JP2010209786A - On-vehicle wind turbine generator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the efficiency of an on-vehicle wind turbine generator, and to drive a generator having a practicable power-generating capacity by a compact wind turbine suitable for loading into a vehicle. <P>SOLUTION: The drag-type wind turbine 20 is installed in an offset manner in an air duct 10 internally forming a smooth airflow by introducing travelling wind. The introduced airflow is forcibly applied to the other sides of the blade plates 23 of the wind turbine 20 in the air duct 10 having no vent, and the energy of the airflow is efficiently converted into the torque of the wind turbine 20. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention is intended for electric vehicles (excluding fuel cell vehicles), generating electric power using traveling wind that is relatively generated as the vehicle travels, and supplementarily charging the battery for the traveling motor. It is related with the target vehicle-mounted wind power generator.

  Automobiles have evolved from a system that uses only an internal combustion engine as a prime mover to a hybrid system that uses both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. Today, electric vehicles that use only an electric motor as the prime mover are offered to small passenger cars. Has been done.

  An electric vehicle is a so-called zero emission vehicle and is an ideal vehicle in terms of environmental performance. However, there is a fundamental problem that the cruising distance per charge is short. This problem is solved by increasing the battery capacity. However, the battery capacity is increased for the purpose of extending the cruising distance per charge in consideration of the problem of the cost increase accompanying the increase in the battery capacity and the problem that the weight of the large capacity battery itself becomes the load of the driving motor. There are inherent limitations in doing this.

  The above problem is not limited to electric vehicles, and the cruising distance is extended by means of generating electricity using the traveling wind that is relatively generated as the vehicle travels, and supplementing this with the battery for the traveling motor. A countermeasure to be attempted has been proposed (see the following patent document). At this time, a drag type windmill (see Patent Documents 1, 2, and 4) or a lift type windmill (see Patent Document 3) is used as a specific means for generating electric power using the traveling wind of the vehicle. However, none has been put into practical use.

  The reason why the proposal to generate power using traveling wind is not put into practical use is that a wind turbine of a size sufficient to drive a practical generator having a power generation capacity that can be supplementarily charged to a vehicle battery is used. This is because it is difficult to mount on a vehicle without sacrificing mechanical space and living space that are indispensable for exhibiting the function of the vehicle (see Patent Document 1). The energy density of an air stream is only about 1 / 800th that of a water stream, and in order to obtain practical energy from an air stream that has a low viscosity as a fluid and is difficult to supplement, it is usually considerable. This is because a large windmill is required.

  In order to be able to mount the windmill on the vehicle, it is necessary to increase the efficiency and miniaturization of the windmill and to secure a mounting space. In this regard, in a pure electric vehicle not equipped with an internal combustion engine that requires a large machine space, there is room for securing a wind turbine mounting space.

  On the other hand, regarding the improvement of the efficiency of the windmill, the response is different between the lift-type windmill and the drag-type windmill. The lift-type windmill is a so-called propeller type, and is used with the windmill rotating shaft facing the upwind direction along the airflow, and at the front of the windmill, swivels around at least the windmill rotating shaft. It is necessary to provide a large opening that is larger than the sweep area of the blade. In other words, when a large opening cannot be secured, only an extremely small windmill that cannot be considered practical can be mounted (see Patent Document 3). In this type of wind turbine, there is basically no method for increasing the efficiency other than increasing the diameter of the wind turbine.

  On the other hand, the drag type windmill is a so-called watermill type, and is used with the windmill rotation axis orthogonal to the airflow, and when the windmill is viewed from the upwind direction of the airflow, The rotary motion is caused by a drag difference between a drag force generated on a blade plate located on one side of the shaft and an effect generated on a blade plate positioned on the other side of the wind turbine rotation shaft. The drag difference at this time can be maximized by, for example, attaching a cover to a blade plate located on one side of the wind turbine rotating shaft so that no drag due to airflow occurs. In other words, it is not necessary for the airflow to hit all the blades of the windmill, and therefore, it is possible to obtain sufficient performance by providing an opening with an area about the size of the blades located on one side of the windmill rotating shaft in front of the windmill. Can be pulled out.

