Lift generation system and vessel equipped with said system
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- ES · ES
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Filing Date
- 2022-02-15
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-13
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
DOMAINE DE L'INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to systems designed to be placed in moving air to produce lift, or lift generators. In the case of wind-powered vehicles, these systems are also called wind propulsion systems. ART ANTERIEUR
[0002] The prior art, and in particular document FR2503286A2, describes wind turbine thrusters comprising an elongated hollow body, suction zones along the peripheral wall of the hollow body, and suction means housed within the hollow body. The suction at the peripheral wall of the thruster limits the separation of the airflow from the thruster wall.
[0003] The document FR2503286A2 describes a wing whose body houses several fans.
[0004] However, it is desirable to be able to improve the performance of the propulsion systems. RESUME DE L'INVENTION
[0005] To this end, the invention relates to a lift-generating system, intended to be placed in moving air, in order to produce a lift force, the lift-generating system comprising: a hollow body, called a wing, elongated along an axis, the peripheral wall of the wing having at least one opening, called a suction opening, adapted to allow communication between the outside of the wing and the inside of the wing; and a suction device allowing air to be drawn in through said at least one suction opening; characterized in that the lift-generating system comprises a support which carries the wing and relative to which the wing is mounted pivotally about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of the wing, and said suction device comprises a fan located outside the wing and in fluidic communication with the interior of the wing to draw air through said at least one suction opening of the wing and expel the drawn-in air through an outlet of the fan, the fan comprising a wheel, surrounded by a casing which defines around the wheel a conduit to guide the air expelled by the wheel, and a motor for driving the wheel in rotation about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of the wing, the fan casing having an outlet with an axis substantially orthogonal to the axis of the fan wheel.
[0006] Positioning the suction device on the outside of the wing (also called a hollow body or lifting profile) avoids limiting the device's size to the wing's internal dimensions, unlike prior art solutions that house the suction device inside the wing. This allows for the selection of a fan with maximized efficiency by choosing a particularly effective diameter / rotational speed combination, ensuring sufficient suction flow across the entire wing.
[0007] The main function of the fan is to ventilate the wing. Preferably, the fan is located as close as possible to the lower end of the wing.
[0008] The system according to the invention thus makes it possible to use a centrifugal or helico-centrifugal type fan in order to obtain the propulsion performance of the desired lift-generating system, without having to increase the wing cross-section.
[0009] To achieve the operating point of the lift-generating system with the same efficiency and suction means located inside the wing, it would be necessary to divide the suction means into several modules distributed along the wing, which would increase the complexity of the system, manufacturing and maintenance costs.
[0010] The centrifugal fan can be placed at the base of the wing.
[0011] When the system according to the invention is mounted on the deck of a ship, the fan frame is fixed relative to the ship's deck. This allows air to be discharged parallel to the ship's longitudinal axis by orienting the corresponding fan outlet along this axis, towards the stern of the ship. The discharged air then contributes to propulsion through a jet effect.
[0012] In known state-of-the-art solutions where the suction means are placed inside the wing, the direction of the air discharge depends on the orientation of the propeller, so that the discharged air does not necessarily participate in the propulsive effort of the boat along the boat's axis.
[0013] The pivoting mounting of the wing relative to the support intended to be fixed to the deck of the boat allows the wing to rotate, preferably around its vertical axis, so as to orient itself relative to the direction of the apparent wind.
[0014] Advantageously, an opening located in the lower part of the wing allows direct communication between the fan and the wing's interior. This arrangement reduces pressure losses that would occur in intermediate ducts. In a particular embodiment, a duct shorter than the fan's diameter can be installed between the wing and the fan; for example, a duct a few tens of centimeters long for a fan diameter of approximately two meters.
[0015] The fan represents a significant portion of the system's mass. Placing this fan at the base of the wing offers numerous advantages.
[0016] The onboard mass is subject to the ship's accelerations. Placing the fan outside and at the base of the wing significantly reduces the stresses exerted on the wing. Indeed, two types of stresses combine with the ship's accelerations: inertial forces, directly related to the mass of the centrifugal fan, and gyroscopic forces resulting from the fan's rotation. Thus, the system's structure can be lightened, reducing manufacturing costs.
[0017] Placing the fan at the base of the wing makes it easier to access, thus facilitating maintenance operations.
[0018] According to one particular aspect, in the state mounted on the deck of the boat, the suction device is located under the wing, between the deck of the boat and the wing.
