Air power energy transformation to electrical energy for hybrid electric vehicle applications

Abstract

A vehicle having one or more small vehicle-mounted electricity generating wind turbines located within an area of wind recirculation. The electricity generated is used to recharge vehicle batteries, partially power an auxiliary electric propulsion motor, or supply vehicle parasitic loads.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [0001] This invention relates to the use of one or more small vehicle-mounted wind turbines connected to one or more small generators to generate electricity for use by a vehicle when in motion. Specifically, the wind turbines are located in an area of wind recirculation in between the segments of an articulated vehicle combination, or in the aerodynamic wake behind the vehicle. SUMMARY [0002] With the advent of modern Hybrid Electric Vehicles, much development has occurred in the art having to do with recapturing vehicle kinetic energy and regeneration of that energy into a useable form. The primary focus of development has been in the area of regenerative vehicle braking. Other areas of development have focused upon utilizing secondary sources of available energy, such as solar energy or wind energy. [0003] In many prior-art developments concerning the use of wind energy to provide power to Hybrid Electric Vehicles, the inventions as set forth have consumed...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006] There exists an area of air movement relative to a moving vehicle that heretofore remains unexploited as a source of energy, and which presents the possibility of extracting energy from said air movement without requiring additional energy in order to move the vehicle. To an even greater degree of benefit, extracting energy from this area of air movement may even decrease the amount of energy required to move the vehicle. That area of air movement is the area of recirculation in between the segments of an articulated vehicle combination, or in the aerodynamic wake behind the vehicle.

[0007] Articulated moving vehicles, such as highway tractor and semi-trailer combinations, possess a large gap between the tractor and trailer due to constraints having to do with articulation at low speeds. At high speeds, air passing over and around the vehicle recirculates within this gap. As a moving fluid exerts less pressure and as a greater velocity of relative movement occurs near the rear side of the tractor cab due to this recirculation, the net pressure differential between the forward side of the tractor portion of the vehicle and the rearward side of the tractor portion of the vehicle is increased as a result of this recirculation. Extracting energy from this recirculating air mass not only provides a source of energy, but also reduces this net pressure differential, thus reducing overall wind resistance. An additional principle in operation under this circumstance is based on the fact that this rotating air mass further disturbs the air flowing past the gap, and as a result promotes turbulent air flow relative to the vehicle, thereby increasing overall wind resistance.

[0008] A similar principle operates within the wake of the moving vehicle. At that point, the airflow past the vehicle has generally deteriorated to a turbulent state, such that less steady-state recirculation is taking place. However, there is still a significant component of steady-state recirculation combined with shedding vortices. This steady-state component of recirculation again causes the exertion of less pressure by the moving fluid, resulting in an increase in pressure differential between the forward side of the moving vehicle and the rearward side of the moving vehicle. By extracting energy from the recirculating air mass, the pressure differential between the forward side of the moving vehicle and the rearward side of the moving vehicle is reduced. This again reduces overall wind resistance.

Problems solved by technology

Because these turbines, or the ducts leading to them, were continually in the vehicle slipstream, they caused a net increase in the amount of power required to drive the vehicle to overcome air resistance.

These vehicles, typically passenger vehicles and delivery vehicles, use large amounts of energy accelerating and accumulating kinetic energy, which is then lost upon braking.

Articulated moving vehicles, such as highway tractor and semi-trailer combinations, possess a large gap between the tractor and trailer due to constraints having to do with articulation at low speeds.

Extracting energy from this recirculating air mass not only provides a source of energy, but also reduces this net pressure differential, thus reducing overall wind resistance.

However, there is still a significant component of steady-state recirculation combined with shedding vortices.

This again reduces overall wind resistance.

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