Patent Application
20190390654
A wind mill for generating wind power, for the conversion of said wind power into electricity and for conserving gained wind power for later use, said wind mill us comprising a rotor or a propeller which is communicating with a 1st axle, for generating a turning moment for said 1st axle, said rotor or propeller is rotating in a flow of wind, further comprising a pump, which is communicating with said 1st axle.
A flow optimiser for a wind mill, wherein the rotor of said wind mill is positioned within the building for which electricity is being generated, turning around an axle, said rotor is communicating with channels for canalizing said wind flow, to and from said rotor, said channels are communicating with a turnable channel, turning around an axle, and positioned partly outside the building,
This invention deals with the conversion from wind power to electric power in general, centrally where a wind mill is standing on the country side, or done decentrally, e.g. per household or per unit of staying.
There are a number of current problems by said conversion, such as such as noise of wind mill propeller blades, low efficiency of the use of wind mills for generating electricity by central storage of electric power, the visual pollution of landscapes and the high investments of classic wind mills, due to its sizes and geographical place (e.g. at sea). The reason why said classic wind mills are using electrical devices for direct conversion of wind power into electricity, and storage of electricity in batteries, may be, that most of the owners of said wind mills are electricity providers.
Wind mills which are using a compressed fluid (e.g. air, N2) as storage medium of conversed windpower, and thereafter convert the power of said storage medium into electricity are rare, even it has been confirmed that the efficiency is better than the direct conversion of wind power into electricity.
The object is to provide solutions for current problems in the conversion from wind power to electric power.
In the first aspect, the invention relates to a motor, wherein:
said wind mill is communicating with a Motor, the last mentioned is comprising a pump with a conical chamber for pressurazation of a medium, a pressure storage vessel, a self-propelled actuator piston positioned in a conically shaped wall of a chamber, and an axle, the last mentioned is communicating with a dynamo, which is providing electricity for the use by electric apparatus and/or the Mains.
The storage of a compressed fluid, preferably gaseous medium in a pressure storage vessel (e.g. of the Vanderblom Motor: WO 2013/026508) is simple and low cost, and said vessel does not leak. The use of a pump with a conical wall of its chamber may reduce the energy used by approx. 70%. This means that wind mills of approx. ¾ to ½ sized of currently used wind mills are as efficient as wind mills currently used. Or, by keeping the size of a current size of a wind mill, may wind mills become approx. 2-3× more efficient.
The use of said Vanderblom Motor, instead of an hydraulic engine, is processing the conversion of wind power into electricity much more efficiently. Preferable is a Motor using turnable chambers around a fixed actuator piston. For use in a building, is it very fortunate that the Vanderblom Motor is silently functioning.
The use of a flow optimizer may make it possible that even in city buildings wind power may be used decentrally, even the wind conditions are not as good as at sea or on the country side.
The gearbox communicating with a wind mill axle of a classic type wind mill, may be different from a currently used gearbox, as it powers the pump of the Vanderblom Motor, instead of directly the generator.
Said gearbox and pump may in a classic wind mill be positioned in the top of said wind mill, so that tubes may be used as transport channels for pressurized fluid to the pressure storage vessel, the last mentioned being mounted on the foundation of said wind mill.
In the second aspect, the invention relates to a motor, wherein: Said windmill is positioned outside a building, a vehicle or another stationary device or said wind mill is positioned inside a building or is part of a vehicle or a stationary device, wherein said wind mill is additionally comprising a flow optimiser, for optimising the wind flow towards and from said rotor, wherein said wind mill is communicating with said flow optimizer.
The use of a flow optimizer may make it possible that even in a city buildings wind power may be used decentrally, even the wind conditions are not as good as at sea or on the country side.
The advantage of the use of a storage type with a compressible fluid (e.g. a no problem gaseous medium as air, N2)
is, that it is low cost, and it does not leak, and can thereby be used with peace in mind. E.g. the pressure storage vessel+equipment for H2 (for the use with a burning cell) in a house costs approx. CHF 650K (!).
When there is no wind, or much too less wind or if necessary for any other reason, said Motor can be shut down by closing a valve between the inlet of the actuator piston and the pressure storage vessel; an alternative mode to let such Motor drive on the currently stored amount of compressed fluid, until a certain minimum pressure has been reached in said pressure storage vessel.
