875results about "Wind energy with garvitational potential energy" patented technology

The invention relates to an island network with at least one energy generator, using regenerative energy sources, whereby the energy generator is preferably a wind energy plant with a first synchronous generator, a DC link, at least one first power rectifier and a power inverter, a second synchronous generator and an internal combustion engine which may be coupled with the second synchronous generator. A fully controllable wind energy unit (10) and an electromagnetic coupling (34) between the second synchronous generator (32) and the internal combustion engine (30) are provided in order to establish an island network in which the internal combustion engine can be switched off completely, so long as the wind energy unit is generating enough power for all connected users with an efficiency which is as high as possible.

A crosswind kite system adapted to operate in an alternate mode in high winds. The system may operate at reduced efficiency in high winds in order to moderate loading on the system during those high winds. The system may use multi-element airfoils which are actuated to reduce the coefficient of lift of the airfoils in order to moderate loading in high wind conditions. Other flight aspects may be controlled, including flying the crosswind kite in side slip to induce drag which may lower loading on the system.

The present invention concerns systems for storing energy and using the stored energy to generate electrical energy or drive a propeller (505). In particular, the present invention provides a method of storing energy comprising: providing a gaseous input, producing a cryogen from the gaseous input; storing the cryogen; expanding the cryogen; using the expanded cryogen to drive a turbine (320) and recovering cold energy from the expansion of the cryogen. The present invention also provides a cryogenic energy storage system comprising: a source of cryogen; a cryogen storage facility (370); means for expanding the cryogen; a turbine (320) capable of being driven by the expanding cryogen; and means (340, 350) for recovering cold energy released during expansion of the cryogen.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for using wind energy to compress air or pressurize a fluid as a means of storing energy. Compressed air or pressurized fluid is generated directly by the wind turbines, thereby avoiding the energy losses that occur when wind power is used first to generate electricity to run an electrically powered air compressor. The compressed air or pressurized fluid is stored by means of expanding a volume at constant or nearly constant pressure. This method avoids energy losses that would otherwise result from compressional heating; while also allowing lower pressures to be employed, reducing the cost of the containment facility and avoiding the need to locate facilities in geographically favored locations where underground storage is available. The invention permits both large and small-scale storage at low cost per unit of energy stored, thereby avoiding the difficulty of using a highly variable and unreliable source of energy such as the wind for electrical power generation. The invention can be used for generation and storage on land, in shallow near-shore waters and in deep-water locations far from shore.

A wind turbine system includes a variable blade assembly including adjustable sails and wing shaped masts expanding the wind velocity capture envelope. The blade assembly turns a hydraulic pump, which pressurizes fluid and stores the pressurized fluid in a chamber in the support tower. Pressurized fluid is directed via an electronically controllable proportioning valve to a hydraulic motor which is coupled to an electric generator. A computer control module operates the proportioning valve regulating pressure to the hydraulic motor, maintaining generator rotational speed, and providing consistent output frequency to the power grid. Stored energy in the high pressure tank is used to continue generator operation after the winds cease, allowing early warning notification to the power management system of impending power loss. Residual pressure maintained in the high pressure tank allows restart operations via hydraulic pressure rather than power grid energy drain. On site high energy capacitors store additional energy.

A system includes at least one body, a link for suspending the body for movement with gravity from a first elevation position to a second elevation position, and an electrical energy generator coupled with the body through the link to drive the generator to generate electricity upon movement of the body with gravity from the first to the second elevation position. The at least one body has a mass of at least approximately 100 tonnes; the first and the second elevation positions define a distance therebetween of at least approximately 200 meters; and / or the system further includes an operator configured to operate the link to controllably move the at least one body against gravity from the second to the first elevation position to increase a gravitational potential energy of the at least one body, and to maintain the gravitational potential energy of the at least one body.

The present invention relates to a wind energy generating and storing system comprising methods and apparatuses for providing energy dedicated for immediate use and energy storage, to provide electrical power on an uninterrupted and continous basis, to locations remote from an electrical power grid. In a large application, the invention contemplates having a predetermined number of windmills dedicated for immediate use, and a predetermined number of windmills dedicated for energy storage, as compressed air energy in one or more high pressure tanks. A hybrid windmill having the ability to simultaneously switch between energy for immediate use and energy storage can also be provided.

