Method, apparatus and system for energy storage and conversion

Abstract

Relates to methods, devices and systems for energy storage and conversion. An apparatus for converting energy of a fluid into electrical energy is disclosed. The apparatus includes a pressure vessel having an inlet port for a fluid. The pair of charge collection electrodes are spaced apart from each other in a collection direction and are disposed within the pressure vessel. The electric field generator is configured to generate an electric field in the pressure vessel in a field direction to separate charged species in the fluid. Other disclosed devices provide current flow delay to facilitate charge accumulation or irradiation with electromagnetic radiation. Yet other means are arranged for fluid flow rather than pressure. Systems including any one of the disclosed apparatus and related methods are also disclosed. The present disclosure may find applications, for example, in providing an energy source for an electric vehicle.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of a Chinese patent application filed on May 7, 2021, with application number 201980073448.7 and invention title "Energy Storage and Conversion". The international filing date of the parent application is September 11, 2019, the international application number is PCT / EP2019 / 074212, and the priority date is September 11, 2018. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the storage and conversion of energy, and in particular, to the conversion of energy in the form of kinetic or potential energy in a fluid (e.g., a gas) into electrical energy. Background Art

[0003] Most energy storage solutions on a portable scale involve storing energy in chemical form in an electrochemical cell or a fuel cell to convert the stored energy into electrical energy when needed. Considerable active research has been conducted to develop and improve electrochemical cells and fuel cells to address problems such as the limited cycle life of electrochemical cells and the safety of use of fuel cells.

[0004] It is also known to store energy in the form of potential energy (pressure energy) in a gas or a liquid. For example, it is known to use electricity to pump water to a higher potential energy during low demand and to let the pumped water fall back through a power generation turbine during high demand. Similarly, it is also known to store energy in a gas with a constant pressure (e.g., undersea storage) or in a gas with a constant volume (e.g., underground storage). However, these forms of energy storage require a complex arrangement and large-scale installation including turbines and electric motors to convert the stored energy into electrical energy.

[0005] There has been a need for improved or alternative forms of energy storage, particularly but not exclusively on a portable scale, such that it can be installed in an electric vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In a first aspect, a device for converting the energy of a fluid into electrical energy includes a flow chamber having an inlet port for the fluid and an outlet port for the fluid. A pair of charge collection electrodes are spaced apart from each other along a collection direction and are disposed in the flow chamber. An electric field generator is configured to generate an electric field in the flow chamber along a field direction to separate charged species in the fluid. The flow direction of the fluid flow path between the inlet port and the outlet port has a component along the collection direction and a component along the field direction.

[0007] A first of the positively and negatively charged species separated by the electric field is biased by the electric field to move generally in a direction the same as the fluid flow direction due to charge separation, and a second of the positively and negatively charged species is biased by the electric field to move generally in a direction opposite to the fluid flow direction (i.e., a corresponding positive or negative scalar product is produced between the direction of the field-induced motion and the flow direction). Since the flow can affect the charged species differently, an additional charge separation is produced between the collection electrodes in addition to the charge separation caused by the electric field, thereby converting the kinetic energy of the fluid flow (e.g., produced from the potential energy of the pressure in a pressurized fluid container) into electrical energy that can be dissipated in a load. In the case of an ionized gas or other fluids having different charged species mobilities, one of the charged species may be more affected by the fluid flow (e.g., gas ions) compared to the other species (e.g., electrons). Thus, the species more sensitive to the flow can preferentially leave the flow chamber through the discharge port, while the other species can be preferentially captured by their corresponding capture electrodes, thus increasing the potential difference between the capture electrodes and providing electrical energy associated with the excess charge.

[0008] It should be understood that where an operating theory is described in the present disclosure, these theories are presented for illustrative purposes and not to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0009] In some embodiments, the field direction and the flow direction can be substantially parallel, and the collection direction and the flow direction can also be substantially parallel. Advantageously, this can maximize the effect of the fluid flow, although an effect will be produced as long as there is a non-zero scalar product between the flow direction and the field and / or collection direction. In some embodiments, the angle between the field direction and the flow direction and / or the angle between the collection direction and the flow direction can be between -n degrees and n degrees or between 180 - n degrees and 180 + n degrees, where n is less than 45 degrees, such as less than 30 degrees, 20 degrees, or 10 degrees. In some embodiments, n can be less than 5 degrees. In some embodiments, the field direction and the collection direction can be substantially parallel. In some embodiments, the flow path can pass through one or both of the charge collection electrodes. For example, the charge collection electrodes can be mesh electrodes. The charge collection electrodes can be centered on an axis that coincides with at least a portion of the flow path.

[0010] In a second aspect, an apparatus for converting the energy of a fluid into electrical energy includes a pressure vessel having an inlet port for the fluid. A pair of charge collection electrodes are spaced apart from each other along a collection direction and are disposed in a flow chamber. An electric field generator is configured to generate an electric field in the flow chamber along a field direction to separate charged species in the fluid. Similar to the first aspect, this aspect converts kinetic energy (in the form of random particle motion in a pressurized fluid) into electrical energy.

[0011] In some embodiments, the pressure vessel may have a discharge port that is configured to limit the flow through the discharge port to less than 0.1 milliliters per minute for an applied pressure of 10 bar at the inlet port, for example, for an inert gas such as neon.

[0012] In some embodiments of any of the above aspects, the device may include an electromagnetic radiation source, such as a UV light source, for irradiating the pressurized fluid and / or the collection electrode within the pressure vessel. The electromagnetic radiation source may be configured to generate electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range of 120 NM to 820 NM. In fact, the wavelength used may depend on the material of the collection electrode, for example, about 275 nm for a tungsten electrode, or in the range of 120 nm to 275 nm (including the end values).

[0013] In some embodiments of any of the above aspects, the device may include a current delay arrangement for delaying the current flow from the collection electrode until a certain amount of charge has accumulated on the collection electrode. The current delay arrangement may include another pressure vessel sealed around a portion of the collection electrode that protrudes outside the pressure vessel and another electrode disposed within the another pressure vessel, wherein the respective free ends of the another electrode and the collection electrode define a spark gap therebetween. The current delay arrangement may also include a timing switch, a voltage or current triggered relay, a diode, etc.

[0014] In a third aspect, the flow path may be any suitable flow path other than the above flow path, and the device includes:

[0015] ● An electromagnetic radiation source for irradiating the pressurized fluid and / or the collection electrode within the pressure vessel, preferably,

[0016] wherein the electromagnetic radiation source is configured to generate electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range of 120 NM to 820 NM; and / or

[0017] ● A current delay arrangement for delaying the current flow from the collection electrode until a certain amount of charge has accumulated on the collection electrode, preferably, wherein the current delay arrangement includes another pressure vessel sealed around a portion of the collection electrode that protrudes outside the pressure vessel and another electrode disposed within the another pressure vessel, wherein the respective free ends of the another electrode and the collection electrode define a spark gap therebetween.

[0018] In some embodiments of any of the above aspects, the electric field is an ionization electric field for ionizing a fluid. The fluid can be a gas such as air, argon, or neon, and ionizing the fluid can include: generating a plasma and / or a discharge, such as a dark discharge or a corona discharge in a flow chamber. In such embodiments, one of the charged species is the stripped electrons of the gas molecules, and the other charged species is the resulting positively charged gas ions. In particular, the charged ions can be more affected by the fluid flow than the free electrons, and thus differentially, more charged ions leave the flow chamber by means of the fluid flow than electrons, thereby increasing the charge separation and thus increasing the electric potential between the collector electrodes. In other embodiments, the fluid can be a liquid, for example, having positively charged ions and negatively charged ions in solution.