  It should be noted that in a drag type wind turbine, a method of enclosing the air flow that collides with the blade plate so as not to easily escape backward from the side of the blade plate, for example, by providing an air duct, the effect generated in the blade plate is strengthened. It is also possible to improve the efficiency. However, in this case, how to handle the air duct is extremely important. When the air duct is configured to bend in a stepped manner with a clear angle, the energy of the air flow is generated by the turbulent flow generated in the bent portion. Will be greatly reduced (see Patent Document 2). Moreover, even if an air duct is provided, the effect of increasing the drag is diminished if the size allows the air flow to easily escape to the side of the blades (see Patent Document 4).

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-16504 JP 2000-2175 A JP 2008-215208 A JP 2008-283842 A

  Based on the above technical background, the present invention is applied to an electric vehicle that can easily secure a mounting space, and adopts a drag type with a large room for improvement as a windmill. It is an object of the present invention to provide an in-vehicle wind power generator capable of driving a generator having a realistic output capacity necessary for supplementary charging of a battery by taking a plurality of means for the conversion. It is another object of the present invention to provide means for enabling a generator having a capacity that cannot be driven by one windmill to be driven by a plurality of windmills.

  In order to achieve the above object, an in-vehicle wind power generator according to claim 1 of the present invention is directed to an intake port that opens toward the traveling direction of the vehicle, and toward the side or the rear with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle. A wind turbine that rotates in the middle of an air duct that includes an outlet port that opens and that is rotated by an air flow that flows from the intake port toward the outlet port in the air duct and that is driven to rotate by the wind turbine outside the air duct The air duct at this time is bent and formed by a smooth curved surface that does not impede the flow of the air flow, and the wind turbine is arranged in a direction orthogonal to the air flow, and the wind turbine rotation A drag-type wind turbine comprising a plurality of blades that are radially attached to the shaft in a radial direction. When the wind turbine rotating shaft is viewed from the upwind direction of the air flow, only the blades belonging to one side of the wind turbine rotating shaft out of the plurality of blade blades block the air flow. It is characterized by being located in the air duct.

  The vehicle-mounted wind turbine generator having the above configuration includes an air duct. The air duct includes an intake port that is an opening of the air duct on one end side, and an outlet port on the other end side. An intermediate portion of the air duct extending from the intake port to the outlet port is bent with a smooth curved surface.

  At this time, the air duct is bent so that the outlet port opens sideways or rearward with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle when the intake port is directed in the traveling direction of the vehicle, that is, the windward direction. As a result, the driving wind generated by the vehicle traveling is introduced into the air duct from the intake port, passes smoothly through the air duct without being diminished while the path is regulated by the air duct, and passes from the outlet port to the outside. Discharged. That is, an air flow that flows according to the bent shape of the air duct is formed inside the air duct.

  When the windmill for driving the generator is viewed from the windward direction of the airflow, the airflow is blocked by a blade that belongs to one side of the windmill rotation shaft among the blades. It is arranged in the air duct. That is, the windmill rotating shaft is arranged not to the center of the air duct but to the side of the air duct.

  As a result, the air flow formed inside the air duct collides with the blades belonging to one side of the windmill rotating shaft and generates drag. At this time, the air duct restricts the path of the air flow, prevents it from coming out rearward from the side of the slats, and increases the efficiency of drag generation. On the other hand, since the blades belonging to the other side of the wind turbine rotating shaft do not take a posture of blocking the air flow of the air duct, no drag is generated on the blades. A rotational torque is generated on the wind turbine rotating shaft based on the drag difference, and the generator can be driven to rotate.

  The in-vehicle wind power generator according to claim 2 of the present invention is symmetrical with respect to a specific windmill installed in an air duct, with another windmill having the same configuration as that of the windmill being arranged with respect to the airflow. The wind turbine rotating shafts of the pair of wind turbines arranged are gear-coupled in the direction of synchronous rotation in opposite directions. At this time, the blades in the pair of wind turbines coupled to the gear are viewed from the upwind direction of the air flow. In the case where the two wind turbines overlap each other and are located in the air duct, and the pair of wind turbines rotate synchronously without causing interference between the blades of each other.