If there is wind enough, the Motor can drive and electricity can be produced—for the house and/or the Mains: said valve is open. Depending on the varying requirement of amounts of electricity is it possible to vary the speed of said Motor, so that the necessary amount of Kwh (Kilowatt hour) can be delivered to the house—it may also be possible to deliver constantly, and guide superfluous electricity to the Mains.
A preferred economic strategy for running said conversion of wind power to electric power may be to let said Motor run with such a speed, that no wind power is lost for the conversion of wind power into compressed fluid—superfluously compressed fluid may be stored in said pressure storage vessel, while said Motor is running with such a speed that it is providing the required amount of electricity for the house, while the exit to the Mains is closed. Currently may it be expensive to supply electricity to the Mains!
As a result may it be necessary to have a computer running said conversions economically.
In the third aspect, the invention relates to a motor, wherein:
said device is communicating with the wind through a flow optimiser, adapting the direction of the flow of the wind to the direction of the inlet channel of said device in order to enhance the efficiency of said device.
A device, such as a propeller, where its centre axis of its axle is approximately aligning the flow of the wind, or a device comprising two or more blades wherein its axle stands perpendicular the flow of the wind, are normally build outside buildings, generating noise and visual pollution—the last mentioned device type, a rotor, will be functioning independently of the direction of the wind, which, if situated on buildings with flat roofs may not to generate very much visual pollution. This latter type of device may be preferred, specifically also because a flat roof allows a certain diameter, giving a higher torque, thus a higher power.
However, most of the building do not have a flat roof, but a V-shaped roof, and that does not allow devices as the last mentioned as preferred, because it is generating visual pollution. Instead such a device may be build inside said roof, in e.g. the attic. This may reducing its efficiency, because houses are normally not build, so that a 360° rotation of said building is possible, as it cannot adapt the direction of its entry channel to the changing wind directions. Instead flow optimisers may be build in the roof, preferably in both surfaces of the V-shaped-roof. That means that said devices may have a slightly reduced torque on the axle
In a fourth aspect the invention relates to a device, which is comprising an actuator piston A motor, wherein it comprises attached hereto a piston-chamber combination comprising a chamber which is bounded by an inner chamber wall, and comprising an actuator piston inside
Specifically efficient is the use of said motor with a circular chamber, while the use of a storage vessel of a compressed fluid, such as air or N2 is very efficient—this means of storage has no leakages, such as a battery has, and the costs of the pressure storage vessel are much lower than that of batteries.
In a fifth aspect the invention relates to a device comprising blades which allows its axle to turn in one direction, independent of the direction of the flow through said blades.
On the market are blade types for said device, which can turn its axle in one direction, even the flow of the medium is in one direction of the opposite direction. In that way the inlet channel of said device may be positioned at one side of the V-shaped roof, and the outlet channel may be at the other side of the V-shaped roof.
In a sixth aspect the invention relates to the inlet channel is positioned at one side of the roof, while the outlet channel is at the other side of the roof.
On the market are blade types for said device, which can turn its axle in one direction, even the flow of the medium is in one direction of the opposite direction. In that way the inlet channel of said device may be positioned at one side of the V-roof, and the outlet channel may be at the other side of the V-roof. Thus, depending of the direction of the wind, the inlet channel may at another point of time be an outlet channel, and the other way around.
In a seventh aspect the invention relates to a flow optimiser, which is comprising a turnable channel.
The flow optimiser may comprising a turnable channel, turnable approximately 180°, which may be the whole angle of said roof. Said flow optimiser may be positioned in the inlet channel. If designed well, it may be very well suiting local laws for buildings, not causing visual pollution and therefore be allowed.
Said optimiser, and thus a turnable channel, may also be present in the outlet channel.
In a eighth aspect the invention relates to said turnable channel, the direction of its opening in relation to the direction of the flow of the wind is controlled by a computer program, so that the flow is optimised.
The sensor for the flow direction of the wind is present nearby the inlet channel, outside, while a separate sensor is present in the inlet channel ahead of the rotor (seen in the direction of the wind flow) with the blades. A third sensor is present just behind rotor (seen in the direction of the wind flow) in the outlet channel. A fourth sensor is present nearby the outlet channel, outsite, measuring the wind direction at that part of the roof
In a ninth aspect the invention relates to a computer program, which is controlling the opening of the current inlet- and outlet channel, in order to optimise the flow through said blades of the rotor and the direction of the wind on each side of the building.
This part of said computer program optimizes the whole flow through the blades of the rotor. The central axes of the both turnable channels, one on each side of the roof, may be parallel or not.
