Hybrid ventilation device, system and method for power generation

Abstract

A ventilation device for generating electricity, the device comprising a top assembly and a base assembly, electricity being generated by rotation of the top assembly relative to the base assembly. The top assembly comprises a container for containing the solar cell and a plurality of blades arranged along the periphery of the top assembly, and the blades drive the top assembly to rotate when airflow passes through or bypasses the top assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a hybrid ventilation device, system and method for power generation. Background Art

[0002] In light of the growing climate crisis, the world is gradually turning to green energy solutions.

[0003] However, the current green power generation system's power supply capacity is not enough to fully meet consumer demand. In this context, the applicant observed that the peak period of community energy consumption is mainly concentrated in the middle of winter (i.e. the coldest month) and the middle of summer (i.e. the hottest month). The applicant also found that despite the surge in consumer electricity demand during the above period, the existing green power generation system has significantly reduced energy production efficiency due to insufficient sunshine or weakened wind.

[0004] Therefore, it is urgent to add green energy generation systems to assist existing commercial-scale power generation facilities. At the same time, collecting energy near the intended use location is also considered a preferred option.

[0005] In summary, it is necessary to solve the above problems, or at least provide a practical alternative. Summary of the invention

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a ventilation device for power generation is provided, which comprises a top component and a base component, and utilizes the rotation of the top component relative to the base component to realize power conversion. Specifically, the top component has built-in:

[0007] a container equipped with a solar panel; and

[0008] A plurality of blades are arranged around the edge of the top component, and are intended to drive the top component to rotate when air flows through or around the top.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the container is designed to be approximately conical. Preferably, the blades are arranged on the edge of the cone.

[0010] In addition, the device also integrates a focusing system, including a convex lens or a combination of a Fresnel lens, which is set on the top of the container to focus and concentrate sunlight to the solar panel to maximize the duration of sunlight exposure.

[0011] Preferably, the solar cell is of the concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) type, which has both electrical and thermal energy output functions. The top of the container is provided with a plurality of exhaust holes spaced along the edge to facilitate heat dissipation. Preferably, the arrangement of these holes should enable the exhaust hot air to be directed to the blades, driving the top assembly to rotate.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment, the device may also integrate at least one energy conversion component for converting the rotational energy of the top component into electrical energy. Preferably, the energy conversion component should include at least one pair of coil stators and rotors, which are arranged at the connection between the top component and the base, or in the base near the bottom of the conical structure, or both. The coils and / or rotors may be composed of one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs), which are composed of multiple layers of series and parallel structures.

[0013] The rotor may be fixed to the rotating top assembly and include a pair of spaced apart magnetic disks, each of which has a plurality of permanent magnets arranged around its periphery, with the magnetic axes of the magnets being approximately perpendicular to the surface of the magnetic disks. The magnetic axes of adjacent magnets on each magnetic disk are arranged alternately, and the magnetic axes of magnets on opposite magnetic disks are in opposite directions. The permanent magnets may be mounted on an annular yoke.

[0014] Preferably, the stator coil is composed of at least one annular circuit board, and a plurality of substantially spiral windings are arranged around the annular circuit board, and the windings are connected in series.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power generation system comprising a device of the above type mounted on a roof of a building and in fluid communication with a space below the roof, a battery and a circuit connecting the device to the battery, wherein the battery is charged by generating electricity using the device.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for collecting energy from multiple sources to generate electrical energy. The method comprises the following steps:

[0017] Providing an apparatus of the type described above; and

[0018] The device is installed on the roof of the building and communicated with the space under the roof;

[0019] Connect the device to the battery via an electrical circuit.

[0020] Reasons for generating electricity include:

[0021] The device rotates due to air currents driven by wind and / or heat escaping from under the roof;

[0022] and / or the device is exposed to sunlight;

[0023] The resulting electrical energy is stored in batteries. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to make the invention more readily understood, one embodiment will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0025] Figure 1 is a top perspective view of an apparatus for generating electricity according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 is a bottom perspective view of the device;

[0027] Figure 3 a side cross-sectional view of the device;

[0028] Figure 4 is a side perspective view of a conical placement device for the device;

[0029] Figure 5 A schematic side view of the device;

[0030] Figure 6a and 6b is a detailed cross-sectional view of the energy conversion assembly mounted to the device;

[0031] Figure 7a and 7b is a plan view of a magnetic disk stator for the device;

[0032] Figure 8 is a side perspective view of a pair of coil stators and rotors;

[0033] Figure 9a and 9b They are the side views of the upper coil and the lower coil, which together form the stator coil;

[0034] Fig.10a It is a detailed side view of the electromagnetic winding on the stator coil;

[0035] Fig.10b is a detailed side view of the alternative electromagnetic winding on the stator coil;

[0036] Fig.11 is a cross-sectional view of an energy conversion component showing magnetic field lines;

[0037] Fig.12 It is a rotor used to replace the energy conversion component;

[0038] Fig.13 It is a coil stator used to replace the energy conversion component;

[0039] Fig.14 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative energy conversion assembly;

[0040] Fig.15 is a schematic side view of a system including the device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Figure 1 The device 10 is shown in FIG. The device 10 is used on a roof and is configured to generate electricity.

