Integrated Wind and Solar Power System with Shared Rotary Axis
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current wind and solar energy systems are not well-integrated, leading to variability in electricity generation that makes it difficult to balance demand with supply, as they operate independently despite sharing the same real estate, and lack effective solutions for combining their outputs effectively.
Innovation Solution
An integrated system combining vertical axis wind turbines and concentrating solar mirror collectors with a heat engine and thermal storage, where the rotary motion from both sources is shared via a common output driveshaft connected to a generator, enhancing dispatchability and power generation efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If stand-alone wind and solar systems operate independently on the same real estate, then greater power is generated per unit area, but the systems are not well integrated and operate as if stand-alone, leading to variability in electricity generation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines wind turbine and solar collector systems into a single integrated structure where the wind turbine is positioned above the solar collectors, sharing the same real estate footprint. The systems are mechanically coupled through a common driveshaft that connects both the wind turbine rotor and solar collector rotor to a single generator, enabling coordinated operation and reducing variability in electricity generation while maintaining high power density.
2Reliability
If wind and solar systems are well-integrated with shared rotary motion, then dispatchability is enhanced and variability is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal driveshaft mechanism that serves multiple functions: it transmits mechanical energy from the wind turbine rotor, transmits mechanical energy from the solar collector rotor, and drives the generator to produce electricity. This multi-functional coupling enables the system to operate as a unified hybrid energy system, improving dispatchability by allowing either or both sources to contribute to power generation based on availability and demand conditions.
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 integrated system increases power generation per unit area, improves energy conversion efficiency, and enhances dispatchability by utilizing thermal storage, allowing for efficient electricity production even at low wind speeds and varying solar conditions, thereby addressing the variability issues of standalone systems.
Implementation Method 1
concentrating solar mirror collectors
Implementation Method 2
solar energy collection assembly
Implementation Method 3
a heat engine used to convert the collected heat energy into rotary motion
Implementation Method 4
vertical axis wind turbine
Implementation Method 5
vertical axis wind turbine
Implementation Method 6
The heat engine preferably also has a thermal storage element to store energy
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
An integrated wind and solar solution is provided, including a solar energy collection assembly (100) and a vertical axis wind turbine (400), combined to provide an integrated power output. In preferred embodiments, the vertical axis wind turbine is positioned above the solar energy collection assembly. Concentrating solar mirror collectors (116) are used to direct sunlight to a heat engine (250), which converts the collected heat energy into rotary motion. Rotary motion from the heat engine and from the vertical axis wind turbine preferably are on the same rotating axis (600), to facilitate load sharing between these two sources. A dual axis azimuth-altitude solar panel alignment tracking system is used in order to boost the energy conversion capability of the solar energy collectors.