GB2359593A

GB2359593A - Generating power from vehicular or other traffic passing over a surface

Info

Publication number: GB2359593A
Application number: GB0004498A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wilfred Raynor Goddard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-02-26
Filing date: 2000-02-26
Publication date: 2001-08-29
Also published as: GB0004498D0

Abstract

An array of displaceable members M1 to M18 is placed in the path of road, rail or pedestrian traffic, eg on the road at a roundabout 11, so that they are repeatedly moved, eg by the wheels of vehicles, between an un-compressed state and a compressed state. This movement is transmitted by a mechanical or fluid links to provide power input to a rotary machine 19 which powers an electrical power generator. The links may be shafts 20 located in channels 21 in the road surface and rotated by respective members M1-M18 via gearing. The energy generated may be used eg for illumination, pumping water, powering communication or scanning systems and may be stored, eg in a flywheel or a fluid reservoir, or fed into a local grid. The rate of power generation may be used to measure traffic flow, eg to provide early warning of a traffic hold-up.

Description

1 METHOD OF, AND APPARATUS FOR, POWER GENERATION 2359593 This invention

relates to power generation. It is particularly concerned with power generation by taking advantage of an existing power source so that power available from the existing source is utilised rather than wasted as has occurred heretofore.

A typical example of an existing power source arises from a stream of road vehicles. The relative inefficiency of an internal combustion engine, frictional effects in transmission systems, tyre rolling resistance, aerodynamic drag and other factors result in the fuel consumption of vehicles in a stream of traffic moving along a -flat straight road substantially greater than that theoretically necessary. Since vehicular traffic is likely to exist for the some time there could be substantial advantages if the motion of a vehicle, or a stream of vehicles, could be used as a source of power.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of power generation comprising the steps of 1 locating at least one displaceable member in or on a surface subject to the passage of vehicular or other traffic; providing for the passage of ground contacting load bearing members of a vehicle or other traffic to pass over the or each displaceable member to cause it to move between an un-compressed state and a compressed state; causing the displaceable member in moving between the un-compressed and compressed states to provide a power output from member; transmitting the power output from the member by way of a link to provide a power input to a rotary machine; and obtaining electrical power from a generator powered by the rotary machine.

2 3 According to a first preferred version of the first aspect of the present invention the step of locating at least one displaceable member involves the provision of a plurality of such members in a predetermined pattern in or on a region of the surface so that 2 road wheels or ground contacting members in passing through the region tends to compress the majority if not all of the members in the plurality.

According to a second preferred version of the first aspect or of the first preferred version thereof the step of transmitting the power output from the member is undertaken by way of a mechanical linkage, typically a rotatable shaft.

According to a third preferred version of the first aspect of the present invention or of the first preferred version the step of transmitting the power output from the member is by way of a fluid circuit.

According to a fourth preferred version of the first aspect of the present invention or of any of the -Preceding 'Preferred versions thereof during the step of transmittinjZ where following the transmitting the power output from the member and before the provision of power input to a rotary machine there is provided an energy storing stage in the link and the storing stage is common to some, if not all., of the plurality of the members.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for power generation comprising 1 at least one displaceable member in or on a surface subject to the passage of ground contacting load bearing members of a vehicle or other traffic, the or each displaceable member being movable between an uncompressed and a compressed state to provide a power output from the member; a rotary machine having an input adapted on receipt of a power input to provide a power output from the machine for an electrical generator; transmission means linking the or each displaceable member to the input of the rotary machine.

2 3 3 According to a first preferred version of the second aspect of the present invention there are provided a plurality of displaceable members laid out in a predetermined pattern in or on a region of a surface so that ground contacting load bearing members of a given vehicle in passing through the region serve to compress the majority if not all of the displaceable members in the plurality.

According to a second preferred version of the second aspect of the present invention or of the first preferred version thereof the transmission means comprises a mechanical linkage. Typically the transmission means includes gearing.

According to a third preferred version of the second aspect of the present invention or of the first preferred version thereof the transmission means includes a fluid circuit.