[0019] It should be noted that in document FR2503286A2 each fan is not located outside the wing, but inside the wing.
[0020] It is understood that, according to the invention, the pivoting of the wing around its axis does not cause the fan to pivot or change in orientation.
[0021] The generating system may also include one or more of the following characteristics taken in any technically permissible combination.
[0022] According to one embodiment, the system includes a hollow connecting element that extends at least partially between the lower end of the wing and the fan to allow fluidic communication between the wing and the fan.
[0023] According to one embodiment, the connecting element includes an adapting wall in which an opening is provided which communicates with the fan.
[0024] According to one embodiment, the adapting wall is provided with an annular element which extends around the opening of the adapting wall and on the inside side of the wing, the section of said annular element having a curved profile, for example convex, to limit the pressure losses of the airflow between the wing and the fan.
[0025] In one embodiment, the fan is contained within an imaginary enclosure surrounding the support. In other words, the fan is included within the overall dimensions of the support.
[0026] According to one embodiment, the fan is a centrifugal fan.
[0027] According to one embodiment, the fan is a helico-centrifugal fan.
[0028] According to one embodiment, the wing is equipped with a vertical lift generating device, mounted near one and / or the other of the wing's ends.
[0029] According to one embodiment, the vertical lift generating device includes at least one part which is mounted to move about an axis substantially orthogonal to the wing axis.
[0030] According to one embodiment, the vertical lift generating device includes a suction system for drawing outside air into the wing.
[0031] According to one embodiment, the peripheral wall of the wing is provided with a flap movable relative to the peripheral wall to allow the separation of the extrados airflow and the intrados airflow.
[0032] According to one embodiment, the length of the flap is equal to the length of the wing.
[0033] According to one embodiment, the peripheral wall of the wing has two suction openings, and a closing system, such as a flap, to allow one of the suction openings to be selectively closed and the other suction opening to be freed.
[0034] According to one embodiment, the fan casing is extended by a discharge pipe of variable cross-section, the cross-section preferably decreasing towards the outlet end of the discharge pipe.
[0035] According to one embodiment, the system includes a tilting system allowing the wing, and possibly its support, to be tilted around an axis substantially orthogonal to the axis of the wing, preferably substantially horizontal.
[0036] The invention also relates to a boat comprising at least one lift-generating system according to any one of the embodiments proposed above, in which the fan is located between the wing and the deck of the boat, and, the wing being mounted pivotally relative to the deck of the boat, around an axis substantially parallel to the axis of the wing.
[0037] According to a particular aspect, the support is arranged so that, when the wing extends vertically (i.e. perpendicular to the deck of the boat) and pivots around an axis substantially parallel to the axis of the wing (i.e., during the operation of the wing - in the vertical state of the wing - and apart from a possible tilting mobility of the support around an axis orthogonal to the axis of the wing), the support remains fixed relative to the deck of the boat.
[0038] According to one particular aspect, the fan is arranged so that, when the wing extends vertically and pivots around an axis substantially parallel to the wing axis, the fan casing remains fixed relative to the deck of the boat.
[0039] According to one embodiment, the axis of the outlet of the fan casing is directed towards the rear of the boat, preferably substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the boat. BREVE DESCRIPTION DES DESSINS
[0040] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, which is purely illustrative and not limiting and should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, on which: [ Fig. 1 ] there Figure 1 is a perspective view of a boat equipped with several lift-generating systems according to an embodiment of the invention; [ Fig. 2 ] there Figure 2 is a view of the detail area. It Figure1 ; Fig. 3 ] there Figure 3 is a perspective view of a lift-generating system according to an embodiment of the invention, showing an incident airflow, part of which is drawn into the wing by the fan and then expelled; Fig. 3A ] there Figure 3A is a perspective view of the lift-generating system of the Figure 3 , with a different wing orientation angle relative to the support; [ Fig. 4 ] there Figure 4 is a top view of the lift-generating system of the Figure 3 ; Fig. 5 ] there Figure 5 is a view along section AA of the lower part of the lift-generating system of the Figure 4 ; Fig. 5A ] there Figure 5A is a schematic view of the lower part of the lift-generating system to facilitate visualization of the arrangement of the elements in the lower part of the system; Fig. 6 ] there Figure 6 is an exploded view of the lower part of the lift-generating system of the Figure 4 . DESCRIPTION DETAILLEE
[0041] The concept of the invention is described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the concept of the invention are shown. In the drawings, the size and relative sizes of the elements may be exaggerated for clarity. Similar numbers refer to similar elements in all the drawings. However, this concept of the invention can be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are offered so as to make this description complete and to communicate the scope of the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art.
