WO2010079365A2 - Système de déploiement d'un cerf-volant - Google Patents

Système de déploiement d'un cerf-volant Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2010079365A2
WO2010079365A2 PCT/GB2010/050031 GB2010050031W WO2010079365A2 WO 2010079365 A2 WO2010079365 A2 WO 2010079365A2 GB 2010050031 W GB2010050031 W GB 2010050031W WO 2010079365 A2 WO2010079365 A2 WO 2010079365A2
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
kite
supports
deployment system
wind
rollers
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2010/050031
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2010079365A3 (fr
Inventor
Jens Schupp
Original Assignee
Eco Hydrogen Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Eco Hydrogen Limited filed Critical Eco Hydrogen Limited
Publication of WO2010079365A2 publication Critical patent/WO2010079365A2/fr
Publication of WO2010079365A3 publication Critical patent/WO2010079365A3/fr

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
    • B63H9/00—Marine propulsion provided directly by wind power
    • B63H9/04—Marine propulsion provided directly by wind power using sails or like wind-catching surfaces
    • B63H9/06—Types of sail; Constructional features of sails; Arrangements thereof on vessels
    • B63H9/069—Kite-sails for vessels
    • B63H9/071—Kite-sails for vessels for use in combination with other propulsion means, e.g. for improved fuel economy
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63J—AUXILIARIES ON VESSELS
    • B63J3/00—Driving of auxiliaries
    • B63J3/04—Driving of auxiliaries from power plant other than propulsion power plant
    • B63J2003/046—Driving of auxiliaries from power plant other than propulsion power plant using wind or water driven turbines or impellers for power generation
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
    • Y02T70/00—Maritime or waterways transport
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
    • Y02T70/00—Maritime or waterways transport
    • Y02T70/50—Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to the propulsion system
    • Y02T70/5218—Less carbon-intensive fuels, e.g. natural gas, biofuels
    • Y02T70/5236—Renewable or hybrid-electric solutions

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns a kite deployment system for deploying and retracting a kite and, in particular, an aerofoil kite.
  • kites are of particular interest because they are able to extract greater amounts of energy compared to conventional sails or wind turbines.
  • kites are able to harness higher altitude winds, which have higher speeds and are more consistent.
  • kites are able to operate over a much greater area, and therefore they are less restricted by the Betz limit associated with conventional wind turbines.
  • kitse systems have utilised large kite systems on large water vessels, such as tanker ships, to assist with the vessel's propulsion. Such systems have been shown to provide up to a 25% reduction in fuel consumption. Another area of recent interest has been the use of large kites in land based wind power generation systems. Such systems are at the prototype stage and are being developed by companies such as Kite Gen. These systems typically involve a kite being attached to a variable length tether. The kite is then controlled to produce periods of high and low tension in the tether, with the periods of high tension being used to drive a generator as the tether is reeled out.
  • a particular problem hindering the widespread adoption of kite technology relates to deployment and retraction of the kite. Close to the ground, wind speeds are generally lower and more erratic. Furthermore, changes in landscape and the presence of obstructions, such as buildings and trees, can cause turbulence in the wind. This makes launching large kites extremely difficult because such kites will often require a continuous minimum wind speed in order to generate sufficient lift to hold the kite open and begin to fly. Consequently, it is common for kites to fold under their own weight during launch, particularly if lateral gusts of winds disrupt the kite. Furthermore, if the kite is provided with a rigid frame to help it to retain its shape, it becomes more susceptible to lateral winds during launch, which can often cause the kite to crash. Moreover, the additional weight of the frame may necessitate higher minimum wind speeds in order to launch the kite.
  • a kite deployment system for launching a kite, said system comprising: two spaced supports between which a portion of the kite can be suspended, wherein said supports are moveable for positioning the portion of the kite between the supports into the oncoming wind for generating lift there across.
  • the supports act to support a proportion of the kite's weight, whilst a free portion of the kite can be positioned into the wind.
