making the posterior portion like the anterior portion. Thus the invention need not be revolved to face an oppositely flowing current and has no moving parts below the waterline. Ashore, the tube is made conduct pressure to or from the Bourdon tube or similar-acting structure. The action of the Bourdon tube or similar-acting structure is made to operate a gear transmission add electric generator.
If the walls of the reservoir are to be impacted by the action of ocean surface or internal waves then the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 6,781,253 is used, but substituting for a Bourdon tube a similar-acting structure.
The invention is also applied to operate internal combustion engines and elevators more efficiently. In one embodiment a Bourdon tube or similar-acting structure is operated to produce electric power when a piston of an internal combustion engine is made to move. This movement alternately pressurizes and depressurizes a body of working fluid such as water which is connected to a Bourdon tube or similar-acting structure. The body of water is in the form of a completely enclosed filled chamber of water. One wall is moveable but barely is moved because the bulk modulus of elasticity of water is very high. The moveable wall also defines a wall of a combustion chamber. As the wall barely moves the operation of the engine is barely impaired. The Bourdon tube or similar-acting structure is made to drive gears, ratchets and pawls to operate an electric generator. In another embodiment Bourdon tube or similar acting structure is used to produce electric power when the movement of a piston within a piston cylinder causes a flow of air in front of the piston and behind it. An inlet tube for a Bourdon tube or similar acting structure is led through the wall of the piston cylinder. The flow of air through the piston cylinder caused by the movement of the piston causes a reduction of pressure in the Bourdon tube or similar-acting structure, due to the Bernouilli Effect. The pressure in the Bourdon tube or similar-acting structure is made to vary when the piston is made to move back and forth in it's cylinder.
The first aim of the invention is to show how to convert pressure energy into electrical energy. The new structures introduced move minimally, reducing friction loss and increasing system efficiency as will be explained in each preferred embodiment.
The second aim of the invention is to utilize pressure energy as much as possible to convert the energy in live loads into electricity. Pressure energy is at present underutilized.
a. show perspective views of devices which are alternatives to using a Bourdon tube.
a shows a modified version of this diverging nozzle.
a is a cross-sectional view of a device as in
Turning to
Pipe 6 is made to open into the end of Bourdon tube 11 which is fixedly attached to support 15. The moveable end of Bourdon tube 11 is fixed to gear 12 axially mounted on shaft 14 and supported by supports 15,16. Meshing with gear 12 is gear 17 mounted on driveshaft 26. Pawl 10 is operatively attached to gear 17. Ratchet 19 is fixed to shaft 26. Supports 15,16 also is made to support shaft 25. Gear 18 with operatively attached pawl 22 is mounted on shaft 25. Ratchet 21 is fixedly attached to shaft 25. Ratchet 21 and pawl 22 are set to be made to operate in the opposite direction from ratchet 19 and pawl 10 operatively attached to gear 17. Axially attached to driveshaft 26 is gear 23 which is located to mesh with gear 29. which is axially attached to shaft 25. The working fluid for Bourdon tube 11 is assumed to be water. Fixedly attached to support 15 is closed pipe 13 which is made to enclose Bourdon tube 11. Closed pipe 13 is attached to a face of gear 12 by a slideable seal 13a so as gear 12 is made to revolve the working fluid in closed pipe 13 will be retained. Entry tube 5 is located to supply pressure to the working fluid within closed pipe 13.
In operation pressure variations on the working fluid in Bourdon tube 11 and closed pipe 13 causes gear 12 to be rotated back and forth. Due to the actions of the aforementioned gears 12,17,23,29 and ratchets 19,21 and pawls 10,22 driveshaft 26 is made to rotate in only one direction regardless of the direction gear 12 is made to rotate. Proper gear ratios increase the velocity of succeeding gear pairs. Driveshaft 26 thus is made to operate generator 27.
Turning to
As an alternative to using Bourdon tubes another basic structure of the invention is presented. Referring to
In
The above basic structures are used with those preferred embodiments where the incoming pressure is not magnified. But in some preferred embodiments the incoming pressure may be magnified and the pressure variation must be artificially regulated to operate a generator. Thus a substitute structure for that shown in
Turning to
In operation, as working fluid passes around the tear-drop shape 39,40 some of this working fluid is pulled through hole 43 and out space 42 with secondary dome 44 serving as a further guide to the working fluid.
