DE202020000775U1 - An apparatus that encloses a wind energy converter and an airflow device that are locally exposed and interconnected - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for controlling and presetting wind parameters at a lower altitude for the purpose of generating electrical power by providing a controlled and adjusted air flow input which is directed locally to a wind energy converter. The device comprises the following components:
- An airflow device (including sensors, controllers and actuators)
- A wind energy converter (including sensors and controllers)
- Housing for enclosing all components
- Electrical components for connecting devices in the device.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the generation of electricity from renewable energy sources by controlling the parameters that affect the generation of electricity by wind energy converters and an airflow device that is connected to other components in a device that has better control and use that enables wind energy in lower wind heights in an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Today, the need for innovation in the field of renewable energies is of great importance due to the high carbon dioxide emissions and the urgent need to cope with the climate crisis. Innovations in renewable energy are fundamental to solving this crisis, and the abundance of their sources has opened the door for many to come up with solutions to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and to pave the way for cleaner and greener electricity generation. The importance of exchanging ideas and presenting innovations in this sector has become a responsibility for all concerned, and the urgency to find solutions is the main motivation for this invention.

One of the cleanest renewable energy sources available is wind energy. Wind energy converters have been used for years to generate electricity from a renewable, free, abundant and clean source: the wind.

A typical wind energy converter consists of a hub and rotor blades, a gearbox, a generator, a nacelle, a strong foundation to ensure stability, a tower that is built to catch wind at higher altitudes, and a transformer, electronics and controls.

In the meantime, many wind turbines of different types and designs are being built in order to use wind energy at higher altitudes and to generate clean electricity from a renewable energy source. Electricity generation from wind energy converters is very significant and contributes to a large proportion of electricity generation from renewable energy sources.

However, means of using wind energy at lower altitudes are not used on an industrial scale. The problem with the wind at a lower altitude is that it is not constant, the wind speed is not as high as at higher altitudes and the flow of the wind at a lower altitude is also more turbulent, which causes noise and wastes energy. The roughness of the wind at a lower altitude is also a factor that prevents this use. The roughness is affected by any structure along the path that reduces the efficiency of electricity generated by wind at lower altitudes.

Aus der obigen Formel wird deutlich, dass die Kraft des Windes davon abhängt: der Dichte der Luft, der überstrichenen Fläche des Rotors, der Luftdichte und dem Würfel der Geschwindigkeit. Eine Änderung der Geschwindigkeit kann also die Leistung des Windes drastisch beeinflussen, d.h. wenn die Windgeschwindigkeit mit geeigneten Mitteln erhöht und konstant gehalten wird, kann eine höhere und konstante Leistung aus Windenergieanlagen erzeugt werden. Dadurch werden sie zuverlässiger und wetterunabhängiger.The formula for wind power is: $$\text{P}=\raisebox{1ex}{$1$}\!\left/ \!\raisebox{-1ex}{$\mathrm{2nd}$}\right.*\mathrm{\rho }*\text{A}*\text{v}\mathrm{3rd}$$

It is clear from the above formula that the force of the wind depends on it: the density of the air, the swept area of the rotor, the air density and the cube of speed. A change in the speed can therefore have a drastic influence on the power of the wind, ie if the wind speed is increased and kept constant by suitable means, a higher and constant power can be generated from wind energy plants. This makes them more reliable and more weather-independent.

Wind power is one of the most available and abundant sources of renewable energy, but has not yet been fully exploited. The obstacles to greater use of wind power are due to the fact that wind turbines have to be built at high altitudes in order to be able to use wind power at these heights, because the wind has higher speeds, is more steady and less turbulent at higher altitudes . However, there are still applications of wind turbines that capture wind at lower altitudes, but they are not suitable for industrial use due to the low electrical power they generate.

Further barriers that hinder the use of wind energy are the environmental requirements for the locations at which the wind energy plants are installed. Measurements of the impact of noise and shadow on residents have prevented projects from being initiated. Wildlife threats have also been an obstacle to wind energy use, as wind turbines at high altitudes are not bird and bat friendly.

