Patent Application
20100013233
Around 3000 BC man was capturing energy from the wind to pump water for irrigation and to grind grain. Both the Chinese and the Persians built vertical shaft wind systems to provide the energy needed to perform these tasks. The Persians even built a simple shroud to prevent the wind from hitting the back side of their vertical blades so as to extract the maximum energy from the wind. This inventor simply applied geometric and aerodynamic principles to the design of the vertical shaft and 360 degree shroud immeasurably increasing its efficiency and ability to extract energy in volume rather than simply in a cross section of the wind.
For thousands of years man has sought ways to improve the efficiency of the work he performs. A dramatic change took place during the industrial revolution. Electricity generated by both AC and DC generators, driven by every conceivable means from water to wind, to petroleum based fuels provided relatively cheap energy to produce textiles, steel, machinery for farming, manufacturing and construction among many other uses.
Power lines were stretched across the landscape providing low cost power to homes, farms and businesses, followed quickly by new inventions for improving work efficiency for the farmer, business owners and household residents.
However, in the 1990s society became alarmingly aware of the cost that rapid expansion has brought because little regard was given to the damage such rapid expansion might cause to the environment. Air quality studies in many large metropolitan areas in this century show that the atmosphere is so polluted we are slowly killing ourselves with the side effects of such an energized, mechanized society.
There were those who, from the outset of this explosion of technology, sought to improve its efficiency and reduce its pollution, but they were in the miniscule minority. That, however, is changing as we move into and through the 21st century.
Major manufacturers of electric generators and motors recently intensified their efforts to improve the efficiency of their equipment. Today there are motors and generators on the market with labels showing efficiencies in the high 80% and some even make claims in the low 90%. However, these seeming “high efficiencies” are clouded by the inherent power factor present in every devise, which reduces their true efficiency.
Since the late 1800s permanent magnets have played an ever increasing role in industry. The German, Bloch, discovered the “wall” between the North and South poles of magnets. For years the Alnico magnet was the standard of the industry. It found ready uses in many industrial applications. Then in the early 1960s a new class of magnets was introduced. These new magnets were made of a ceramic “mud” mixed with ferrite particles. This new class of magnets was first utilized in the audio electronic field improving the efficiencies and the quality of audio speakers. There are several characteristics, which set these magnets apart from other permanent magnets. They are lighter in weight, have relatively stronger surface gauss and the ceramic magnet is not electrically conductive.
In the early 1970s further improvements were made in the composition of the ceramic magnet. The percentage of ferrite particles to ceramic “mud” was increased, and the ferrite particles were oriented by subjecting the ceramic and ferrite particles to a strong magnet field as they were formed.
Beginning in the late 1970s and early 1980s these magnets were molded and cut into what became known as “domino magnets” and among other applications were used as magnetos in smaller gasoline engines. A whole market of flexible ceramic magnets became common on refrigerators, vehicle dashboards and on other metallic surfaces to hold notes, memos, etc. and even signs on automobiles and trucks. However, others were testing the use of these ceramic magnets in permanent magnet motor and generator applications.
Most of the research and subsequent developments simply followed the design of the standard motor or generator with a rotor which turned inside a stationary field. Thus the industry concluded that a magnet with a stronger surface gauss was needed and companies have invested millions of dollars developing whole new technologies in the field of permanent magnets such as Rare Earth Cobalt, Strontium among others. These new technology “strong” permanent magnets reveal a dramatic increase in surface gauss.
For the most part the industry has adhered to the belief that iron must be used in permanent magnet configurations to direct or concentrate the magnetic field in the generation of electricity. However, we have discovered a characteristic in the Ceramic magnet, most noticeably the Barium Ferrite Ceramic VIII, when placed in an influenced electromagnetic field, without iron, displays remarkable characteristics which influence and enhance the configuration and potential production of the magnetic field. We have discovered that this magnetic field can be influenced and enhanced in a novel pancake type permanent magnet alternator device. The device has demonstrated remarkably high efficiencies in electrical generation especially at relatively low RPMs.
Experts in electrical generation have known for years that when an electrical current is generated, the losses through eddy currents and heat are reduced when the voltage is relatively high and the amperage relatively low. Thus the internal resistance is reduced and the ready movement of paired electrons is increased.
By placing Ceramic VIII permanent magnets in “pancake” flywheels made of one of the metallic chemical elements which possess a free electron such as Titanium Aluminum, etc., a voltage-intensive alternator has been developed that produces a current with virtually no heat and a high degree of efficiency at relatively low RPMs. Such a novel device will have many ready applications in today's high technology world.
In accordance with the invention claimed, a new and improved system of extracting energy from the wind in volume with only one moving part, utilizing the kinetic energy of the wind over a wide range of wind speeds beginning as low as 2 mph and with a self limiting shroud design that eliminates the need to “feather” the blades or shut down the system in high velocity winds. The vertical shaft of the impeller can be direct shaft connected to a gear increasing device mounted on the new and improved generating device as disclosed which employs a novel, multi-pancake type flywheel and copper magnet wire alternator with no iron which can be driven by many and varied suitable means which is capable of producing more electrical generation in combination than would be produced by single flywheel units separately driven.
It is, therefore, one objective of this invention to provide a new and improved method of generating electricity.
Another objective of this invention is to make available a simplified method of providing various outputs of energy generation utilizing a unique expandable component design.
A further objective of this invention is to utilize an improved permanent magnet alternator and/or motor design based on expandable components, simple in construction, low in cost and capable of operating at a wide range of varying and relatively low RPMs.
