ES2587794A1 - Recovery of kinetic energy of exterior air in vehicles and mechanisms in motion (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention is an energy recuperator that recovers the kinetic energy transmitted to the air by a moving vehicle or mechanism when it acquires speed. This air is collected by a collection bell (4) that reduces the section, causing the air to increase its speed and its kinetic energy. The air passes through a turbine (3) where it rotates the blades, transforming the energy of the air into mechanical energy transmitted to the shaft (this turbine can be centrifugal, axial or mixed, with one or more steps). The mechanical energy is transferred to the shaft of an alternator (1), through a transmission that can be rigid or flexible, where it is converted into alternating electric power. Through the primary electric circuit (2) arrives at the rectifier (5), where it is modified to continuous electric current and through the secondary electric circuit (6), we drive it to the batteries (7) to recharge them, while the vehicle is in motion. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

OUTDOOR AIR KINETIC ENERGY RECOVERY IN MOVING VEHICLES AND MECHANISMS

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SECTOR OF THE TECHNIQUE

The present invention can be included in various sectors of manufacture of vehicles dedicated to the transport of people and goods, by road, rail and

10 aerial:

 Automobile sector  Passenger transport sector by road  Freight transport sector by road  Railway locomotive sector

15  Aviation sector

The main object of this invention is the design of a device consisting of a kinetic energy recuperator that a moving vehicle transmits to the surrounding air. When it reaches sufficient speed, so as to be able to recover said energy, a part of the air is introduced into a turbine that transforms it into mechanical energy. Said energy is transferred to the axis of an alternator or generator of electrical energy and derived to a rectifier to transform it into continuous electrical energy and to be able to recharge the batteries of the electric vehicles while they are in motion, which allows to exponentially increase their autonomy, reduce costs of transport and also effectively combat pollution of the

25 environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Today, we have a global problem with global pollution of the planet and in particular in the big cities where sometimes they are exceeded

30 the advisable values to maintain an acceptable air quality for its inhabitants. Overlapped with this problem we have a solution: electric or hybrid vehicles, but they have a real unsolved problem: autonomy in their medium and long journeys due to the low duration of their batteries.

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With the invention that we present, the problem is solved and it gives viability to this type of vehicles, because we exponentially increase their autonomy and reduce transport costs in a very radical way.

Technically the invention is based on fluid mechanics, specifically in the application of Bernouilli's Theorem, and as a fluid, in our case, the air that a vehicle displaces when moving through it.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

The energy recuperator object of this invention is based as we have previously explained in fluid mechanics and consists in passing the air, which moves a moving vehicle, through a pickup hood, where the kinetic energy is increased by increasing the passing speed also increases the dynamic pressure and the static pressure, as the output section decreases. Then we pass the air through a turbine of special characteristics, always depending on the power to be recovered and the type of vehicle where it will be installed, through the blades we transmit the kinetic energy of the air to the axis of the turbine as mechanical energy, which at in turn it will be coupled to the axis of an alternator or electric generator that will be responsible for transforming mechanical energy into electrical energy. Then we pass this alternating current electrical energy through a rectifier and transform it into continuous electrical energy, recharging the batteries in this way, while the vehicle is in motion.

The energy recuperator is fixed to the structure of the vehicle with flexible supports to prevent the transmission of noise and vibration from one to another, calculated to withstand the stresses caused by the angular velocities of its components and weight. The recommendations of ISO 10816 regarding maximum angular speeds have been taken into account in the design of the invention.

ENERGY RECOVERY COMPONENTS

The components of the invention are described below:

 AIR OR TOWER CAPTION HOOD (4)

It is formed by a hollow body with an entrance for the air of greater section than the exit, of conical or pyramidal trunk of circular, ovoid, square or rectangular section, depending on the application. The dimensions will be calculated for each specific case and will depend on the vehicle design where it will be installed and the amount of energy to recover. The function of this bell is the admission of the

as much air as possible, always depending on the speed of the vehicle, the increase in the speed of the air passing through it and the discharge in the next component that is the turbine.

 ENERGY RECOVERY TURBINE (3)

The function of the turbine in the invention is to transform the kinetic energy with which the air arrives in the form of dynamic and static pressure (in application of one of Bernouilli's equations) and transform it into mechanical energy, according to the expression :

P = d * g * Q * HT (W)

Being:

10 P The total mechanical power recovered in watts (W).

D Air density at average conditions of 20 ° C.

g The acceleration of gravity.