[0019] The electric field generator can be configured to generate a continuous electric field or a time-varying electric field, for example, generating a pulsed electric field having a field strength that varies over time with a pulse sequence. In some embodiments, the electric field generator includes a pair of field-generating electrodes that are spaced apart along the field direction and are disposed on either side of the flow chamber. In some embodiments, the field-generating electrodes can be provided by charge-generating electrodes. In other embodiments, the field-generating electrodes can be separate from the charge-collecting electrodes and can be electrically isolated from the flow chamber.

[0020] The field-generating electrodes can be driven by any suitable voltage source, such as any high-voltage (HV) supply device, for example, including a battery as a power source. The suitable voltage source can additionally or alternatively include an HV capacitor. The voltage source can be a pulsed voltage source, thereby providing a pulsed electric field generator that generates a sequence of electric field pulses to separate charges.

[0021] In some embodiments of any of the above aspects, depending on the circumstances, only a single collector electrode instead of a pair of collector electrodes is disposed in the flow chamber or the pressure vessel.

[0022] In a fourth aspect, a method of converting the energy of a fluid into electrical energy includes: flowing the fluid through a flow chamber in a flow direction. The fluid can be pressurized, and flowing the fluid can cause a conversion of potential energy in the pressurized fluid into kinetic energy of the flowing fluid. Applying an electric field to the fluid flowing in the flow chamber. The field direction of the electric field can have a component along the flow direction. Thus, the positively charged and negatively charged species of the fluid are separated along the field direction, wherein one of the positively charged and negatively charged species is biased to move in a direction having a component in the flow direction, and the other of the positively charged and negatively charged species is biased to move in a direction having a component in a direction opposite to the flow direction. Collecting each of the positively charged and negatively charged species at corresponding current collectors, and drawing a current from one of the current collectors to provide electrical energy to a load.

[0023] In some embodiments, the method includes sensing an amount of energy dissipated by a load and adjusting a flow rate of a fluid based on the amount of energy dissipated by the load. Alternatively or additionally, the method may include receiving an amount indicative of an energy demand of the load and adjusting the flow rate of the fluid based on the amount indicative of the energy demand of the load.

[0024] In a fifth aspect, a method of converting energy of a fluid into electrical energy includes maintaining a pressure of a fluid in a pressure vessel. Applying an electric field to the fluid in the pressure vessel. As a result, positively charged species and negatively charged species of the fluid are separated along the field direction. Collecting each of the positively charged species and the negatively charged species at respective current collectors and drawing a current from one of the current collectors to provide electrical energy to a load.

[0025] In some embodiments, the pressure is maintained in the presence of a small fluid flow out of the pressure vessel at a rate less than 0.1 milliliters per minute.

[0026] In some embodiments of any of the above method aspects, the method may include irradiating the pressurized fluid and / or the collection electrodes with electromagnetic radiation while the pressurized fluid is flowing, preferably with electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range from 120 NM to 820 NM. In some embodiments of any of the above method aspects, the method may include delaying the flow of current from one or more current collectors until a certain amount of charge has accumulated on the current collectors, preferably, wherein delaying the current includes delaying the flow of current until a spark appears in a spark gap between a free end of one or more current collectors protruding outside the pressure vessel and a corresponding current receiving electrode. In some embodiments of any of the above method aspects, the electric field is applied by pulsing the electric field, for example, pulsing the applied voltage to obtain a pulsed waveform for the electric field strength.

[0027] In a sixth aspect, any suitable flow path may be used in the above method aspects, and the method may include one or both of the following:

[0028] ● irradiating the pressurized fluid with electromagnetic radiation while the pressurized fluid is flowing, preferably with electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range from 120 NM to 820 NM and / or the collection electrodes.

[0029] ● delaying the flow of current from one or more current collectors until a certain amount of charge has accumulated on the current collectors, preferably, wherein delaying the current flow includes delaying the flow of current until a spark appears in a spark gap between a free end of one or more current collectors protruding outside the pressure vessel and a corresponding current receiving electrode.

[0030] In some embodiments of any of the above methods, the method includes: ionizing a fluid (e.g., a gas) by applying an electric field to a flowing fluid to produce an ionized fluid including negatively charged species and positively charged species. Ionizing the fluid may include one or more of the following: generating a plasma; and causing a discharge (e.g., a dark discharge or a corona discharge).

[0031] In a seventh aspect, a system for converting the energy of a fluid into electrical energy includes any of the devices described above. The system also includes a current-limited voltage supply device for generating an ionization electric field and a load connected to one of the charge collection electrodes. In some embodiments, the load may be connected to the electrode at a lower electrical potential (i.e., the electrode that combines field generation and charge collection connected to the negative terminal of the supply device or the charge collection electrode adjacent to the field generation electrode connected to the negative terminal of the supply device), which may provide improved efficiency in some embodiments, such as when the fluid is an ionized gas. For example, the load may be connected between one of the charge collection electrodes and the ground potential. The other charge collection electrode among the charge collection electrodes may be connected to the ground potential. In some embodiments, the load may be connected to the charge collection electrode in a floating arrangement. The load may be connected to one charge collection electrode on one side and to another charge collection electrode on the other side. One side of the load and the corresponding charge collection electrode may be grounded.

[0032] In some embodiments, the system includes a connector for connecting an inlet port to a container containing a pressurized fluid. The container may be removably connected to the connector to enable replacement of an empty container with a new container containing a pressurized fluid. The container may be mounted in the system in a fixed relationship with the device and may be refillable with pressurized fluid, for example, via a refill port.

[0033] In some embodiments, the system includes a controller for regulating the flow rate of the fluid. The controller may be configured to receive an indication of the amount of energy dissipated by the load and regulate the flow rate of the fluid based on the indication of the amount of energy dissipated by the load. Additionally or alternatively, the controller may be configured to receive an indication of the energy demand of the load and regulate the flow rate of the fluid based on the indication of the energy demand of the load. The indication of the amount of dissipated energy may be the dissipated power, the current drawn by the load, the voltage drop across the load, or a combination of these. The indication of the amount of energy demand may be the desired power, the current to be drawn by the load, the voltage drop across the load, or a combination of these, and may be the speed or torque demand in the case where the load is a motor, etc. The controller may control a valve to control the fluid flow, and some or all of the controller may be provided on or associated with the pressurized fluid container and may be removed together with the container.

[0034] The load can be, for example, an electric motor installed in an electric vehicle, such as an electric car or a hybrid vehicle, a bicycle, a tricycle, a ship, a train, or an airplane. The load can include an electric power supply network, such as the electric power supply network of one or more commercial or residential units (such as one or more houses, apartments, etc.) or a utility substation.

[0035] In some embodiments, the system can enable fluid to flow out of the pressure vessel at a rate less than 0.1 ml / min. For example, the pressure vessel can have a discharge port that is configured (due to its size or through a regulating valve) to limit the flow through the discharge port to less than 0.1 ml / min for a 10 bar pressure (such as an inert gas like neon) applied to the inlet port.

[0036] The eighth aspect relates to an electric vehicle that includes the device and / or system as described herein. The ninth aspect relates to an electric power supply network that includes the device and / or system as described herein.

[0037] Additional aspects and embodiments are disclosed, where the flow direction of the fluid flow path between the inlet port and the discharge port can have a component in any direction relative to the collection direction and the field direction (e.g., perpendicular to one or both of the first direction and the second direction), and is not limited to the flow direction having a component along the collection direction and a component along the field direction.