  The on-vehicle wind power generator configured as described above includes two wind turbines in the air duct. The two wind turbines have the same configuration and are used as a pair. The wind turbine rotating shafts of the pair of wind turbines are gear-coupled so as to rotate synchronously in opposite directions, and the blade blades of the coupled pair of wind turbines overlap each other. However, synchronization is set so that the pair of wind turbines can rotate synchronously without interfering with each other's blades. That is, the pair of wind turbines are gear-connected at a rotation ratio of 1: 1, and can rotate while maintaining the initial positional relationship of the blades adjusted to a positional relationship that does not interfere with each other when connected.

  The pair of wind turbines are symmetrically arranged in the air duct so as to block the air flow in the air duct by the overlapping blades. Therefore, in order for the air flow in the air duct to reach the outlet port, it must pass not only through the vane plate of one windmill but also through the vane plate of the other windmill. A large drag force can be generated on the blade plate, and a large rotational torque can be applied to each wind turbine rotating shaft of the pair of wind turbines.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an in-vehicle wind power generator including a pair of wind turbines that are gear-connected like the in-vehicle wind power generator. It is characterized by being driven to rotate.

  In the in-vehicle wind turbine generator having the above-described configuration, when a generator as a load is connected to one of the pair of geared wind turbines, the generator is connected to the wind turbine connected to the generator. In addition to the torque transmitted from the windmill rotating shaft, the torque is transmitted in a superimposed manner via a gear connected to the windmill rotating shaft of the other windmill. That is, it is possible to drive a large-capacity generator that cannot be rotated effectively by one unit.

  The in-vehicle wind power generator of the present invention has a wind turbine installed in an air duct, forcibly causes the traveling wind of the vehicle to act on the wind turbine in an air duct without escape, and does not reduce the energy of the air flow in the shape of the air duct. By adopting a simple bent shape, high-efficiency operation of a drag-type small wind turbine was realized, and it was possible to drive a generator having a practical power generation capacity in addition to improving the mountability to a vehicle.

  Further, in the in-vehicle wind power generator of the present invention, a pair of wind turbines are arranged in the air duct in combination so that the blades overlap each other and block the air flow, and the wind turbine blades interfere with each other. In order to avoid this problem, it is possible to efficiently capture airflows that have low viscosity as a fluid and are difficult to capture by means of synchronously operating a pair of windmills.

  Further, the in-vehicle wind power generator of the present invention mechanically connects the wind turbine rotating shafts of a pair of wind turbines, and by means of driving a single generator by the resultant force of the connected pair of wind turbines, It was possible to drive a large-capacity generator that could not be driven.

It is a perspective view which shows one Embodiment in the vehicle mounting state of the vehicle-mounted wind power generator of this invention. It is a side view of the vehicle-mounted wind power generator in the said embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the principal part of the vehicle-mounted wind power generator in the said embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows other embodiment in the vehicle mounting state of the vehicle-mounted wind power generator of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the principal part of the vehicle-mounted wind power generator in the said embodiment. It is A arrow directional view of FIG. 5 of the vehicle-mounted wind power generator in the said embodiment. It is a side view which shows other embodiment in the vehicle mounting state of the vehicle-mounted wind power generator of this invention. It is a top view of the principal part of the vehicle-mounted wind power generator in the said embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the vehicle-mounted wind power generator in the said embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the in-vehicle wind power generator according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The design format of the vehicle M for mounting the in-vehicle wind power generator 50 of the present invention is not particularly limited (FIG. 1), but from the basic purpose of the present invention to extend the cruising distance in an electric vehicle. Is preferably intended for electric vehicles. FIG. 1 illustrates a one-box type vehicle M including a hood M2 in front of the cabin M1. This type of vehicle M is a general vehicle that can be said to be the mainstream of today's vehicle design. Two independent in-vehicle wind power generators 50 and 50 are incorporated in the hood M2. The two in-vehicle wind power generators 50 and 50 have substantially the same structure, and one of them will be described below.

