Passing-Vehicle Wind Harvesting With Pumped-Reservoir Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind energy generation systems face challenges with unpredictable natural wind patterns, high construction and maintenance costs, environmental impact, and inefficiencies in energy storage and distribution, particularly when integrated with electrical grids.
Innovation Solution
Harnessing wind energy from passing vehicles using a single sail or blade to create a reciprocating motion, which actuates pumps to store fluid energy in an upper reservoir, allowing for later electrical power generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional wind turbines are used to generate electricity from natural wind, then electricity can be generated, but the wind patterns are unpredictable and do not coincide with high demand periods
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the wind source from natural atmospheric conditions and relocates it to vehicle-induced airflow in tunnel environments. This extraction of the wind source from unpredictable natural conditions to controlled human activity zones provides reliable, predictable airflow that occurs during high-demand daytime hours when traffic is heavy.
2Use of energy by moving object
If wind plants are located in naturally windy places such as at sea, then wind energy can be captured, but construction and maintenance costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces tunnel structures as intermediary environments that concentrate and channel vehicle-induced airflow to the energy capture devices. This intermediary tunnel system provides a controlled environment for reliable wind energy capture while keeping the installation location on land near high-traffic areas, avoiding the high costs of offshore or remote location construction.
3Loss of time
If batteries are used to store energy for later use, then energy can be stored, but the cost and maintenance requirements become prohibitively high
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the electrical battery storage system with a mechanical potential energy storage system using elevated water reservoirs. Water is pumped to elevated tanks during periods of excess energy generation, storing energy gravitationally. During high-demand periods, water flows back down through turbines to generate electricity, providing cost-effective long-term storage without battery maintenance requirements.
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
Provides reliable, predictable energy generation with reduced environmental impact, lower construction and maintenance costs, and efficient energy storage for grid integration, independent of natural wind conditions.
Implementation Method 1
capture the wind created by passing vehicles with one or more single, separate sail, board or blades
Implementation Method 2
pumps a fluid against gravity into an upper reservoir. This generates potential energy
Implementation Method 3
The potential energy of the water can, immediately or at a later time, be released by letting the fluid flow back by gravity into a lower reservoir
Implementation Method 4
The flow can then be used to drive one or more turbines to generate electrical power
Data Source
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AI summary
A system (1) for harvesting wind energy from passing vehicles (2), storing the energy and using the energy to generate electricity. The thrust of wind from passing vehicles (2) is captured by one or more single separate sail, board or blade (3), to creating reciprocating motion. This is used for actuating one or more pumps (4) so it pumps a fluid upwards bringing the fluid into an upper reservoir (6) generating and storing potential energy. Immediately or at a later time, the fluid can be allowed to flow back to the lower reservoir (5) and the flow can be to drive a turbine or turbines (7) or to generate electrical power. Wind generated by passing cars is stored as potential energy and used, immediately or later, to generate electrical power.