Patent Application
20170276120
The present invention relates to an energy generation and accumulation system. More particularly, the invention relates to a unitized portable energy and accumulation system that generates and stores power.
Due to the worlds increased demand for greater energy efficiency, reduced energy consumption and CO2 emissions the need for renewable energy has grown exponentially. In fact, it has developed into one of the most widely discussed topics between nations on the planet. As a result of this increased public interest and demand for greater energy efficiency, it would be beneficial to provide an energy generating device that has the ability to create and store power with input from readily available natural sources. Consequently, the present invention provides an energy generating and storage system that makes use of the natural winds generated on the planet's surface. Additionally, it would be advantageous to provide a portable energy and accumulation system that may be moved from one location to another in order to make use of these natural winds to generate and store the electrical energy. The present invention contemplates these and other such advantageous energy and accumulation systems.
Embodiments of the disclosure may include an energy and accumulation system that provides:
a housing having a first portion and a second portion, the second portion being environmentally sealed from the first portion, the first portion having an air inlet portion and an air outlet portion, the second portion having first and second sealed compartments,
a power generation device providing;
an air catching device mounted in a vertical direction and disposed within the first portion, the air catching device for creating an axial rotational force on a first end of a shaft coupled to the air catching device,
a generator connected to a second end of the shaft, the generator being mounted in the first enclosed sealed compartment and for creating an electrical output based on the air catching device's axial velocity of rotation, and
an accumulator disposed within the second sealed compartment, the accumulator for storing the electrical output of the generator,
electronics disposed within the second sealed compartment, the electronics for receiving and controlling and conditioning the output energy of the generator, wherein
the output energy of the generator is compatible with a level required by the accumulator, and wherein
the energy generation and accumulation system is capable of charging the accumulator by way of the air that passes across the air catching device and through the first portion both while the energy and accumulation system is in motion and while stationary.
In a first aspect of the present invention, the air catching device provides a plurality of air catching devices and the generator provides a plurality of generators connected to the plurality of air catching devices respectively by a plurality of shafts.
In a second aspect of the present invention, the energy and accumulation system may be mounted to the roof of an electrically powered vehicle.
In another aspect of the present invention, the energy and accumulation system is a portable, unitized system that is capable of being moved from one location to another.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the accumulator is at least one of a storage capacitor and a car battery.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the housing is aerodynamically designed in order to minimize wind resistance.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a front width (FW) of the energy and accumulation system is wider than a rear width (RW) of the system.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the front width (FW) of the housing gradually tapers towards the rear width (RW) of the energy and accumulation system.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a difference in air pressure is realized at the narrow rear of the first portion.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the accumulator is electrically connected to a vehicle's primary battery.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the electronics includes a controller, rectifier and an inverter.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the air catching device is a turbine that provides at least two blades mounted thereon.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the generator creates an output that is capable of charging the accumulator when rotated in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a minimum air velocity required to flow across the air catching device in order to generate energy is 11 miles per hour.
In a final aspect of the present invention, the output of the generator is increased by a factor of 4 when the electrically powered vehicle moves at a minimum speed between 40-50 miles per hour.
The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise. In addition, it should be noted that a wire, electrical contact, electrical connector, etc., could be used as the form of electrical communication between internal device components.
For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “rear”, “right”, “front”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in
An aerodynamic energy and accumulation system 100 shown mounted to a roof rack 105 is illustrated in
The aerodynamic energy generation and accumulation system 100 provides a housing 10 that includes a first portion 20. The first portion 20 is then mounted on top of a second portion 30. The second portion 30 is environmentally sealed from the first portion 20. Insuring an environmental seal between the two portions 20, 30 is necessary in order to keep moisture and contaminates from damaging the internal components stored within the second portion 30. Examples of contaminates may include, but are not limited to bugs, dirt, soil, dust, sand, grime and mud. The environmental seal could be a hermetic seal by being for example, welded or epoxied together. The environmental seal could be a tongue and groove fit with the tongue extending upwards from the second portion 30 into the groove developed into the first portion 20 (or vice versa).
Referring now to
Referring now to
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
In
As air passes through the first portion 20 an axial rotational force is created on a first end 83 of a shaft 85. This is accomplished by virtue of the air/wind acting on the at least one air catching device 80. The generator 90 is mounted in the first enclosed sealed compartment 50 and creates an electrical output 95 based on the air catching device's axial velocity of rotation.
There is shown in
So, in theory any output voltage could be selected DC or AC and at any desired level. Therefore, an inverter could be used to invert a DC voltage output from the energy and storage system to an AC output. In the end, the electronics insures that the output energy of the generator is suitable to be received and stored by the accumulator for each application.
In the present embodiment, the accumulator may provide 2 or more accumulators that are electrically connected to the vehicle's primary 12 volt battery. Here, the output energy of the generator will be configured to be compatible with the level required to charge the car battery. In another embodiment, the accumulator may be a large capacity storage capacitor designed to sufficiently retain the energy output from the generator and then be transmitted to the vehicles primary 12 volt Battery. In an alternate embodiment, a plurality of accumulators or batteries could be provided within the energy and accumulation system. In yet another embodiment, the vehicle could provide a plurality of batteries that are charged by the energy and accumulation systems accumulator.
It should be well noted that the energy generation and accumulation system 100 is capable of charging the accumulator 120 both while the energy and accumulation system 100 is in motion and while stationary. This is because air in the form of wind is normally generated by the motion of the earth and by the varying temperatures on its surface. When the energy and accumulation system is stationary, this wind will drive the energy and accumulation system to create and store energy with no other input energy required. So, in a sense, this stored energy is obtained essentially at no cost. The minimum air velocity that is required to flow within and through the air catching device in order to generate power is approximately 11 miles per hour. However, the output of the generator is increased by a factor of four when the electrically powered vehicle moves at a speed between 40-50 miles per hour.
The generator provided within the energy generation and accumulation system is capable of charging the accumulator when rotated in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Here, the amplitude of the AC output voltage remains the same, but the polarity of the generator output reverses. This is not a problem because the controller of the present invention is designed to sense the reverse in polarity and then control the rectifier to adjust for the change. Therefore, if the direction of the wind reverses and flows in through the air outlet portion instead of the air inlet portion, the energy generation and accumulation system will still generate and store the power generated.
As an example of the present inventions capabilities and value, if a vehicle having the energy and accumulation system mounted thereon is driven to the beach, as long as the vehicle exceeded a speed of 11 miles per hour during the trip, free stored energy will be generated and stored. Additionally, if the energy and accumulation system is removed from the vehicle and placed on the beach/sand, as long as the velocity of the wind exceeds 11 miles per hour free energy will be generated and stored. The stored energy in the form of electrical power may be used to run an electric vehicle. Alternately, the energy and accumulation system may be connected to an external step up inverter to run any type of 115 Volt AC 15 Amp device desired. As an example, wouldn't be nice to obtain free power and be able to run (for example) a refrigerator, a hot plate or microwave on the beach, without the gasoline smell from a generator.
Since many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalence.