  • relatively low wind speeds are required in order to lift the free section of kite material suspended between the supports.
  • the kite's shape begins to form, which in turn generates further lift from the wind, which can be used to lift an ever larger portion of the kite's material.
  • This allows the kite to be progressively deployed by feeding the kite material out between the supports to gradually increase the size of the portion being lifted by the wind.
  • the moveable supports allow the position of the kite to be adjusted during the launch operation so as to react to the changing wind conditions and control the flight of the unreeled sections of the kite as the kite is progressively deployed.
  • This allows the position of the kite relative to the oncoming wind to be maintained and therefore maximum lift can be generated.
  • These actions provide time during the launch operation for the kite's shape to gradually form before it is required to support its own weight in full.
  • this allows the kite to be launched even in relatively low speed or turbulent winds.
  • the supports are moveable to increase their pitch for tilting the kite's leading edge upwardly.
  • the kite can be tilted up so as to increase the exposure of the under surface of the suspended portion, between the kite's leading and trailing edges, to the oncoming wind.
  • This helps the wind to lift the underside of the kite during the initial stages of launch. That is, the oncoming wind will act to inflate the kite and allow its shape to form.
  • an aerofoil kite this allows the aerofoil shape to form, which generates further lift as the wind passes over the kite's profile.
  • said supports are moveable about the vertical axis for controlling the kite's yaw. This allows the kite to be positioned and repositioned during launch to maximise the lift generated by the oncoming wind.
  • the two spaced supports are moveable independently. This allows the kite's shape to be modified during launch in order to maximise the lift generated by the oncoming wind.
  • the kite deployment system further comprises: a wind direction sensor system for sensing the direction of oncoming wind; and a support control system for controlling the movement of the supports in response to the direction of oncoming wind.
  • the deployment system can automatically position and reposition the kite for generating the maximum lift during the launch process to optimise the chances of successful launch.
  • each of said supports is supported by an articulated joint.
  • At least one of said supports comprises a kite pay out mechanism for feeding out the kite between the supports.
  • the kite can be fed or spooled out from one or both supports as the free section of the kite between the supports is lifted by the wind. This allows the size of the free portion of kite to be gradually increased by feeding out more of the kite.
  • the kite pay out mechanism comprises a roller for spooling out the kite between the supports.
  • said kite pay out mechanism is operable for progressively feeding out the kite as the portion of the kite between the supports is lifted by the wind. In this way, the kite is gradually fed out as it takes shape and generates lift. This avoids premature stalling of the kite during launch.
  • both said supports comprise a kite pay out mechanism, each for feeding out one side of the kite. This allows the kite to be uniformly spooled out, from the middle outwardly, which provides for maximum lift during launch .
  • each of said supports comprises a tether attachment for connecting the supports to the kite's tethers .
  • the kite deployment system further comprises a tether pay out mechanism for progressively feeding out the kite's tethers through said tether attachments as the kite rises in altitude.
  • a tether pay out mechanism for progressively feeding out the kite's tethers through said tether attachments as the kite rises in altitude.
  • it's tethers may be reeled out as it generates lift. This allows the kite to be flown up to higher altitudes where wind speeds are higher and more consistent .
  • said tether pay out mechanism comprises a winch system for reeling in the kite's tethers for retracting the kite.
  • each of said tether attachments comprises a pulley system.
  • the pulley systems are moveable axially along said supports for altering the positions of the tether attachments on the supports. This allows the axial position of the kite's attachment point to be adjusted for altering the trimming of a water going vessel fitted with the kite deployment system.
  • the kite deployment system further comprises a tether for connecting the supports to the kite.
  • the kite deployment system further comprises a locking mechanism for locking the movement of said supports about the pitch and yaw axes. In this way, once the kite is in flight, the position of the supports can be locked in order to more evenly distribute the forces delivered to the supports from the kite and avoid premature component failure.
  • the kite deployment system further comprises an aerofoil kite.