A hydroelectric power plant uses a plurality of windmills connected to compressed air generators to produce pressurized air. Pressurized air is used to drive water through a turbine to produce electrical power. The water is recycled and the power plant includes reserve pressurized air tanks to allow the plant to continue to operate when the wind levels are not sufficient to produce high pressure air. The power plant is designed to be operated on a continuous basis based on wind power. When the wind subsides and the reserve capacity has been exhausted, electricity can be drawn from the local utility supplier. When excess power is generated by the power plant, electricity from the power plant can be added to the grid of the local electricity supplier.

An electric power generating system is provided that uses a wind turbine to generate waste-heat that is utilized in an organic Rankine Cycle drive that converts heat energy into rotation of a generator rotor for generating electricity. A hydrodynamic retarder may be provided that dissipates heat into a hot fluid by directing the flow of the fluid through the hydrodynamic retarder in a manner that resists rotation of blades of the wind turbine. The hot fluid circulating in the hydrodynamic retarder is a thermal heat source for vapor regeneration of organic heat exchange fluid mixture(s) used in the Rankine cycle, expansion of the organic heat exchange fluid being converted into rotation of the generator rotor.

A method for operating a power generation system including a wind turbine and a turbine assembly. The method includes operating the wind turbine, storing the energy generated by the wind turbine as compressed air, and channeling the compressed air to the turbine assembly when needed.

A wind turbine system includes a variable blade assembly including adjustable sails and wing shaped masts expanding the wind velocity capture envelope. The blade assembly turns a hydraulic pump, which pressurizes fluid and stores the pressurized fluid in a chamber in the support tower. Pressurized fluid is directed via an electronically controllable proportioning valve to a hydraulic motor which is coupled to an electric generator. A computer control module operates the proportioning valve regulating pressure to the hydraulic motor, maintaining generator rotational speed, and providing consistent output frequency to the power grid. Stored energy in the high pressure tank is used to continue generator operation after the winds cease, allowing early warning notification to the power management system of impending power loss. Residual pressure maintained in the high pressure tank allows restart operations via hydraulic pressure rather than power grid energy drain. On site high energy capacitors store additional energy.

An electrical power producing wind turbine eliminates the possibility of being struck by lightning, reduces the complexity of gear trains and simplifies maintenance at heights. The wind turbine is electrically isolated from ground to reduce the possibility of being struck by lightning and the generator is located at ground level to simplify maintenance. The turbine blade shaft is directly attached to a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic fluid is transmitted to ground level through dielectric tubing and acts both as an electrical isolating medium and a transmitter of mechanical energy to the generator located at ground level. The wind turbine blade, shaft and hydraulic pump are electrically isolated from the support structure at the upper end.

Systems and methods for operating a hydraulically actuated device / system are described herein. For example, systems and methods for the compression and / or expansion of gas can include at least one pressure vessel defining an interior region for retaining at least one of a volume of liquid or a volume of gas and an actuator coupled to and in fluid communication with the pressure vessel. The actuator can have a first mode of operation in which a volume of liquid disposed within the pressure vessel is moved to compress and move gas out of the pressure vessel. The actuator can have a second mode of operation in which a volume of liquid disposed within the pressure vessel is moved by an expanding gas entering the pressure vessel. The system can further include a heat transfer device configured to transfer heat to or from the at least one of a volume of liquid or a volume of gas retained by the pressure vessel.

Systems and methods for operating a hydraulically actuated device / system are described herein. For example, systems and methods for the compression and / or expansion of gas can include at least one pressure vessel defining an interior region for retaining at least one of a volume of liquid or a volume of gas and an actuator coupled to and in fluid communication with the pressure vessel. The actuator can have a first mode of operation in which a volume of liquid disposed within the pressure vessel is moved to compress and move gas out of the pressure vessel. The actuator can have a second mode of operation in which a volume of liquid disposed within the pressure vessel is moved by an expanding gas entering the pressure vessel. The system can further include a heat transfer device configured to transfer heat to or from the at least one of a volume of liquid or a volume of gas retained by the pressure vessel.