Q The air flow through the turbine.

HT The total pressure (dynamic pressure + static pressure) at the inlet of the turbine minus the total pressure (dynamic pressure + static pressure) at the outlet of the turbine.

This turbine may be centrifugal, axial or mixed, with one or several steps or stages, always depending on the application where it is to be installed and the power to be recovered. The section of this turbine may be circular, square, rectangular or

20 any other way, and always depending on the calculations made for each case. The turbine calculation is carried out by the adiabatic study of the turbine and the sizing will be carried out depending on the application and the electrical power to be recovered.

 ELECTRICAL MECHANICAL ENERGY ALTERNATOR OR TRANSFORMER (1)

25 The alternator may be used for sale on the market or designed for each case. A fundamental property for this element of the invention is that it must be of high performance, never less than 95%.

 CONTINUOUS ALTERNATE ENERGY RECTIFIER OR TRANSFORMER (5)

The rectifier, as in the previous case, may be used for sale on the market or

30 well designed for each case. A fundamental property for this element of the invention is that it must be of high performance.

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 PROTECTION ELEMENTS

The energy recuperator has an electronic protection system enabled in the control unit of the vehicle, electromechanically operated and consisting of the following elements:

The coupling between the turbine shaft and the alternator shaft will be designed according to the application and the power to be recovered by the invention, but the union will always have an electrical disconnection system to protect the alternator.

The electrical system is equipped with two cutting and protection elements, one in the primary alternating current system and the other in the secondary direct current system, operated from the vehicle control unit and used to protect the system and prevent overload. of the batteries. For this, the information to reach the control unit will be processed, reflecting the information on the control panel for the driver's knowledge. It will act according to the information obtained by a series of probes located inside the energy recuperator and distributed according to the following relationship:

a) Total air pressure probe located at the turbine inlet. b) Dynamic pressure probe located at the outlet of the turbine. c) Alternator and rectifier temperature probes. d) Probe for reading the intensity in the alternating current circuit. e) Probe for reading the intensity in the continuous current circuit. f) Battery charge level probes (one per battery).

The first two probes will give us information about the recovered mechanical energy and the dirt state of the turbine, indicating the time to clean it. The next three will give us the information of the electrical performance of the recuperator and will make the protection system act when necessary. And the last probe will give us the information of the state of the battery charge, acting on the charge protection system when it reaches its limit.

POWER RECUERATOR OPERATION

The operation of the invention is described below: the vehicle, when set in motion, provides the air with a reaction in the opposite direction to travel; This air in conventional vehicles is used for cooling the internal combustion engine. That air, as the vehicle acquires speed, provides an energy that from a specific point, with our invention we can recover.

A certain air flow enters the hood or nozzle, located in

the front part of the vehicle, circulates towards the interior of the vehicle where, when the passage section decreases, this air flow increases the speed until reaching the critical point, which is the entrance into the turbine. At that point of maximum speed (which is the point of greatest kinetic energy of the system) we pass the air to the turbine, which will cause a pushing force on the blades, which in turn will turn the turbine at a speed angular depending on the speed of the vehicle and, in this way, the turbine transforms the energy of the air into mechanical energy by transmitting it to its axis. The turbine shaft in turn transmits the mechanical energy to the alternator shaft and it converts it into alternating current electrical energy. Through the circuit

10 primary electric we get to the rectifier this alternating current, where it is transformed into direct current and through the secondary electrical circuit is transferred for the charging of the vehicle's batteries. The air discharged by the turbine can also be used to cool the electric motors and vehicle power batteries.

The recharging power of the batteries will depend on the corresponding design of the recovery capacity of the invention and the speed at which the moving vehicle circulates.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

20 The above description is complemented by an explanation of the drawings provided illustratively and to facilitate your understanding of the energy recovery.

Figure 1 shows, schematically, a recuperator with radial turbine and direct coupling of the electric generator. The ratio of the components is as follows:

 Electric generator (1)  Primary electrical circuit (2)  Centrifugal turbine (3)  Air and nozzle collection hood (4)

30  Alternating current rectifier (5)  Secondary electrical circuit (6)  Batteries (7)  Mechanical transmission of movement (8)  Air inlet pressure probe (9)

35  Air outlet pressure probe (10)  Electric generator temperature probe (11)  Rectifier temperature probe (12)  Current probe of primary circuit current (13)

 Current sensor of secondary circuit current (14)  Battery charging probe (15)  RPM turbine angular speed probe (16)  Electronic control and regulation unit (17)

Figure 2 shows, schematically, a recuperator with axial turbine and flexible coupling between the turbine and the electric generator. The relationship of components is as follows:

 Electric generator (1)  Primary electrical circuit (2) Axial turbine with one or several steps (3)  Air and nozzle collection hood (4)  DC rectifier in continuous (5)  Secondary electrical circuit (6)  Batteries (7)

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In this section we describe the manufacture of the different elements that make up the invention that we are developing in this document.