  • the kite comprises an inflatable frame for forming the aerofoil shape.
  • the supports are moveable laterally apart for increasing the space between the supports. This allows the area of kite suspended between the supports to be increased during launch. This can help to launch the kite if the supports are based on a narrow platform which may otherwise mean that the supports are too close together.
  • a water going vessel comprising the kite deployment system described above.
  • the water going vessel further comprises a submersible turbine for generating electricity as the water based vessel is pulled through the water.
  • the water going vessel further comprises a wind tracking unit for steering the kite into regions of optimal wind conditions.
  • Figure 1 shows the kite deployment system according to a first embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 2 shows the kite deployment system with the kite retained in the stored position
  • Figure 3 shows a front perspective view of the kite deployment system in a launch position
  • Figure 4 shows a rear perspective view of the kite deployment system in a launch position
  • Figure 5 shows a rear perspective view of the kite deployment system as the kite is deployed
  • Figure 6 shows the interior of one of the kite deployment system's rollers and the reeling mechanism contained therein;
  • Figure 7 shows the deployed kite tethered to the kite deployment system;
  • Figure 8 shows a side view of the aerofoil kite
  • Figure 9 shows a water going vessel for power generation incorporating the kite deployment system according to a second embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 10 shows the second embodiment during launch of the kite
  • Figure 11 shows the second embodiment once the kite is deployed.
  • Figure 1 shows the kite deployment system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
  • the kite deployment system comprises two rollers 1 which are each rotatable about their longitudinal axes for reeling and un-reeling the kite during launch and recovery.
  • the rotation of each roller is driven by means of a motor/drum-drive (not shown) , which can hold the drum in a fixed position or rotate it in either direction.
  • Each of the rollers 1 are independently connected to the floor platform through an articulated joint 2 and 3 which allows the rollers 1 to be tilted vertically upwards (i.e. rotated about the horizontal axis) for adjusting their pitch and rotated about the vertical axis for adjusting their yaw.
  • the articulated joints 2 and 3 form universal joints for permitting multi-axis movement of the rollers 1.
  • the articulated joints 2 and 3 are shown as simple lines in the figures for clarity. The articulated joints 2 and 3 can be driven in unison or independently for changing the angles between the two rollers, as conditions require.
  • Each of the rollers 1 contains within it a tether reeling mechanism for paying out and reeling in the tether connected to the kite. This mechanism is discussed in further detail below in reference to Figure 6.
  • FIG 2 shows the kite deployment system with the kite 4 attached and retained in the stored position.
  • the rollers 1 are held horizontally with the two sides of the kite 4 wound around them.
  • a free portion of the kite 4 is suspended between the two rollers 1, which act as supports for supporting the spooled up side sections of the kite 4 wound there around.
  • the side edges of the kite 4 are held in position on the rollers 1 at the base of the spool by their attachment to the tether (not shown) , which is held by the tether reeling mechanism within each roller 1. In this position, the suspended portion of the kite 4 between the rollers 1 may be held under tension to prevent it being caught prematurely by the wind.
  • the kite 4 is of an inflatable aerofoil construction. In the stored position, the inflatable sections of the kite remain under low pressure to allow spooling. During launch, an inlet/valve system (not shown) is provided to intake oncoming air and inflate the inflatable sections of the kite 4 as it is launched.
  • Figures 3 and 4 shows the kite deployment system in a launch position.
  • the rollers 1 are tilted upwardly by articulated joint 2 to present the under surface of the kite
  • the roller 1 supports across the kite 4, from its higher leading edge to its lower trailing edge.
  • an aft wind is shown and therefore each of the rollers is simply tilted upwardly.
  • the pitch and yaw of the rollers 1 may be independently modified to optimise the presentation of the kite to the oncoming wind.
  • the control system (not shown) can actively modify the position of the rollers 1 in response to changing wind conditions during the launch process.
  • Figure 4 shows the continuation of the launch process.