[0042] A reference throughout the specification to "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in relation to an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearance of the phrase "in an embodiment" in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
[0043] With reference to the Figure 1 , we have represented several 101 lift-generating systems mounted on the deck 111 of a boat 100.
[0044] The following description is made for a 101 lift-generating system, but also applies to several 101 lift-generating systems.
[0045] As illustrated in the Figure 2 The 101 lift generator system is placed in a moving FI airflow, which allows it to produce lift. As detailed below, this 101 lift generator system offers higher propulsion performance without requiring an increase in wing dimensions. Aile
[0046] The lift-generating system includes a hollow body 1 elongated along an axis A1. The hollow body is commonly called a wing.
[0047] The wing has an aerodynamic profile. Different profile shapes can be used. In the example shown in the figures, the profile is ovoid in shape.
[0048] The peripheral wall 10 of the wing has at least one opening 12, called an aspiration opening, suitable for communicating with the interior 102 of the wing 1. In the example illustrated in the figures, the peripheral wall 10 has two aspiration openings 12, preferably distributed symmetrically with respect to an axis of symmetry of the wing profile.
[0049] The hollow body is equipped with a movable flap 14. The flap allows the camber of the wing profile to be modified in order to increase lift, regardless of whether the wind is coming from one side or the other of the vessel. The vessel can sail on either tack – port tack or starboard tack. In one embodiment, the movement of the flap can be provided to close one intake opening 12 and open the other intake opening 12.
[0050] According to a particular aspect and as illustrated more specifically in figures 5 And 5AThe lower end of the wing 1 is provided with a hollow connecting element 13 that extends at least partially between the lower end of the wing 1 and the fan 3 to allow fluidic communication between the wing 1 and the fan 3. The connecting element 13 includes an adaptive wall with an opening that allows the airflow passage cross-section from the inside of the hollow body to be adapted to the opening 301 of the impeller 30 (or rotor) of the centrifugal fan 3 shown below. The impeller may be a blade impeller. As explained below, the fan may also be of the helico-centrifugal type. It should be noted that when reference is made to a helico-centrifugal or centrifugal fan, this refers to the entire impeller and fan casing, particularly for determining the overall dimensions of the fan. Dispositif d'aspiration
[0051] The lift-generating system includes a suction device in communication with the interior 102 of the wing 1 to draw air through said at least one opening 12 provided in the peripheral wall of the wing.
[0052] It can be anticipated that each suction opening 12 will have a variable opening size or porosity along the wing, for example, to vary the amount of air drawn in depending on its position along the wing. Each opening 12 can be in the form of a grid.
[0053] As illustrated more particularly in Figures 4 à 6 The said suction device is formed by a fan 3 which includes a wheel 30, a motor (not shown) for driving the wheel 30 in rotation, and a casing 31 (fixed part around the wheel) which extends around the wheel 30. The casing 31 (also called volute or collector) is in the form of a body which defines around the wheel, a conduit, preferably of spiral shape, allowing the air expelled by the wheel to be guided to an outlet 32. The geometry of the casing 31 allows the suction efficiency of the fan to be improved.
[0054] Fan 3 is configured to discharge the intake airflow into the open air. Fan 3 has an air inlet with axis A30 substantially perpendicular to the axis of the outlet 32 of the fan casing 31. In other words, the direction of air intake is substantially perpendicular to the direction of air discharge from the fan casing 31. It is understood that the air inlet axis A30 is preferably perpendicular to the axis of the outlet 32, but that there may also be a slight angle of inclination of one or a few degrees, for example, an angle less than 5°, of the outlet axis A32 of the casing 31 with respect to the plane perpendicular to axis A30. The outlet 32 of the casing 31 may be equipped with a discharge duct, preferably configured to accelerate the discharged air.
[0055] In the example shown in the figures, the fan is a centrifugal fan. According to the illustrated embodiment, the impeller 30 is a bladed impeller 30. The bladed impeller 30 has an air inlet 301 that communicates with the interior 102 of the wing. In particular, the air inlet 301 communicates with the interior 102 of the wing via the opening of a slewing mechanism, such as a slewing ring 2 (shown below), and the opening of the connecting element 13. Alternatively, the fan may be of the helico-centrifugal type. A helico-centrifugal fan differs from a centrifugal fan in that, in a helico-centrifugal fan, the air exiting the impeller enters the casing at an angle of 30° to 80° to the air inlet axis. In a centrifugal fan, the air exiting the wheel enters the casing, following a direction orthogonal to the air inlet axis.