 AIR CAPTURE HOOD (4)

The air collection hood will be built in one piece or in several pieces with sealed joint joints to avoid air leakage over time. The sizing will be depending on the application and the power to recover.

The manufacturing materials may be of a different nature such as stainless steel, aluminum, carbon fiber, reinforced glass fiber or any other material or alloy that has the physicochemical and structural properties necessary for its manufacture. It is essential that it is light and of a material of difficult corrosion and, in addition, its inner face has a fully polished surface to reduce air friction.

The hood, by design, must have an inclination of the base of at least 2%, to evacuate rainwater and / or water from condensation, or dispose of one or more perforations, in the connection part to the turbine, of minimum diameter to evacuate this water and that the minimum loss of air flow occurs.

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 ENERGY RECOVERY TURBINE (3)

The recuperator turbine housing will be constructed in two parts, to facilitate the internal cleaning of the blades, and sealed with an air-tight joint that is resistant to moisture and low temperatures.

The construction materials, as in the case of the bell, can be of any material that meets the mechanical and physicochemical characteristics necessary in its construction. The housing and blades can be of the same or different material, but they must always comply with the characteristic that the material has to be light to avoid unnecessary overload of the vehicle and also the surface in contact with the air will be polished and low coefficient of friction.

It is essential that the turbine design, the clearance between the turbine housing and the blades is less than 1 mm so that the flow losses are minimal, and will always be a function of the size and the corresponding design in each case .

The turbine has holes in the interior of its housing for the evacuation of rainwater and / or condensation and is supported by a shaft with two supports provided with high performance bearings.

The dimensioning of the housing, such as the shape, the type of turbine and blades will be carried out for each recuperator and will depend on the application and the power to be recovered.

TRANSMISSION (8)

The transmission of the movement that joins the turbine shaft with the alternator shaft can be by direct coupling (for small powers) or by rigid, flexible transmission or any other type of transmission existing in the market, but always of a mechanical performance very high. The direct coupling, if possible, will be of the magnetic type so that the joint is smooth and easy to regulate, or with any other system that provides a high mechanical performance transmission. You must have an automatic disconnection system for alternator protection.

 ELECTRICAL GENERATOR OR ALTERNATOR (1)

The alternator used as a complementary and necessary element for this invention may be an existing equipment on the market or designed for this purpose, but it should always be a device of maximum performance, equal to or greater than 95%. The sizing will be carried out depending on the application and the power to be recovered in each case.

 RECTIFIER (5)

The rectifier used for this invention may be an existing equipment on the market or designed for this purpose, but it will always be a device of maximum performance, equal to or greater than 95%. The sizing will be done, like the alternator and the rest of the components, depending on the application and the power to recover in each case

 ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS (2 and 6)

The electrical circuits, as well as their protections and control elements will comply with the low voltage regulation and those corresponding to their sector. The conductors can be made of copper or aluminum and will be sized with the appropriate section to the powers to be recovered, the insulation will be adequate to the voltages they must withstand.

 PROTECTION AND INFORMATION PROBES (9 to 16)

The pressure and temperature probes will be those existing in the market, with the range of work, and characteristics appropriate to the electronic control units of the vehicles where they are installed.

 REGULATION AND CONTROL CENTER (17)

The regulation and control of the operation system of the recuperator is carried out by an electronic exchange, this can be an independent equipment but it is convenient that they be integrated in the electronic control unit of the vehicle itself, to process and facilitate the information to the driver of the vehicle in the same panels that indicate all the operating parameters.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS

Previously we have talked about sectors of application of the invention, in this section we will talk about specific applications that the invention has to us:

 Automotive sector: Developing the construction and market fields of vehicles that are currently stuck as:

o Electric cars: it would increase the autonomy of operation exponentially, overcoming the restrictions that they currently have in the automobile market and making them totally viable, in addition there would be the reduction of displacements and especially the reduction of pollution in large cities.

o Hybrid cars: as in the previous case it would increase the

real autonomy of operation in electric mode, which

It is currently very small.