  • the rollers 1 rotate to spool out further kite material and increase the portion of the kite 4 suspended between the rollers. This acts to progressively deploy the kite 4 between the two rollers 1, the speed of which is controlled, depending on the prevailing wind conditions, to ensure the kite 4 has sufficient time to inflate and develop sufficient uplift over its surface to maintain its shape and support further kite material.
  • the shape and position of the half-unreeled kite can be controlled.
  • This allows the present invention to react to changing wind conditions during the kite's launch and thereby ensure a successful launch operation, i.e. by controlling the flight of the partially un-reeled kite.
  • the rollers may be quickly reversed to retract a portion of the unreeled kite material back onto the spools in order to generate apparent wind.
  • Figure 5 shows the kite 4 as it reaches a position in which it is nearly entirely deployed.
  • the lift forces being generated by the kite's aerofoil shape act to promote the further uncoiling of the kite.
  • the process of kite deployment continues until the kite 4 is entirely deployed and its aerofoil shape is fully formed.
  • the kite 4 is secured at each of its side edges to tether ropes, which connect the kite 4 to reeling mechanism within each of the rollers 1.
  • FIG. 6 shows the interior of one of the rollers 1 and the reeling mechanism contained therein.
  • the reeling mechanism comprises a pulley system 8 located within the roller 1 and which is axially rotatable therewith.
  • the pulley system 8 acts as the attachment point for the tether 5 connecting between kite 4 and the rollers 1.
  • the pulley system allows the tether 5 to be fed from an external winch 7 out through a slot 6 provided in the surface of the roller 1.
  • Linear actuation system 9 such as a hydraulic piston, is provided for moving the pulley system 8 along the longitudinal axis of the roller 1, which enables the position of axial attachment point of the kite's tether 5 to be adjusted.
  • the external winch 7 locks the tether 5, thereby holding the edges of the kite relative to the slots 6 on the rollers 1.
  • the rollers 1 rotate to unreel the kite 1, and each pulley system 8 rotates with its roller 1 in order to keep the tether 5 in line with slot 6.
  • the external winches 7 associated with each roller 1 are able to reel out the tether rope 5 as the uplift generated by the kite 4 causes the kite to climb.
  • the winches 7 can be locked so as to transfer the kite's pull forces fully to the rollers 1.
  • Figure 7 shows the deployed kite 4 tethered to the kite deployment system.
  • the tethers 5 connect the kite 4 at its side edges to the rollers 1.
  • the rollers 1 are able to return to a substantially horizontal position and a locking mechanism may be provided to lock them in this position.
  • a locking mechanism helps to spread the pull forces transferred to the rollers 1 and hence reduce the forces applied through the articulated joints 2 and 3.
  • the radial angle of the rollers 1 may be adjusted, either actively or passively, so that their slots 6 follow the lateral angle of the tether ropes 5. Furthermore, the length of each of the tether ropes 5 can be adjusted to maintain the kite's shape where the kite is flying laterally to the tether point.
  • Figure 8 shows a side view of the kite 4 and shuttle kite control system.
  • the kite 4 comprises an inflatable frame
  • kite 5 are connected to shuttles 11 located on a track 10 formed on the side edges of the kite 4.
  • the shuttles 11 can be moved along the track 10 under the control of an actuator and control system (not shown) .
  • This adjusts the attachment point of the tether 5 to the kite 4, which alters the angle at which the kite's aerofoil profile is presented.
  • This allows the kite 4 to be steered and provides responsive control of the kite's flight path.
  • this steering system only requires two tether ropes 5, it minimises the drag placed on the kite and hence improves efficiency.
  • steering can be achieved by providing multiple control ropes 5 tethered to the kite 4 and controlling their lengths.
  • control ropes 5 tethered to the kite 4 suffers from increased drag and slower kite speeds.
  • the external winches 7 are activated to reel in the tethers 5.
  • the control system may be used to steer the kite 4 into a neutral position vertically above the vessel so as to maintain a stable flight pattern and reduce the pull force generated by the kite 4.