[0038] In any of the aspects and embodiments described in relation, the scalar product of the flow direction and the field direction can be negative, i.e., the electric field is used to accelerate negatively charged species (e.g., electrons) generally in the same direction as the direction of fluid flow, while the fluid flow will counteract the effect of the electric field on positively charged species (e.g., positive gas ions). This can provide a greater effect because the effect of fluid flow on ion movement is greater than that on electron movement, and the fluid flow keeps at least a portion of the positive ions from reaching the negative collection electrode. In other embodiments, the scalar product of the flow direction and the field direction can be positive, and the electric field can be used to accelerate positively charged species (e.g., gas ions) generally in the same direction as the fluid flow direction.

[0039] It should be understood that the first direction generally along the second direction or having a component along the second direction is equivalent to there being a non - zero scalar product between the respective vectors along the first direction and the second direction (or simply between the two directions), or, the two directions are not perpendicular and thus the angle between them is between 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees or between greater than 90 degrees and 180 degrees (or, depending on the meaning of measuring the angle, between 180 degrees and less than 270 degrees or between greater than 270 degrees and 360 degrees).

[0040] The fluid can be a gas, such as air, argon or neon. Advantageously, argon or neon is chemically inert and its charged ions can be safely released into the atmosphere. The same applies to other inert gases that can be used in other embodiments. Embodiments using non-inert gases (such as air containing oxygen and nitrogen) may include using a capture device to capture ions and / or discharge the fluid leaving the discharge port to avoid discharging toxic gases into the atmosphere. It will of course be understood that other embodiments (such as those using inert gases) may also include the use of such a capture device.

[0041] In any of the above embodiments, the device or system can be configured to limit the flow rate of fluid flowing into and / or out of the flow chamber or pressure vessel to less than 0.1 milliliters per minute, such as less than 9×10^-2 milliliters per minute, less than 8×10^-2 milliliters per minute or less than 7×10^-2 milliliters per minute, or can more generally be configured to have the fluid flow through the pressure vessel or flow chamber at a flow rate different from 0.1 milliliters per minute, such as 9×10^-2 milliliters per minute, 8×10^-2 milliliters per minute or 7×10^-2 milliliters per minute, and flow rates higher than 0.1 milliliters per minute, such as 0.5 milliliters per minute or higher, 1 milliliter per minute or higher, 0.05 liters per minute or higher, 0.1 milliliters per minute or higher or 0.2 milliliters per minute or higher. Similarly, the device and / or system can be configured to operate at a specific pressure, such as a pressure different from 10 bar, such as greater than 10 bar, such as 11 bar or greater or 12 bar. The pressure can be less than 10 bar, such as 9 bar or less, 8 bar or less, 7, 6 or 5 bar or less, and in any of these cases, the pressure can be greater than 1 bar, greater than 2 bar, greater than 3 bar or greater than 4 bar. In some embodiments, the flow rate is substantially zero. For example, in some embodiments, the inlet port is the only fluid communication path into and out of the pressure vessel. It should be understood that the corresponding method embodiments can operate accordingly.

[0042] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of converting the energy of a pressurized fluid into electrical energy, the method comprising: flowing the pressurized fluid in a flow direction through a flow chamber so as to convert potential energy into kinetic energy of the flowing fluid; applying a pulsed electric field to the fluid flowing in the flow chamber using an electric field generator; collecting at a respective current collector at least a portion of either or each of the positively charged species and the negatively charged species; and drawing a current from the current collector to provide electrical energy to a load.

[0043] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for converting the energy of a fluid into electrical energy, the apparatus comprising: a flow chamber having an inlet port for the fluid and an outlet port for the fluid; a pair of charge collection electrodes spaced apart from each other in a collection direction and disposed within the flow chamber; and an electric field generator configured to generate a pulsed electric field in the fluid within the flow chamber in a field direction.

[0044] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for converting the energy of a fluid into electrical energy, the apparatus comprising: a pressure vessel having an inlet port for the fluid and configured to hold pressurized fluid from the inlet port within the pressure vessel; a pair of charge collection electrodes spaced apart from each other in a collection direction and disposed within the pressure vessel; and an electric field generator configured to generate an electric field within the pressure vessel in a field direction, wherein the electric field generator is configured to generate a pulsed electric field.

[0045] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for converting the energy of a pressurized fluid into electrical energy, the method comprising: maintaining the pressure of the pressurized fluid within a pressure vessel; applying an electric field to the pressurized fluid within the pressure vessel, wherein applying the electric field includes applying a pulsed electric field; collecting at least a portion of one or each of the positively charged species and the negatively charged species at respective current collectors; and drawing current from the current collectors to provide electrical energy to a load.

[0046] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for converting the energy of a fluid into electrical energy, the system comprising: an apparatus as claimed in the various aspects of the present invention as described above; a current-limited voltage supply device for generating the electric field; and a load connected to one of the charge collection electrodes. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] Embodiments will now be described by way of example and with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like elements and in which:

[0048] Figure 1 An embodiment of an energy storage and conversion system using the energy of fluid flow is shown;

[0049] Figure 2 An alternative embodiment of the energy storage and conversion system is shown;

[0050] Figure 3 An electric vehicle including Figure 1 or Figure 2 the system is shown;

[0051] Figure 4 A method for converting fluid energy into electrical energy is shown;

[0052] Figure 5 shows another embodiment of an energy storage and conversion system;

[0053] Figure 6 shows a simplified circuit diagram of another embodiment;

[0054] Figures 7 to 10 shows yet another embodiment of an energy storage and conversion system. Detailed Embodiment

[0055] Referring to Figure 1 , a system 2 for converting energy stored in a compressed fluid includes an energy conversion device 4 that is connected to a reservoir 6 of the compressed fluid, such as a compressed fluid container. In some embodiments, the fluid is a gas, such as an inert gas (e.g., argon or neon). A flow chamber 8 includes a fluid inlet port 10 that is connected to the reservoir 6 at one end by a conduit 12 and a fluid outlet port 14 at the other (opposite) end. Corresponding current collecting mesh electrodes 15 are provided at each end such that the fluid flowing into / through the inlet port 10 and the outlet port 14 flows through the mesh electrodes. In some embodiments, the ports extend through or are flush with their corresponding electrodes 15. In some embodiments, other electrode geometries may be employed, such as annular electrodes that surround or are disposed near their corresponding ports, dot electrodes disposed near their corresponding ports, etc. The electrodes 15 may be configured to be the same or different from each other using any combination of disclosed or other geometries.

[0056] Pairs of field generating electrodes 16 are spaced apart by the flow chamber 8 therebetween, with each electrode adjacent to a respective one of the inlet port 10 and the outlet port 14. A dielectric material 18 is disposed between each field generating electrode 16 and the adjacent end of the flow chamber 8. In some embodiments, the dielectric material 18 is a solid, and in other embodiments, it is air or any other suitable dielectric. Thus, the field generating electrodes 16 are electrically isolated from the flow chamber 8. In some embodiments, the conduit 12 is connected to the flow chamber 8 through the dielectric material 18 and / or the discharge conduit 20 is connected to the outlet port 14 through the dielectric material 18. In some embodiments, the discharge conduit 20 is connected to the surrounding atmospheric fluid directly or indirectly through a discharge ion trap.

[0057] A high-voltage, current-limited supply device 22 is connected to the field-generating electrode 16 to generate an electric field of sufficient intensity within the flow chamber 8 to separate charged species in the fluid. In some embodiments, the field has an intensity sufficient to ionize the fluid. For example, the potential difference applied across the field-generating electrodes by the supply device can generate an electric field strength of, for example, 6000 volts / cm or greater to ionize argon as the flowing fluid. Certain fluids require lower field strengths, such as neon (600 volts / cm), while other fluids may require higher field strengths, such as air (30 kV / cm). The supply device 22 is fed by an electrical energy source 24 (e.g., a DC power source such as a battery (e.g., a 12-volt battery)). In some embodiments, the supply device 22 is configured to limit the current so as to draw less than 2 amperes of current from the battery (or other input current source) in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the current (output current) in the circuit connected to the supply device can also be limited to, for example, less than 2 amperes. In some embodiments, it has been found that when the chamber 8 is filled with air and a spark occurs, the output current is limited by the breakdown current, and in some embodiments, it has been found that the output current is in the range of approximately 50 mA to 100 mA. In some embodiments, the input voltage to the supply device can vary, for example, between 9 volts and 12 volts. In some embodiments, the supply device 22 and the power source 24 are replaced by a high-voltage capacitor that has been pre-charged by any suitable source.

