JPH11124095A - Moored gliding object utilizing westerly winds at high altitude - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To utilize enormous wind power energy at a high altitude so far not used as an energy of nature. SOLUTION: This moored gliding object, positioned in an area where the current is particularly fast in the westerly winds at a high altitude, is moored from the ground by a mooring cable using transmittable conductor lines, and is loaded with wind power generation equipment. This device is also loaded with at least one of the following: a visible light monitoring camera, infrared or far infrared measurement equipment always monitoring thermal radiation on the earth, a radio wave interruptor, a solar cell panel, and astronomic observation equipment.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a glider used at high altitudes as a base for power generation using natural energy, observation of the earth and outer space, telecommunications / broadcasting, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, wind power generation is being used in various places as environmentally friendly natural energy. Wind power generation is installed in mountainous areas, coastal areas or seas where the wind speed is high throughout the year, and wind turbines with wings of several tens of meters in length are used to increase power generation. Also,
Many small wind turbines with short wings are installed in one place. Also, NASA has announced a solar thermal power generation satellite concept in which solar thermal power is generated using artificial satellites and the power is transmitted to the ground by electromagnetic waves.

[0003]

[0005] Wind power generation is expected as clean renewable energy. However, since wind power fluctuates throughout the year, thermal power generation is required to supply stable power to specific areas throughout the year. It requires a main power source such as nuclear power, and can only serve as an auxiliary power source.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, among high-altitude meteorological phenomena which have never been considered as an energy source, a high-speed wind called a jet stream, which is a particularly high-velocity portion of a westerly wind, is effectively used. Utilizing this technology will solve the conventional drawbacks of wind power generation, and will make various use of the structure provided in the westerly wind zone as a new altitude station. As is well known, the westerly wind is a strong airflow from west to east that constantly flows over Japan (an updraft generated by sunlight and an airflow generated by the rotation of the earth). The jet stream is a west wind that blows strongly near the tropopause at a latitude of 30 to 40 degrees.
It is near the 0 mb isobar. It flows in the surrounding westerly wind, and in winter the speed can reach 80 m / s or more. ”(Based on“ The Dictionary of Physical and Chemical Research ”). The wind speed is more than 10 m / sec even when it is weak (end of summer).

[0005] The present invention is a glide body moored with a balance between lift and drag in a jet stream of westerly wind using a lightweight, high-strength mooring cable fixed at one end to a high place such as a mountaintop. It is a glider or a large kite-shaped structure, and does not particularly have a drive source such as an engine. A mooring cable is fixed to the tip of the glider. As a structural material of the glider, a glider material, a material developed and used as a structural material for a space station, or the like can be used. If the summit is fixed on the ground, the length of the cable can be shortened, but it is also possible to fix the seashore on the ground.

The structure of the glider is designed based on aerodynamics based on the relationship between the lift generated by the wing and the drag, which is the air resistance received by the wing, in principle, like a glider or a kite. The lift L (kg) of the wing is L = 1/2 · ρCL Sv2
And the drag D is represented by D = 1/2 · ρCD Sv2. Here, ρ is the air density (kg · / m−3), CL is the lift coefficient, S is the blade area (m 2), and v is the velocity (m / sec). CD is the drag coefficient. That is, both the lift and the drag are proportional to the air density and the wing area, and are proportional to the square of the velocity. C
L and CD are unitless constants, which vary depending on the shape of the blade area and the angle of the blade with respect to the airflow (θ = angle of attack).
For example, the wing cross section is 100m with the same wing cross section as a light aircraft
Estimates of lift and drag for case 2 are shown below. Lifting force (ton) Drag (kgr) θ = 1.5 ° θ = 6 ° θ = 1.5 ° θ = 6 ° Approx. 48 120 360 at a wind speed of 40 m Approx. 1 240 120 at a wind speed of 20 m Approx. 25 0.5 10 30 Therefore, a flat shape with a side of 100 m (wing area 10,000 m
In the case of 2), the lift becomes 10 times this. That is,
At a wind speed of 20 m, the lift is about 10 tons at θ = 1.5 °, θ
= 6 ° gives about 20 tons. In the case of a pressure of 300 mb at high altitude in the westerly wind area, the wind speed is 20 m with ρ = × 0.3.
The lift is about 3 tons at θ = 1.5 ° and about 6 at θ = 6 °.
Tons. At a wind speed of 40 m, the lift is θ = 1.5
And about 24 tons at θ = 6 °. Since the value of the drag is small as described above, mooring (equivalent to the drag) has no problem.