[0056] It should be noted that in the lift-generating system 101 according to the invention, whether the fan is of the centrifugal or helico-centrifugal type, the air which comes out of the outlet 32 of the envelope 31 comes out orthogonally to the suction axis.
[0057] The centrifugal fan 3 is located outside wing 1 and is in fluidic communication with the interior 102 of wing 1 to draw air through each opening 12 provided in the peripheral wall 10 of wing 1 and expel the drawn-in air through the outlet 32 of the casing 31 of the centrifugal fan 3. The expelled airflow FE thus contributes to the propulsion of the boat 100 on which the lift-generating system 101 is mounted.
[0058] The outlet 32 of the centrifugal fan 3 is directed towards the rear of the boat. Advantageously, the frame of the fan 3 is fixed relative to the support 4 and therefore relative to the deck of the boat, so the outlet 32 is also fixed.
[0059] The opening of the adapter wall is bordered by a peripheral element 130 extending from the inside of the wing, and whose cross-section has a curved shape, preferably convex (domed) with reference to a view from inside the hollow body. In the example illustrated in the figures, this element 130 has a generally toroidal shape. The adapter wall thus guides the flow of the aspirated air, limiting the pressure losses of the aspirated airflow as it circulates between the inside of the hollow body and the centrifugal fan 3. Support
[0060] System 101 includes a support 4 on which the wing 1 is pivotally mounted ( Figures 3 And 3APreferably, the wing is mounted to pivot on the support 4 about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis A1 of the wing. It is understood that the pivot axis is preferably parallel to the longitudinal axis A1 of the wing, but that the pivot axis may have a slight angle of one or a few degrees with respect to axis A1, for example, an angle of less than 5°. Axis A1 is preferably the same as the axis of rotation of the wing.
[0061] Thus, in the mounted state of system 101 on deck 111 of boat 100, wing 1 can rotate around its longitudinal (vertical) axis so as to orient itself with respect to the direction of the apparent wind.
[0062] In the system's operating configuration, where wing 1 is raised on the ship's deck by means of its support 4, the support 4 is fixed relative to the deck. In the example illustrated in the figures, the support consists of several legs. The support may be covered by a cowling or casing.
[0063] The system includes a slewing mechanism, such as a slewing ring 2, interposed between the wing 1 (preferably the lower face 103 of the wing) and the support 4, and configured to allow the wing 1 to rotate, about its pivot axis, which is substantially parallel to the axis A1, relative to the support 4. In the example illustrated in the figures, the slewing mechanism includes a central opening which is positioned opposite the air inlet opening 301 of the centrifugal fan 3, i.e. the air inlet opening of the impeller 30.
[0064] In the example illustrated in the figures, the centrifugal fan 3 is contained within the imaginary envelope surrounding the support 4. In other words, fan 3 is located within the overall footprint of the support 4, which helps to limit the footprint of system 101 on the deck of the boat.
[0065] According to an embodiment not shown in the figures, the wing is equipped with a vertical lift-generating device mounted near one or both wingtips. Preferably, the vertical lift-generating device has a flat or profiled surface that generates vertical lift. The vertical lift-generating device may include at least one part that is movable about an axis substantially orthogonal to the wing axis to allow at least a portion of the vertical lift-generating device to be tilted relative to the wing.
[0066] It can be anticipated that the 101 system includes a tilting mechanism that allows the wing, and possibly its support, to be tilted around a horizontal axis.
[0067] The tilting system allows the wing, and possibly its support, to be moved between an upright position, in which, when the system is mounted on the deck of the boat, it extends perpendicularly to the deck of the boat, and a tilted position, in which, when the system is mounted on the deck of the boat, the wing extends substantially parallel to the deck of the boat.
[0068] When the wing extends vertically and pivots around an axis substantially parallel to the wing's axis—that is, during wing operation in its vertical state—and apart from any possible tilting of the support around an axis perpendicular to the wing's axis, the support remains fixed relative to the boat's deck. Similarly, the fan is arranged so that, when the wing extends vertically and pivots around an axis substantially parallel to the wing's axis, the fan housing remains fixed relative to the boat's deck.
[0069] The invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings.