[0058] A buck converter 26 is connected to one of the charge collection electrodes 15 (in some embodiments, the lower-potential charge collection electrode, and in other embodiments, the higher-potential charge collection electrode (as shown)) to reduce the potential difference between the electrodes 15 to the required operating voltage of the load 28 connected to the buck converter 26 in order to draw current from the buck converter 26 and thus from the device 4. The load 28 is connected between the charge collection electrodes 15 in question, and in some embodiments, one side of the load and the corresponding current collection electrode are connected to ground. In other embodiments, the load 28 is connected between the charge collection electrodes 15 in a floating arrangement. In some embodiments, the load 28 is connected between ground and one of the charge collection electrodes, and the other charge collection electrode is also connected to ground.

[0059] In some specific embodiments, the area of the charge collection electrode 15 is 1 cm 2 and is spaced 1.6 cm apart, and the area of the field-generating electrode is 5 cm 2 and is spaced 7 cm apart. The length of the flow chamber is 7 cm and the internal volume is 34 cm 3, and for a pressure of 10 bar in the reservoir, due to the flow resistance through the conduits and ports 10, 12, 14, 20, and in particular due to the relatively small flow cross-section / relatively high hydrodynamic resistance of the discharge port 14, the flow rate is 0.1 ml / min (1.7×10 -3 ml / s).

[0060] Referring Figure 2 , in some embodiments (now described with the same reference numerals for the same elements), the device 4 is arranged similarly to the device 4 described above Figure 1 , however, the field electrode 16 and the collection electrode 15 are replaced by a combined field and collection electrode 17 arranged at the respective ends of the flow chamber 8 within the flow chamber 8 and connected to the supply device 22. In some particular embodiments, the electrode 17 is configured as a tubular electrode, wherein the axis of each electrode is aligned along a common direction. In some embodiments, the inlet port 10 and the discharge port 14 are provided on one side of a respective one of the electrodes 17. In some embodiments, the supply device 22 is configured to prevent or strongly limit the current corresponding to the electrons flowing into the positive terminal of the supply device 22, for example by means of a diode associated with the positive terminal of the supply device 22.

[0061] The combined field and collection electrode 17 is connected to the respective terminals of the supply device 22. The buck converter 26 is connected in parallel with the supply device 22 to one of the electrodes 17 (which, as described above, limits or blocks the current from flowing back from this electrode 17 to the supply device), and the load 28 is connected to the buck converter 26. Specifically, the buck converter 26 and the load 28 are connected between the electrodes 17. In some embodiments, one side of the load and one of the electrodes 17 are connected to ground. In some embodiments, the load is connected between one of the electrodes 17 (for example, the electrode with a lower potential) and ground, while the other electrode of the electrodes 17 is connected to ground to form a circuit.

[0062] Referring Figure 3 , an electric vehicle 30 (such as an electric car) includes a reservoir 6 connected to the energy conversion device 4 as described above. As described above, the energy conversion device 4 is connected to the supply device 22 and the load 28. The load 28 is an electric motor coupled to the powertrain 32 of the vehicle for causing the movement of the vehicle, for example driving the wheels of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the energy stored in the pressurized fluid 6 in the reservoir is the sole energy source for causing the movement of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the reservoir 6 is detachably connected to the device 4 and can be exchanged with a full reservoir when emptied. In other embodiments, whether the reservoir 6 is detachable / replaceable or not, the pressurized fluid can be refilled into it through a refill port in the electric vehicle 30.

[0063] The controller 33 receives inputs from one or more of the vehicle driver interface (e.g., demanded speed or torque), the load / motor 28 (e.g., current demand, actual current), and the reservoir 6 (e.g., pressure in the reservoir, e.g., measured by a pressure sensor and / or flow sensor associated with the reservoir) and controls the supply device 22, specifically, the voltage on the electrodes 16 or 17 (as appropriate) and a valve (not shown) for regulating the flow of fluid from the reservoir 6 to the device 4. According to a particular embodiment, the controller 33 controls the applied voltage and flow based on a suitable control law, e.g., using negative feedback to regulate the current, flux, torque output, or speed of the motor. For example, the field strength (i.e., the voltage applied to the electrodes 15 / 17) can be controlled based on the power demand, and the field strength increases with the power demand. It should be understood that in some embodiments, a suitable controller implementing a suitable control law is incorporated as described with reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2 in the embodiments of Figure 3 i.e., independent of the specific application. Of course, it should be understood that the specific control laws implemented, as well as the quantities sensed or received and controlled, will vary with the application.

[0064] Referring to Figure 4, a method of operating an energy storage and conversion system is now described. At step 34, fluid flow from reservoir 6 to device 4 is caused, and at step 36, an electric field is applied to electrodes 16 / 17 to separate charged species in the fluid. In some embodiments, there is no or substantially no fluid flow, and the kinetic energy is considered to be mainly provided by thermal motion caused by pressure. And in such embodiments (described further below), pressure is applied to chamber 8 by filling chamber 8 with fluid under pressure, where the discharge device is closed or non-existent, and chamber 8 is kept connected to a pressurized fluid source, such as reservoir 6, or the chamber is isolated from the reservoir. In embodiments where the fluid is a gas, the gas is ionized by the electric field. For example, in some embodiments, the electric field causes dark discharge or corona discharge in the gas. In some embodiments, depending on the geometry of device 4, the fluid is caused to flow in the direction of the electric field. At step 38, collecting electrode 16 collects charged species (inherent in the fluid or generated by ionization, such as gas ions and electrons). For example, due to the mobility of each species and / or the arrangement of the electrodes relative to the flow, the charged species may be affected differently by the fluid flow. Thus, one of the charged species may preferentially leave device 4 through discharge port 20, while another of the charged species may preferentially be collected by the corresponding electrode 15 / 17, as the case may be. Thus, due to the flow of the fluid, the potential difference between electrodes 15 / 17 can be increased beyond its normal potential difference, and in step 40, the corresponding excess charge can be drawn as a current by load 28 for electrical work.

[0065] As described above, in some embodiments, the fluid flow in step 34 (e.g., via a valve) or the electric field applied in step 36 (e.g., via the voltage setting of supply device 22) or both can be controlled based on one or more sensed or received parameters. The sensed parameter can indicate the energy dissipated by the load, and the received parameter can indicate the energy demand of the load. The control can also be based on sensed parameters such as the pressure in reservoir 6. Additionally, in embodiments where the fluid is a gas and device 4 is capable of providing the required power, for example, the voltage of supply device 22 is controlled based on the power demand as described above to supply a field strength sufficient to ionize the fluid. In some embodiments, the voltage can vary over time. For example, in some embodiments, a higher voltage is initially provided by supply device 22 until discharge and / or plasma are generated in the gas, and then the voltage is reduced to a lower level sufficient to maintain the discharge or plasma. The control of the field strength can be based on feedback, a time protocol, or both, to achieve efficient utilization of the fluid and meet the power demand.