Still another objective of this invention is to provide improved core segments for electrical generation in an influenced, enhanced, magnetic environment utilizing a simple method of expandable component assembly.
A further objective of this invention is to utilize the increase of enhancement and influence of Ceramic VIII magnets in motion between and adjacent to copper magnet wire sinusoidal configurations which is demonstrated when the Ceramic VIII magnets are placed in a “sandwich” configuration within the flywheel with a thin insulator between the attracting poles of the adjacent magnets within the same flywheel.
Another objective of this invention is to provide a new and improved method and means for generating electricity with set and/or varying RPMs employing a unique magnetic field structure producing extremely high induced voltages from interaction between relatively slow moving permanent magnetic fields employed in a novel enhanced and influenced electromagnetic field structure obtained by aligning each of the three phases in each set of windings between each sets of flywheels then connecting the windings in series. The final three phases of the copper magnet windings are then connected in a “Y” three phase arrangement.
Further objectives and advantages of this invention will become more apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of the novelty which characterizes this invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming parts of this specification.
The present invention may be more readily described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which,
FIG. A is a perspective view of the vertical shaft, horizontally driven, shrouded wind turbine shroud and impeller.
FIG. B(1) is a top/bottom view of the base, impeller and shroud frame of the wind turbine.
FIG. B(2) is a top/bottom view of the vertical shaft, horizontally drive wind turbine impeller.
FIG. B(3) is a top/bottom view of the base frame with location of the bearing, shaft and alternator in line with the impeller shaft.
FIG. C is a perspective view of the wind turbine impeller
FIG. C(1) is a cross-sectional view of the unique lift/drag system incorporated into the impeller.
FIG. D is a cross-sectional view of the shroud blade
FIG. E is a perspective view of the position of the gear increaser and alternator.
Referring particularly to the drawings by character or number of reference, FIGS. A and B(1-3) disclose the essentials of the wind turbine. FIGS. E and 1-5 disclose an apparatus or device for producing electricity. FIG. E reveals the device in perspective.
These flywheel/rotors and magnet wire holders are positioned between two housings (Top and Bottom Plates which contain the bearings and bearing housings which, in turn, are coupled to a center shaft which is attached to the pancake flywheels/rotors.
The magnet wire holders are supported at the outer rim between the top and bottom plates with typical fixed supports so that the flywheels or rotors can rotate freely between the magnet wire holders or fields. The windings as seen in
As illustrated in
The physical position of each set of windings of the copper magnet wire as seen in
The positioning of the copper magnet wires (phases A, B, C) as seen in
Field winding holders in
Flywheels or rotors as seen in
Therefore, the thickness of the magnet wire holder containing the three phases of the copper magnet wire between the flywheels must always be less than one and one half inches when using Barium Ferrite “domino” magnets. This dimension will vary with compatible magnets of different composition and configuration.
The position of the multiple slots in the magnet wire holder as seen in
A thin film of non-magnetic, non-electrically conducting, non-ferrous material is placed between each double set of magnets as seen in
Not only is the magnetic field enhanced in this novel alternator design, but the electromagnetic field is influenced by the interaction of the permanent magnets in motion between the phases of the copper magnet wire windings.
When a magnet is set in motion past a copper winding the pole of the magnet exposed to the copper wire mirrors itself in the copper wire. If the action continues the magnetic field around the magnets seeks to move away from the mirrored image in the copper. Like poles repel. When copper windings are placed on both sides of the magnetic field in motion as shown in
The loops of the sinusoidal “S” windings as seen in
Under the above described action the torque required to turn the rotor is significantly reduced, the operating efficiency is increased and the heat rise of the operating electromagnetic field is minimized. There are several theories that have been postulated to explain this phenomenon:
No ferrous magnetic materials are used in the construction of the alternator in the electromagnetic field except the ferrite particles in the ceramic VIII magnets. The eddy currents, hysteresis and resultant heat present in conventional alternators are virtually nonexistent in this unique device contributing to its high efficiency.
The component construction of this alternator design is extremely simple. Materials utilized in its construction are readily available, easy to work with and relatively inexpensive.
Each flywheel may be cut from one single plate of material made of one of the metallic chemical elements which possess a free electron forming an outer ring and center hub into which the ring of magnets can be secured. Magnets such as the Ceramic VIII are readily available at a very reasonable cost.
Room temperature, two part epoxy/adhesives for molding the magnets, the aluminum hub and ring into one integral piece are readily available.
The form holding the copper magnet wire windings can be made in multiple sections coupled together using suitable material such as epoxy, fiberglass or other non-conductive, non-ferrous and non-magnetic forming material.
Since the windings are stationary, no slip rings or other complex mechanisms are needed to generate the flow of the current. Since the magnets are permanent, enhanced and influenced by their interaction in the electromagnetic field in motion no mechanism other than the motive power to turn the flywheels is needed to activate the magnetic field.
Inasmuch as the result is a balanced, star (delta), three-phase output the design further enhances the voltage intensive overall efficiency of the device. As more flywheels and windings are added each additional magnetic field further intensifies the adjacent and overall magnetic fields. The combined and integrated electromagnetic fields further accommodate the freer flow of paired electrons.
The combination of the above described materials results in a significantly improved alternator both in component design as well as higher efficiency and voltage intensive output. Though only a ten flywheel arrangement is illustrated and described it is obvious to those who are skilled in electromagnetics that modifications and changes can be made in the device without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.
