WO2015014963A1

WO2015014963A1 - Method and apparatus for utilising wind energy

Info

Publication number: WO2015014963A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/066542
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sadiq Ali
Original assignee: Sadiq Ali
Priority date: 2013-08-02
Filing date: 2014-07-31
Publication date: 2015-02-05
Also published as: GB201313875D0

Abstract

An apparatus for utilising wind energy comprising a wind turbine drivingly coupled to a compressor for compressing a fluid, said compressor communicating with an accumulator for storing compressed fluid, said accumulator communicating with one or more vortex tubes for separating the compressed fluid into hot and cold fractions, a first heat exchanger being provided for heating a first heat exchange fluid by heat exchange with said hot fraction, and a second heat exchanger being provided for cooling a second heat exchange fluid by heat exchange with said cold fraction.

Description

Method and Apparatus for Utilising Wind Energy

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for utilising wind energy. Wind energy is an important renewable energy source, particularly in the United Kingdom. It is well known to utilise wind turbines to transform wind energy into mechanical energy. Typically this mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy through the use of a dynamo or alternator driven by the wind turbine to provide a useful source of energy. However, the energy output of such known wind turbine systems is heavily influenced by wind speed and other environmental factors which are often inconsistent and unpredictable. Therefore the output of such known wind turbine systems is prone to large variations and may not match the energy demand. Frequently the speed of the wind turbine must be limited to a narrow range to avoid damage to the electricity generation systems driven thereby and to provide a usable supply of electricity. Therefore the efficiency of energy conversion is not optimised. To ensure a reliable and consistent energy supply, large and expensive batteries may be required to store such electrical energy.

Heating and cooling of living spaces accounts for a significant proportion of the total energy consumption of the average residential or commercial building globally. The majority of this energy consumption derives from the combustion of fossil fuels, either to produce electricity or in the form of gas or oil burned in water heating boilers.

In recent past UK and Northern Ireland have witnessed electrical grid failures, leaving 50,000 to 100,000 homes without electricity due to high winds, storms and snow. The worst weather scenario for the UK and Europe is high winds and snow with power failure. This results in failure of electrically operated heating systems even if the oil or gas is available leaving the inhabitants cold and without access to power. Senior citizens may suffer the most. An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioning system for a commercial or domestic building that utilises renewable sources of energy, in particular wind energy. According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for utilising wind energy comprising a wind turbine drivingly coupled to a compressor for compressing a fluid, said compressor communicating with an accumulator for storing compressed fluid, said accumulator communicating with one or more vortex tubes for separating the compressed fluid into hot and cold fractions, a first heat exchanger being provided for heating a first heat exchange fluid by heat exchange with said hot fraction, and a second heat exchanger being provided for cooling a second heat exchange fluid by heat exchange with said cold fraction.

Depending upon the demand of such hot or cold fractions, the apparatus may include several small scale wind turbines which may serve one or more accumulators.

Preferably the compressor comprises a positive displacement compressor. The wind turbine may comprise a vertical axis turbine or a horizontal axis turbine.

The accumulator may be provided at a location remote from said one or more vortex tubes. The first heat exchange fluid may be used directly or indirectly to heat a space, such as a living space or building. In one embodiment said first heat exchange fluid may be utilised to supply heat to one or more radiators within a building. The first heat exchange fluid may be passed directly into said one or more radiators, preferably via one or more check valves, or may supply heat indirectly to said one or more radiators, for example via a heat exchanger coil located within a thermal store. The second heat exchange fluid may be utilised directly or indirectly to cool a space, such as a living space or a cold store. The first heat exchange fluid and/or the second heat exchange fluid may comprise a phase change material. A further heat exchanger may be associated with the compressor for extracting heat from the compressor. For example, the compressor may be water cooled via a cooling jacket. The fluid compressed by the compressor and stored in the accumulator may comprise air or any other compressible gas.

The compressed fluid may be utilised as a source of energy, for example to drive a turbine. In one embodiment the compressed fluid may be utilised to drive a compressor of a refrigerator or heat pump.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of utilising wind energy comprising driving a compressor by means of a wind turbine to compress a fluid, storing the compressed fluid in an accumulator and passing the compressed fluid into one or more vortex tubes to separate the fluid into hot and cold fractions, heating a first heat exchange fluid by heat exchange between the first heat exchange fluid and the hot fraction and cooling a second heat exchange fluid by heat exchange between the second heat exchange fluid and the cold fraction. The method may further comprise heating one or more radiators via said first heat exchange fluid to heat a living space.

The method may further comprise cooling a living space via said second heat exchange fluid, for example by passing the second heat exchange fluid into said living space where the second heat exchange fluid comprises air.

The method may further comprise heating a heat exchange fluid, such as water, by heat exchange with the compressor, during use. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-

Figure 1 is a schematic view of a wind energy air conditioning system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A wind energy air conditioning system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprises a vertical axis wind turbine 2 having an output shaft 4 drivingly coupled to a positive displacement compressor 6, wherein a gas or other compressible fluid, in particular air, or any other fluid, may be compressed when the compressor 6 is driven by the turbine 2.

The compressor 6 may be located in an upper end of the turbine, for example within a nacelle of the wind turbine, or may be located at the base of the turbine.

The compressor 6 is arranged to supply compressed gas to an accumulator 8, preferably in the form of a steel tank, wherein compressed gas can be stored, such that the accumulator 8 can serve as an energy storage means for storing wind energy.