[0066] The flow rate can be controlled to be substantially constant to the extent achievable, e.g., as the pressure in reservoir 6 varies and / or based on the demand or actual power dissipated in the load (or related measures - see above). In some embodiments, the controller can respond to the power demand / dissipated power by increasing the flow rate and / or the supply voltage. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the controller controls the pressure in flow chamber 8, e.g., in response to a signal from a pressure sensor within flow chamber 8. The flow rate and / or pressure can be controlled by controlling the flow resistance of inlet conduit 12 and inlet port 10 on the one hand and / or the flow resistance of outlet conduit 14 and outlet port 20 on the other hand. For example, in some embodiments, a throttle valve can be provided in any one or both of conduits 12, 14, and / or ports 10, 20 can have a variable aperture. In some embodiments, the throttle valve and / or the variable aperture (as appropriate) are under the control of the controller, e.g., for controlling the flow rate and / or pressure as described above.

[0067] It should be understood that the described control aspects apply to all of the described embodiments, including those described above with reference to Figure 1 , Figure 2 or Figure 3 those described, and to other embodiments involving the following flowing fluids.

[0068] In some embodiments, the flow direction and the field direction can point in substantially opposite directions (i.e., having a negative scalar product). In these embodiments, positively charged species are biased by the electric field and the flow to move in different directions. In the case of an ionized gas as the working fluid, this means that the positive ions in the gas are effectively blown away from their corresponding capture electrodes 16 / 17 by the flow, and thus can be efficiently removed from device 4, while the electrons with higher mobility are less affected by the fluid flow and are in any case biased by the fluid flow towards their corresponding capture electrodes 16 / 17. However, in some embodiments, the relative direction of the fluid flow and the electric field can be reversed.

[0069] Characterize the performance of the specific embodiments described above with reference to Figure 1 as follows and by means of the diagrams: For a fixed flow rate of 0.1 ml / min, a reservoir pressure of 10 bar, a supply current of 2 A, and two loads, the input voltage of supply device 22 is varied between 9 V and 12 V, which results in a change in the power dissipated in the load above the threshold input voltage. The output voltage of the supply device is pulsed, where the maximum voltage amplitude is approximately 30 kV at the threshold input voltage and the output voltage of the supply device is approximately 45 kV at the maximum supply device input voltage of 12 V. Some of the results are presented in the following table:

[0070]

[0071] Referring to Figure 5 , in some embodiments of system 2, the collection electrodes 10, 14 are rods made of tungsten, such as thoriated tungsten, that pass through the wall of the flow chamber 8 (e.g., a quartz chamber or a glass / silica chamber), and the wall is sealed around the collection electrodes. It should be understood that any non-conductive material capable of withstanding the pressures and temperatures involved in each embodiment can be used, and similarly, any suitable electrode material can be used. The inlet 12 and the outlet 20 are oriented relative to the chamber 8 to provide a fluid flow that passes substantially diagonally through the chamber 8. Figure 5 Only the chamber 8 and its components are shown in Figure 1 for clarity, and the remaining components are omitted, and in some embodiments, the remaining components are as described above with reference to Figure 6 A simplified circuit diagram is shown, where the device 4 is represented by a voltage source having a positive and a negative electrode corresponding to the collection electrodes 10, 14.

[0072] In some embodiments, such as any of the above embodiments, in step 36, the applied electric field is pulsed, i.e., the output voltage of the supply device 22 is pulsed to generate a pulsed waveform of the electric field intensity / potential difference including a pulse sequence between the electrodes 16. For example, the pulse can have a complex shape, such as a large pulse with smaller pulses on each side, having a pulse width of 1 millisecond and a period time of 4 milliseconds. It should be understood that other pulse shapes can be employed, such as substantially top-hat shaped, sinusoidal, bell-shaped, or any other suitable shape. In some embodiments, additionally or alternatively, the chamber 8, such as in particular the collection electrodes, can be irradiated with electromagnetic radiation, such as UV light, in the wavelength range from 120 NM to 820 NM to facilitate ionization in the chamber 8. In such embodiments, the corresponding radiation / source (not shown) is arranged relative to the chamber 8 to irradiate the chamber accordingly.

[0073] Using the embodiment described with reference to Figure 5 , a one-minute experimental run is performed on the gas flow (neon) passing through the chamber 8 using a pulsed applied electric field, with the following experimental parameters and results:

[0074] Pulsed applied electric field

[0075]

[0076] The potential difference corresponds to the pulsed potential difference across the electrodes 16 and thus to the pulsed output of the source 22 (having the waveform and a maximum amplitude of 50 kV, rms 4 kV as described in the above specific example), and the resistance value is Figure 6The value of the load / measurement resistor as shown in [figure], where the root mean square voltage during operation is measured using an oscilloscope, and the RMS current and power values are calculated based on the value of the load resistor. The input power is the power fed to the supply device 22 to generate the potential difference. The flow rate (liters per minute) and the air pressure refer to the flow rate and pressure of the gas inside chamber 9. It can be seen that the calculated RMS power dissipated in the load exceeds the input power, and the power difference is considered to be provided by the kinetic energy of the flow of the pressurized ionized gas.

[0077] The corresponding data for the constantly applied electric field is shown in the following table without changing other experimental parameters:

[0078] Constantly applied electric field

[0079]

[0080] It can be seen that the pulsed application of the electric field can promote better extraction of energy from the pressurized gas flow. Among them, for the pulsed applied field, the ratio of the power dissipated on the calculated load to the electrical input power is 68, and for the constantly applied field, the ratio is 39.

[0081] Referring to Figure 7 , in a variant of the above embodiment, only a single collecting electrode 14 is provided inside chamber 8 and can be connected to the load in a floating or grounded manner.

[0082] Referring to Figure 8 , in some variants applicable to all the embodiments described above and below, devices are provided for delaying the start of the current flow so as to enable more charge to accumulate on the collecting electrodes 10, 14. Specifically, in some embodiments, the free ends 50 of the collecting electrodes 10, 14 are enclosed in a respective other chamber 52 sealed to chamber 8 and filled with an inert gas having a low breakdown voltage, such as neon gas, through a respective other inlet 54. Another respective electrode 56, such as a tungsten electrode, is sealed through the wall of chamber 52 and arranged in parallel with the free end 50 to define a spark gap between each free end 50 and the respective other electrode 56. These other electrodes 56 are connected to the remaining system 2 (not shown) instead of the collecting electrodes 10, 14.

[0083] As the fluid flows through chamber 8 while being ionized by the applied electric field, charge accumulates on the collection electrodes 10, 14 until the potential difference between the collection electrodes 10, 14 exceeds the breakdown voltage of the inert gas across the spark gap in another chamber 52, at which point a discharge occurs and current flows through the other electrode 56 as long as the spark is maintained. Thus, it can be seen that the current flow is delayed until sufficient charge has been built up on electrodes 10, 14 to cause a spark. Of course, it should be understood that any other means of delaying the start of current flow may also be employed in the relevant embodiments, such as using a voltage-triggered relay or switch, a diode, or a timing switch instead of a spark gap.

[0084] As briefly mentioned above, in this way, the energy stored in the pressurized fluid can also be converted into electrical energy by primarily or exclusively applying pressure to the fluid. By permanently or removably / dismantlably (e.g., using a piston) blocking the discharge port 20, the above-described flow-based embodiment can be converted into a pressure-based embodiment. In Figure 9 some of the illustrated embodiments, chamber 8 is modified by completely removing the discharge port 20 such that chamber 8 is in fluid communication only through the inlet 12.

[0085] Using Figure 5 and Figure 6 the embodiments perform an experimental one-minute run of pressure-based energy conversion with the discharge port 20 blocked and present the experimental parameters and results for the pulsed electric field in the following table (with the same parameters as described above for the flow-based experiments). At the start of the run, the chamber was filled with neon gas at a pressure of 10 bar and then sealed off from the gas source. During the run, a pressure drop was observed, which was considered to be due to energy conversion because the pressure remained substantially constant over a similar time period without drawing current from the collector.