  • the kite 4 is not forced to stall, as this may result in the kite 4 and its tethers 5 crashing in an uncontrollable manner. Instead, a stable flight pattern is desired, which allows the kite 4 to gradually decrease in altitude as the tethers 5 are reeled in by the winches 7. Although the forces required to reel in a large kite are relatively high, this reeling action is archived via winches 7, which can have a small reel diameter and may include additional reel drums. As such, the torque power required by these winches can be minimised.
  • kite 4 is reeled in so that it is adjacent to the rollers 1, the external winches 7 are locked to hold the tethers 5 in position and the rollers 1 are rotated to further draw in the kite 4 and wind it back on to the rollers 1.
  • the kite 4 is low in the air and therefore the uplift generated is minimised, meaning that the torque forces required for rotating rollers 1 is not excessively high. This allows the kite to be easily returned to the position shown in Figure 2, ready for relaunch.
  • the external winches 7 may be activated to rapidly pull on the kite to recover it from the unstable flight conditions by generating apparent wind. In water based applications, this rapid pull technique may also be used to re-launch the kite 4 after a water landing. If this action fails to return the kite 4 to stable flight, the winch 7 may simply fully retract the tethers 5 so the kite 4 can be wound back onto the rollers 1. This returns the kite 4 to the launch position, ready for relaunch when conditions permit.
  • the present invention provides a simple and effective kite deployment system which allows for automated or largely automated deployment and retraction of large aerofoil kites. This makes it commercially viable to use such large aerofoil kites in a variety of applications, such as:
  • FIGS 9 to 11 show an embodiment of the present invention which provides a water going vessel 13 incorporating the kite deployment system discussed above in reference to Figures 1 to 8.
  • the water going vessel 13 is used for kite driven power generation and therefore incorporates a generator 15 which is connected to a water turbine 16 which sits beneath the waterline. It will be understood that although in this embodiment one turbine is used, multiple water turbines could alternatively be fitted.
  • Rotation of the water turbine 16 results in the generator 15 generating electricity, which in turn is transmitted to an electrolysis unit (not shown) which electrolyses water to produce hydrogen.
  • Produced hydrogen can then be fed to the storage containers 14.
  • a cryogenic unit may be provided for converting the hydrogen to liquid form before it is stored.
  • the kite 4 can be held in its stored position on the rollers 1, as shown in Figure 9. At this stage, it may also be necessary to fold the water turbine 16 and generator 15 into an elevated position at its mounting to the vessel's hull to provide clearance.
  • the rollers 1 are pitched upwards and positioned so that the suspended section of the kite 4 is held up by the oncoming wind, as shown in Figure 10. The kite 4 proceeds to launch, as is described above in reference to Figures 1 to 8.
  • FIG 11 shows the water going vessel 13 once the kite 1 has been fully deployed and is in flight.
  • the rollers 1 have been tilted back and locked in their horizontal position, although they are able to rotate radially as the kite moves laterally with respect to the vessel 13.
  • the force is transferred to the vessel 13 through tethers 5. This force acts to pull the vessel 13 forwards through the water, thereby causing the turbine's rotor blades 16 to rotate, and in turn the generator 15 to generate electricity for forming hydrogen.
  • the electricity could be stored in a battery or by other means.
  • the containers can be provided in the form of standard shipping container sizes in order to make use of conventional harbour infrastructure.
  • a water based power generation system compared to a land based system is that it is able to access high and consistent off-shore winds.
  • such a water based system could be utilised, for example, in the far northern and southern regions of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, which have high winds and are outside of the main shipping lanes. In this way, the vessels would not disturb shipping traffic, would not affect any environmental aesthetics, and do not occupy land area, as land based power generation systems.
  • the kite 4 is steered by a control system (not shown) to maintain its flight and hence the forward propulsion of vessel.
  • the control system incorporates navigational and wind tracking systems (based on wether forecasts) which are able to direct the kite 4 and the vessel 13 towards areas of sufficient wind speeds which can be used to generate almost continuous energy at the designed nominal power of the system.