Because the efficiency of the thermal energy storage technology is inherently restricted, its beneficial use is limited to very particular economic boundary conditions, i.e. a large difference between the value of electricity going into the unit and the value of electricity coming out of the unit. With the reduction in wind power equipment prices and the cost of fossil fuels and / or their combustion products this is occasionally the case for wind power. Wind is a free fuel and the value of wind power when there is too little load demand is essentially zero, and the value of wind power when there is demand is considerable indeed. Under these circumstances, a combination of electrothermal energy storage and combustion of (fossil) fuels as an auxiliary heat source provides for a cost efficient system for storing energy and an economical way of generating electricity.

An integrated, wind-pumped hydro power generation system includes at least one wind turbine generator device configured to generate output power for a common bus, and at least one hydro generator device configured to generate output power for the common bus. The hydro generator device is powered by water flow. The wind turbine generator device and the hydro generator device include corresponding local controls associated therewith, and a set of supervisory controls is in communication with the common bus and each of the local controls.

A wind power energy system includes a compression system that produces pressurized air with a first temperature that is received by a storage system at a second temperature that is approximately equal to the first temperature. The wind power energy system is insulated with about ten centimeters of glass-wool insulation to create an essentially adiabatic system. The pressurized air is utilized by a generator and generate electricity for a power grid. The generator also includes a combustion engine input. A control system detects fluctuation in wind power and commands the combustion engine to provide an appropriate amount of input energy to the generator such that the sum of the wind energy and combustion engine inputs produces a predetermined amount of electrical output by the generator.

An exemplary system and method for storing and retrieving energy in a thermoelectric energy storage system is disclosed. The thermoelectric energy storage system includes a working fluid that is circulated through a first and second heat exchanger, and a thermal storage medium that is circulated through the first heat exchanger. The second heat exchanger is in connection with a first thermal bath during a charging cycle and with a second thermal bath during a discharging cycle. In this way roundtrip efficiency is improved through minimizing the temperature difference between the first thermal bath and the hot storage tank during charging, and maximizing the temperature difference between the second thermal bath and the hot storage tank during discharging.

A wind-energy power machine and it's energy-storage generation system and wind-energy power generation system relate to a field of wind-energy power, generating technology and generating device. The wind-energy power machine is composed of a central rotor, a plurality sets of frames and at least a set of wind-pressure pushing mechanism provided within each set of frame. The central rotor vertically rotatablely mounted within a mounting frame in a special high-story frame structure with wind collecting wall is formed to a large scale power and generating system by means of combining with vertical or horizontal integrated system, or both systems in series and in parallel.

A system for capturing and converting and / or storing wind energy includes a vessel adapted to receive at least one wind machine for capturing wind and a device for converting wind energy to storable energy. A method of adapting a vessel, such as a surplus cargo ship or an oil tanker, for use as a offshore power generating system comprises equipping a vessel with devices for capturing a renewable energy source, positioning the vessel at sea to capture the renewable energy source, converting the renewable energy to a storable energy source, and storing the converted energy, and repositioning the vessel to capture further renewable energy or transport the stored, converted energy.

A wind turbine has multiple blades (10) that are mounted on a shaft (19) with a ring around a circumference of the blades. There are tires (18) that are arranged to be in contact or out of contact with the ring. The tires draw generators when the tires are in contact with the ring and the ring is rotating. A controller monitors the wind conditions and controls the turbine to produce electricity or other-energy output or to shut down if the wind falls below a predetermined level.

The invention relates to a method of storing and transporting wind generated power in the form of compressed air energy, via a pipeline, from a location where wind conditions are ideal, to a facility or community where energy is needed. The method preferably comprises using at least one wind turbine to drive a compressor to compress air into storage, wherein the size and length of the pipeline can be adapted to reduce the pressure losses that are experienced along the length of the pipeline. The pipeline can be located on railroad ties, or on the desert floor, or can be extended along paths where existing right of ways are provided. The facility or community using the energy can use energy in the form of electricity, or to drive pneumatic tools or equipment, or to generate chilled air as a by-product, which can be used for refrigeration, air conditioning or desalination. A utility or grid can be provided to generate compressed air energy when the wind is not blowing, wherein compressed air energy can be produced and stored during low demand periods, and used during high demand periods.