In an tenth aspect the invention relates to the inlet- and outlet channels of which the shape of the wind flow through said channels be optimized by having changed the shape of the bounded walls of said channels.
When the shapes of the boundary of said channels are being changed, e.g. by actuators, than the flow through said channels may remain laminar, thus with lowest friction. If the wind speed is low, the walls of the channels may be chaining form, so that only the approximately half of the rotor is being influenced by the wind flow—the reduced area perpendicular said flow will result in a higher speed (Bernoulli's law), which still makes the rotor to turn around, generating electricity and/or pressurized gaseous medium.
When the rotor, having an axle of which centre axis is positioned perpendicular the wind flow through said channels, only can turn in one direction, and when the wind is changing direction (<180°—the turnable inlet channel remains inlet channel), the adaptation of the shape of said boundaries of said channels may be mirrored at the transitions of the turnable channels to the channels (that is a lot of work to be done by said actuators). If the wind is changing direction >180°—the turnable inlet channel becomes the outlet channel and vice versa), than again may said adaptation be mirrored, not only for said transitions, but as a whole for all channels. This embodiment has the best efficiency, but may be pricey.
A more less expensive solution is, when said rotor may turn in two, opposite directions. The mirroring is necessary only to the transitions, by wind direction changes amounting 0°-360°.
When using a rotor, of which centre axis is positioned in the direction of the wind flow through said channels, and which can turn in one direction irrespective the direction of the wind through it, the adaptation of the shape of the boundary of said channels may be unnecessary—however, the efficiency may be reduced in relation to the above mentioned embodiments.
In a eleventh aspect of the invention relates to an optimized transition between the turnable channel and the inlet- and outlet channels, by rounding off any disruption and by sealing said transition.
Disruptions gives non-laminar flow, resulting in friction, and energy loss. Sealing the transition may the most important aspect, as a little leak gives a disproportionate reduction of internal pressure.
As a second use of this device, may the pressure storage vessel of said device be used for generating power to a pressure storage vessel of an external motor according to WO 2013/026508 A1, which may be build in a car, owned by the family of the house, which is provided with said device.
In a twelfth aspect of the invention relates to a feasibility study on the possible reduction of building costs of a green wind mill in relation to a classic wind mill: thus a reduction of investment costs for building a wind mill which is generating a specific amount of KWh.
When using a pump piston according to WO 2017/089852 A1 in a conical chamber according to e.g. WO 2013/026508 A1, FIG. 21A, a reduction of the energy used to drive said pump piston to providing a certain pressure of the medium in said conical chamber, while moving sealingly in said chamber, is approx. 50-60% in relation to a pump where a classic piston is moving in a straight cylinder. Said last mentioned embodiment can be compared regarding the use of energy, with the currently used wind mill embodiments, where a generator has been integrated in the driving axle of the propeller of said classic wind mill.
The frontal area A1 (m2) of a classic windmill with a horizontal axel is related to the wind mill power P1 (KWh or MWh), with a propeller diameter d1 (m). What is the size of the diameter d2 of the propeller of a green wind mill with a comparable or even power, when we disregard the conversion of wind mill power into electricity? With a 50% reduction: d2=0.71 d1 and with a 60% reduction: d2=0.63 d1
A classic wind mill with a gross power of 4.5 MWh, having a propeller with a diameter d1=120 m, and a height of the horizontal center axis of 100 m, can be exchanged by a green wind mill:
The building costs of a green wind mill will be higher than mentioned above, because of the pressure storage vessels, and the Motor, which are not used in a classic configuration. However, the batteries of the electric storage may financially be balance that of said pressure storage vessels, as only approx. 20 Bar fluid pressure may be gained by said pump, so that a number of pressure storage vessels may have to be used. Thus, the extra costs of a green configuration in relation to a classic configuration may be solely the Motor.
A thirteenth aspect of the invention relates to the feasibility study on the possibility to have a wind mill in-house for providing electricity for the household living in said house.
The need for electric power for 1 household is approx. 1200 KWh per month.
A wind mill type with a classic configuration as e.g. a Savonious, is not efficient E=E(u/V) (E=efficiency factor for a wind mill design, V=windspeed, u=speed of any area of a wind mill) enough to result in appropriate sizes for building said wind mill inside a normally sized one family house.
Even an efficient hybrid type wind mill having a classic configuration, like the “eggbeater”, results in too big sizes: diameter ø2.8 m for E=0.4.
Firstly when a Vanderblom Motor is being used, which reduces the need for power generating by approx. 50%, said sizes become appropriate: diameter ø1.96 m, when the rotor of an “eggbeater” is being used.