  • the system does not suffer from stalling winds, as do stationary wind power systems. This can improve the yield of the system up to three fold compared to stationary systems.
  • kite In practice, it is not necessarily a requirement for the kite to remain permanently in the location of the highest winds because, provided the kite is prevented from stalling, moderate wind speeds are still able to generate useful levels of propulsion and hence power generation. Wind forecasts may be also used to avoid storms, high waves, sea ice, or icing of the kite, and as such prevent damage or inoperability of the kite or the vessel.
  • the trimming of the vessel 13 may also be adjusted when the kite 4 flies port or starboard.
  • the lateral forces from the kite's pull need to be counterbalanced.
  • the vessel's hull can be used to achieve this counter balance, thereby reducing the forces placed on the vessel's rudder (not shown) which may otherwise cause drag. This is achieved by controlling the hull's angle of attack (i.e. the vessel's stern-fore axis with respect to the travelling direction) .
  • the kite's attachment point to the vessel 13 can be shifted either towards fore or stern by using the linear actuation device 9 to move the pulley system 8 within the roller 1 (see Figure 6) .
  • This acts to shift the kite's pull force moment around the vessel's axis to bring this into balance with the vessel's angle of attack.
  • the lateral force components can be balanced, leaving the vessel's rudder to merely deal with course changes and minor fluctuations in the kite's pull force and direction.
  • the shifting of the attachment point may be achieved, for example, by providing the rollers 1 on axially moveable platforms which can be moved along the vessel.
  • the present invention therefore provides a simple and effective kite deployment system which allows for automated or largely automated deployment and retraction of large aerofoil kites from low altitudes.
  • the ability of the above embodiments to control the pitch and yaw of the rollers during launch and retraction of the kite allow the kite to be launched in a great variety of wind conditions.
  • mechanically more simple arrangements are also possible, albeit this may compromise the system's ability to account for changing wind conditions.
  • the vessel itself could be rotated in order to orientate the kite into the wind.
  • the rollers could be located on a rotatable platform able to rotate the kite into the wind during launch and retraction.
  • the rollers could be tilted upwards in unison, which may be achieved, for example, by mounting both rollers on a single frame .
  • rollers could be moved laterally relative to one another. During launch, this could be used to increase the area of the suspended kite exposed to the wind. This may be required in water going applications if the vessel is very narrow. Once launched, the drums could then be moved closer together to narrow the distance between the attachment points of the two kite tether ropes. This can be helpful to avoid distortion of the kite's shape when the kite flies in an off angle.
  • the rollers could also be moved independently in a number of directions. For instance, by shifting the rollers independently, the launch and recovery procedure may be further improved by avoiding shearing of the kite.
  • vessel roll could be compensated by moving the rollers up and down independently of one another.
  • Another use of the vertical shifting of the rollers would be to allow their height to be increased for launch or to generate clearance to allow greater movement of the rollers. For example, such an operation could be used in the embodiment shown in Figures 9 to 11 to provide clearance between the rollers 1 and the containers 14.
  • the rollers may be provided with tensioning wheels for tensioning the kite as it is wound on the rollers. These may be useful during launch, for example, to prevent the wound kite material from slipping on the spools as the as rollers are inclined. Additionally, eyes could be provided for controlling the feeding of the tethers onto the rollers and the winch.
  • rollers themselves could be used for this purpose.
  • a shuttled eye could be used to control the laying of the tether rope on the rollers.
  • the difficulty with such an arrangement is that the rollers would need to apply very high torque to be able to reel in a kite after use, and therefore such an arrangement is not preferred.
  • the rollers have been described as cylindrical drums, it will be understood that alternative arrangements are possible.
  • the roller may have a rounded "V" cross-section, where the above described pulley system is located in the valley of the "V".
  • more than two rollers may be provided.