The combination of airflow devices with wind energy converters can overcome many obstacles that now affect wind energy use. Both technologies are the subject of extensive research and continuous improvement, and the combination of these mature technologies can provide ideas and solutions to many of the barriers that stand in the way of generating electricity from wind.

A number of patents have addressed the improvement of wind energy converters and airflow devices to use the kinetic energy of moving air more efficiently and to reduce the negative effects they have on the environment. Some examples are shown below.

The WO 01/14740 discloses methods for improving the airfoil profile of wind turbines to prevent stalling.

US 4408958A discloses methods for improving the efficiency of a wind turbine by means of a reinforced blade construction, which provides the desired buoyancy over its entire length from the part near the hub to the tip.

US8308445B2 and CN201650890U unveils a bladeless fan that can produce even, powerful, silent air.

JPH04234597A shows a laminar air flow fan for the purpose of providing a laminar flow fan and excellent fan efficiency.

US5419679A unveils a laminar flow fan that is customized to fit within the interior cavity of a fan housing

WO2018007012A1 discloses control systems for a wind turbine.

US20160265512A1 discloses a system that includes a turbine controller configured to provide a setpoint and an operating system configured to control a parameter associated with the operation of a wind turbine.

US2016026551 0A1 discloses systems and methods for adjusting signal displays for a wind turbine controller to improve energy generation.

US7365447B2 revealed to reduce the tower shadow effect of a wind turbine with a horizontal axis before the wind.

• T. Burton, D. Sharpe, N. Jenkins und E. Bossanyi, Windenergie-Handbuch, Wiley, 2001.

* Information on the wind power formula, components and principles of wind turbines are cited:

• T. Burton, D. Sharpe, N. Jenkins and E. Bossanyi, Wind Energy Handbook, Wiley, 2001.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention are discussed in detail. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the presented invention without departing from the scope of the invention. It is therefore intended that the present invention cover such changes that come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

The present disclosure is directed to a device for setting the operating conditions of a wind power plant on the basis of the control of wind parameters at lower altitudes by an air flow source which is positioned locally in relation to a wind power plant. The device encloses both the wind energy converter and the air flow source. Additional components can be included if necessary.

An airflow source connected to sensors and controllers that configure various parameters according to the electrical power requirements of a wind energy converter and the current weather conditions drives wind into the device. The airflow source drives air inside an apparatus that is specially designed for the purpose of using wind energy, increases its speed and directs it locally to a wind energy converter. The airflow source controls the entrained airflow parameters, and the interior of the apparatus promotes the airflow toward a wind energy converter. The airflow source directs a laminar and even wind flow at high speeds and low pressure to a wind energy converter, which converts it into usable electrical power with the help of a sophisticated wing design that can withstand wind at very high speeds.

The wind energy converter converts the kinetic energy of the wind into usable electricity. The electrical power generated by the wind energy converter is forwarded to an external source for use. The wind energy converter connected to the airflow source can also transmit electrical power to the airflow source sufficient to keep the airflow source operating to keep the circuit going. For this reason, the wind energy converter and the air flow source are connected in any suitable manner.

Due to the structure of the interior of the apparatus and the design of the air flow source, a high degree of efficiency in wind energy use can be achieved, so that the power required to to carry a sufficient air flow, which is required by the wind turbine in order to achieve the specific electrical power, will always be less than the power generated.

The electrical power generated by the wind power plant should be sufficient to supply an external source in addition to the operation of the air flow source after the air flow source has initiated an air flow and directed it at a wind power plant in order to initially operate the wind power plant.

In another example of the embodiment of the invention, an external renewable energy source can be attached or added to the components of the device to provide the air flow source with clean electricity for initial operation and in cases where the wind energy converter does not power the air flow source supply to keep operating, or in cases where the system is operational for some reason after a shutdown.

Another example of the embodiment of the invention is to pass the wind through filters to clean it of any contaminants or debris that can affect the life cycle of both the airflow source and the wind energy converter.

In another example of the embodiment of the invention, an airflow source may be an air multiplier (fanless fan) designed for industrial use to minimize noise and provide the wind energy converter with a laminar, uniform and high speed.