According to a fourth preferred version of the present invention or of any preceding preferred version thereof there is provided an energy storing means (such as a flywheel or a fluid pressure reservoir) incorporated in the transmission means such that power output from the or each member is stored in whole or in part in the energy transmission means before passing to the input of the rotary machine.

According to a fifth preferred version of the second aspect of the present invention or of any preceding preferred version thereof the rotary machine comprises a turbogenerator.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of a method of, and apparatus for, power generation of which Figures IA to IC are diagrammatic view of an installation for power generation; and Figure 2 is a block diagram showing components of, and generation of energy by, the installation of Figure 1.

4 Figure 1A A road roundabout 11 is made up of an annulus 12 into which opens four two way roads 13 - 16. The annulus 12 has spaced uniformly around it an array of sixteen displaceable members M1 to M16. The nature of these members is considered hereafter.

A vehicle from road 13 moving onto the roundabout 11 to leave the roundabout by road 14 follows the path 15 shown as a dashed line which crosses members MI to M3, three members, which represents the shortest possible route on the roundabout covering the minimum number of members.

A vehicle passing from road 13 around the roundabout 11 to leave by way of road 16 follows the path 17 shown as a double dashed line which crosses members M1 to M11, that is to say eleven members.

Each of the members M1 to M16 is linked to a rotary machine 19 shown in part sectioned perspective view in Figure IB. The linkage between, typically, member M13 and rotary machine 19 is by way of a lightweight transmission unit 20 in a channel 21 the unit 20 including a shaft coupled at one end to a rotatable output shaft from the member M13 and at the other end to an input stub axle on rotary machine 19.

Figure 1C shows that part of member M13 projecting above road annulus 12 and about to be contacted by road wheel 23 of car 24. On the wheel 23 contacting and rolling over the member M13 the weight of the vehicle causes the member M13 to move from the fully un-compressed state as shown in Figure 1C to a compressed position close to being level with the neighbouring surface of the road. This compression sequence occurs against the resistance of springs contained in the member M13. When the member M13 is free to revert to its un-compressed state the member M13 acts to rotate an output shaft by way of a geared coupling. The output shaft is coupled to lightweight transmission unit 20 so that the compression cycle through which the member M13 goes on being traversed by the wheel 23 results in an output shaft the rotary machine 19 is caused to rotate maintaining an output fluid pressure which is fed to a close coupled electrical generator 25 which as a result provides an electrical output. The combined machine 19 and generator 25 further include conventional regulating means for ensuring that the power generated is of the required frequency and voltage.

Figure 2 This shows in diagrammatic form the components of Figure 1A C with particular reference to displaceable member M13. Items shown in both Figure 2 and Figures 1AC are given the same reference. The recovered energy can be used for some base load requirement such as illumination or pumping of water. If required an optional energy store unit S (shown in broken outline) can be provided upstream of the rotary machine 19. This provides for the storage of energy generated by member M13 in appropriate form (such as a flywheel in the case of a mechanical transmission or a pressurised fluid reservoir in the case of a fluid transmission) for subsequent release into the rotary machine 19 when the demand is created. However rather than have an energy storing means upstream of the rotary machine if the electrical output of generator 25 is not to be utilised immediately then energy can be stored downstream of the rotary machine, typically in batteries or by driving a storage flywheel for subsequent recovery when demand arises.

During a heavy flow of traffic across the roundabout 11 a substantial amount of power can be generated by means of the installation described. A number of installation in a neighbourhood at times of peak traffic can have a substantial combined output. A range of options exist for the use or distribution of the generated power. It is envisaged that if the power is sufficient it could be fed into a local grid system. Alternatively, for example, it could be used for advertising, lighting, powering communication and scanning systems, and information displays. Apart from the generated power being useful as such the power output measured against time could be incorporated in a system which would provide a measure of traffic flow and in the event of detecting an 6 anomalous power output from a given flow could provide an early warning of traffic hold up.