[0042] The device 10 includes a top assembly 12 and a base assembly 14, and the rotation of the top assembly 12 relative to the base assembly 14 generates electricity. Those skilled in the art will understand that the form of the device 10 is similar to a conventional turbine vent or "rotorcraft" that is typically installed on a roof. Those skilled in the art will also understand that the device 10 is not limited to rooftop use, but can also be used in other situations where ventilation is required, such as from the side of a building, a basement or underground facility, or where natural geothermal heat is used as a source of hot air.

[0043] The top assembly 12 includes a container 16 in which a solar cell 18 ( Figure 4 ). By providing solar cells 18 in the device 10, the energy generated can be increased because the device not only operates under the action of wind and thermal energy, but also can generate electricity using solar energy. The container 16 is generally a conical structure, but other shapes can also be used, and its top is open to facilitate accommodating the solar cell.

[0044] Solar cell 18 is a photovoltaic (PV) cell, and its function is to convert light energy into electrical energy. In a preferred embodiment, a concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) cell is used as a solar cell, which has been proven to have higher efficiency than ordinary photovoltaic cells. Concentrator photovoltaic cells can not only generate electricity under higher temperature conditions, but also generate heat in container 16, which will be discussed in detail below.

[0045] The top assembly 12 is also equipped with a plurality of blades 20 arranged around the top assembly and capable of being driven to rotate the top assembly by airflow around and above the top assembly. The airflow may be caused by heat generated below the top assembly and discharged through the device 10, thereby causing the device to rotate; or the airflow may be directly from the airflow above the device. The blades 20 are arranged around the periphery of the conical structure 16. The blades 20 are generally in the shape of a sunflower, but other shapes can also be used to configure the blades, in order to effectively rotate under the action of wind forces of different speeds and directions. In a preferred embodiment, a total of 18 blades are provided. Each blade can be made of a lightweight metal alloy, a carbon fiber material, a recycled durable plastic or other similar materials.

[0046] In order to more effectively focus sunlight onto the solar cell 18, a convex lens 22 is installed on the upper part of the container 16. The lens 22 is a fixed plano-convex lens located at the top of the container 16, which can be exposed to the sunlight to the maximum extent and can protrude from the top of the container like a bubble. The lens 22 can also be composed of multiple parts, including a Fresnel lens and a convex lens. The purpose of the design of the lens 22 is to focus the light to the focal point at the bottom of the container 16, thereby maximizing the amount of solar energy that can be collected. In a preferred embodiment, an N-BK7 plano-convex lens with an anti-reflective coating and a 40-20 scratch-pit surface quality is selected; however, for cost-saving considerations, a lens with a 60-40 scratch-pit surface quality can also be used.

[0047] The concentrating photovoltaic cell 18 is located at a specific position in the container 16, above and intersecting the focus of the convex lens 22, so as to absorb the solar energy in the largest range.

[0048] A Fresnel lens may be disposed below the lens 22 to further direct and focus the sunlight rays within the container, thereby increasing the possibility of full-day radiation sunlight exposure time.

[0049] like Figure 4 As shown, the upper portion of the container 16 is provided with a plurality of exhaust holes 24 evenly distributed along the circumference for heat escape. As the solar cells 18 generate heat, the air in the container becomes warmer and generates escape pressure. The exhaust holes 24 are located at specific positions so that the air escaping from the exhaust holes can be directed to the blades 20, thereby further enhancing the rotational power of the top assembly 12.

[0050] like Figure 5 As shown, the device 10 also includes two similar energy conversion components 26a and 26b, which are used to convert the rotational energy of the top component into electrical energy. The first energy conversion component is located at the connection between the top component 12 and the base component 14, that is, at about one-third of the bottom of the energy conversion component; the second energy conversion component is set at the lowest point of the container 16. Although two energy conversion components are shown in the figure, in other embodiments, there may be only one component. That is, the device may also include more than two energy conversion components 26.

[0051] Figure 6a and 6b A detailed view of the uppermost energy conversion assembly 26a is shown. The energy conversion assembly is mounted in a position between the top assembly 12 and the base assembly 14 and includes a pair of rotors and stators that rotate relative to each other. The rotor / stator pair includes multiple layers of coils that rotate within a magnetic field to generate electrical energy.