Magnifying the energy input also magnifies the variation in input. To regulate the input, we turn to
In operation, as vehicles or people traverse the roadway pressure variations on chamber 49 cause electric power to be produced with minimal displacement of the asphalt.
In operation pressure on sail 54 causes pole 52 to sway and act as a lever, activating the conversion machinery and producing electricity. Instead of a sail 54, pole 52 may be connected to a tree which would act as a sail 54. See
Within the scope of this embodiment the pole 52, joint 53 and sail 54 may be affixed to the bottom of an ocean to collect the pressure energy of subsurface ocean currents. Tubes 5,6 may be extended to shore and the rest of the conversion machinery located ashore. See also
In
In operation, as the mass of container 61 and its contents acquire a different momentum than the vehicle frame due to the impact of live loads the machinery of the invention is activated to convert pressure energy into electrical energy. The contents of container 61 may be fuel, a battery, or cargo.
In
In operation, as hull 64 is made to hog or rack the appropriate cables 66 are stretched, activating the conversion machinery of the invention to produce electrical energy. These cables will substitute for some of the usual stiffening structure of hull 64.
Turning to
In operation, as cable 70 is stretched and alternately relaxed by the passage of live loads on bridge 67 the conversion machinery is activated, producing electrical energy.
Referring to part of
In addition through the use of the Bernouilli Effect and within the confines of this Sixth Preferred Embodiment the operation of an elevator can be made to produce an auxiliary amount of electrical energy. In
In operation, as counterweight 89 is made to move up an down at different rates of speed, pressure differences are transmitted as noted.
This regards applying the invention to converting wind energy into electrical energy in a way different from the Second Preferred Embodiment. In
In operation, passing wind causes Bourdon tube 11 or piston 30 to be alternately pressurized and depressurized, causing electrical energy to be produced.
In this Embodiment there is shown (
Support 99 supports the apparatus of
Valve 45 is made to alternately open and close pipes 6,6a as the invention is designed to convert pressure variations into electricity.
Pipes 6,6a. a are led into an onshore excavation 101 and, past valve 45 are jointly made to end horizontally as Bourdon tube 102 or piston 30. Three-way valve 45 may be revolved and pressure from tube 103 alternates with the pressure in pipe 6,6a.
This operates rack 104 and piston 105. U-tube 106 is full of water. Piston 107 is thus made to operate the racks of mechanical converter 97 as described in U.S. Pat. No. 25,550 thus operating generator 109 in a single direction. It should be pointed out that the structure of mechanical converter 97 is parallel to the structure taught by U.S. Pat. No. 25,550 in that there will be output regardless of the pressure differences involved. To continue, In
Because the pressure differences in the Seventh Preferred Embodiment may be small the volume of water or other working fluid in chamber 31 will be large relative to the size of piston 30 so the travel distance of piston 30 is conveniently increased.
This regards converting ocean wave energy into electricity. Turning to
In operation, surface waves cause buoyant cylinder 115 to tend to move up and down. Moved downwards, pressure in pipe 6 is increased as piston 113 is made to tend to move downwards. If cylinder 115 is made to tend to move upwards pressure in pipe 6 is decreased. This reciprocal action operated electrical generator 27 ashore.
The structure of this embodiment follows U.S. Pat. No. 6,781,253 but is meant to be used in the present invention with the onshore structure of
From the above description it is apparent that the preferred embodiments acheive the objects of the present invention. Alternative embodiments and various modifications of the depicted embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts.
Prior applications Ser. No. 10/792,148 filed Mar. 4, 2004, Ser. No. 10/838,737 filed May 5, 2004 Which is a Continuation-In-Part of application Ser. No. 10/742,983, filed Dec. 23, 2003, and Ser. No. 10/872,596 filed Jun. 22, 2004 are abandoned. This application is a Continuation-In-Part of the above applications.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 10742983 | Dec 2003 | US |
Child | 11090568 | Mar 2005 | US |
Parent | 10792148 | Mar 2004 | US |
Child | 11090568 | Mar 2005 | US |
Parent | 10872596 | Jun 2004 | US |
Child | 11090568 | Mar 2005 | US |