The exemplary embodiment shows the members M1 to M16 linked to the rotary machine 19 by mechanical means. This is convenient in the compact arrangement represented by a roundabout or at the entry to frequently accessed locations such as car parks of supermarkets, warehouse or stations. However the invention includes other means of transmitting small power input steps to a rotary machine. Typically instead of a mechanical transmission system a fluid based system could be used using gas or liquid media to be subject to compression by the member and the resulting pressure pulses can be transmitted by hydraulic circuits to drive the rotary machine or machines and the generator or generators. Such a system would lend itself to providing interaction between systems which are relatively close set. Thus several arrays of members can be used to power a given rotary machine and vice versa.

The exemplary embodiment makes use of the incoming pressure pulses as generated. However there is no reason why some sort of buffering could be used so that energy generated by way of the members is stored as potential energy in some form such as in a storage tank (in the cases of pressurised fluid) or electrical power generated by the system can be stored in batteries.

It is further envisaged that the proposed system could provide for power generated by traffic flows in the course of the working day to be stored for subsequent use.

The proposed systems according to the present invention provide for relatively robust components to be readily accommodated in a wide range of locations and environments.

While the displaceable members of the embodiment are shown to be relatively large they can also be fabricated as relatively small and compact units so providing for a less intrusive and perhaps less readily damaged device.

7 The described invention is particularly applicable to road traffic but it is not necessarily limited to road traffic flows. It is envisaged that given sufficient numbers of 'compressing objects', for example pedestrians or railway traffic, then versions of the invention could be used scaled up or down in size.

8

Claims

1 A method of power generation comprising the steps of locating at least one displaceable member in or on a surface subject to the passage of vehicular or other traffic; providing for the passage of ground contacting load bearing members of a vehicle or other traffic to pass over the or each displaceable member to cause it to move between an uncompressed state and a compressed state; causing the displaceable member in moving between the un-compressed and compressed states to provide a power output from member; transmitting the power output from the member by way of a link to provide a power input to a rotary machine; and obtaining electrical power from a generator powered by the rotary machine.

A method of power generation as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the step of locating at least one displaceable member involves the provision of a plurality of such members in a predetermined pattern in or on a region of the surface so that road wheels or ground contacting members in passing through the region tends to compress the majority if not all of the members in the plurality.

A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the step of transmitting the power output from the member is undertaken by way of a mechanical linkage, typically a rotatable shaft.

4 A method as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the step of transmitting the power output from the member is by way of a fluid circuit.

A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein during the step of transmitting where following the transmitting the power output from the member and before the provision of power input to a rotary machine there is 9 provided an energy storing stage in the link and the storing stage is common to some, if not all, of the plurality of the members.

6 Apparatus for power generation comprising at least one displaceable member in or on a surface subject to the passage of ground contacting load bearing members of a vehicle or other traffic, the or each displaceable member being movable between an un-compressed and a compressed state to provide a power output from the member; a rotary machine having an input adapted on receipt of a power input to provide a power output from the machine for an electrical generator; transmission means linking the or each displaceable member to the input of the rotary machine.

Apparatus as claimed in Claim 6 involving a plurality of displaceable members laid out in a predetermined pattern in or on a region of a surface so that ground contacting load bearing members of a given vehicle in passing through the region serve to compress the majority if not all of the displaceable members in the plurality.

8 Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or Claim 6 wherein the transmission means comprises a mechanical linkage.

9 Apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the transmission means includes gearing.

Apparatus as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7 wherein the step of transmission means includes a fluid circuit.

11 Apparatus as claimed in Claims 6, 7, 8 or 9 method including a energy storing means incorporated in the transmission means such that power output from the or each member is stored in whole or in part in the energy transmission means before passing to the input of the rotary machine.

12 Apparatus as claimed in any of preceding claims 6 to 10 wherein the rotary machine is a turbo-generator.

13 A method of power generation as hereinbefore describe with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14 Apparatus for power generation as hereinbefore describe with reference to the accompanying drawings.