Reciprocating Energy Harnessing System for Moving Masses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for harnessing energy from naturally moving masses like wind and water are unreliable and prone to parasitic energy loss due to varying environmental conditions, leading to improper deployment and stoppages.
Innovation Solution
A closed channel, reciprocating energy harnessing system using framed, flexible drogue-style energy collectors connected by a cable and pulley system, which captures energy from moving masses and converts it into rotational work force through a self-expanding and self-collapsing mechanism within tunnels, allowing for efficient energy conversion with minimal hardware and positive/negative controllable motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If traditional free flowing open channel systems are used to harness energy from moving masses, then the system structure is simple, but the system reliability deteriorates due to improper deployment and stoppages from varying environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The energy collectors are designed to dynamically expand and collapse in response to varying environmental conditions. The flexible membrane structure allows the collectors to adapt their shape and size, enabling them to maintain functionality across different flow conditions while preventing deployment failures and stoppages
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes physical parameters of the energy collectors including membrane flexibility, cross-sectional area, and structural configuration to optimize performance under varying environmental conditions. This allows the system to maintain reliability across different operational scenarios without requiring complex control mechanisms
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional open channel systems are used, then deployment is simpler, but parasitic energy loss increases due to uncontrolled flow and environmental variability
Solution Approach 1:
The closed channel design ensures continuous and controlled interaction between the moving mass and energy collectors, eliminating uncontrolled flow paths. The reciprocating motion mechanism maintains continuous energy transfer from the flow to the generators, reducing parasitic losses while keeping deployment straightforward
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and controls only the useful portion of the flow energy through the closed channel structure, separating the productive energy transfer path from the uncontrolled environmental flow. This extraction approach minimizes parasitic losses by directing flow efficiently through the energy collection mechanism
3Productivity
If framed flexible drogue-style energy collectors with reciprocating mechanism are used, then energy conversion efficiency improves, but device complexity increases compared to traditional systems
Solution Approach 1:
The energy collectors utilize the kinetic energy of the moving mass itself to drive the reciprocating mechanism and generators, without requiring external power sources or complex control systems. The flexible membrane structure self-actuates through flow pressure differences, converting environmental energy directly into useful work while maintaining relatively simple hardware
Solution Approach 2:
The framed flexible drogue-style collectors serve multiple functions simultaneously: they act as flow sensors, energy capture surfaces, and self-actuating mechanisms. The same flexible membrane structure that captures flow energy also drives the reciprocating motion, eliminating the need for separate actuation systems and reducing overall device complexity
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 effectively harnesses energy from moving masses, converting it into rotational force for generators or other devices with low parasitic loss, providing a reliable and efficient means for energy production.
Implementation Method 1
harnessing energy from weight or pressure exerted on the system by naturally moving masses such as, but not limited to, wind and water
Implementation Method 2
connected by a cable and pulley system, which captures energy from moving masses and converts it into rotational work force
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes at least two tunnels configured for immersion in a moving mass wherein a part of the moving mass passes through the tunnels. An energy collector is disposed in each of the tunnels. The energy collector has an open state and a collapsed state where the collector in the open state collects energy from the moving mass. An actuator joined to each of the energy collectors transitions the energy collector between the open state and the collapsed state. An actuator activator in each of the at least two tunnels activates the actuators where activation of the actuators results in a reciprocating motion of the energy collectors in the tunnels. A cable system joins the actuators for transferring the reciprocating motion. A pulley system translates the reciprocating motion to a rotational force wherein energy from the moving mass is transferred to the rotational force.