  Even when the vehicle M is an electric vehicle that does not require an internal combustion engine, a power conversion device such as a traveling motor, a battery pack serving as a power source thereof, a DC-DC converter or a DC-AC inverter is provided inside the bonnet M2. The practicality cannot be guaranteed unless a space for storing devices such as the electric control unit and the air conditioning compressor is secured. Therefore, the in-vehicle wind power generator 50 of the present invention is designed in an arch shape that can secure a space downward as a whole in order to secure an installation space for these devices (FIGS. 1 and 2).

  On the premise of the installation environment as described above, the in-vehicle wind power generator 50 of the present invention includes an air duct 10, a drag type windmill 20, and a generator 40.

  The air duct 10 is formed by bending a square tube made up of a pair of upper and lower side plates 11 and 11 and a pair of left and right side plates 12 and 12 so as to form a smooth arch shape, and has an intake port at one end thereof. 1A and an outlet port 1B are formed at the other end. Further, a semi-cylindrical windmill chamber 10R is formed in the middle portion of the air duct 10 in a form protruding sideways. Such an air duct 10 can be formed as a resin product such as FRP or as a sheet metal processed product.

  The air duct 10 is bolted on or clamped to the body of the vehicle M so that the intake port 1A coincides with the opening formed in the front bumper M3 of the vehicle M and the outlet port 1B faces obliquely rearward at the lower rear position of the hood M2. The air duct 10 is fixed so that the entire air duct 10 can be easily removed. This is to ensure the maintainability of the in-vehicle wind power generator 50 itself or other equipment housed in the hood M2.

  The intake port 1A of the air duct 10 in relation to the vehicle M is directed in the traveling direction D1 of the vehicle M, and the outlet port 1B is directed obliquely rearward with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle M. Therefore, in the air duct 10, an air flow that flows without reducing the momentum from the intake port 1A toward the outlet port 1B is formed by the traveling wind accompanying the operation of the vehicle M.

  The windmill 20 has an impeller structure in which 8 to 12 blades 23 are radially attached to a windmill rotating shaft 21 via a hub 22 (FIGS. 2 and 3). A windmill rotating shaft 21 is housed in a vertical direction in a windmill chamber 10R provided at an intermediate portion. The windmill rotating shaft 21 is supported on the upper and lower side plates 11 and 11 of the air duct 10 via bearings (not shown). The windmill 20 can be manufactured by a resin molding in which the hub 22 and the blades 23 are integrated, or an assembly type in which the blades 23 made of aluminum alloy or duralumin are retrofitted to the metallic hub 22.

  The size of the windmill 20 housed in the windmill room 10R is such that the blades 23 located on one side of the windmill rotating shaft 21 are housed in the windmill room 10R and hidden when viewed from the upwind direction D2 of the airflow. At the same time, the blade plates 23 located on the other side of the wind turbine rotating shaft 21 are set to a size close to the side plate of the air duct 10 facing each other. That is, the windmill 20 can take the attitude | position which interrupts | blocks the air flow in the air duct 10 by the blade board 23 ... located in the one side of the windmill rotating shaft 21. FIG.

  In other words, it can be said that the wind turbine rotating shaft 21 is arranged close to one side of the air duct 10 and the provision of the wind turbine chamber 10R is a means for that purpose.

  The generator 40 is disposed below the windmill room 10R and is directly connected to the windmill rotating shaft 21 using a shaft coupling. However, in the drag-type windmill 20, the peripheral speed of the blades 23 that perform the turning motion is determined by the speed of the airflow. When the speed of the airflow is constant, the windmill 20 is smaller than the small-diameter windmill 20. In the case where the large-diameter windmill 20 is used, there is a relationship that the rotational speed of the windmill 20 becomes lower while the torque increases. Therefore, the generator 40 and the windmill 20 can be connected via a speed reducer or a speed increaser as necessary in relation to the capacity of the generator 40, the rotational speed of the windmill 20, or the like.

