2430results about "Wind motors" patented technology

A power generating system comprises a bluff (non-streamlined) body placed in a fluid stream at ninety degrees to the flow direction for creating a von Karman vortex street behind the body. In the process, feedback forces are generated that excite the bluff body into oscillation. The bluff body oscillatory movements are coupled to and energize a power generator. An impedance matching system is employed for electrically varying the natural frequency characteristics of the bluff body such that, over a relatively wide range of fluid flow velocities, the bluff body oscillates at a resonant frequency of the body for maximum energy transfer from the fluid stream to the bluff body.

A power generating system comprising a bluff (non-streamlined) body placed in a fluid stream at ninety degrees to the flow direction creates a von Karman vortex street behind the body. In the process, feedback forces are generated that excite the bluff body into oscillation. The bluff body oscillatory movements are coupled to and energize a power generator. Means are employed for electrically varying the natural frequency characteristics of the bluff body such that, over a relatively wide range of fluid flow velocities, the bluff body oscillates at a resonant frequency of the body for maximum energy transfer from the fluid stream to the bluff body.

An aerial power generation system includes a guide line supported by a support body. Wind driven elements are configured and shaped to provide maximum force from both lift and drag during the downwind phase of operation and minimum force during the upwind phase. The guide lines add stability to the system and provide better control over angular orientation and direction of motion. Power transfer is through one or more tow lines connected from the driven elements to power generation devices on the ground. Another embodiment of the aerial power generation system includes a revolving apparatus and two or more wind powered driven elements connected by tow lines to the revolving apparatus. The method includes changing the driven elements between high and low force configurations for downwind and upwind operation, and flying the driven elements in a selected pattern perpendicular to the tow line.

An arrangement and method to prevent a collision of a flying animal with a wind turbine is provided. A camera-system is arranged at the wind turbine and the camera-system generate images of the environment of the wind turbine. An evaluation system is coupled with the camera-system and the evaluation system evaluates the images to detect a flying animal within the environment of the wind turbine. A warning system is coupled with the evaluation system and the warning system generates a warning signal if the flying animal is detected by the evaluation system. The camera-system is configured to generate at least panoramic images of the wind turbine environment for the evaluation.

A kite is disclosed. The kite comprises a first control element coupled to the kite in a first tether-force configuration, wherein the first control element is used to maintain controlled flight of the kite in the first tether-force configuration during a power generating phase. The kite further comprises a second control element coupled to the kite in a second tether-force configuration, wherein the second control element is used to maintain controlled flight of the kite in the second tether-force configuration during a recovery phase, and wherein during the recovery phase a tether force associated with the second tether-force configuration is reduced as compared to the tether force associated with the first tether-force configuration during the power generating phase

A vibration-based power generator has a variable stiffness oscillator connected to a base. The oscillator comprises an inertial mass moving relative to the base in response to vibrations. The oscillator has a neutral position corresponding to a position of the oscillator when no vibrations are transmitted to the base. The oscillator has a first position where the mass is at a first distance and a second position where the inertial mass is at a second distance from a position of the mass when the oscillator is in neutral position. The second distance is greater than the first distance. A stiffness of the oscillator at the second position is greater than a stiffness of the oscillator at the first position. A transducer generating electric power in response to movement of the inertial mass is associated with the oscillator. A method of optimizing a vibration-based power generator is also presented.

Conception introduced for performing powered flight of aircraft by performing work against gravity force, using gliding wing as steady support, namely “flying elevator” conception, and aircraft developed, based on cyclorotor scheme with elaborated steering solution, continuing in flexible handling and control. Said aircraft correctly and optimally implements said conception after presented detailed modeling, simulation and analyzing, having ability for flight with exceptionally high propulsion efficiency, moderate lift to drag ratio and short takeoff and landing. Additionally, it has ability for recuperative descent and deceleration, utilizing direct driving from high torque electrical engines, which can optionally hybridized with combustion engine, and covers speed range up to limits of subsonic flight.