[0070] Furthermore, the term "including" does not exclude other elements or steps. In addition, features or steps described with reference to one of the embodiments set out above may also be used in combination with other features or steps from other embodiments set out above.
Claims
1. A lift-generating system (101) intended to be placed in moving air (FI) so as to produce a lift force, the lift-generating system (101) comprising: - a hollow body, referred to as a sail (1), that is elongate along an axis (A1), the peripheral wall (10) of the sail having at least one opening (12), referred to as suction opening, designed to cause the outside of the sail to communicate with the inside (102) of the sail (1); and - a suction device allowing air to be drawn in through said at least one suction opening (12); - a support (4) which supports the sail and with respect to which the sail (1) is mounted with the ability to pivot about an axis substantially parallel to the axis (A1) of the sail, and said suction device comprises a fan (3); the lift-generating system (101) being characterized in that the fan is situated outside the sail (1) and in communication with the inside (102) of the sail (1) so as to draw air through said at least one suction opening (12) in the sail and discharge the drawn-in air via an outlet of the fan (3), the fan (3) comprising an impeller wheel (30), surrounded by a housing (31) which defines, around the impeller wheel, a duct able to guide the air discharged by the impeller wheel, and a motor to drive the rotation of the impeller wheel (30) about an axis substantially parallel to the axis (A1) of the sail, the housing (31) of the fan (3) having an outlet (32) of axis (A32) substantially orthogonal to the axis (A30) of the impeller wheel (30) of the fan.
2. The system (101) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system comprises a hollow connecting element (13) which extends at least partly between the lower end of the sail (1) and the fan (3) to allow fluidic communication between the sail (1) and the fan (3).
3. The system (101) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connecting element (13) comprises a form-matching wall having an opening that communicates with the fan (3).
4. The system (101) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the form-matching wall is equipped with an annular element (130) which extends around the opening of the form-matching wall and on the side of the inside of the sail (1), the cross section of said annular element (130) having a curved, for example convex, profile so as to limit the pressure drops experienced by the air flow between the sail (1) and the fan (3).
5. The lift-generating system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fan (3) is contained within an imaginary housing that surrounds the support (4).
6. The system (101) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the fan (3) is a centrifugal fan.
7. The system (101) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the fan (3) is a mixed-flow fan.
8. The system (101) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sail (1) is equipped with a device that generates vertical lift, which device is mounted close to one and / or the other of the ends of the sail.
9. The system (101) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the device that generates vertical lift comprises at least a part which is mounted with the ability to move about an axis substantially orthogonal to the axis (A1) of the sail.
10. The system (101) as claimed in either one of claims 8 or 9, wherein the device that generates vertical lift comprises a suction system allowing air from outside to be drawn into the inside of the sail.
11. The system (101) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the peripheral wall (10) of the sail (1) is equipped with a flap (14) that is able to move relative to the peripheral wall (10) to make it possible to separate the suction-face air flow from the pressure-face air flow.
12. The system (101) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the peripheral wall (10) of the sail (1) has two suction openings (12) and a shutoff system, such as a flap (14), so as to allow one of the suction openings (12) to be selectively shut off and the other suction opening (12) to be uncovered.
13. The system (101) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (31) of the fan (3) is extended by a variable-section discharge duct, the cross section preferably decreasing toward the outlet end of the discharge duct.
14. The system (101) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the system (101) comprises a tilting system to allow the sail, and possibly its support, to be tilted about an axis substantially orthogonal to the axis (A1) of the sail, preferably a substantially horizontal axis.
15. A boat (100) comprising at least one lift-generating system (101) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fan (3) is situated between the sail (1) and the deck (111) of the boat, and, the sail (1) being mounted with the ability to pivot relative to the deck of the boat, about an axis substantially parallel to the axis (A1) of the sail.
16. The boat (100) as claimed in the preceding claim, wherein the support is arranged in such a way that when the sail is standing vertically and pivots about an axis substantially parallel to the axis (A1) of the sail, the support (4) remains fixed relative to the deck of the boat.
17. The boat (100) as claimed in claim 15 or 16, wherein the fan (3) is arranged in such a way that when the sail is standing vertically and pivots about an axis substantially parallel to the axis (A1) of the sail, the housing (31) of the fan (3) remains fixed relative to the deck of the boat.
18. The boat (100) as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the axis (A32) of the outlet (32) of the casing (31) of the fan (3) is directed toward the stern of the boat, preferably substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the boat.