  The form of the generator 40 itself is arbitrary, and is a self-excited or separately-excited AC generator or DC generator, and is connected via a voltage regulator, a rectifier, etc., which are required in relation to the battery to be charged. Connected to the battery.

  In the on-vehicle wind power generator 50, since the air flow in the air duct 10 cannot take a passage other than flowing from the intake port 1A toward the outlet port 1B, the air duct 10 is sequentially blocked by the rotation of the wind turbine 20. It can collide with the slats 23 that take the posture to be in a state where there is no escape, and can generate a large drag on the slats 23. Therefore, a large torque can be generated in the windmill 20.

  Next, another embodiment of the in-vehicle wind power generator 50 of the present invention will be described.

  The in-vehicle wind power generator 50 includes two wind turbines 20 and 20 that are gear-connected (FIGS. 4 and 5). A pair of windmill chambers 10R and 10R are formed in a symmetrical posture in the middle portion of the air duct 10. The air duct 10 is formed to expand toward the intake port 1A so that a large amount of traveling wind can be taken.

  Each windmill 20 has a configuration similar to that of the windmill 20 in the above-described embodiment, and the two windmills 20 and 20 each have one side of the windmill rotating shaft 21 in the windmill chamber 10R as viewed from the windward direction D2. Are arranged in a side-by-side posture. At this time, the blades 23 of the two wind turbines 20 and 20 overlap each other (FIG. 5).

  The wind turbine rotating shafts 21 and 21 of the two wind turbines 20 and 20 are disengaged above the air duct 10, and synchronization gears 31 and 31 are attached to these portions (FIGS. 5 and 6). Each of the gears 31 and 31 is a resin gear made of a polyamide-based or polyacetal-based engineering plastic material, and is reduced in weight by providing a weight reduction hole.

  The two gears 31, 31 attached to the wind turbine rotating shafts 21, 21 mesh with each other at a gear ratio of 1: 1, and when one gear 31 rotates clockwise F 1, the other gear 31 is counterclockwise. Rotate clockwise F2. When the gear ratio is 1: 1, the positional relationship between the adjacent blades 23 is maintained at the initial positional relationship and does not interfere with each other. The two gears 31, 31 are protected by a cover 32 attached to the upper surface of the air duct 10, and the generator 40 is connected to the lower end of the wind turbine rotating shaft 21 of one wind turbine 20.

  Since the blades 23 of the two wind turbines 20 and 20 overlap in the air duct 10, the path viewed from the air flow generated in the air duct 10 is blocked by the blades 23. (FIG. 6). Therefore, a large drag is generated on the blades 23 of the two wind turbines 20 and 20 due to the collision of the air flow.

  The drag force generated on the blades 23... Generates the same torque on the wind turbine rotating shafts 21 and 21 of the two wind turbines 20 and 20, respectively. Torque from the windmill 20 including the generator 40 is transmitted to the generator 40 as it is, and torque from the windmill 20 not including the generator 40 is transmitted to the windmill 20 including the generator 40 via the gears 31 and 31. The That is, the torque generated in the two wind turbines 20 and 20 is transmitted to the same generator 40.

  Since the in-vehicle wind power generator 50 shown in the present embodiment blocks the airflow by the combination of the two wind turbines 20 and the blades 23 of the windmills 20, the efficiency of capturing the airflow is improved, and Therefore, the generator 40 having a practical and practical power generation capacity can be driven to rotate. Further, in relation to the driving speed of the vehicle M, the limit of the driving speed at which power can be generated can be lowered. That is, the possibility of power generation in the case of low speed traveling is increased.

  In addition, when the generator 40 to be driven has a small capacity, the generator 40 can be attached to the two wind turbines 20 and 20, respectively.

  As long as a smooth air flow can be ensured, the cross-sectional shape and handling of the air duct 10 in the vehicle M are free, and therefore the installation position of the windmill 20 in the vehicle M is also free. Further, the wind turbine 20 and the generator 40 can be connected not only by direct connection but also by interposing a power intermittent element or a transmission element. From such a viewpoint, the following embodiment will be described.