The accumulator 8 is adapted to supply compressed gas from the accumulator to one or more vortex tubes 10, whereby the stored wind energy can be used for heating or cooling a living space within a residential or commercial building, as will be described below in more detail, or for other heating and/or cooling purposes, such for cooling a cold store or fridge and/or for directly or indirectly heating or cooling a fluid within a thermal store. Such fluid may comprise a phase change material adapted to change phase at an operating temperature of the vortex tubes 10. In approximately 1931 , George Joseph Ranque of France developed a device or apparatus commonly referred to as a vortex tube, Ranque tube, Hilsch tube, or Ranque-Hilsch tube, the basic concept of which is shown in Patent No. GB405781 .

In the typical vortex tube, compressed air is fed into what resembles a tee fitted with pipes on either side. Cold air thereupon issues steadily from one pipe and hot air issues steadily from the other. All of these results take place in an instrument having no moving parts and being extremely compact in size. The simplicity of the vortex tube and its component parts enables it to be manufactured at a remarkably low cost. The absence of moving parts endows the device with extremely long life and trouble-free operation.

Any compressed gas whatsoever may be utilized in a vortex tube with substantially the same results depending upon its critical temperature. The vortex tube may be constructed of any size according to the quantity of gas flow which is desired. Given a source of compressed air or other gas, the vortex tube affords the simplest and most direct known means of creating heat and cold. As shown in Figure 1 , in order to enable a vortex tube 10 to be used for heating and/or cooling a living space within a commercial or residential building, a first heat exchanger 12 is associated with the hot side of the vortex tube 10, whereby a heat exchange fluid, such as, but limited to, air or water, may be heated by heat exchange with a hot fraction of the gas passing through the vortex tube, while a second heat exchanger 14 is associated with the cold side of the vortex tube 10, whereby a heat exchange fluid, such as air or water, may be cooled by heat exchange with a cold fraction of the gas passing through the vortex tube 10.

In one embodiment the first heat exchanger 12 may be integrated into a central heating system such that the heat from the first heat exchanger 12 can be directly or indirectly supplied to one or more radiators, for example via heat exchange between the heat exchange fluid of the first heat exchanger 12 and water stored in a hot water tank, or by passing the heat exchange fluid of the first heat exchanger 12 directly to one or more radiators, preferably via suitable check valves.

Cooling of the living space may be provided by passing air through the second heat exchanger 14 before passing the cooled air into the living space or by utilising the cooled air to cool a further heat exchange fluid. The compressor 6 may be provided with a heat exchanger, such as a water jacket around the compressor body, whereby a heat exchange fluid may be heated by the compressor 6 during operation of the compressor, cooling the compressor and enabling further energy to be extracted from the wind turbine 2. A control system may be provided, such as a microcontroller, for controlling the operation of the air conditioning system. Temperature sensors may be provided for sensing the temperature of the space to be heated or cooled, such sensors providing feedback to the control system.

Photo-voltaic panels may be provided for powering the control system, said panels preferably being arranged to charge batteries comprising a power supply for the control system. The turbine 2 may be used to generate electricity in addition to driving the compressor.

Where necessary, depending upon the demand of hot or cold fractions, more than one wind turbines with compressors can be employed to serve one accumulator. 23. The accumulator may be provided with thermal jacket to retain the heat of compression or may incorporate a heat exchanger, possibly provided in the form of a jacket containing a heat exchange fluid, for extracting the heat of compression, improving the efficiency of the system. The invention is not limited to the embodiment(s) described herein but can be amended or modified without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1 . An apparatus for utilising wind energy comprising a wind turbine drivingly coupled to a compressor for compressing a fluid, said compressor communicating with an accumulator for storing compressed fluid, said accumulator communicating with one or more vortex tubes for separating the compressed fluid into hot and cold fractions, a first heat exchanger being provided for heating a first heat exchange fluid by heat exchange with said hot fraction, and a second heat exchanger being provided for cooling a second heat exchange fluid by heat exchange with said cold fraction.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the compressor comprises a positive displacement compressor.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the wind turbine comprises a vertical axis turbine or a horizontal axis turbine.

4. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the accumulator is provided at a location remote from said one or more vortex tubes.

5. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second heat exchange fluid is utilised directly or indirectly to cool a space.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second heat exchange fluid comprises air, the cooled air being passed into said space to be cooled.

7. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first heat exchange fluid is used directly or indirectly to heat a space.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first heat exchange fluid is utilised to supply heat to one or more radiators within a building.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first heat exchange fluid is passed directly into said one or more radiators.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first heat exchange fluid is passed directly into said one or more radiators via one or more check valves.

1 1 . An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first heat exchange fluid supplies heat to one or more radiators via a heat exchanger coil located within a thermal store or hot water tank of a central heating system.

12. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a further heat exchanger is associated with the compressor for extracting heat from the compressor.

13. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the fluid compressed by the compressor and stored in the accumulator comprises air.

14. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the compressed fluid is utilised to drive one or more turbines for generating electricity.

15. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the compressed fluid stored in the accumulator is utilised to drive a compressor of a refrigerator or heat pump.

16. A method of utilising wind energy comprising driving a compressor by means of a wind turbine to compress a fluid, storing the compressed fluid in an accumulator and passing the compressed fluid into one or more vortex tubes to separate the fluid into hot and cold fractions, heating a first heat exchange fluid by heat exchange between the first heat exchange fluid and the hot fraction and cooling a second heat exchange fluid by heat exchange between the second heat exchange fluid and the cold fraction.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising the step of heating one or more radiators via said first heat exchange fluid to heat a living space.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16 or claim 17, comprising the further step of cooling a living space via said second heat exchange fluid.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18 comprising the step of passing said second heat exchange fluid into said living space where the second heat exchange fluid comprises air.

20. A method as claimed in any of claims 16 to 19, comprising the further step of heating a heat exchange fluid, such as water, by heat exchange with the compressor, during use.

21 . An apparatus for utilising wind energy substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.