[0007] The glide body is equipped with, for example, a steering control device, searches for the jet stream portion having the fastest wind speed in the westerly wind within a movable fixed range of the mooring cable, and steers to the maximum wind speed portion to output the maximum output. Can be automatically generated. High-speed rotating propeller for power generation
In the case of a triangular wing aircraft, it may be provided at four places at the rearmost end of the two wings and the center end of the two wings. In the case of a rhombic wing, a large number of small high-speed rotating propellers may be provided side by side on the rear end line of the wing.

[0008] The technology for searching for the core portion of the jet stream includes a method for finding the core boundary based on the carbon dioxide gas temperature difference by measuring the vertical temperature distribution in the high altitude by infrared measurement, and the like. Known means for observing the jet stream zone, which has been developed for a long time, may be used as a means for obtaining important information.

[0009] Like a seabird albatross using a large horizontal wind on the ocean where the wind speed fluctuates with time, the artificial satellite is made to fly using the shear layer of the westerly wind by dynamic soaring (flying). If the glider can be maneuvered by automatic position control using descending and rising repeatedly so as to draw a trajectory of approximately figure 8, it is possible to move the high altitude station to almost any predetermined radius in the westerly wind without relying on mooring cables Can be positioned in the flying state at the position of
Gliding can be continued even when the wind speed is slow. Also,
Wind speed is 10m / sec. In the case of a slow speed as described below, the lift may be increased by employing the flap mechanism employed in the aircraft. In addition, when the wind speed of the jet stream becomes lower than a certain level, or when performing repair inspection, gliding down by automatic piloting or remote piloting, the aircraft can land safely.

In order to raise the glide body to the westerly wind zone, a number of balloons utilizing He gas in the form of a weather sonde or an airship can be used. It is also possible to gradually rise from the ground by using a strong west wind in winter or the like, or to raise the altitude to a certain altitude by using a towing turn by an aircraft. When implementing the present invention, it is natural that the present invention should be implemented under conditions that satisfy related laws and regulations, such as aviation regulations, and in regions.

Regarding the mooring cable used in the present invention,
Ten kilometers are required, but para-aramids, wholly aromatic polyesters, polyethylene, P
A cable in which a lightweight, high-strength, high-modulus fiber such as AN-based carbon fiber and an aluminum alloy wire for a conductive wire are integrated can be used as a suitable cable. Cold drawn high tensile strength steel wires such as piano wires used as long bridge cables and ropeway cables are 400k.
It has a strength of at least gf / mm 2, weighs 80 kg or less even if the diameter is 1 mm and the length is 10 km, and if it is a glide with a wing cross section of about 100 mm, this cable is enough for drag and tension due to its own weight. However, it is necessary to design the strength in consideration of the scale of the mooring glide, vibration fatigue, etc.

[0012]

The glide according to the present invention is useful as a wind power generator that effectively utilizes enormous wind energy in high altitudes that are not used as natural energy.
Equipped with radio wave communication equipment, monitoring / measuring equipment on the ground and at sea, etc., it is extremely useful as a new station replacing artificial satellites, which have been launched many times in geosynchronous orbits on the equator and their overcrowding has become a problem. It is.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A mooring glide moored from the ground and positioned in a portion of a high altitude westerly wind having a particularly high flow velocity. 2. The glide body according to claim 1, which is moored by a mooring cable having a conductive wire capable of transmitting power, and on which a device for wind power generation is mounted. 3. A claim equipped with at least one of a visible light monitoring camera, an infrared and far-infrared measuring device, a radio relay device, a solar panel, and an astronomical observation device that constantly monitors thermal radiation on the earth from a high altitude. Item 3. The glide according to item 1 or 2.