Determining when to perform preventative maintenance is an important consideration for maximizing the revenue of a wind turbine. For example, performing preventative maintenance may be cheaper than replacing turbine components when they fail. When determining to perform preventative maintenance, a maintenance scheduler may consider multiple factors. These factors may include the probability of failure, the predicted price of energy, predicted wind power production, resource constraints, and the like. Specifically, the maintenance scheduler may predict the future values of these factors which are then integrated into a net present value (NPV) for each of the components. Based on the respective NPVs, the maintenance scheduler may determine which maintenance actions to perform and in what order.

A method and device for converting fluidic kinetic energy into oscillatory mechanical motion is disclosed. A mechanical structure of finite stiffness is coupled to a fluid-dynamical control surface the thrust from which is oscillated in direction. The coupling thereby induces oscillations in the structure, the magnitude of which can be controlled by the degree of mechanical resonance between the oscillation rate of the fluidic thrusting and the structure's resonance frequency. The resulting mechanical energy can be converted into electrical energy using either piezo-electric or electromagnetic means.

A method for removing a rotor blade from a wind turbine may generally include installing a blade sock around an outer perimeter of the rotor blade, coupling a support cable to the blade root, lowering the rotor blade relative to the hub using the support cable, coupling at least one pulley cable between the rotor blade and a winch using at least one pulley, moving the pulley cable relative to the pulley to lower the rotor blade relative to the hub, applying a force through the blade sock as the pulley cable is moved relative to the pulley in order to control an orientation of the rotor blade and further lowering the rotor blade to a location on or adjacent to the support surface.

A self aligning bearing assembly comprising an inner ring and an outer ring, and two rows of rolling elements of equal length arranged at different contact angles, for supporting a main shaft of a wind turbine.

A large-sized monitored control System for the wind power generation plant on the sea, pertaining to the field of the computer application technology; this device consists of a data acquisition unit, a mono-computer monitoring data transmission unit, a mono-computer monitoring data processing unit, a multi-computer monitoring data transmission unit and a gross data processing unit. The data acquisition unit collects the technical parameter of the wind power plant; the mono-computer monitoring data transmission unit delivers the data of the data acquisition unit to the mono-computer monitoring data processing unit; the mono-computer monitoring data processing unit can process the data from the mono-computer monitoring data transmission unit; the multi-computer monitoring data transmission unit delivers the data processed by the mono-computer monitoring data processing unit to the gross data processing unit; the gross data processing unit can process the data from the multi-computer data transmission unit. The man-machine operating interface is introduced to send the control order to the mono-computer monitoring data processing unit as per the actual demand of the operation. This utility model is provided with a simple structure and a high practicability as well as lowers the manufacturing cost of the wind power plant.

The invention relates to spring elements and bearings which contain these spring elements, the spring stiffness of the bearings and spring elements being individually adjustable by deformable elastomer bodies or elastomer layers by prestressing. The deformation of the elastomer layers and hence of the spring elements is achieved by an appropriately designed hydraulic device. The leak-tightness of the spring elements and bearing elements according to the invention is achieved through special hydraulically prestressed sealing elements, use of a pressure membrane and special structural features of the elastomer elements.

The interaction of an animal and an object is controlled by causing a surface of the object to reflect light with a wavelength that induces a response by the animal.

The invention discloses a method and device for detecting freezing of wind generating set blades. The method comprises the steps that A, environment temperature and humidity, the wind speed, the wind direction, the position of an engine room, the pitch angle of the blades and generator power are acquired; B, data generated in a non-freezing state and in the process that the yaw error of a draught fan is too large is removed; C, the power and pitch angle calculated values under the actually-measured wind speed is obtained according to a wind speed power matrix and a wind speed pitch angle matrix; D, the difference value of the generator power and pitch angle actually-measured values and the calculated value are compared with a deviation set value, the set value is corrected, and a deviation optimized value is obtained; E, the deviation between the power and pitch angle monitored in real time and the power and pitch angle calculated according to the wind speed power matrix and the wind speed pitch angle matrix is compared, and when the deviation meets the deviation optimized value, it is judged that the blades are in a frozen state. According to the method and device, the freezing state of the wind generating set blades can be detected accurately and reliably, effective early warning and maintenance can be achieved, and therefore the generating capacity and stability of a set are improved, and the service life of the set is prolonged.