And again, the use of said flow optimizer for an inhouse wind mill will definitely enhance efficiency of generating electricity.
In a fourteenth aspect of the invention relates to the feasibility study of adding the green configuration to existing wind mill with a classic configuration.
The only problem with the above mentioned conversion of configuration may be lack of space, which is necessary for the pressure storage vessels and the Motor, when wind mills with a classic configuration are being set up in closely side by side rows.
In a fifteenth aspect of the invention relates to some important aspects of the combination of an inside wind mill in a house, solar cells on the roof of said house, and an electric car in the garage.
Said combination may give a household a self providing energy system, as wind and sun in time have complementary providing energy.
In order that electric cars indeed save CO2-emissions, when connected to the house hold energy system (and NOT the Mains, which still may get electricity from burning cokes), the electric systems for both sun cells and the wind mill, need to be set to the electric system of said car or the other way around. It is already existing, but only as a one-off system. CO2-emission legislators and car manufacturers may give this issue a much higher priority, now we still are in the start phase of going electric.
In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings wherein:
On the other side of the roof 2, the is the partly mirrored build of the inlet channel 6 being the outlet channel 15, with centre axis 16 with a turnable channel 17, with centre axis 18. The turnable channel 17, which may turning +90° (ref D) and −90° (ref E) from its 0-position (ref F) around an axle 19. The turnable channel 17 is shown turned to a +30° position (ref H) as an example, and related to the −30° position (ref G) of the turnable channel 11.
The incoming wind, schematically shown by two lines 32 and 33, resp. with black arrows, showing the wind direction. The turnable channel 17 is turning around a vertical axle 34. The opening 35 of the inlet of the turnable channel 17, in a preferred position perpendicular the incoming wind (32,33), and the opening 36 of the outlet of said channel 17. In between said inlet and said outlet are the walls 37 and 38, resp. The wall 37 has been decreased in size in comparison to its length J when the turnable channel 17 has a position (not shown) perpendicular to the roof 2. The wall 38 has been increased in length. The channel 39 has stationer walls 40 and movable walls 41 and 42. The rotor 43 is turning anti-clockwise around the vertical axle 44. In order to maximize a laminar flow in the channel 39 from the inlet 44′ and to its outlet 45, the walls 41, 42 have been bent, so that the outlet 45 creates an optimized flow into the inlet 46 of the rotor. The rotor housing 47 is optimizing the flow around said rotor 43. The outlet 48 of said rotor 43 is guiding the flow into the inlet 49 of the channel 6. The rotor is turning anti-clockwise 52 around the vertical axis 10 and the horizontal axis 50. The rest of the construction is a through mirror around axis 50 of the already described construction, while the turnable channel has additionally thereafter to mirror around its horizontal axis 51. The outgoing flow—lines 53 and 54 from the turnable channel 6, shown in a preferred position namely perpendicular the opening 14 of said turnable channel 6.
This details of said drawing may not be on the same scale.
box 63′: the wind mill can turn 360° on its base, while the propeller/rotor blades can be tuned,
box 66′: the wind mill has a gearbox and/or a crankshaft (for pump 66),
box 68′: the pressure storage vessel may be a group of such vessels, which may have a different size, communicating with said wind mill.
The devices represented by boxes 63′-67 are situated in the top of a wind mill tower, while boxes 68′-70 are positioned on or around the wind mill foundation. Box 74 is controlling the opening and closing of the inlet valve of an actuator piston.