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Passenger transport sector by road: It would help to develop

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the construction and market of urban buses and buses

interurban electric, reducing the cost of transport of

passengers in a very considerable way.

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Road freight sector: It would help

develop the construction and market of trucks and heads

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electric tractors, reducing the cost of freight transport

by road in a very considerable way.

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Passenger and freight transport sector by rail:

It would help develop the construction and the locomotive market

electric batteries, which can circulate in electrified tracks,

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decreasing infrastructure investment and the cost of

maintenance of rail, subway, tram, etc. networks The cost

This type of transport would be cheaper and more profitable for

railway companies

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Aviation sector: Propeller aircraft could be developed and

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turbo propellers with electric motors, whose fuel is energy

stored in batteries, and electric helicopters also with

batteries Taking into account that all the power in the

Electric motors is for immediate use, unlike other types of

fuel, make them more effective and efficient, lowering the

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operating and maintenance cost of this type of vehicles.

These can be used in the transport of passengers, merchandise,

military and special unmanned aircraft. It would also reduce the

noise and environmental pollution caused by these

vehicles.

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Claims (5)

 R E I V I N D I C A C I O N E S

one.

The invention is a recuperator of the kinetic energy of the air in vehicles and

moving mechanisms, is characterized by collecting and transforming the

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wind energy, produced by a vehicle when it travels, in energy

electric to recharge the power batteries, in electric vehicles and

hybrids when they are circulating and starting a certain speed.

The invention contains in its front part a hood and nozzle (4) of

wind with an input section greater than the output section, the air, inside,

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increases the speed and therefore the kinetic energy. This air reaches the

turbine (3) and drives the blades of this transferring and transforming the energy

Wind kinetics in mechanical energy to the turbine shaft. This energy is

transmitted to the alternator shaft (1) by a mechanical transmission (8), the

alternator transforms mechanical energy into alternating electrical energy, by

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a primary electrical circuit (2) is conducted this energy to a rectifier (5)

where it is transformed into continuous electrical energy suitable for recharging

the batteries and by means of a secondary electrical circuit (6) is sent to the system of

vehicle battery recharge (7). For operation control and

protection of the invention, this is provided with a control unit and

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control (17) supported by a series of information probes (9 to 16). This system

It may or may not be integrated into the electronic system of the vehicle.

The air used in energy recovery will be used later, for the

alternator cooling, electric motors and battery power

vehicle.

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The invention will be fixed to the vehicle or mechanism where it is mounted by means of a

flexible anchoring system, capable of absorbing the vibrations produced and

Avoid transmitting these to the vehicle.

2.

The kinetic energy recuperator, according to claim 1, has a hood

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of collection (4) of the air displaced by the vehicle. It is characterized because it can

adopt a section of any geometric shape, both in the part of the entrance

as in the output part. Its shape is conical trunk or inverted pyramidal trunk.

The building material must be resistant to moisture and pressures at

That will be submitted. The opening angle will be equal to the maximum angle

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friction performance.

3.

The invention, according to claim 1, has a mechanical transmission

responsible for transmitting mechanical energy from the turbine shaft to the shaft

of the alternator or electric current generator. This transmission must be high

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performance and may be direct coupling, rigid coupling,

flexible coupling or any other existing system in the market. Too

It will have a disconnection or braking system to protect the

alternator.

Four.

The invention, according to claim 1, has two electrical circuits (2 and 6), one

primary responsible for transporting electrical energy from the alternator to the

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rectifier and other secondary circuit responsible for carrying direct current

to the recharging system of the vehicle's batteries, made with drivers

of copper or aluminum with cable section sufficient for the working voltage and

to drive the required current intensity depending on the power of

recharge These circuits will have the command and protection switches

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appropriate to the application.

5.

The invention, according to claim 1, contains a regulation and control system

equipped with an electronic control unit (17), or it will be integrated into the

electronic control unit of the vehicle where the invention is installed.

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This should control and manage, at least, the parameters measured by the following

Probe Ratio:

to. Total air pressure probe located at the turbine inlet (9).

b. Dynamic air pressure probe located at the outlet of the turbine (10).

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C. Temperature probes of the alternator (11) and rectifier (12).

d. Current reading probes in the alternating current circuit

(13) and in the DC circuit (14).

and. Battery charge level probes (15).

F. Probe indicating the turbine RPM (16).

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