Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03D—WIND MOTORS
  • F03D9/00—Adaptations of wind motors for special use; Combinations of wind motors with apparatus driven thereby; Wind motors specially adapted for installation in particular locations
  • F03D9/007—Adaptations of wind motors for special use; Combinations of wind motors with apparatus driven thereby; Wind motors specially adapted for installation in particular locations the wind motor being combined with means for converting solar radiation into useful energy
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
  • F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
  • F05B2220/00—Application
  • F05B2220/70—Application in combination with
  • F05B2220/708—Photoelectric means, i.e. photovoltaic or solar cells
• • 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
  • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
  • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
  • Y02E10/70—Wind energy
  • Y02E10/72—Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an electrical generator using renewable energy sources.
• Wind generators comprising essentially a bladed rotor and an electrical generator mechanically coupled to the shaft of said bladed rotor.
• the shaft of the electrical generator When in operation the shaft of the electrical generator is rotated by the bladed rotor, on being struck by a flow of wind.
• a drawback of these wind generators is that they have to be installed in windy regions and are generally of large blade dimensions, with possible environmental impact, visual and noise problems. This is a particular problem, because for optimal wind exposure they generally have to be installed in a high position or one which is free of barriers which could reduce the air flow, and hence in a position such that they are very visible and audible even at a considerable distance.
• Another drawback is that their large dimensions result in considerable construction and installation costs, and disturbance to electromagnetic waves, in particular radio, television and telephonic waves, which is particularly so when in the presence of rotating metal blades.
• mini wind and micro wind generators are also known. These operate on the basis of the same principle but have much smaller dimensions, hence the aforestated drawbacks apply to a much lesser extent, even though they require installation on a pole, with all the limitations which this implies.
• Photovoltaic generators are also known, consisting of a plurality of photovoltaic panels installed such as to be exposed to sunlight. They are formed from a plurality of photovoltaic cells, able to transform the incident solar energy into electrical energy.
• a drawback of these photovoltaic generators is that they can operate only during daylight hours, the energy generated by them being in all cases a function of the sun or light conditions.
• An object of the invention is to eliminate these drawbacks by providing an electrical generator using renewable energy sources, which is of low cost, simple construction and high efficiency, and makes the most widespread use of currently known renewable energy sources. This and other objects which will be apparent from the ensuing description are attained, according to the invention, by an electrical generator using renewable energy sources as described in claim 1.
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wind generator according to the invention under working conditions
• Figure 2 is a perspective view thereof shown during a first folding step for sheltering it within a protection cover
• Figure 3 is a perspective view thereof shown during a second folding step
• Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view thereof shown completely folded and sheltered within the protection cover.
• the electrical generator according to the invention can be defined as a very compact micro wind-photovoltaic generator conceived for easy acceptance within a town planning context without resulting in aesthetic alteration, however it can also be used as a distinctive architectural element, and can even be installed on street lighting poles or on vehicles or boats.
• it comprises a support structure, indicated overall by 2, on which there are mounted an electrical generator indicated overall by 4, and a photovoltaic generator indicated overall by 6.
• the structure 2 comprises a fixing base 8 with an upper frusto-conical portion and a lower flange.
• the fixing base is fixable, for example, to a building structure, preferably by screw systems not operable from the outside, and hence of non-tamper type.
• a box member 12, essentially of parallelepiped shape, is applied to the fixing base 8 and is surmounted by a semicylindrical cap.
• electromechanical actuators for example of rototranslational type, not visible in the drawings
• a braked oscillation mechanism for example a gas spring, which enables the box member 12 to rotate on the fixing base 8 about the axis thereof in the two directions through a predetermined maximum amplitude, which can for example be right-handed (+60°) or left-handed (-60°).
• the box member houses internally the installed electronic components, described hereinafter in detail, and actuators able to controlledly incline the upper support structure 7 forwards and rearwards relative to the fixing base 8.
• the support structure 2 comprises a pair of parallel uprights 16 hinged to the box member 12 on a horizontal shaft which is associated with actuators able to rotate said shaft about the box member for example from +60° to -60°, and hence - A -
• connection between the uprights 16, which have an aerodynamic profile to offer low wind resistance, and the horizontal shaft on which they are hinged to the box member 12 is elastic and disengagable, in the sense that depending on requirements the uprights 16 can be made elastically rigid with said shaft, and hence inclinable forwards and rearwards to conform to the rotations of this latter, or can be released from this latter and be free to rotate forwards through 90° to enable the support structure to be folded into its seasonal rest or anti- hurricane position.
• Passage from one to the other condition is achieved manually, for example with release pushbuttons 18 operable in an axial direction, although an electromechanical control can be provided.
• the wind generator 4 is applied to the upper end of the uprights 16. This comprises a rotor 20 with six blades 22 having a laminar profile and
• the rotor blades are of variable pitch, regulated by a traditional kinetic actuator, able to optimally adapt their incident angle to the air flow speed and hence to both weak and strong winds.
• the blades 22 are mounted on a hexagonal pyramid-shaped hub 24, i.e. providing laminar flow distribution towards the blades at every 60°.