Another example of the embodiment of the invention, controllers that can control and change lower altitude wind parameters, such as humidity, temperature, and wind roughness.

The components should be arranged so that the kinetic energy of the wind is used as efficiently as possible. The angle of attack of the wind should be adjusted at all times during operation so that the resistance is reduced as much as possible and the lift force is increased in order to convert the kinetic energy of the wind into usable electrical power. The wind energy converter, positioned directly opposite the air flow source at a sufficient and safe distance to use as much kinetic energy of the wind as possible and theoretically possible.

In one implementation example, airflow source controls can be used to adjust the airflow into the interior of the device according to the predicted wind conditions, i.e. if the wind speed is already high at lower altitudes, a hardware or software system uses sensors to process input signals to the controls and actuators. The main goal is to adjust the operation of the airflow source so that the required airflow is sufficient to produce the desired electrical power of the wind energy converter at any time during the operation of the apparatus. The airflow device can be user programmable, i.e. the user can determine the power required by a wind energy converter according to the needs and requirements to perform a specific function and adjust the input parameters of the wind (e.g. speed) driven into the device by the air flow source.

In a further example variant of the invention, the amount of entrained air flow, which the wind turbines have already converted part of their kinetic energy into usable electrical power, taking into account the efficiency of the wind energy plant and the Betz limit, can be recirculated by suitable means, with new ones from that Airflow source mixed in the amount of air driven into the apparatus and fed back from the airflow source to the wind power plant for reuse. Assuming that the efficiency of the wind energy converter is 40%, which means that the amount of kinetic energy converted into electrical energy should not be more than 40%, means re-introducing the same amount of airflow into the wind energy converter after 40 % of its kinetic energy was used, that the combined efficiency of the wind energy converter for converting the kinetic energy of the introduced air flow into electrical energy would indeed be higher than 40%, depending on the amount of kinetic energy that it uses and the second time it is introduced into the Would convert wind energy converter into electrical energy from the air flow. If the wind turbine converts another 40% of the re-introduced air and the air has already lost 40% of its kinetic energy the first time, the combined efficiency of the wind turbine would increase by at least 20% after the second use of the wind's kinetic energy.

THE PROBLEM THAT TRIES TO SOLVE THE INVENTION

The devices can be built in different sizes depending on the electrical capacity required to meet a single location. The larger that of the leaves of the Wind energy converter swept area, because the wind speed can be regulated, the higher the electrical power. The sheet size is decisive for the overall size of the system. It is therefore necessary to determine the electrical power required for a single piece of equipment and to design the blades accordingly. The portability of the equipment and the variation in its size can make it possible to temporarily set it up and transport it to the place of use to meet the energy requirements of another location. The fact that they can be varied in size makes it possible to place them in difficult locations and in areas where it would otherwise be difficult to generate electricity. The apparatus essentially does not require specific environmental conditions, that is, it is not dependent on the weather conditions of a particular location as these can be adjusted and controlled, and it does not require specific landscaping.

Controlling the airflow parameters such as roughness, turbulence, speed, noise and purity of the air used by wind turbines creates the opportunity to use less material for the construction of wind turbines at high altitudes, the environmental problems associated with the discharge and disposal of the rotor blades of wind turbines Avoid expiry of their intended lifespan, avoid physical barriers such as shadows and noise generated by wind turbines to nearby residents, and make wider use of wind power at a relatively low height

The industrial applications of the device are broad and can perform various functions. He can e.g. be installed above the roof of a building to supply the tenants with electricity. It can also be placed on the ground to produce off-grid electricity in rural areas, and can also be installed in temporarily closed locations to generate electricity for a limited time only.

The device helps to make wind energy use more reliable and predictable. By controlling and adjusting the wind parameters accordingly, the need to rely on strong, fast and steady wind will not be an issue as this can be controlled. In addition, two of the main problems of wind turbines are reduced: noise and shadows on residents in areas where wind turbines are built.