[0086] Pulsed applied electric field

[0087]

[0088] The calculated rms power was computed over the entire one-minute run, and thus the pressure change was averaged during the run.

[0089] For the above-described flow embodiments, the pressure embodiments can likewise be operated with a pulsed or constant applied field while other experimental parameters remain the same. The experimental parameters and results are shown in the following table.

[0090] Constant applied electric field

[0091]

[0092] It can be seen that trends similar to the above-described flow-based experiments can be observed. For completeness, it may be noted that, as opposed to continuously charging and discharging the field electrodes, the lower input power is due to the different power supplies used and the lower current drawn by the supply device to maintain a constant field.

[0093] As described above, by stopping the discharge port 20, any flow-based implementation can be converted into a pressure-based implementation. In some embodiments, as Figure 9 shown, the chamber 8 is modified by completely removing the discharge port 20 such that the chamber 8 is in fluid communication only through the inlet 12, and in some embodiments, the other components of the device 4 remain unchanged. In some other embodiments, as Figure 10 shown, a separator 58, such as a quartz window, seals the chamber 8 into two parts, each part including one of the collection electrodes 10, 14, and the discharge port 20 is connected as another inlet 12 such that each part of the chamber 8 has a corresponding inlet 12 connected to a pressurized fluid source and the pressure is maintained independently in each part of the chamber 8, while the other components of the device 4 remain unchanged in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the chamber is made as a single workpiece including the chamber wall and the separator 58.

[0094] Specific embodiments have been described above by way of example to illustrate various aspects of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the scope of the present invention is set forth in the appended claims. Many modifications and different combinations of features will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art, for example as described above, all of which are within the scope of the claims. In addition, it should be understood that the order of the steps of the method embodiments can be appropriately changed and some or all of the steps can actually be performed in a relationship that is completely or partially overlapping in time. Similarly, the features of the above various embodiments can be appropriately combined. Some embodiments are based on fluid flow, while other embodiments are based on applied pressure, with no flow or minimal flow. It should be understood that, where applicable, any feature described with respect to a flow-based embodiment also applies to any pressure-based embodiment, and vice versa. In cases where the present invention refers to positively charged species and negatively charged species respectively, each species can correspond to a single type of entity (e.g., only positively charged gas ions and electrons respectively), or each species can include sub-species, such as positively charged gas ions having various different charges. Similar considerations also apply to embodiments where the fluid is a solution having various ions in solution.

[0095] To avoid doubt, some aspects and embodiments are stated in the following list of items:

[0096] 1. A device for converting the kinetic energy of a fluid into electrical energy, the device comprising:

[0097] A flow cell having an inlet port for a fluid and an outlet port for the fluid;

[0098] A pair of charge collection electrodes spaced apart from each other along a collection direction and disposed within the flow cell; and

[0099] An electric field generator configured to generate an electric field within the flow cell along a field direction to separate charged species in the fluid, wherein the flow direction of the fluid flow path between the inlet port and the outlet port has a component along the collection direction and a component along the field direction.

[0100] 2. The apparatus according to item 1, wherein the electric field is an ionization electric field for ionizing the fluid.

[0101] 3. The apparatus according to item 1 or 2, wherein the electric field generator includes a pair of field generating electrodes spaced apart along the field direction and disposed on either side of the flow cell.

[0102] 4. The apparatus according to item 3, wherein the field generating electrodes are electrically isolated from the flow cell.

[0103] 5. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding items, wherein the field direction is substantially parallel to the flow direction.

[0104] 6. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding items, wherein the collection direction is substantially parallel to the flow direction.

[0105] 7. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding items, wherein the charge collection electrodes are centered on an axis that coincides with at least a portion of the flow path.

[0106] 8. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding items, wherein the flow path passes through the charge collection electrodes.

[0107] 9. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding items, wherein the charge collection electrodes are mesh electrodes.

[0108] 10. A system for converting the kinetic energy of a fluid into electrical energy, the system comprising:

[0109] The apparatus listed in any one of the preceding items;

[0110] A current-limited voltage supply device for generating an ionization electric field; and

[0111] A load connected to one of the charge collection electrodes.

[0112] 11. The system according to item 10 includes a connector for connecting an inlet port to a container containing a pressurized fluid.

[0113] 12. The system according to item 11, wherein the container is detachably connected to the connector so that an empty container can be replaced with a new container containing a pressurized fluid.

[0114] 13. The system according to any one of items 10 to 12 includes a controller for regulating the flow rate of the fluid.

[0115] 14. The system according to item 13, wherein the controller is configured to receive an indication of the amount of energy dissipated by the load and regulate the flow rate of the fluid based on the indication of the amount of energy dissipated by the load.

[0116] 15. The system according to item 13 or 14, wherein the controller is configured to receive an indication of the energy requirement of the load and regulate the flow rate of the fluid based on the indication of the energy requirement of the load.

[0117] 16. The system according to any one of items 10 to 15, wherein the load is an electric motor.

[0118] 17. The system according to item 16, wherein the electric motor is installed in an electric vehicle, such as an electric car or a hybrid car, a bicycle, a tricycle, a ship, a train or an airplane.

[0119] 18. The system according to any one of items 10 to 15, wherein the load includes an electric power supply network, such as the electric power supply network of one or more commercial or residential units or a utility substation.

[0120] 19. A method of converting the potential energy of a pressurized fluid into electrical energy, the method comprising:

[0121] causing the pressurized fluid to flow through a flow chamber in a flow direction, thereby converting the potential energy into kinetic energy of the flowing fluid;

[0122] applying an electric field to the fluid flowing in the flow chamber, the field direction of the electric field having a component along the flow direction, thereby separating the positively charged species and the negatively charged species of the fluid along the field direction, wherein one of the positively charged species and the negatively charged species is biased to move in a direction having a component in the flow direction, and the other of the positively charged species and the negatively charged species is biased to move in a direction having a component in a direction opposite to the flow direction;

[0123] Collect at least a portion of one or each of the positively charged species and the negatively charged species at a corresponding current collector; and

[0124] Draw current from one of the current collectors to provide electrical energy to a load.

[0125] 20. The method according to item 19, comprising: ionizing the fluid by applying the electric field to the flowing fluid to produce an ionized fluid including the negatively charged species and the positively charged species.

[0126] 21. The method according to item 20, wherein ionizing the fluid includes generating a plasma.

[0127] 22. The method according to item 20 or 21, wherein ionizing the fluid includes causing a discharge, such as a dark discharge or a corona discharge.

[0128] 23. The method according to any one of items 19 to 22, the method comprising: sensing an amount of energy dissipated by the load and / or adjusting a flow rate of the fluid based on the amount of energy dissipated by the load.

[0129] 24. The method according to any one of items 19 to 23, the method comprising: receiving an amount indicating an energy demand of the load and adjusting a flow rate of the fluid based on the amount indicating the energy demand of the load.

[0130] 25. The apparatus, system or method according to any one of the preceding items, wherein a scalar product of the flow direction and the field direction is negative.

[0131] 26. The apparatus, system or method according to any one of items 1 to 24, wherein a scalar product of the flow direction and the field direction is positive.

[0132] 27. The apparatus, system or method according to any one of the preceding items, wherein the fluid is a gas, such as air, argon or neon.

[0133] 28. The apparatus, system or method according to any one of the preceding items, wherein the fluid is an inert gas.