The invention provides a preparation method and application of a nano-modified PTFE and polyester-based composite film for preventing fan blades from icing. The method includes the steps of PTFE film modification, lamination complexing and photo-crosslinked adhesive application. A modifier is prepared from antimony-doped tin oxide nano-crystals, nano-titanium dioxide, nano-silicon carbide, an organic fluorine waterproofing agent and pentaerythritol tri-(3-aziridinyl)-propionate; in lamination complexing, a bonding complexing agent is prepared from 3-isocyanatomethyl-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexyl isocyanate, vinyl acetate, ethyl carbamate, alpha-linolenic acid, (2)ethoxylated bisphenol A dimethacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate and benzoyl peroxide; a photo-crosslinked adhesive is prepared from a poly[butyl acrylate-glycidyl methacrylate-n-butoxy methacrylamide]copolymer, vinyl acetate, butyl acrylate, an acrylate derivative, a photoinitiator and dimethylformamide. The method and the composite film solve the non-adhesion problem that a PTFE film can not be pasted on the surfaces of fan blades with an adhesive directly.

The invention provides a propulsion system based on “thuniform” movement of a foil member to achieve desired directional movement of a vehicle such as an unmanned submarine type of vessel. A pair of foil members are mounted to the vehicle body for reciprocating oscillating movement towards and away from each other, creating forward movement due to the compression of a fluid medium between the foil members and the expulsion of the compressed fluid rearwardly of the foil members. Each foil member is mounted to a pivot shaft for limited rotational movement with respect to the vehicle body. Damping means are connected between each pivot shaft and its associated foil member so that during operation of the propulsion system damping torque will offset hydrodynamic loads imposed on the foil members by the fluid medium. The damping means will in turn control the pitch angle of the foil members during operation, meaning that a thrust is generated for rigid foil members when moving at zero forward speed. The propulsion system of the invention exhibits increased efficiency and thrust in comparison to other such propulsion systems. The foil members are mounted to the vehicle body in such a manner that the thrust vector thereof can be directed through a full 360 degrees relative to the vehicle, thereby achieving superb maneuverability when the vehicle is provided with sets of the thrusters suitable located thereon.

In the invention, deposits that disturb electrical discharges between the rotor and the stator inside a turbomolecular pump with a plurality of stages on magnetic or gas bearings are prevented from forming by injecting an active gas at at least one suitable location inside the pump via at least one gas intake pipe, which active gas reacts with the deposit-generating molecules and forms gaseous compounds that are removed by the pump. Such deposits are thus prevented from forming without disturbing the conductance of the pump or adversely affecting the atmosphere present in the enclosure to which the pump is connected.

Glass compositions and high-modulus, and high-strength glass fibers made therefrom, being capable of economical, continuous processing and suitable for the production of high-strength and / or high stiffness, low-weight composites, such as windturbine blades, the glass composition comprises the following constituents in the limits defined below, expressed as weight percentages: between about 56 to about 61 weight percent SiO2; between about 16 to about 23 weight percent Al2O3, wherein the weight percent ratio of SiO2 / Al2O3 is between about 2 to about 4; between about 8 to about 12 weight percent MgO; between about 6 to about 10 weight percent CaO, wherein the weight percent ratio of MgO / CaO is between about 0.7 to about 1.5; between about 0 to about 2 weight percent Na2O; less than about 1 weight percent Li2O; and total residual transition metal oxides of less than about 2 weight percent.

A device and method for harvesting electrical power from kinetic energy of a flow. The electricity generator includes a vibration assembly and magnetic field source. The external gas or liquid flow causes a vibration of the assembly with an integrated conductive element, producing electricity in proximity of a magnetic field. The vibrating assembly has a set of resonant frequencies that correspond to a set of the frequencies of the flow vortices within a predetermined range of the external flow velocities. An arbitrary number of adjustable generators can be connected into a single circuit, either in-series or in-parallel, to increase an overall power output. It is capable to operate under wide range of flow characteristics and can serve as a virtually maintenance-free source of electrical power.