[0052] exist Figure 6aIn the embodiment, the stator 28 is composed of a plurality of layers of coils 34a, 34b (FIG. 9), and the rotor 30 is composed of a pair of magnetic disk assemblies 32a, 32b (FIG. 7), on which permanent magnets are arranged, and a static magnetic field is formed between the magnetic disk assemblies.

[0053] Figure 6b An opposite configuration is shown, wherein the stator 28 is formed of a pair of magnetic disk assemblies 32a, 32b (FIG. 7) on which permanent magnets are disposed, and the rotor 30 is formed of multiple layers of coils 34a, 34b (FIG. 9).

[0054] Although alternative configurations may be used, it is preferred to use the disk assemblies 32a, 32b as stators to reduce rotational weight.

[0055] In order to generate a magnetic field in the space between the disk assemblies 32a, 32b, the outer disk assembly 32a and the inner disk assembly 32b are provided with a plurality of permanent magnets 36 on their opposing surfaces, which are located thereon or embedded therein. The magnets 36 are arranged at the periphery of each disk assembly and mounted on an annular yoke structure. The magnetic axis of each magnet 36 is arranged to be substantially perpendicular to the disk surface.

[0056] The permanent magnet 36 is preferably made of a material having a relatively high residual induction, such as NdFeB N52 (neodymium iron boron), which has a residual magnetism of 1.43 T and a relative magnetic permeability of 1.05.

[0057] The yoke 38 is used to reduce the magnetic resistance torque and magnetic flux leakage, and to increase the magnetic flux density in the air gap. The yoke 38 is preferably made of a soft magnetic material. In order to achieve a high saturation magnetic flux density, reduce the volume of the yoke, and reduce leakage flux through high magnetic permeability, suitable materials include Permalloy 1J85, Permalloy 1J50, electromagnetic pure iron, and Cobalt-iron alloy 1J22.

[0058] The orientation of the magnets 36 is designed so that adjacent magnets are arranged alternately, that is, the magnetic axis directions of adjacent magnets on each disk are alternated with each other. Figure 7a and 7b As shown, it can be observed that a magnet with a clear north pole identification is arranged next to another magnet with an opposite polarity (ie, a south pole).

[0059] The design layout of the disks 32a and 32b ensures that in the coupled state, the polarities of the magnets at corresponding positions on the two disks are arranged in opposite directions. Fig.11 This is intuitively demonstrated in the figure, which depicts Figure 6a and 6b The permanent magnet 36 located on the upper disk 32a has its north pole facing outwards, and is opposed to the permanent magnet 36 with its south pole facing outwards. Fig.11As shown in the magnetic flux lines 60, the magnetic field penetrates the air gap 40. When the disks 32a, 32b and the coil 34 move relative to each other, the coil 34 will pass through the magnetic field 60, thereby inducing a current within the coil 34. As a result of this layout design, the rotational movement of the top assembly 12 relative to the base assembly 14 will cause the generation of electrical energy.

[0060] The inventor proposes that by using the permanent magnet configuration scheme disclosed herein to assemble the outer and inner disks 32a, 32b, a static magnetic field can be established between the two disks, as shown in FIG. Fig.11 As shown, the magnetic field directly spans the air gap 40. This static magnetic field will effectively reduce the reluctance torque, so that electrical energy can be generated with minimal reluctance loss during the rotation of the top component 12 relative to the base component 14. In addition, thanks to this design layout, the static magnetic field is also expected to reduce hysteresis loss and eddy current loss, thereby significantly improving power generation efficiency.

[0061] Figure 9a , 9b The structure of the multilayer coils 34a and 34b is shown. These coils respectively constitute Figure 6a The stator 28 and Figure 6b The rotor 30 in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] On each of the annular circuit boards 34a and 34b, a plurality of windings 42 (see FIG. 10 ) are evenly distributed. These windings are generally spiral-shaped and arranged around the outer edge of the annular circuit board. In a pair configuration, the two annular boards 34a and 34b are connected in series, and each pair of coils 42 is interconnected by a connector penetrating the center holes of the upper and lower coils. The internal connection point 37 is fixed to the base portion of the board 34a.

[0063] The annular plates 34a and 34b are both manufactured using printed circuit board (PCB) technology, using non-magnetic materials and copper materials as conductors. The substrate is preferably glass-bonded mica, which has a high relative dielectric constant (dielectric constant) between 6.3 and 9.3. The importance of this material lies in absorbing the synthetic magnetic field generated when the current passes through the magnetic field in the coil structure. This material will provide the required capacitance to reduce the reluctance torque generated in the standard coil winding according to Lenz's law. Compared with coils manufactured by traditional wire winding methods, multi-layer coils using PCB technology integrate the coil and the substrate into one, forming a thinner integrated structure with a smaller air gap thickness and a higher air gap flux density, thereby improving output performance.