[0134] 29. An apparatus for converting kinetic energy of a fluid into electrical energy, the apparatus comprising:

[0135] A flow chamber having an inlet port for the fluid and an outlet port for the fluid;

[0136] A pair of charge collection electrodes spaced apart from each other along a collection direction and disposed within the flow chamber; and

[0137] An electric field generator configured to generate an electric field in the flow chamber along a field direction to separate charged species in the fluid.

[0138] 30. A method of converting the potential energy of a pressurized fluid into electrical energy, the method comprising:

[0139] Flowing the pressurized fluid through a flow chamber in a flow direction, thereby converting the potential energy into kinetic energy of the flowing fluid;

[0140] Applying an electric field to the fluid flowing in the flow chamber using an electric field generator;

[0141] Collecting at least a portion of one or each of the positively charged species and the negatively charged species at respective current collectors; and

[0142] Drawing current from one of the current collectors to provide electrical energy to a load.

[0143] 31. The apparatus according to item 29 or the method according to item 30, wherein the electric field generator comprises a pair of field generating electrodes spaced apart along the field direction and disposed on either side of the flow chamber, and wherein the field generating electrodes are electrically isolated from the flow chamber.

[0144] In any of these items, the applied electric field can be a pulsed electric field, and / or the flow chamber can be irradiated with electromagnetic radiation, such as UV light or electromagnetic radiation within one or more wavelengths in the range of 120 NM to 820 NM. Additionally, or alternatively, in any of the said items, the current flow can be delayed to enable a certain amount of charge to accumulate on the electrodes before the current flow. As a supplement or alternative to all, some, or any of these variations, in all items, the pair of charge collecting electrodes can be replaced with a single charge collecting electrode.

[0145] In any of the above items, the device or system can be configured to limit the flow rate into and / or out of the flow chamber or pressure vessel to less than 0.1 milliliters per minute, such as less than 9×10^-2 milliliters per minute, less than 8×10^-2 milliliters per minute, or less than 7×10^-2 milliliters per minute, or can more generally be configured to have fluid flow through the pressure vessel or flow chamber at a flow rate different from 0.1 milliliters per minute, such as 9×10^-2 milliliters per minute, 8×10^-2 milliliters per minute, or 7×10^-2 milliliters per minute, as well as flow rates higher than 0.1 milliliters per minute, such as 0.5 milliliters per minute or higher, 1 milliliter per minute or higher, 0.05 liters per minute or higher, 0.1 milliliters per minute or higher, or 0.2 milliliters per minute or higher. Similarly, the device and / or system can be configured to operate at a specific pressure, such as a pressure different from 10 bar, such as greater than 10 bar, such as 11 bar or greater or 12 bar. The pressure can be less than 10 bar, such as 9 bar or less, 8 bar or less, 7, 6, or 5 bar or less, and in any of these cases, the pressure can be greater than 1 bar, greater than 2 bar, greater than 3 bar, or greater than 4 bar. In some embodiments, the flow rate is substantially zero. For example, in some embodiments, the inlet port is the only fluid communication path into and out of the pressure vessel. It should be understood that the corresponding method items can be operated accordingly.

[0146] The present invention can also be implemented by the following embodiments.

[0147] 1. A device for converting the energy of a fluid into electrical energy, the device comprising:

[0148] A pressure vessel having an inlet port for the fluid and configured to hold the pressurized fluid from the inlet port within the pressure vessel;

[0149] A pair of charge collection electrodes spaced apart from each other along a collection direction and disposed within the pressure vessel; and

[0150] An electric field generator configured to generate an electric field in the pressure vessel along a field direction to separate charged species in the fluid.

[0151] 2. The device according to embodiment 1, wherein the electric field is an ionization electric field for ionizing the fluid.

[0152] 3. The device according to embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the electric field generator comprises a pair of field generating electrodes spaced apart along the field direction and disposed on either side of the flow chamber.

[0153] 4. The device according to embodiment 3, wherein the field generating electrodes are electrically isolated from the pressure vessel.

[0154] 5. The device according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the field direction is substantially parallel to the collection direction.

[0155] 6. The device according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the pressure vessel includes a separator located between the collection electrodes, the separator sealing the pressure vessel into a first part and a second part, the first part being connected to the inlet port and including one of the collection electrodes, and the second part being connected to the other inlet port and including the other collection electrode of the collection electrodes.

[0156] 7. The device according to any one of the preceding embodiments, including a current delay arrangement for delaying the flow of current from the collection electrodes until a certain amount of charge has accumulated on the collection electrodes.

[0157] 8. The device according to embodiment 7, wherein the current delay arrangement includes another pressure vessel sealed around a portion of the collection electrode protruding outside the pressure and another electrode disposed in the other pressure vessel, wherein a spark gap is defined between the respective free ends of the other electrode and the collection electrode.

[0158] 9. The device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the device includes a single charge collection electrode instead of a pair of charge collection electrodes.

[0159] 10. The device according to any one of the preceding embodiments, including an electromagnetic radiation source for irradiating the pressurized fluid within the pressure vessel.

[0160] 11. The device according to embodiment 6, wherein the electromagnetic radiation source is configured to generate electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range of 120 nm to 820 nm.

[0161] 12. A method of converting the energy of a pressurized fluid into electrical energy, the method comprising:

[0162] Maintaining the pressure of the pressurized fluid within a pressure vessel;

[0163] Applying an electric field to the pressurized fluid in the pressure vessel so as to separate the positively charged species and the negatively charged species of the fluid with one of the positively charged species and the negatively charged species of the fluid along the field direction;

[0164] Collecting at least a portion of one or each of the positively charged species and the negatively charged species at a respective current collector; and

[0165] Drawing current from one of the current collectors to provide electrical energy to a load.

[0166] 13. The method according to embodiment 12, comprising: ionizing the fluid by applying the electric field to the flowing fluid to generate an ionized fluid including the negatively charged species and the positively charged species.

[0167] 14. The method according to embodiment 13, wherein ionizing the fluid includes generating a plasma.

[0168] 15. The method according to embodiment 13 or 14, wherein ionizing the fluid includes causing a discharge, such as a dark discharge or a corona discharge.

[0169] 16. The method according to any one of embodiments 12 to 15, the method including delaying the flow of current from one or more of the current collectors until a certain amount of charge has accumulated on the current collectors.

[0170] 17. The method according to embodiment 16, wherein delaying the flow of current includes delaying the flow of current until a spark appears in a spark gap between a free end of one or more of the current collectors protruding outside the pressure vessel and a corresponding current receiving electrode.

[0171] 18. The method according to any one of embodiments 12 to 17, the method including irradiating the pressurized fluid with electromagnetic radiation while maintaining the pressure of the pressurized fluid in the pressure vessel.

[0172] 19. The method according to any one of embodiments 12 to 17, the method including irradiating the pressurized fluid with electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength in the range of 120 nm to 820 nm while maintaining the pressure of the pressurized fluid in the pressure vessel.

[0173] 20. A device for converting the energy of a fluid into electrical energy, the device comprising:

[0174] A flow chamber having an inlet port for the fluid and an outlet port for the fluid;

[0175] A pair of charge collection electrodes spaced apart from each other along a collection direction and disposed in the flow chamber;

[0176] An electric field generator configured to generate an electric field in the flow chamber along a field direction to separate charged species in the fluid; and

[0177] An electromagnetic radiation source for irradiating a pressurized fluid within the pressure vessel, preferably, wherein the electromagnetic radiation source is configured to generate electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range of 120 NM to 820 NM.

