Three-in-one Machine System for Renewable Energy Harnessing

Abstract

Three-in-one Machine System for Renewable Energy Harnessing This invention relates to a single machine system shared for wind energy harnessing, water potential energy harnessing and gravity storage. Two common turbines, each of which has multiple circular layers of blades or buckets and is installed on a common shaft and at either side of the machine, are developed for harnessing wind and water energy simultaneously. On each side of the machine, wind and water are fed from separate channels into a common direction-change tube. The common shaft is coupled with that of the machine through pairs of gearboxes to increase angular speed for running the machine more effectively. The water falls from high terrain to low terrain to gain speed while the wind is accelerated by using funnel shaped accelerator in wind tower to reach tens of metres per second for effective energy conversion. A lifting mechanism is installed in the system to fulfill the potential energy storage of concrete or other heavy blocks when there is neither wind nor water. The system could be modified for 1) harnessing wind energy only but can operate as a motor to drive mechanical loads when there is no wind; 2) harnessing water and wind energy at river or lakes’ side without gravity storage. Three-in-one Machine System for Renewable Energy Harnessing This invention relates to a single machine system shared for wind energy harnessing, water potential energy harnessing and gravity storage. Two common turbines, each of which has multiple circular layers of blades or buckets and is installed on a common shaft and at either side of the machine, are developed for harnessing wind and water energy simultaneously. On each side of the machine, wind and water are fed from separate channels into a common direction-change tube. The common shaft is coupled with that of the machine through pairs of gearboxes to increase angular speed for running the machine more effectively. The water falls from high terrain to low terrain to gain speed while the wind is accelerated by using funnel shaped accelerator in wind tower to reach tens of metres per second for effective energy conversion. A lifting mechanism is installed in the system to fulfill the potential energy storage of concrete or other heavy blocks when there is neither wind nor water. The system could be modified for 1) harnessing wind energy only but can operate as a motor to drive mechanical loads when there is no wind; 2) harnessing water and wind energy at river or lakes' side without gravity storage. 20 25 20 08 72 07 F eb 2 02 5 0 7 F e b 2 0 2 5 2 0 2 5 2 0 0 8 7 2 2 Upper lake Water conduit Low platform with slope on each side Water conduit U p p er la ke Lower lake Machine with turbines, shape change tubes, direction change tubes and wheels Lo w er la ke H2 H1 L1 L2 Wind tower Wind tower Lo w er la ke Vertical wells for gravity storage Machine with turbines, shape change tubes, direction change tubes and wheels High platform Siphonage tube H igh p latfo rm Figure 2a 2 Upper lake Siphonage tube Machine with turbines, shape change tubes, Water conduit direction change tubes and wheels H1 High platform L1 L2 H2 Lower lake Vertical wells for gravity storage Low platform with slope on each side Wind tower :: Water conduit Wind tower Machine with turbines, shape change tubes, direction change tubes and wheels Figure 2a 20 25 20 08 72 07 F eb 2 02 5 2 2 0 2 5 2 0 2 5 2 0 0 8 7 2 0 7 F e b L 2 H 2 : : : : : : W a t e r c o n d u i t : : H i g h p l a t f o r m : : U p p e r l a k e : : L o w e r l a k e : : : : : : : : L o w e r l a k e

Claims

1. A three-in-one machine system, whereinthere are two sets of wind and water turbines on either side of the machine;there are two separate direction-change tubes on either side of the machine to serve the purpose of changing directions of water or wind for maximum circumferential forces generation on the water / wind turbines;there are multiple wind towers sitting at high terrain with funnel shaped accelerators to increase wind speed;there are partitioned channels to guide the water flowing from high terrain to the entrances of the direction-change tubes located at lower terrain through necessary connectors;there are partitioned channels to guide the wind to flow from the exits of funnels to the entrances of the direction-change tubes through necessary connectors;there are two driving wheels for gravity storage, located on either side of the machine system;there are auxiliary wheels for conveying machine driving forces for lifting up or lowering down concrete or other heavy blocks;water / wind turbines, multiple pairs of gear-box couplers and two driving wheels are installed on a common shaft;multiple pairs of gear-box couplers couple the mechanic forces between the shaft of the machine and the common shaft;four guiding metal poles in each well through which concrete block’s holders move vertically;steel reinforced concrete foundation for supporting the machine system, water / wind turbines, direction-change tubes, connectors, water guides, metal poles;tunnels which lead to low platform from the docking areas located at the bottom of each well.

2. A system modified from the one as claimed in Claim 1, whereinthere is no gravity storage unit;the system is used either by itself or used for running as a motor to drive mechanic loads when there is no wind / water energy harnessing.

3. A system modified from the one as claimed in Claim 1, wherein2025200872   07 Feb 2025there is no water energy harnessing unit but the modified system contains wind energy harnessing and gravity storage units;the modified system runs in either of three possible modes alternately: wind energy harnessing, gravity storage and driving mechanic loads.

4. A method for operating the system as claimed in claim 1, which consists of the following operation modes:in the first operation mode, the belts for lifting up or lowering down the concrete or other blocks are de-coupled from the auxiliary wheels for starting the system to harness wind / water energy;in the second operation mode, the machine is controlled by its controller to draw power from a power system to run as a motor to drive mechanic loads; in this operation, the belt for the gravity storage stays de-coupled from the auxiliary wheels;in the third operation mode, the belts for lifting up or lowering down the concrete or other blocks are placed back to the auxiliary wheels for starting the system to fulfil conversion of energy between potential energy and electricity when there is no wind / water energy;operation from mode 1 to mode 3 alternates for different energy conversions.

5. A method for operating the system as claimed in claim 2, which consists of the operation modes as follows:in the first operation mode, the system is operated to harness water / wind and electric machine runs as a generator;in the second operation mode, the electric machine runs as a motor to drive mechanic loads when there is no wind / water energy to harness;operation from mode 1 to mode 2 alternates for different energy conversions.

6. A method for operating the system as claimed in claim 3, which consists of the following operation modes:in the first operation mode, the belts for lifting up or lowering down the concrete or other heavy blocks are de-coupled from the auxiliary wheels for starting the system to harness wind energy;2025200872   07 Feb 2025in the second operation mode, the machine is controlled by its controller to draw power from a power system to run as a motor to drive mechanic loads; in this operation, the belt for the gravity storage stays de-coupled from the auxiliary wheels;in the third mode, the belts for lifting up or lowering down the concrete or other blocks are placed back to the auxiliary wheels for starting the system to fulfil conversion of energy between potential energy and electricity when there is no wind / water energy;operation from mode 1 to mode 3 alternates for different energy conversions.

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