ONE WAY TO CARRY OUT THE INVENTION

One way to practice the invention is to place an airflow source on a solid foundation that is connected to sensors, controllers, and actuators. A wind energy converter, connected to sensors and controllers, is placed directly opposite the airflow source at a suitable and sufficient distance to receive the input from the airflow source. The wind energy converter is connected to an external source so that it can feed after converting the kinetic energy of the wind introduced by an air flow source into electrical output energy. The wind energy converter is also connected to the air flow source. To initiate the operation of the device, an electrical input supplies the airflow source, this can be an external renewable energy source (e.g. solar panels). Solar panels can be connected to the airflow source to initiate its operation. As soon as the air flow source is in operation and in accordance with the signals it receives, it drives a certain amount of wind into the apparatus. The design and function of the airflow source is to produce a laminar, even and fast airflow towards the wind energy converter. The construction of the apparatus also increases the speed of the wind and reduces its pressure before interacting with the wind energy converter. When the wind is introduced into the wind energy converter, the kinetic energy of the wind is converted into electrical energy. Part of the electrical energy can be transferred to power an external source and part of it can be transferred to the airflow source to keep it running. Whenever the wind energy converter does not transmit an electrical input signal to the air flow source, a renewable energy source can take over this function in order to keep the device in operation.

All sensors, controls and actuators can be configured and adjusted remotely via software or hardware to send the necessary signals necessary for the safe operation of the device and to ensure that the functions are performed as specified.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent literature cited

• WO 0114740 [0012]
• US 4408958 A [0013]
• US 8308445 B2 [0014]
• CN 201650890 U [0014]
• US 5419679 A [0016]
• WO 2018007012 A1 [0017]
• US 20160265512 A1 [0018]
• US 20160265510 A1 [0019]
• US 7365447 B2 [0020]

Claims (10)

Device for controlling and presetting wind parameters at a lower altitude for the purpose of generating electrical power by providing a controlled and adjusted air flow input which is directed locally to a wind energy converter. The device comprises the following components: - An airflow device (including sensors, controllers and actuators) - A wind energy converter (including sensors and controllers) - Housing for enclosing all components - Electrical components for connecting devices in the device. The apparatus from Claim 1 includes all in Claim 1 mentioned components together as a unit. The wind energy converter after Claim 1 must generate sufficient electrical power to supply an external source and the in Claim 1 to drive said airflow source to keep the device in operation. The airflow source consists of regulators and sensors for predicting and controlling the wind energy parameters and adapting them accordingly in order to provide a laminar, uniform and clean airflow input for the wind energy converters in order to use them efficiently and convert them into electrical power. Devices after Claim 1 include additional components if they are required to perform the following functions: - Eliminate or reduce to a minimum the noise generated by the devices enclosed in the device. - Eliminate or minimize vibrations caused by the operation of the device. - Completely eliminate the turbulence of the airflow carried directly from the airflow source to a wind energy converter. - Complete removal of pollutants, debris, impurities and other foreign particles that accompany the outside air flow that is introduced into the interior of the device and is entrained by the air flow source directly to the wind energy converter and that can cause stress or wear on the device components in the long term. - Remote monitoring of the performance of the airflow source, the wind energy converter and the parameters of the ambient wind conditions at the location of the device which is accessible to a user. - Ability to remotely shutdown and resume device operation by controlling the device from an external, digitally connected source. The device after Claim 1 recirculates the air flow introduced directly into the wind energy converter by an air flow source and was used by the wind energy converter to generate electrical energy and to reintroduce it into the wind energy converter in order to use it again and to convert its kinetic energy into usable electrical energy. The device after Claim 1 controls and pre-sets the airflow that is carried by an airflow source directly opposite a wind energy converter in order to use wind energy efficiently at lower altitudes and convert it into electrical power. The one in the device after Claim 1 Included wind energy converter provides electrical power that powers the airflow source to ensure that the device remains in operation. The device after Claim 1 combines all the necessary components to fulfill the function of providing electrical power and encloses them together as a unit. The device after Claim 1 includes an external renewable energy source to operate or maintain the airflow source if the electrical power of the wind power converter is insufficient.