• the rotor is designed to receive the wind flow within a cone at 90° to its axis, but still maintaining a 50% yield for wind directions at an angle of 45° to said axis.
• Two arms 28 supporting the photovoltaic generator 6 are hinged to the upper end of the uprights 16.
• each arm 28 and its upright is similar to the connection between the same upright and its hinge shaft, i.e. of the type which can be engaged or disengaged following operation of release pushbuttons 30 similar to the pushbuttons 18, to enable the generator to be correctly operated or folded into its seasonal rest or anti-hurricane position.
• the photovoltaic generator 6 comprises three plates 32, 32' of PVB structural glass surface treated to be self-cleaning, incorporating photovoltaic cells 34, preferably of triple-junction amorphous silicon.
• the plates 32, 32' can also be made of glass supported by a metal frame, and the photovoltaic cells be formed of gallium arsenide or other material with photovoltaic properties.
• each plate 32, 32' can be of variable thickness and wing profile.
• the central plate 32 is positioned horizontally and is secured along the adjacent edges of the other two plates 32', which are rigidly connected to the upper end of the two arms 28, such as to form a structure which covers the rotor 20 and helps to convey the flowing wind onto the blades 22 thereof.
• an arched appendix 36 of aerodynamic wing profile is applied to the plates 32, 32'.
• An anemometric sensor 38 is applied to the front edge of an inclined plate 32' to measure the direction and speed of the wind flow, a photometric sensor 40 being applied to the corresponding edge of the other inclined plate 32' to measure the direction and intensity of the light flux.
• an aerodynamic tab 42 is applied to each inclined glass plate 32' to align the axis of the rotor 20 with the direction from which the wind originates.
• the generator of the invention operates in the following manner: assuming the axis of the rotor 20 is aligned with the direction from which the wind originates, the rotor 20 is struck frontally by said flow and rotates with maximum efficiency the shaft of the generator 26, to which the rotor 20 is rigidly coupled.
• the aerodynamic appendices 42 cause the entire movable unit to rotate about the fixing base 8 in order to follow the wind direction changes in optimal manner.
• the electronic circuit contained in the box member 12 by being suitably programmed, causes the entire movable unit mounted on the fixing base 8 to rotate such that the solar panels follow the movements of the sun.
• the information supplied by the anemometric sensor 38 and that supplied by the photometric sensor 40 are processed by the incorporated electronic circuit on the basis of predefined programmes, aimed at optimizing efficiency under any condition in any season.
• the generator of the invention represents a combination of a wind generator with photovoltaic panels, which not only transforms solar energy into electrical energy but also protects the rotor of the wind generator and specifically conveys the air flow, so increasing its efficiency.
• the anemometric sensor 38 and photometric sensor 40 the same members can be used for movement both in the azimuth and zenith directions, to optimize electricity generation on the basis of atmospheric conditions, by utilizing the most convenient energy source or the best compromise between the two.
• the unit When very disturbed meteorological conditions occur (hailstones - cyclones - hurricanes) or for seasonal sheltering, the unit can be folded by rotating the uprights 16 forwards about the shaft on which they are hinged to the box member 12, with simultaneous rearward rotation of the photovoltaic generator 6 about the shaft on which the arms 28 are hinged to the uprights 16, to house the unit within a suitable protection cover.
• FIGS 2 to 4 show three successive steps in folding the generator of the invention into the protection cover.
• generator folding according to the invention is achieved by mounting the fixing flange 10 on an octagonal base 44 forming the bottom of the protection cover.
• the release pushbuttons 18 and 30 are firstly operated to enable the photovoltaic generator 6 to be rotated rearwards relative to the uprights 16 (Figure 2) and through 90° forwards of said uprights 16 about the box member 12 ( Figure 3).
• the folded generator positioned on the octagonal base 44 is then closed by a polyhedral covering 46.
• the operations can be repeated in the reverse direction to hence return the generator to its operative condition.
• the described folding operations refer to a generator mounted on a flat surface.
• the generator could be mounted on an inclined roof surface, the folding sequence could be reversed and the rearward folding of the uprights 16 about the box member 12 be less than 90°, depending on the slope of said inclined surface.
• a generator of the invention able to develop a power of 250 W can have plan dimensions of 350 x 230 mm and a height of 300 mm, and be suitable for installation on a street lighting pole for information purposes or for generating electrical energy for distribution;
• a generator able to develop a power of 500 W can have plan dimensions of 700 x 450 mm and a height of 600 mm, and be suitable for powering transportable systems (vehicles or boats);
• a generator able to develop a power of 1000 W can have plan dimensions of 1000 x 900 mm and a height of 1200 mm, and be suitable for electrical energy generation for distribution to small communities and for electrical energy generation for private and residential use.

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Cited By (3)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 2009
  • 2009-01-26 IT IT000006A patent/ITVE20090006A1/it unknown
• 2010
  • 2010-01-25 WO PCT/IB2010/000120 patent/WO2010084418A2/en active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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