Adaptive Wind Capture Surface with Mechanical Inertia Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current windmill-based electricity generators are static and unable to dynamically adjust their surface area to optimize wind capture, leading to inefficient electricity generation due to fixed dimensions based on expected wind flow, resulting in suboptimal energy production when wind conditions vary.
Innovation Solution
A self-adaptive wind generator system utilizing AI/ML to collect data from local sensors and online sources to dynamically expand or retract the wind capture surface and accumulate mechanical energy as inertia, which is then released when needed to optimize electricity generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If windmills are designed with fixed dimensions based on expected wind flow, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easier, but electricity generation becomes inefficient when wind conditions vary
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the wind capture surface movable and adjustable rather than fixed. The surface can expand or retract based on real-time wind conditions detected by sensors, allowing the windmill to optimize its capture area dynamically. This resolves the contradiction by enabling the system to adapt to varying wind flows, thereby maintaining high electricity generation efficiency without requiring overly complex manufacturing for multiple fixed-size configurations.
2Productivity
If the wind capture surface is made larger to capture more wind, then energy capture improves, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the wind capture surface into multiple independent segments or panels that can be individually adjusted. This allows the surface to be expanded or contracted in a modular fashion, reducing the overall device complexity compared to a single large movable surface. The segmented approach enables incremental adjustment and simplifies the mechanical structures required for each segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic adjustment capability allows the wind capture surface to be optimized for current wind conditions without permanently requiring the maximum possible size. The surface can be retracted when wind flow is low, effectively reducing the active capture area and associated structural complexity only when necessary, rather than always requiring the full complex structure.
3Productivity
If the windmill surface is made adjustable to adapt to wind flow, then electricity generation optimization improves, but the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using sensors to continuously monitor wind flow conditions and automatically adjusting the surface area accordingly. The control system receives feedback from the sensors about current wind conditions and makes real-time adjustments to the capture surface, creating a closed-loop system that optimizes electricity generation without requiring complex predictive modeling or manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The windmill system performs self-adjustment based on sensor feedback, making the control process relatively simple. The system serves itself by automatically detecting wind conditions and adjusting its own surface area without requiring external control or complex decision-making algorithms, thereby reducing control system complexity while maintaining optimization capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enhances wind energy capture and generation efficiency by adapting to varying wind conditions, ensuring consistent electricity production even in areas with limited wind flow by converting windmill rotation into mechanical inertia for later energy release.
Implementation Method 1
the dimensions of the surfaces capturing wind flow extend or retract dynamically and automatically depending on the flow of wind available
Implementation Method 2
accumulate the generated energy as mechanical inertia to be released at later stage
Implementation Method 3
a pressure valve, a set of springs or metal blades
Implementation Method 4
electric generator based on a windmill
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5
AI summary
This invention is related in general to an electric generator based on a windmill, and, in the mobile, dynamic, and self-adaptive surface of the wind generator based on Artificial Intelligence or Machine learning logic to optimize the generation of electricity based on the wind available at all times and accumulate the generated energy as mechanical inertia to be released at later stage. The dimensions of the surfaces capturing wind flow extend or retract dynamically and automatically depending on the flow of wind available at any given moment, which is detected by the same system of the mill to adapt to the wind flow present in each moment. The windmill will include a set of in-built local sensors such wind direction monitoring device, humidity, temperature and other parameters collected from online sources e.g. Public Internet or private data networks that obtain weather forecast information. The AI/ML module in the windmill will collect the parameters from the local sensors together with the information from online sources to predict wind flow and adapt the surface of the windmill for optimal wind capture and energy generation. The windmill rotation force will be used to generate electricity during the run time but the windmill will also translate the rotating force into pressure action over the mechanical module that will comprise a pressure valve, a set of springs or metal blades. This mechanical module will accumulate the rotating energy from the windmill into mechanical energy in form of compressed strings or void valve which will release their accumulated energy as inertia rotation movements into electricity generator when needed.