[0064] The number, configuration and overall design of the coil structure are critical to maximizing the performance between magnetic flux, output voltage and speed. Although only one pair of annular plates (34a, 34b) is shown in the figure, it should be understood that multiple pairs of annular plates can be provided to meet the needs. In order to save space as much as possible, multiple circuit boards can be designed as multi-layer PCBs, and the circuit boards are connected in series or parallel according to the required output.

[0065] like Fig.10b As shown, in one embodiment, the coil 40 has thicker and thinner parts, and the arrangement is used to ensure that the magnetic flux generated by the magnet affects only the thinner part. To this end, the thinner part 41 of the coil extends generally along the radial direction of the circuit board 42, while the thicker part 43 extends generally along the circumferential direction, but is indented inward from the edge of the circuit board 42.

[0066] refer to Fig.12 Another energy conversion device 26b may be provided at the bottom of the container 16. The structure of the energy conversion device 26b is similar to that of the device 26a, and includes a pair of magnetic disks 50a, 50b, and a multilayer coil 52 is provided between the magnetic disks 50a, 50b and can rotate therebetween.

[0067] Device 26b is mounted on spindle 54, which is coupled to the base of receiver 16 and rotatably supported by bearing 56. Although device 26b is shown as coil 52 rotating on spindle 54, in alternative embodiments, disks 50a and 50b may also be mounted on spindle 54 for rotation.

[0068] like Fig.12 As shown, each magnetic disk 50a includes a plurality of permanent magnets 36 arranged on a yoke 38 such that adjacent magnets have alternating magnetic axes. Similarly, Fig.13 A coil 52a is shown around which a plurality of helical windings 53 are arranged.

[0069] Fig.15 A power generation system is shown, including a device 10, a battery 64, and an internal electronic system 62 for connecting the device and the battery. In use, operation of the device 10 utilizes wind, solar, and thermal energy to generate electricity for charging the battery 64. The battery 64 can be connected to the power circuit of a house or other structure to generate electricity independent of the power grid.

[0070] Numerous modifications of the described embodiments will readily occur to a person skilled in the art within the framework of the invention.

[0071] In this specification and the appended claims, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, "include" and its derivatives such as "including" and "comprising" should be interpreted as open-ended terms, meaning including the stated contents but not excluding the addition of other elements or components.

[0072] Reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived therefrom) or any known matter shall not be regarded as an admission or implication that the prior publication (or information derived therefrom) or known matter constitutes common knowledge in the technical field described in this specification.

Claims

1. A device with both ventilation and power generation functions, the device comprising a top assembly and a base assembly, the top assembly rotates relative to the base assembly to generate electricity, wherein: The top assembly includes: a container equipped with a solar panel; and A plurality of blades are arranged around the edge of the top component, and are intended to drive the top component to rotate when air flows through or around the top.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the receiver is substantially conical in structure.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the blades are arranged around the periphery of the conical structure.

4. The device according to any preceding claim, further comprising a convex lens, a Fresnel lens or a combination thereof, arranged in an upper portion of the container, for focusing sunlight onto the solar cell.

5. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the solar cell is configured to generate heat as a by-product while outputting electricity.

6. The device according to any preceding claim, wherein the receiver is formed at its upper portion with a plurality of circumferentially evenly distributed exhaust holes through which heat can escape.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the exhaust holes are positioned so that air exiting the exhaust holes is directed to the blades to cause the top assembly to rotate.

8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising at least one energy conversion device for converting rotational energy of the top assembly into electrical energy.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the energy conversion device comprises at least one coil stator and rotor pair, the coil stator and rotor pair being arranged at the junction of the top component and the base component, or arranged within the base near the lowermost portion of the conical structure, or arranged at both locations.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the rotor is fixed to a rotatable top assembly and comprises a pair of spaced apart magnetic disks, each disk having a plurality of permanent magnets arranged around its periphery, the magnetic axis of each magnet being generally perpendicular to the surface of the disk, the magnetic axes of adjacent magnets on each disk alternating in direction, and magnets on the spaced apart disks that are opposite to each other are arranged in opposite directions.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the permanent magnet is mounted on an annular yoke.

12. The device according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the stator coil is composed of at least one annular circuit board, a plurality of substantially spiral windings are arranged around the periphery of the annular circuit board, and the windings are connected in series.

13. A system for generating electricity, comprising a device according to any preceding claim, mounted on a roof of a building and in fluid communication with a space below the roof, and further comprising a battery and a circuit connecting the device to the battery, wherein use of the device generates electricity and charges the battery.

14. A method for collecting energy from multiple energy sources to generate electrical energy, comprising the steps of: Provided is a device according to any one of claims 1 to 12; The device is installed on the roof of a building and communicated with the space under the roof; Connect the device to the battery via a circuit Reasons for generating electricity include: The device rotates due to air currents driven by wind and / or heat escaping from under the roof; and / or the device is exposed to sunlight; The resulting electrical energy is stored in batteries.

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