The invention relates to a method of using a pipeline system for storing and transporting compressed air energy generated by wind turbines, wherein the pipeline preferably extends along a predetermined route, between a remote location where wind conditions are relatively consistent and predicable, and a power grid or community needing the power located a distance away. The remote location is preferably provided with a large number of windmill stations for generating electrical and mechanical energy, which is used to compress air into the pipeline. The route is preferably extended along an existing road or easement, and can incorporate abandoned existing piping when available. Turbo expanders and alternators are preferably provided at the user end of the pipeline, to release the compressed air and generate electricity for the grid or community.

An electrical power producing wind turbine eliminates the possibility of being struck by lightning, reduces the complexity of gear trains and simplifies maintenance at heights. The wind turbine is electrically isolated from ground to reduce the possibility of being struck by lightning and the generator is located at ground level to simplify maintenance. The turbine blade shaft is directly attached to a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic fluid is transmitted to ground level through dielectric tubing and acts both as an electrical isolating medium and a transmitter of mechanical energy to the generator located at ground level. The wind turbine blade, shaft and hydraulic pump are electrically isolated from the support structure at the upper end.

The disclosure concerns a method for monitoring at least one component to be monitored in a hydraulic circuit filled with a working fluid, the hydraulic circuit comprises at least one pump for circulating the working fluid, wherein the method comprises:—changing an operational state of at least one first component in the hydraulic circuit such that a working point of the at least one component to be monitored changes to a predetermined working point;—performing at least one measurement for monitoring the at least one component to be monitored. Further, the disclosure concerns a monitoring device for monitoring at least one component to be monitored in a hydraulic circuit being filled with a working fluid. Further, the disclosure concerns a fluid turbine comprising at least one fluid rotor, wherein the fluid rotor is adapted to convert kinetic power of a fluid into a rotation, the fluid turbine further comprising a hydraulic circuit filled with a working fluid.

An apparatus for driving a turbine connected to a generator for generating power to supply to a grid the power derived from a rotating shaft includes a transmission for selectably driving either of a compressor or a direct current motor generator. The compressor compresses ambient air changing phase to liquid air. The direct current motor generator generates a current at a constant voltage for water electrolysis. A first bell containing a cathode collects elemental hydrogen; a second bell containing an anode collects elemental oxygen. The elemental hydrogen burns in the presence of the elemental oxygen to produce a highly energetic exhaust. A valve selectably admits either of the highly compressed air or the highly energetic exhaust into the turbine to drive the turbine thereby energizing the generator to supply the grid.

A platform apparatus for producing hydrogen gas from water includes a buoyant base configured for floating in a body of water, such as on the ocean, a vertical support member extending upwardly from the base, a wind turbine rotatably coupled to the support member for transforming the kinetic energy of wind into rotational energy, a generator coupled to the wind turbine for transforming the rotational energy generated into DC electricity, and an electrolysis apparatus affixed to the platform for using the electricity to extract hydrogen gas from water by the process of hydrolysis. The electrolysis apparatus preferably comprises an exchange chamber for storing water collected from the body of water, a pair of corrosion resistant electrodes, and a gas collection apparatus for collecting the hydrogen gas produced by electrolysis. The platform apparatus preferably includes a pumping apparatus powered by wave motion of the body of water for supplying water to the electrolysis apparatus. A gearing system preferably allows the generator to be driven at a greater rotational speed than the wind turbine.

A variable speed wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine comprises a generator, a power converter for converting at least a portion of electrical power generated by the generator, an energy management arrangement coupled to the power converter, the energy management arrangement comprises an energy storage unit, and a controller. The controller is adapted to detect a power imbalance event and to transfer at least a portion of excess electrical energy generated by the generator to the energy storage unit to be stored therein when the power imbalance event is detected.

A hybrid water pressure energy accumulating, tower assembly used to directly propel water pumps to raise water from low elevation reservoir(s) to high elevation reservoir(s) where it is used as a potential energy. The tower is electrically connected and positioned next to or close to a wind turbine or a wind or solar power plant. The tower includes in-tower storage reservoirs configured for storing water. The in-tower storage reservoirs could be defined by lower and upper water storage containers attached to the inner or outer surface of the tower that might be connected to other neighboring reservoir(s). The lifted water is used to generate electricity utilizing a hydropower generator.