[0178] 21. A method for converting the energy of a pressurized fluid into electrical energy, the method comprising:

[0179] Flowing the pressurized fluid through a flow chamber in a flow direction, thereby converting potential energy into kinetic energy of the flowing fluid;

[0180] Applying an electric field to the fluid flowing in the flow chamber using an electric field generator;

[0181] Collecting at least a portion of one or each of the positively charged species and the negatively charged species at respective current collectors;

[0182] Drawing a current from one of the current collectors to provide electrical energy to a load; and

[0183] Irradiating the pressurized fluid with electromagnetic radiation while flowing the pressurized fluid, preferably irradiating the pressurized fluid with electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range of 120 NM to 820 NM.

[0184] 22. An apparatus for converting the energy of a fluid into electrical energy, the apparatus comprising:

[0185] A flow chamber having an inlet port for the fluid and an outlet port for the fluid;

[0186] A pair of charge collection electrodes spaced apart from each other in a collection direction and disposed within the flow chamber;

[0187] An electric field generator configured to generate an electric field in the flow chamber in a field direction to separate charged species in the fluid; and

[0188] A current delay arrangement for delaying the flow of current from the collection electrodes until a certain amount of charge has accumulated on the collection electrodes, preferably, wherein the current delay arrangement includes another pressure vessel sealed around a portion of the collection electrode protruding outside the pressure and another electrode disposed within the another pressure vessel, wherein a spark gap is defined between respective free ends of the another electrode and the collection electrode.

[0189] 23. A method for converting the energy of a pressurized fluid into electrical energy, the method comprising:

[0190] Flowing the pressurized fluid through a flow chamber in a flow direction, thereby converting potential energy into kinetic energy of the flowing fluid;

[0191] Apply an electric field to the fluid flowing in the flow chamber using an electric field generator;

[0192] Collect at least a portion of one or each of the positively charged species and the negatively charged species at corresponding current collectors;

[0193] Draw current from one of the current collectors to provide electrical energy to a load; and

[0194] Delay the flow of current from one or more of the current collectors until a certain amount of charge has accumulated on the current collector, preferably, wherein delaying the flow of current includes delaying the flow of current until a spark appears in a spark gap between a free end of one or more of the current collectors protruding outside the pressure vessel and a corresponding current receiving electrode.

[0195] 24. An apparatus for converting the energy of a fluid into electrical energy, the apparatus comprising:

[0196] A flow chamber having an inlet port for the fluid and an outlet port for the fluid;

[0197] A single charge collection electrode disposed within the flow chamber; and

[0198] An electric field generator configured to generate an electric field in the flow chamber along a field direction to separate charged species in the fluid.

[0199] 25. The apparatus according to embodiment 20, 22 or 24 or the method according to embodiment 19 or 21, wherein the electric field generator includes a pair of field generating electrodes spaced apart along the field direction and disposed on either side of the flow chamber, and wherein the field generating electrodes are electrically isolated from the flow chamber.

[0200] 26. The apparatus according to any one of embodiments 1 to 9, 20, 22, 24 or 25, wherein the electric field generator is configured to generate a pulsed electric field.

[0201] 27. The method according to any one of embodiments 12 to 19, 21 or 23, wherein applying the electric field includes applying a pulsed electric field.

[0202] 28. An apparatus for converting the energy of a fluid into electrical energy, the apparatus comprising:

[0203] A flow chamber having an inlet port for the fluid and an outlet port for the fluid;

[0204] A pair of charge collection electrodes spaced apart from each other along a collection direction and disposed within the flow chamber;

[0205] An electric field generator configured to generate a pulsed electric field in the flow chamber in a field direction to separate charged species in the fluid.

[0206] 29. A method for converting the energy of a pressurized fluid into electrical energy, the method comprising:

[0207] Flowing the pressurized fluid through a flow chamber in a flow direction, thereby converting potential energy into kinetic energy of the flowing fluid;

[0208] Applying a pulsed electric field to the fluid flowing in the flow chamber using an electric field generator;

[0209] Collecting at least a portion of one or each of the positively charged species and the negatively charged species at corresponding current collectors; and

[0210] Drawing current from one of the current collectors to provide electrical energy to a load.

[0211] 30. A system for converting the energy of a fluid into electrical energy, the system comprising:

[0212] An apparatus as claimed in any one of embodiments 1 to 9, 20, 22, 24, 25, 26 or 28;

[0213] A current-limited voltage supply device for generating the electric field; and

[0214] A load connected to one of the charge collection electrodes.

[0215] 31. The system according to embodiment 30, comprising a connector for connecting the inlet port to a container containing a pressurized fluid.

[0216] 32. The system according to embodiment 31, wherein the container is detachably connected to the connector so that an empty container can be replaced with a new container containing a pressurized fluid.

[0217] 33. The system according to any one of embodiments 30 to 32, wherein the load is an electric motor.

[0218] 34. The system according to embodiment 33, wherein the electric motor is installed in an electric vehicle, such as an electric car or a hybrid car, a bicycle, a tricycle, a ship, a train or an airplane.

[0219] 35. The system according to any one of embodiments 30 to 32, wherein the load includes a power supply network, such as a power supply network of one or more commercial or residential units or a utility substation.

[0220] 36. The device, system or method according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the fluid is a gas, such as air, argon or neon.

[0221] 37. The device, system or method according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the fluid is an inert gas.

[0222] 38. The device, system or method according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the flow rate of the fluid is different from 0.1 ml / minute.

[0223] 39. The device, system or method according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the pressure of the fluid is different from 10 bar.

[0224] 40. The device, system or method according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the flow rate of the fluid is less than 0.1 ml / minute.

Claims

1. A method for converting the energy of a pressurized fluid into electrical energy, the method comprising: causing the pressurized fluid to flow in a flow direction through a flow chamber, thereby converting potential energy into kinetic energy of the flowing fluid; applying a pulsed electric field to the fluid flowing in the flow chamber using an electric field generator; collecting at least a portion of one or each of the positively charged species and the negatively charged species at corresponding current collectors; and drawing current from the current collectors to provide electrical energy to a load.

2. An apparatus for converting the energy of a fluid into electrical energy, the apparatus comprising: a flow chamber having an inlet port for the fluid and an outlet port for the fluid; a pair of charge collection electrodes spaced apart from each other in a collection direction and disposed within the flow chamber; and an electric field generator configured to generate a pulsed electric field in the fluid in the flow chamber in a field direction.

3. An apparatus for converting the energy of a fluid into electrical energy, the apparatus comprising: a pressure vessel having an inlet port for the fluid and configured to hold the pressurized fluid from the inlet port within the pressure vessel; a pair of charge collection electrodes spaced apart from each other in a collection direction and disposed within the pressure vessel; and an electric field generator configured to generate an electric field in the pressure vessel in a field direction, wherein the electric field generator is configured to generate a pulsed electric field.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electric field generator includes a pair of field generating electrodes spaced apart in the field direction and disposed on either side of the flow chamber.

5. A method for converting the energy of a pressurized fluid into electrical energy, the method comprising: maintaining the pressure of the pressurized fluid within a pressure vessel; applying an electric field to the pressurized fluid in the pressure vessel, wherein applying the electric field includes applying a pulsed electric field; collecting at least a portion of one or each of the positively charged species and the negatively charged species at corresponding current collectors; and drawing current from the current collectors to provide electrical energy to a load.

6. A system for converting the energy of a fluid into electrical energy, the system comprising: an apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4; a current-limited voltage supply device for generating the electric field; and a load connected to one of the charge collection electrodes.

7. The system according to claim 6, including a connector for connecting the inlet port to a container containing pressurized fluid.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the container is detachably connected to the connector so that an empty container can be replaced with a new container containing pressurized fluid.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the load is an electric motor.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the electric motor is installed in an electric vehicle, such as an electric car or a hybrid car, a bicycle, a tricycle, a ship, a train or an aircraft.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein The load includes an electrical supply network, such as the electrical supply network of one or more commercial or residential units or a public substation.

Images