Patent Application
20180023547
A power generation system, in accordance with various embodiments, has a wind turbine connected to a controller with at least one blade connected to an electrical generator. A pressure vessel is pneumatically connected to at least one nozzle that is attached proximal the wind turbine. A compressor is connected to the pressure vessel and the controller so that the compressor is operated via electricity produced by the electrical generator. At least one solar panel that is positioned proximal the at least one nozzle cleans a solar panel with compressed air from the pressure vessel in response to the controller.
Assorted embodiments of the present disclosure are generally directed to structures and methods that generate electrical power from multiple different naturally occurring energy sources, such as solar and wind energy.
Although wind and solar harnessing technologies have been respectively utilized in commercial and residential applications, there are a number of inefficiencies that plague the conversion of natural energy to electrical energy. For example, a solar collecting panel can become dirty and/or damaged over time and wind turbines can only generate electricity at specific wind speed ranges, which degrades the percentage of potential energy that can be converted to electricity by the respective technologies. It is contemplated that electricity generated by a wind turbine can be used by a gas compressor to pressurize gas, such as air, that can subsequently be used to increase the efficiency of the wind turbine. Pressurized air may further be used in combination with solar panels to provide an optimized hybrid power generation system that concurrently, or individually, converts wind and solar energy to electricity.
Accordingly, a hybrid power generation system can be arranged with a wind turbine working in concert with a pressure vessel and at least one solar panel to increase the conversion efficiency of the solar panel as well as the electricity-generating wind speed range of the wind turbine. The use of a pneumatic nozzle can allow a hybrid power generation system to clean a solar panel, move a solar panel, deploy a solar panel, and move portions of a wind turbine to enhance the operation, reliability, and longevity of the respective wind and solar energy generation means.
The controller(s) 102/104 can direct energy produced from the turbine generator 108 to a compressor 112 in order to create a volume of pressured gas in one or more pressure vessels 114. The stored gas in the pressure vessel(s) 114 can then be expelled by at least one pneumatic nozzle 116 to alter the operating conditions of the wind turbine 106 and/or the solar panel 110. Pressurized gas may further be used to activate a motor 118, or solenoid, that physically moves, or uncovers portions of the wind turbine 106 and/or solar panel 110.
The controller(s) 102/104 can collect data from one or more sensors, such as temperature, humidity, acoustic, pressure, light, motion, and proximity sensors, in order to make intelligent decisions about when and how to utilize stored pressurized gas. For instance, the local controller 102 can identify from a UV light sensor that solar power generation is optimal and direct pressurized air to clean, uncover, and/or move a solar panel 110 to optimize the conversion of solar energy into electrical energy in a battery 120. The decision to use pressurized air for solar panel optimization can be chosen by the controller 102 in response to collected data instead of using the pressurized gas to alter the wind turbine 106.
The ability to intelligently collect and interpret data collected from an environment allows the wind turbine 106 and solar panel(s) 110 to perform at heightened efficiency compared to configurations where pressurized gas is not intelligently employed. The interpretation of data may further allow pressurized gas to be used to proactively protect portions of the wind turbine 106 and solar panel(s) 110 by moving, or covering, them. For example, a sensor 122 can detect incoming weather and/or flying debris and the controller 102 can use pressurized gas to continuously flow air over the solar panel 110, move the solar panel 110, cover the solar panel 110, and tilt a turbine blade in order to reduce the risk of particles impacting and damaging portions of the wind turbine 106 and solar panel(s) 110.
A pneumatic support system 142 can be incorporated into one or more turbine blades 140. As shown, a pneumatic support system 142 can be positioned on an edge (trailing or leading) of the turbine blade 140 to allow a nozzle to expel compressed air to alter the operation of the wind turbine 132. For example, compressed air can be released by the pneumatic support system 142 to start, slow down, or speed up rotation of the turbine blades 140, which can increase the range of wind speeds that allow the generator to produce electricity. At least a portion of the electricity produced by the generator of the wind turbine 132 can be directed to a local, or remotely located, gas compressor 144 that takes atmospheric air at a low pressure to a higher pressure that is maintained in at least one pressure vessel 146.
A pressure vessel 146 can be any size, shape, material, and location that can maintain an elevated gas pressure, such as above 100 psi, over time. For instance, a pressure vessel 146 may be a rigid tank that is above ground-level 148, a flexible bladder positioned in the tower 136, or a geological formation 150 positioned below ground-level 148, as respectively illustrated solid arrows 152. The compressor 144 may concurrently, or sequentially, pressurize any one, or more, pressure vessel(s) 146 to ensure ample volume of pressurized gas to alter the rotation of the turbine blades 140.
In the non-limiting example shown in
The turbine housing 162 can support any number of separate, or physically connected, solar panels, such as the first 164 and second 166 panels shown attached to opposite sides of the housing 162. The panels 164 and 166 may be attached to the housing 162 permanently or temporarily, such as via magnets or hook-and-loop fasteners, which can allow for removal and replacement of portions of the panels without damaging the housing 162. A cover assembly 168 can be positioned proximal a solar panel 164 to protect the panel from environmental and operational trauma. The cover assembly 168 may be constructed of rigid and/or flexible materials that reduce the risk of projectiles, such as dust, hail, birds, and debris, from damaging the underlying solar panel 164 and any associated electronics.
