Rail Tether Umbrella Power Generation System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wind power generation techniques lack high power output and consistent power delivery, which are essential for addressing the need for clean, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly energy sources.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a rail tether with a working umbrella that is powered by fluid, such as air or water, during a working stroke and coupled to a generator, with a motor assisting during a recovery stroke, allowing for efficient harnessing of wind or water energy through a kite-guided umbrella ladder system with automated control mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If conventional wind power generation techniques are used, then power generation can be achieved, but the power output is not high and power delivery is inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the power generation function into multiple working umbrellas that operate independently on separate rail tethers. Each umbrella-genera tor unit works autonomously, and their combined outputs are aggregated, enabling both high total power output and consistent delivery through distribution across multiple independent units.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic working strokes and recovery strokes for each umbrella, where umbrellas alternate between generating power (working stroke) and being reset (recovery stroke). This periodic cyclic operation allows continuous power generation across the system as different umbrellas are in different phases of their cycles, ensuring consistent power delivery.
2Power
If multiple working umbrellas are used to increase power output, then high power generation is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple working umbrellas are designed with identical structures and functions, each serving the same power generation purpose. This modular universality allows the system to scale power capacity by simply adding more identical units rather than designing increasingly complex single-unit systems, thereby increasing power output while controlling complexity through standardization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges multiple independent umbrella-genera tor units onto a common support structure with shared control systems and power aggregation points. This combining approach allows the system to achieve high total power output while reducing overall complexity by sharing common infrastructure rather than having completely separate systems for each umbrella.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the working stroke time is increased to maximize power generation, then more energy is captured, but the recovery time is reduced, affecting the cycle efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system operates umbrellas in periodic cycles of working strokes and recovery strokes. By organizing operations into regular periodic cycles, the system can optimize the duration of each phase to maximize energy capture during working strokes while ensuring sufficient but minimized recovery time, maintaining overall cycle efficiency through rhythmic operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous useful action by having multiple umbrellas in different phases of their cycles simultaneously. While one umbrella is in recovery, another is in working stroke, ensuring that the system as a whole continuously captures energy without idle time, thereby maximizing energy capture while minimizing the impact of individual recovery periods.
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
This system achieves high power generation, with the potential to produce 10 MW or more of power, while maintaining efficiency and reliability by optimizing the working and recovery cycles of multiple umbrellas, and can be scaled for both wind and water energy applications.
Implementation Method 1
the working umbrella is powered by the fluid in a first direction along the rail tether during a working stroke of the working umbrella
Implementation Method 2
A motor is coupled to the working umbrella during at least a recovery stroke of the working umbrella
Implementation Method 3
A working tether couples the working umbrella to a generator during at least the working stroke of the working umbrella
Data Source
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AI summary
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a system for power generation from a fluid, such as air or water. The system comprises a rail tether, and a working umbrella movably mounted to the rail tether such that the working umbrella is powered by the fluid in a first direction along the rail tether during a working stroke of the working umbrella. A working tether couples the working umbrella to a generator during at least the working stroke of the working umbrella, and a motor is coupled to the working umbrella during at least a recovery stroke of the working umbrella, the recovery stroke being in an opposite direction to the first direction along the rail tether.