RU2380569C1 - Conversion of wind power into electric power - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: power engineering.

SUBSTANCE: hollow aircraft is made lighter, than air and has an aero-dynamic profile created with lower spherical and flat upper surfaces. The aircraft is conjugated with a cable by means of guard rails. In a lower part the cable passes through a funnel-type rigidly secured receiver with rounded edges. The cable is conjugated with a winch. A movable clamp with a fixing bolt is arranged in a lower part of the cable; an anchor shaft is attached to the movable clamp by means of a rigid rod; the anchor performing advance motions is located inside the immovable stator of the electric generator. The lower end of the shaft is coupled with an extension-compression spring, the lower end of which is fastened on immovable surface. Upper surface of the aircraft can be equipped with a screen extending beyond bounds of upper surface perimetre. Also upper part of the aircraft can contain a keel with surface perpendicular to that one of the upper part; and the keel passes from the centre to periphery of the upper part. An air ball can be arranged above the aircraft.

EFFECT: conversion of power of wind blowing at even lowest speed into oscillating motion of working element and subsequent utilisation for generating electric power.

5 cl, 4 dwg

Description

The invention relates to a device for converting wind energy acting on a tethered aircraft, with the transfer of mechanical work to the working body, making an oscillatory movement.

The prior art device is known that converts wind energy into electrical energy with the transfer of mechanical work to a working body that performs oscillatory motion. (See, for example, RF patent No. 2142572, IPC F03D 5/06 “Device for converting fluid energy”, publ. 10.12.1999, BI No. 34.)

A disadvantage of the known converter is that it has a complex structure. In addition, to obtain useful work requires a large pressure head of the fluid.

Closer in technical essence and adopted for the prototype is a wind energy converter acting on a tethered aircraft, with the transfer of mechanical work to a working body that performs oscillatory motion. (See, for example, RF patent No. 2109981, IPC F03D 5/06 "Method for the conversion of kinetic energy of high-speed wind pressure and wind turbine", publ. 04/27/1998, BI No. 12.)

The known Converter contains an aircraft that holds the cable, a working body that performs a reciprocating motion, and a mechanism that performs useful work.

The known converter allows the use of air flows, usually blowing at altitude.

The disadvantage of the prototype, as well as the analogue, is that with low speed wind pressures, the energy received is small. In addition, the mechanism for transmitting wind movement to the working body has a complex structure and can quickly fail.

The objective of the invention is to provide a wind energy converter having a relatively simple structure, more reliable than the prototype, and capable of converting wind energy, blowing even at a relatively low speed, into the oscillatory movement of the working body with its subsequent use to generate electricity.

This problem is solved due to the fact that in the device for converting wind energy into electrical energy, containing an aircraft with a holding cable, a working body that performs reciprocating movements, and a mechanism that performs useful work, according to the invention, the aircraft is made in the form of a body lighter than air with aerodynamic profile and has a lower spherical and flat upper surface, on the lower side the aircraft is articulated with a cable using three rails diverging from the cable, in the lower part of the growth passes through a rigidly fixed funnel-shaped receiver with an expanding part facing the aircraft, below the funnel-shaped receiver, the cable is articulated with a winch, the working body and the mechanism that performs useful work are made in the form of an electric generator with translational movement of the armature articulated with a cable below the funnel-shaped receiver with by means of a clamp, and a compression-tension spring, while the compression-tension spring with its lower end is rigidly connected to a fixed surface.

In a technical solution, the upper surface of the aircraft is equipped with a visor that extends beyond the perimeter of the upper surface,

In a variant of the technical solution, the upper part of the aircraft contains a keel whose plane is perpendicular to it and which extends from the center to its periphery.

In a variant of the technical solution, a balloon is installed over the aircraft, filled with argon and connected to the device using a rail.

In an embodiment of the technical solution, the expanding part of the funnel-shaped receiver is provided with rounded edges.

The presence of an aircraft made lighter than air and having an aerodynamic profile, consisting of a lower spherical and flat upper surfaces, allows you to install the device at a certain height, where the winds blow, as a rule, constantly, and their strength is much higher than on the surface. This creates a force acting on the apparatus, pulling it up. The aerodynamic profile promotes the formation of a second downward force. The presence of these two forces forces the apparatus to oscillate, setting in motion the mechanical structural elements attached to the apparatus.

A funnel-shaped receiver with a funnel facing the aircraft, with rounded edges through which the cable passes, is necessary so that lateral vibrations of the cable do not affect the details of the working body.

The use of a working body, consisting of an electric generator with translational movement of the armature, articulated with a cable below the funnel-shaped receiver by means of a clamp, and a compression-tension spring allows the vibrational movements of the aircraft to be converted into electrical energy.

The presence of a visor on the upper surface of the aircraft, extending beyond the perimeter of the upper surface, leads to the fact that during movement under the influence of the aerodynamic effect of the device down, the force of air resistance will act on the visor, tending to turn the device sideways to the direction of vertical movement. Due to this, there will be an additional change in the balance of forces acting on the device, even with a constant and weak air flow. As a result, the oscillatory process will occur more intensively, which will increase the energy return of the system.

The use of a keel, the plane of which is perpendicular to the plane of the upper surface of the apparatus, ensures its stabilization with respect to the wind.

A balloon filled with argon and connected to the device increases the carrying capacity of the device.