  Two independent in-vehicle wind power generators 50 are assembled to the vehicle M, and the wind turbines 20 and 20 of the two in-vehicle wind power generators 50 are both disposed directly under the removable rear seat M5. (FIGS. 7 and 8). This is intended to facilitate maintenance of the wind turbines 20 and 20.

  The air ducts 10 and 10 of the two in-vehicle wind power generators 50 are arranged separately on the left and right in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle M, and each air duct 10 is connected to the front wheel from the intake port 1A at the side of the front bumper M3. It passes around the side of the front seat M4 via the inside of the wheel house, passes through the windmill 20 below the rear seat M5, and is smoothly bent and routed to reach the outlet port 1B at the rear of the vehicle M. .

  At this time, the cross-sectional shape of the air duct 10 can be changed for convenience in handling. For example, in the cross-section taken along the line XX in FIG. In the cross section taken along line Y, a square cross-sectional shape is employed (not shown).

  Further, the generator 40 is arranged on the side of the windmill room 10R, and is configured to suppress the total height T1 in a state combined with the windmill 20 to a height that fits in a space below the rear seat M5 (FIGS. 8 and 9). .

  The generator 40 is attached to the wind turbine room 10R using a mounting bracket 41, and a timing belt 33 is hung between the timing pulley 35 attached to the wind turbine rotating shaft 21 and the timing pulley 35 attached to the input shaft of the generator 40. (Fig. 9). Further, in the case where the electromagnetic clutch 30 is interposed between the windmill rotating shaft 21 and the timing pulley 35 and the battery of the vehicle M is in a sufficiently charged state, do not charge it repeatedly. Therefore, the wind turbine 20 and the generator 40 can be separated by the electromagnetic clutch 30.

  In the case of road congestion due to the occurrence of an accident or the like, the in-vehicle wind power generator 50 cannot operate because the traveling wind cannot be used. Therefore, it is preferable to bring a small engine generator when there is a concern that the battery will run out when going out in an electric vehicle. In a plug-in type electric vehicle that is scheduled to be charged from a household power source, a dedicated outlet is permanently installed, so that it can be easily connected to an engine generator.

M vehicle,
D1 traveling direction D2 upwind direction 10 air duct,
1A intake port,
1B Outlet port,
20 windmill,
23 blades,
40 generator,
50 On-vehicle wind power generator

Claims (3)

An intermediate portion of the air duct having an intake port that opens toward the traveling direction of the vehicle and an outlet port that opens sideward or rearward with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle. The inside of the air duct extends from the intake port to the outlet port. A windmill that rotates by an airflow flowing toward the wind turbine, and a generator that is driven to rotate by the windmill outside the air duct,
The air duct is bent and formed with a smooth curved surface that does not hinder the flow of airflow, the windmill is disposed in a direction orthogonal to the airflow, and the windmill rotation axis is directed radially to the windmill rotation axis. A drag type windmill consisting of a plurality of blades attached radially,
The windmill rotating shaft is arranged to be shifted to the side of the air duct, and when the windmill rotating shaft is viewed from the upwind direction of the airflow, one side of the windmill rotating shaft among the plurality of blades An in-vehicle wind power generator characterized in that only the blades belonging to the air duct are located in the air duct so as to block the air flow. Another windmill having the same configuration as the windmill is arranged relative to the windmill with respect to the air flow, and the windmill rotation shafts of a pair of symmetrically arranged windmills are gear-coupled to rotate in opposite directions synchronously. Become
The vanes in the pair of wind turbines connected to each other are positioned in the air duct so as to overlap each other when viewed from the windward direction of the air flow. The in-vehicle wind turbine generator according to claim 1, wherein the wind turbine generator rotates synchronously without causing interference. The in-vehicle wind power generator according to claim 2, wherein a single generator is rotationally driven by the pair of wind turbines connected to a gear.

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