Said movement will change the direction of the movement of said piston 81 into an opposite direction, namely from a first to a second longitudinal piston position. The enclosed space 88 of said piston 81 may then be communicating with a third enclosed space 91 in said crankshaft 75 (axel 76), which is connected through a channel [92] to a piston pump 93 (which may also be instead a rotation pump, e.g. a centrifugal pump), which is connected by a piston rod 94 to a crankshaft 95, with the U-shape axel 96. The crankshaft 95 may be connected to crankshaft 75, so that the rotation of the U-shaped axle 76 results in a rotation of said U-shaped axle 96 with counterweights 97′. Due to said communication is the pressure of the fluid 99 inside said piston 81 be reduced, thus is the circumference of the wall 83 decreased, so that said piston 81 is being able to move from first to second longitudinal piston positions. The fluid 98 is at a reduced pressure (in relation to the pressure of the fluid 97 it had, when the piston was pressurized at a first longitudinal position) is thereafter pressurized by said pump 93 to fluid 103 (of which pressure is of course still less than the pressure of fluid 97) and which is optionally directly transported to said pressure vessel 89 through channel [100], or is preferably transported by channel [101] to another piston pump 102, whereafter said fluid 103 is being pressurized in said pump 102 into fluid 97, and thereafter transported through channel [104] to the pressure (storage) vessel 89. It may also be possible to repressurize said pressure storage vessel 89, through a hose 126, which is communicating with a pressure source. From pressure storage vessel 89 is fluid 97 transported to the second enclosed space 90, through channel [105]. The crankshaft 75 may be connected to a flywheel 123 (not shown), and a gearbox 124 (not shown)—said gearbox 124 may be using Fluid Dynamic Bearings in order to reduce friction. The crankshaft 96 of the piston pump 93. The alternator 115 is communicating with the main axle 116 by means of a drive belt, and is providing the building 118 with electricity through connection 111-117. Additionally it is charging the battery 108 through connection 111-121. And superfluous electricity is send to the mains 120 through connection 111-119. It may also be that this battery 108 is charged by an external electrical power source 127 through e.g. a cable. The wind power 110, represented by arrows is coming through the flow optimiser 112 to the rotor 113, to the axle 114, and through the gearbox/brakes 107 to the crankshaft 106 and finally to the pump 102. Said pump 102 is communicating with the pressure storage vessel 89 through line 104. The motor may start without using a starter motor (not shown), but just by opening up the reduction valve 124, in the channel [105]. Opening this reduction valve 124 more up causes the crankshaft 76 to rotate more quickly, screwing the reduction valve 124 down causes the crankshaft 76 to rotate slower. Closing the reduction valve 124 completely will stop the motor. The speeder 125 is communicating with the reduction valve 124. Reference 75 is a device comprising a crankshaft 76, a piston rod 80, a chamber 82 and an actuator piston 81. Reference 95 is a repressuration stage comprising a crankshaft 96 and a pump 93. Reference 154 is a clutch (not shown).
The alternator 128 is communicating with the main axle 129 by means of a drive belt 130, and is providing the building 131 with electricity through connection 132-133. Additionally it is charging the battery 134 through connection 132-135. And superfluous electricity in said building is send to the mains 120 through connection 132-136. It may also be that this battery 134 is charged by an external electrical power source 151 through e.g. a cable 136. The wind direction 137, represented by arrows is coming through the flow optimiser 138 to the rotor 139, to the axle 140, and through the gearbox/brakes 141 to the crankshaft 142 and finally to the pump 143. Said pump 143 may comprise a long-life pump piston according to WO 2017/089852A1. Said pump 143 is communicating with the pressure storage vessel 144 through channel [145]. The motor may start without using a starter motor (not shown), but just by opening up the reduction valves 146, in the channel [147]. Opening up said reduction valve 146 more up causes the piston 148 to translate more quickly (and the crankshaft in 75 (
All of the solutions for a combination with the CT—and/or ESVT pressure management which complied to the embodiments of FIGS. 90A-D (WO 2013/026508) are also applicable for the embodiments of
The reference numbers added with a ′ of devices and assemblies are those of
Said pressure storage vessel(s) is/are communicating with the Vanderblom Motor 208/175′ assembly's 155′ actuator piston(s) 209/81′, which is/are preferably positioned inside said building 207. The axle 210 is driving an alternator 211/128′. The last mentioned is generating electricity, which is send to the Mains 121/136′. The electricity, generated by said alternator 211/128′ may additionally be provided to a battery 125, which may balance high currents 216 for a very short time, e.g. when a refrigerator motor is starting. The channel [100′] of the regenerative stage is communicating with a pump 213/93′ inside said building 207, while the last mentioned pump 93′ is communicating with said pressure storage vessel(s) 206/144′. Said building 207 and said pressure storage vessel 206 may preferably be positioned under ground level 214, in order to keep clean the surrounding landscape.
For an in-house windmill is the configuration with the Vanderblom Motor similar the one shown in
Besides the above mentioned embodiment may all other types of said Motor be used, such as the ESVT version, while one or more cylinders may be used. Besides the crankshaft version as shown, may also be the versions based on a circular chamber be used as well.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2017 001 199.0 | Feb 2017 | DE | national |
| PA 2017 00095 | Feb 2017 | DK | national |
| 10 2017 010 387.9 | Nov 2017 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2018/000094 | 2/12/2018 | WO | 00 |