  • two main rollers could be used to store the kite, and two further drum rollers could be used to guide the kite during deployment and recovery.
  • two main rollers could be used to store the kite
  • two further drum rollers could be used to guide the kite during deployment and recovery.
  • a submersible vessel could surface for deployment of the kite, and then submerge once the kite is airborne. In the application of power generation, this would allow a better stabilisation of the vessel by minimising wave influence and, as such, reducing mechanical loading on, for example, the water turbine (i.e. gyroscopic effect) .
  • the kite has been described as including an inflatable frame which is inflated by means of a valve which draws in oncoming air. It is, however, also envisaged that an inflation mechanism could be used to inflate the inflatable sections during launch and deflate the kite during recovery. For instance, a wind powered generator could be used to drive a compressor mounted on the kite for inflating the kite. Alternatively, the kite may simply include open inlets for feeding air into the inflatable sections from the airstream. In another example, the kite may include some permanent elastic structural elements which allow the kite to be wound around the rollers, but help its shape to form once the kite is deployed.
  • the inflation mechanism may be used during launch to actively inflate the suspended sections of the kite between the rollers. This acts to actively form the aerofoil shape in these un-reeled portions of the kite during the launch process and thereby helps to generate lift therein.
  • kite material could then be re-spooled back onto both rollers to return it back to the position shown in Figure 2.
  • rollers may also allow them to be moved into a storage position.
  • the rollers could be retracted into a recess and moved adjacent to one another to reduce the space occupied by the deployment system when the kite is not in use.
  • the kite may be launched by positioning the rollers so as to present the underside of the kite into the oncoming wind and utilising the kite's traction to achieve rapid launch, without making use of the kite's aerofoil characteristics.
  • the stored kite may be used as a sail by moving the rollers into a vertical or near vertical position and utilising the traction generated by the portion of the kite suspended between the rollers.
  • the rollers may be adjustable for accommodating different kite configurations. Moreover, the rollers may also be provided as detachable units to allow different kites to be rapidly fitted to the deployment system.

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  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
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Abstract

L'invention concerne un système de déploiement d'un cerf-volant pour lancer un cerf-volant (4), ledit système comprenant : deux supports espacés (1) entre lesquels une partie du cerf-volant (4) peut être suspendue. Les supports (1) sont mobiles afin de positionner la partie du cerf-volant située entre eux dans le vent de face de sorte à y générer une portance de part en part. Lorsque la section suspendue du cerf-volant (4) s'élève, davantage du matériau du cerf-volant peut être déroulé des supports (1) pour déployer progressivement le cerf-volant (4).
PCT/GB2010/050031 2009-01-12 2010-01-12 Système de déploiement d'un cerf-volant WO2010079365A2 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB0900397.1A GB0900397D0 (en) 2009-01-12 2009-01-12 Energy generation and storage
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FR2822802B1 (fr) * 2001-03-29 2004-05-14 Maurice Grenier Embarcation nautique tractee par une voilure cerf-volant
US6682018B2 (en) * 2001-07-24 2004-01-27 Maya Sinclaire Releasable control yoke anchor system for kite
NL1026742C2 (nl) * 2004-07-29 2006-01-31 Donald Hendricus Jac Goudriaan De uitvinding heeft betrekking op de uitrusting van vaartuigen, waarmee de windtractiekracht, ofwel de lift van het zeil, of vlieger, in contact staat met het water. Deze uitrusting, bekend onder de namen kielen, zwaarden, skeggen, en ook zelfs de roeren, staat als een woord te boek als de zogenaamde appendages.
DE102004061838A1 (de) * 2004-12-22 2006-07-20 Gangolf, Jobb Benzin-erzeugendes Drachenschiff
ITTO20060874A1 (it) * 2006-12-11 2008-06-12 Modelway S R L Sistema di attuazione del controllo automatico del volo di profili alari di potenza
US7686254B2 (en) * 2007-03-15 2010-03-30 Frank Walter Mutzenberg Force balancing kite control system

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