This invention relates generally to an article that includes a non-wetting surface having a dynamic contact angle of at least about 90°. The surface is patterned with macro-scale features configured to induce controlled asymmetry in a liquid film produced by impingement of a droplet onto the surface, thereby reducing time of contact between the droplet and the surface.

Multiple pivots are mounted vertically or horizontally within a rotary or stationary support structure or platform. The pivots are interconnected via members, and between these pivots, a flexible sheet of material is suspended. The mechanism operates via oscillation of a flexible sheet that captures the energy in a fluid flow, and converts it into mechanical motion. The interconnected pivots act in synchronization to vary the angle of attack of the flexible sheet, creating low pressure (lift) areas that impart force into the pivots which then move in an oscillating manner, outputting the energy captured to an energy conversion device. An alternate embodiment makes use of anchors and suspension structures that suspend the entire embodiment in the middle of a fluid flow, and enable remote connection to surfaces not immediately near the location of the device.

A process for forming an article, such as a combustion chamber liner, comprises the steps of providing a mandrel formed from a material, such as an aluminum containing material, having a net shape of the article to be made, depositing a powdered metal material onto the mandrel without melting the powdered metal material, and removing the material forming the mandrel to leave a free standing monolithic article. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the powdered metal material comprises powdered GRCop-84. Alternatively, the powdered metal material may be GRCop-42.

The invention comprises a scalable, configurable “propulsor” system. A propulsor system is an assembly of individual propulsors that act in concert to form a substantially continuous control surface that undulates in a working fluid. Each propulsor is driven and configured by computer-controlled actuators so that the control surface undulates in various wave forms. Optional actuators that may refine the surface shape include an “orientation” actuator that drives rotation about the propulsor's longitudinal axis, and a “geometry” actuator that controls each propulsor's geometric configuration.

A method for removing and replacing an article of wind turbine equipment, such as a yaw drive, internal to a nacelle of a wind turbine tower without use of an external windfarm site crane or external rigging on the wind tower. External rigging of wind turbine tower components may expose workers and the equipment inside the nacelle to outside weather and hazardous wind conditions. The yaw drive is internally rigged with an internal support crane within the nacelle to an internal winch capable of supporting the yaw drive during a lift to the base of the wind turbine tower.

A wind oscillator configured for power generation is provided. The wind oscillator includes an upwardly oriented elongate rotatable support beam configured to rotate to enable the wind oscillator to be approximately oriented with respect to a wind direction, a bracket supported by the support beam, the bracket extending transversely and outward therefrom, a shaft operably connected to the bracket at a first end of the shaft, and a gear attached to a second end of the shaft. The wind oscillator further includes an oscillating arm pivotably disposed approximately atop of said support beam, wherein the shaft is disposed upon the oscillating arm, and the oscillating arm being configured to move upwardly and downwardly with respect to the support beam in a reciprocating arrangement, an elongate transverse bar supported by a first end of the oscillating arm, elongate first and second wing bars oriented transversely with respect to the elongate transverse bar, wherein the oscillating arm, the elongate transverse bar, and the wing bars are on approximately a same plane, and a leading wing rotatably connected to and extending between the first and second wing bars.

A device for use in extracting energy from an incoming fluid flow is presented. The device comprises: an oscillator assembly mounted on a base, the oscillator assembly comprising: a main body for exposing to an incoming fluid flow; and a joining element attached to the main body and configured for anchoring the main body to the base and enabling oscillation of the main body with respect to the base; an operative flow affecting unit comprising at least one flow interacting element located in at least one location respectively on a surface of the main body, the operative flow affecting unit being configured and controllably operable for affecting a separation of streams of the fluid flowing over the surface of the main body; a control unit in communication with the operative flow affecting unit, the control unit being configured and operable for activating and deactivating of each of the at least one flow interacting element of the operative flow affecting unit according to a certain time pattern, the time pattern being selected such that interaction between the flow interacting element and fluid streams creates vortices in the fluid streams at a selected vortex formation frequency causing an increase in oscillation of the main body, thereby enabling conversion of motion from the oscillation into useful energy.