The rounded edges of the expanding part of the funnel-shaped receiver prevent the abrasion of the cable when the apparatus vibrates under the influence of wind.

The claimed invention is illustrated by drawings.

Figure 1 presents a schematic mechanical diagram of a device that performs the function of converting wind energy.

Figure 2, shows a tethered aircraft with a visor, side view.

Figure 3 shows a tethered aircraft with a visor and keel, top view.

Figure 4 shows a tethered aircraft with an additional balloon.

The converter of wind energy into electrical energy is arranged as follows.

A hollow, aircraft 1 (FIG. 1) is lighter than air and has an aerodynamic profile consisting of a lower spherical 2 and a flat upper surface 3. The device 1 can be filled with argon from the inside. On the lower side, the device is articulated with the cable 4 using three rails 5. The cable passes through the rigid funnel-shaped receiver 6 with a funnel with rounded edges (not marked) facing the aircraft in the lower part. The inner surface of the receiver 5 has a special coating that reduces the friction of the cable against its walls. A cable 4 is articulated with a winch 7. In the lower part of the cable 4, below the funnel-shaped receiver 6, a mobile clip 8 with a clamping bolt 9 is installed on the cable. A shaft 11 of the armature 12 is attached to the clip 8 with a rigid rod 10 with translational movement. The shaft 11 passes through a fixed plain bearing 13. At the bottom of the armature 11 there is a shaft 14 passing through the fixed plain bearing 15. The bearings 13 and 15 are mounted on the same axis. Anchor 11 is located inside the fixed stator 16 of the electric generator. The lower end of the shaft 14 is articulated with a compression-tension spring 17, and the lower end of the spring is rigidly connected to a fixed surface (not indicated).

In an embodiment of the technical solution, the upper surface 3 of the aircraft 1 is provided with a visor 18 (FIGS. 2, 3, 4) that extends beyond the perimeter of the upper surface, which gives the device an asymmetric shape. The visor is made of lightweight plastic material and has a small thickness, and its plane is a continuation of the upper surface 3. In addition, the upper part of the aircraft has a keel 19, stabilizing the position of the aircraft in relation to the wind. The keel is made of light material, has a small thickness and extends from the center of surface 3 to its periphery along the axis of symmetry.

In a variant of the technical solution, the aircraft 1 has an additional balloon 20 (Fig. 4) filled with argon. The ball is located above the aircraft 1 and is connected to the latter with the help of the rail 21.

The converter of wind energy into electrical energy operates as follows. Using a winch 4, the aircraft is lifted to a certain height, the winch is locked and clamp 9. The wind, as a rule, blowing at a height acts on the aircraft 1. The latter due to the aerodynamic effect determined by the difference in the speeds of the wind flows around it from the top 3 and the lower surface 2, will tend to move down, reducing the tensile force acting on the spring 17. Thus, two forces act on the apparatus, one of which tends to raise it up, and the second to lower it down. Due to the fact that the wind always blows at a variable speed, the apparatus 1 will oscillate up and down. These movements are transmitted through the cable 4, the clamp 9 and the rod 10 to the spring 17 and lead to its alternate compression and extension. Oscillatory movements of the spring make the armature 12 also make reciprocating movements, which cause the appearance of electrical voltage on the stator windings 16, which is used to produce electrical energy. This energy can be used for various household and household needs.

In the presence of a visor 18 (Fig.2, 3) during movement under the influence of the wind of the apparatus 1 downward, the unilateral force of air resistance directed vertically will act on the visor. The device will turn sideways in relation to the wind, and the aerodynamic effect weakens. The device will begin to rise again, trying to take its original position. Next, the process will be repeated. Due to this, an additional change in the balance of forces acting on the apparatus will occur, even with a constant air flow. As a result, the oscillatory process will occur more intensively, which will increase the energy return of the system.

The use of the keel 19 (Fig.2-4), the plane of which is perpendicular to the plane of the upper surface of the apparatus, ensures its stabilization in relation to the wind.

Balloon 20 (figure 4), filled with argon and connected to the apparatus increases the bearing capacity of the apparatus.

Claims (5)

1. The converter of wind energy into electrical energy containing an aircraft with a holding cable, a working body that performs reciprocating movements, and a mechanism that performs useful work, characterized in that the aircraft is made in the form of a body lighter than air with an aerodynamic profile and has a lower a spherical and flat upper surface, on the lower side the aircraft is articulated with a cable using three rails diverging from the cable, in the lower part the cable passes through a rigidly fixed raven a shaped receiver with an expanding part facing the aircraft, below the funnel-shaped receiver, the cable is articulated with a winch, the working body and the mechanism that performs useful work are made in the form of an electric generator with translational movement of the armature articulated with the cable below the funnel-shaped receiver using a clamp and a compression spring -stretching, while the compression-tensioning spring with the lower end is rigidly connected to a fixed surface. 2. The wind energy Converter according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper surface of the aircraft is equipped with a visor that extends beyond the perimeter of the upper surface. 3. A wind energy converter according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the upper part of the aircraft contains a keel whose plane is perpendicular to it and which extends from the center to its periphery. 4. A wind energy converter according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that a balloon is installed above the aircraft, filled with argon and connected to the device using rails. 5. A wind energy converter according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the expanding part of the funnel-shaped receiver is provided with rounded edges.

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