Street-side VAWT energy and bioreactor air purification system

Abstract

A roadside system consisting of a multitude of vertical axis wind turbines configured for installation along a highway and adapted to capture wind energy from the airflow caused by vehicles, one or more power generation units operationally coupled with the turbines to convert kinetic energy into electrical energy, and an energy management module configured to regulate and distribute the electrical energy to operational subsystems.

Description

AREA OF INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to environmental engineering devices at the roadside that integrate vertical axis wind turbines for utilizing the wind generated by vehicles, decentralized power generation and management, bioreactor chambers with pollutant-absorbing microorganisms for air purification, and sensor-controlled regulation along highways. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Highways concentrate pollutants such as CO, NOx, and particulate matter near traffic corridors. This is driving interest in roadside pollution mitigation systems that actively clean the air while minimizing grid load through local energy generation. Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) harness the turbulent, multidirectional airflow generated by passing vehicles and crosswinds. Compact installations between lanes or medians enable the conversion of kinetic energy into electricity for on-site use. Energy management architectures that regulate, store, and distribute energy from decentralized microgenerators support the autonomous operation of roadside environmental systems and sensors.Bioreactor concepts with pollutant-degrading microorganisms in specially designed chambers can bind or convert gaseous pollutants and separate particulate matter when combined with controlled airflows and filter media. This complements purely mechanical filtration. A unified system that combines VAWT harvesting facilities, regulated power generation, bioreactor air treatment, and the capture of multiple pollutants under coordinated control fulfills the simultaneous requirements of improving roadside air quality and providing a sustainable power supply for the pollution mitigation infrastructure. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The invention relates to a system with multiple wind turbines, consisting of vertical-axis wind turbines arranged along a highway to utilize the airflow generated by traffic. One or more electrical generation units are coupled to the turbines to convert rotational energy into electrical energy. An energy management module processes, stores, and distributes the energy to the operational subsystems. The system further includes several bioreactor chambers containing pollutant-absorbing microorganisms that remove pollutants such as CO, NOx, and particulate matter from the intake air. An air intake and flow control system meters and directs the air through the chambers along the road. Sensor modules measure air pollutants, airflow, vibrations, temperature, and energy performance indicators.A control unit optimizes turbine operation, energy distribution, and airflow in the bioreactors based on recorded conditions and traffic patterns. The modular design allows for scaling along traffic corridors, enabling distributed, autonomous operation with local power supply, adaptive cleaning performance, and, if desired, cloud-based monitoring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0004] Each wind turbine consists of a compact vertical-axis wind turbine rotor (e.g., Darrieus or Savonius hybrid) mounted on a mast or guardrail. The rotor blades are designed to handle turbulent, bidirectional road airflow. The rotor is connected via a low-maintenance drivetrain to a power generation unit, such as a permanent magnet generator for low-speed operation. The turbines are positioned at regular intervals between traffic lanes or on medians to harness the pressure pulses of passing vehicles. The mounting structures include vibration damping and protection against debris. The energy management module on each segment rectifies and regulates the generator output, charges a local battery, and supplies power to DC links for sensors, fans, pumps, and the control electronics.Optionally, grid connection or a solar power system can supplement the generated wind energy to maintain the bioreactor's operation during periods of low traffic or calm winds. The air treatment system utilizes bioreactor chambers with immobilized microbial consortia selected for oxidative and reductive metabolic pathways to convert CO and NOx and bind or metabolize organic matter. These are combined with pre-filters or humidified media that remove particulate matter. The chamber interiors employ structured media to maximize surface area and residence time. The air intake and flow control system includes street-side inlets with protective louvers and particulate pre-filters.Variable-speed fans draw air through staggered media into the bioreactor chambers, and dampers modulate the airflow between parallel chambers to maintain target pressure drops and contact times under varying pollutant loads and traffic volumes. Sensor modules include electrochemical or NDIR sensors for CO, NOx, and CO2; optical particulate matter sensors for PM2.5 / PM10; airflow and pressure sensors within the chambers; vibration and speed sensors on the vertical-axis wind turbines; and temperature and humidity probes. The control unit aggregates data to regulate fan speeds, switch chamber operating cycles for regeneration or maintenance, and adjust power distribution based on state of charge and predicted traffic-related wind availability.Maintenance features include removable media cassettes, biocide-resistant housings, access doors, and automatic backwash or flushing cycles when using wet biofilters. The control unit schedules maintenance windows when energy yield is high and pollutant load is low. Safety features include overspeed protection and dynamic braking for vertical-axis wind turbines in extreme wind conditions, debris screens at the inlets, and electrical isolation for maintenance. The system logs performance metrics and pollutant removal estimates to a local or cloud-based dashboard. Segment controllers communicate via low-power wireless or wired fieldbus links to coordinate adjacent units for load balancing, synchronized maintenance, and corridor-level reporting. Firmware updates can be deployed wirelessly, provided a connection is available.The modular architecture allows for different densities of vertical-axis wind turbines compared to bioreactors, depending on traffic volume, pollution levels, and site restrictions. Standardized bases and electrical interfaces simplify installation and replacement.

Claims

[1] A roadside system consisting of a multitude of vertical axis wind turbines configured for installation along a motorway and adapted to capture wind energy from the airflow caused by vehicles, one or more power generation units operationally coupled with the turbines to convert kinetic energy into electrical energy, and an energy management module configured to regulate and distribute the electrical energy to operational subsystems. [2] System according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of bioreactor chambers containing pollutant-absorbing microorganisms which purify the air by removing pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, and an air inlet and flow control system which meters the air at the roadside and directs it through the chambers. [3] System according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising sensor modules for measuring pollutants, airflow, turbine speed, vibrations, temperature, humidity and energy parameters, and a control unit configured to optimize turbine operation, power distribution and bioreactor airflow based on the detected conditions and traffic patterns. [4] System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the energy management module comprises an energy storage device for buffering intermittent generation and the air treatment subsystem comprises staggered pre-filters and variable-speed fans to maintain the target residence time and target pressure drop in the bioreactor chambers under varying pollutant loads.