Wave-Wind Hybrid Power System Torque Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wind and wave power generation technologies face instability and high maintenance costs, with wind power being intermittent and prone to mechanical damage from strong winds, while wave power generation is costly and has variable energy output, making continuous and efficient energy production challenging.

Innovation Solution

A wave-wind mutually supplementing power supply system that combines wave kinetic energy modules with wind power generation, featuring a wave energy harnessing unit, transmission shaft, generator unit, torque adjusting unit, and automatic control unit, using two coaxially disposed generators of different wattages and a sea water motion sensor to optimize energy conversion based on wave amplitudes, and a torque adjusting device to stabilize power output.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If wind power generation is used, then it is easy to install and has low maintenance cost, but it is unstable and frequently interrupted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of installationVSAvoidpower generation stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines wave power generation facilities with wind power generation facilities at the same location, merging two different energy generation systems. The wave power generation module includes a wave energy harnessing unit with a float unit that moves with waves, connected through transmission mechanisms to generators, working in conjunction with wind power facilities to provide complementary power generation when wind is unavailable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If wave power generation facilities are built, then they can provide continuous power generation potential, but they cost a lot of money to build

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous power generationVSAvoidconstruction cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The wave power generation facilities are built in combination with wind power generation facilities at the same location, sharing common infrastructure such as foundations, cables, and maintenance facilities. This merged approach reduces the overall construction cost while maintaining the continuous power generation capability provided by the wave energy component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If wave power generation is used, then it is more predictable than wind power, but the transitional period between movement and stable generation reduces efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovepredictabilityVSAvoidpower generation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a torque adjusting unit with a variable ratio transmission mechanism that dynamically adjusts the transmission ratio between the transmission shaft and generator based on wave conditions. During the transitional period when waves are first detected, the system adjusts the transmission ratio to optimize torque transfer, ensuring efficient power generation from the start of wave motion rather than waiting for stable wave conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Strength

If wind power generation operates during strong winds, then mechanical damages occur forcing shutdown, but power generation is interrupted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical durabilityVSAvoidpower generation continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of strong winds into a beneficial situation by utilizing the same strong winds to generate waves. When wind speeds are high and would normally force wind power generation to shut down to avoid mechanical damage, the system switches to wave power generation mode, where the wave energy harnessing unit captures energy from the waves generated by these strong winds, thereby maintaining power generation continuity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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

Enables continuous, stable, and cost-effective power generation by synchronizing wave and wind energy output, reducing downtime and maintenance costs, and leveraging the predictability of wave energy to complement wind power, thus addressing the limitations of individual technologies.

Implementation Method 1

The wave energy harnessing unit (100) is capable of harnessing the kinetic energy generated through the motion of sea waves (30)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectKinetic energy conversion: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

as the float unit moves up and down with the sea water, the central ball screw moves in sync with the float unit and then such vertical motion passed through the bevel gear to the two one-directional bevel gear pieces

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical motion conversion: Archimedes Screw

Implementation Method 3

the generator unit may receive the kinetic energy transmitted from the transmission shaft and convert it to electricity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic conversion: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP3267030B1Wave-wind mutually supplementing power supply system for continuous power generation
Publication Date: 2020.01.08 WENG
  • EP3267030B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3267030B1 patent drawingFigure 1a
  • EP3267030B1 patent drawingFigure 1b

AI summary

A wave-wind mutually supplementing power supply system for continuous power generation is disclosed. The system of the present invention has a wave kinetic energy module (10), which comprises a wave energy harnessing unit (100), a transmission shaft (110), a generator unit (120), a torque adjusting unit (130) and an automatic control unit (140). The wave kinetic energy module (10) is disposed on/in a sea and may generate electricity through the motion of sea water. The electricity so generated is combined with a wind power generation device to provide continuous power generation. The automatic control unit (140) has a microprocessor (141) and a sea water motion sensor unit (142) so as to adjust the torque of the transmission shaft and control the activation of the generator unit according to the motion of the sea water.