It is noted that the cover assembly 168 of
It is contemplated that one or more batteries can also store electricity collected from the solar panels 164 and 166 to be used to operate an electric cover assembly motor alone, or in combination with the pneumatic motor 170. Each solar panel 164 and 166 can be electrically connected to a system controller and/or batteries via one or more electrical pathways 176 and nodes 178 that can pass within the blade housing 162 or external to the housing 162. For instance, a turbine blade 160 can be retrofitted with solar panel(s) 164 without modifying the turbine housing 162 by mounting the panel 164 and all associated electrical pathways 176 on the outside of the housing 162. Similarly, one or more air supply line 180 can be positioned external to the turbine housing 162, as shown. The ability to position an air supply line inside (174) or outside (180) the housing 162 enables retrofitting a wind turbine with pneumatic capabilities without penetrating the turbine housing 162.
The supply of compressed air to the turbine blade 160 allows any number of vectoring features 182 to be positioned throughout the turbine housing 162. In some embodiments, vectoring features 182 are positioned proximal a blade tip, distal the wind turbine nacelle, while other embodiments position vectoring features 182 throughout a trailing, or leading, edge of the turbine blade 160. In the non-limiting embodiment shown in
While the number, size, position, and function of vector feature(s) 182 is not limited, at least one nozzle, such as the first nozzle 184, can be positioned proximal a solar panel 164 to allow expelled compressed air to clean the exposed surface(s) of the solar panel 164. The position of a vectoring feature 182 proximal the solar panel 164 may further allow compressed air to be used to protect solar panel 164 from damage by continuously passing compressed air over the solar panel 164. That is, the flow of compressed air over the solar panel 164 can deflect, or slow, debris heading towards the light sensitive portions of the solar panel 164.
The first nozzle 184 may be static and can be complemented by one or more dynamic nozzles 188 that can rotate, tilt, and move to expel compressed air in multiple different directions. The position and direction of the dynamic nozzle 188 can be articulated about the pivot 190 to modify the operation of the turbine blade 160 as well as clean and protect at least one solar panel 166. For example, the pivot 190 may be electrically or pneumatically operated by a controller to point the dynamic nozzle 188 in a direction that slows down or speeds up rotation of the turbine blade 160 around the nacelle and turbine generator. The capability of changing the position of the dynamic nozzle 188 can reduce the overall number of nozzles needed on a turbine blade 160, which can reduce system complexity and aerodynamic drag.
The stored compressed air can be used to pneumatically clean and/or move one or more solar panels 202 to optimize the collection of solar energy. As illustrated, at least one column 214 of solar panels 202 can be rotated relative to other panels 202 via electric or pneumatic motors. The ability to tilt, rotate, and move any one, or more, solar panels 202 can maximize the collection of solar energy as the sun travels throughout the day. Moving solar panel(s) 202 may further allow one or more pneumatic nozzles to efficiently clean dust, dirt, and debris from the light sensitive portions of the solar panels 202, as opposed to static panels that would need at least one nozzle per panel.
The door motor 228 may also articulate the solar panel 230, such a along the Z axis to a plane external to the nacelle housing 222. However, some embodiments employ a separate panel motor 236 that pneumatically, or electrically, moves the solar panel 230. Regardless of how the solar panel 230 is moved, a system controller can dictate that the panel 230 tilts, as shown by segmented position 238, and/or extends, as shown by segmented portion 240. In the event the solar panel 230 extends with portion 240, the solar panel 230 may have an overall light collecting length 242, along the X axis, that is greater than the door opening length 244. The expansion of a solar panel 230 can take advantage of optimal solar conditions without jeopardizing the solar panel 230, such as with windy conditions, the presence of birds, or the presence of flying debris.
It is noted that
A flowchart of an example hybrid power generation routine 250 is provided in
While compressed air can be stored for any amount of time, various embodiments employ the compressed air. Decision 256 evaluates and determines if a risk is present to the wind turbine or a solar panel proximal the wind turbine. A risk may be predicted, such as wind or hail, or sensed via at least one sensor, such as the presence of birds. A risk can prompt a controller to activate at least one nozzle in step 258 to expel compressed gas over at least a solar panel. In some embodiments, compressed air is used in step 258 to operate a animal repellant, such as a whistle and/or sonic device. It is contemplated that step 258 can utilize compressed air to operate one or more vibrating vanes on, or around, the turbine blades to deter birds from flying proximal the wind turbine. The ability to selectively activate bird deterring elements can be important since there are some sites that turbines are not used due to the delicate bird population or migration channels. Hence, the pneumatic capabilities of a wind turbine can proactively predict, or reactively sense, the presence of birds and activate at least one deterring countermeasure to prevent harm to the birds or any portion of the wind turbine, including the turbine blades and solar panels.
The expelled compressed gas in step 258 may also pass over portions of the turbine blade(s) to protect them from damage. Moving air can also be used to activate an alarm in step 258 to deter animals, such as bugs and birds, from flying close to the wind turbine. At the conclusion of the predicted or sensed risk, or in the event no risk is present, routine 250 decides whether or not to move portions of the hybrid power generation system in decision 260, such as a solar panel and/or turbine blade. A determination that something is to be moved advances to step 262 where expelled compressed gas is used to operate a pneumatic motor to articulate a solar panel and/or a turbine blade. For example, a solar panel may be extended or tilted or a turbine blade may be sped up or slowed down as a result of passing compressed gas out of a nozzle or into a motor.
At some time after portions of a power generation system are moved, or if no movement is called for from decision 260, step 262 expels compressed gas from a local pressure vessel to clean at least one solar panel. The solar panel may be located on a turbine nacelle, on the ground, or on a turbine blade. It is noted that the cleaning of a solar panel may involve activation of a cleaning liquid nozzle, which can dispense an emulsifying cleaner that allows moving compressed air to more efficiently clean the solar panel than liquid or moving air alone.
It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of various embodiments of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of various embodiments of the invention, this detailed description is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of structure and arrangements of parts within the principles of the present invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. For example, the particular elements may vary depending on the particular application without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
