Wind Power Generator Flywheel Energy Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind power generation is unstable due to variations in wind speed, leading to inconsistent power output.
Innovation Solution
A wind power generator system comprising a windmill, a first power generation unit, a flywheel, and a second power generation unit, where the flywheel stores rotational energy and provides stable power output through a one-way clutch, allowing for continuous operation even when the windmill slows or stops, and the electric power from both units is superimposed to stabilize the output.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single power generation unit is used to convert wind power directly to electricity, then the device complexity is low, but the power generation output is unstable due to wind speed variations
Solution Approach 1:
The power generation system is divided into two independent power generation units: a first power generation unit connected to the windmill rotation shaft and a second power generation unit connected to the flywheel rotation shaft. This segmentation allows each unit to contribute differently to the overall output, with the first unit capturing wind power directly and the second unit providing stable power from stored rotational energy, thereby resolving the contradiction between simplicity and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The flywheel performs preliminary energy storage by accumulating rotational energy from the windmill during periods of sufficient wind power. This preliminary action allows the system to maintain stable output during wind speed fluctuations, as the stored energy can be converted to electricity by the second power generation unit when needed, before the instability affects the overall output.
2Reliability
If the flywheel is always connected to the rotation shaft, then the power generation output is stable, but the flywheel cannot accumulate rotational energy during wind speed variations
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the flywheel and rotation shaft is made dynamic through a one-way clutch mechanism. The clutch allows the flywheel to be coupled to the rotation shaft when wind power is sufficient for energy accumulation, and decoupled when the windmill speed varies, allowing the flywheel to maintain constant speed and continue generating stable power. This dynamic connection resolves the contradiction between stability and energy accumulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The one-way clutch acts as an intermediary mechanism between the windmill rotation shaft and the flywheel. It selectively transmits rotational energy from the windmill to the flywheel for energy accumulation while allowing the flywheel to operate independently when needed, thus enabling both stable power generation and effective energy accumulation without direct permanent coupling.
3Reliability
If only the second power generation unit connected to the flywheel is used for output, then the output is stable, but the overall power generation capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The outputs of both power generation units are merged and supplied to a common load. The first power generation unit contributes power during periods of sufficient wind, while the second power generation unit provides stable baseline power from flywheel energy. This merging of outputs achieves both high power generation capacity and stable output, resolving the contradiction between capacity and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed so that both power generation units can operate simultaneously and contribute to the common output, making the system multi-functional. The first unit handles high-power wind availability periods, while the second unit ensures continuous stable operation, together providing both high capacity and high stability that neither unit could achieve alone.
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 achieves relatively stable power generation by utilizing the stored rotational energy from the flywheel to maintain output stability, reducing the impact of wind speed variations and ensuring continuous operation with reduced speed fluctuations.
Implementation Method 1
The flywheel is arranged through a one-way clutch so that when the rotation shaft increases its speed in the constant rotational direction, the flywheel rotates with increased speed in an integrally rotating state with the rotation shaft, and when the rotation shaft reduces its speed in the constant rotational direction, the flywheel is separated from the rotation shaft to rotate inertially.
Implementation Method 2
the electric power generated by the second power generation unit is generated based on a stable rotational energy stored in the flywheel
Implementation Method 3
The flywheel is coaxial with the rotation shaft and arranged through a one-way clutch so that when the rotation shaft increases its speed in the constant rotational direction, the flywheel rotates with increased speed in an integrally rotating state with the rotation shaft, and when the rotation shaft reduces its speed in the constant rotational direction, the flywheel is separated from the rotation shaft to rotate inertially.
Implementation Method 4
The first power generation unit has a rotor, which is arranged so as to be coaxial with the rotation shaft of the windmill and rotate integrally with the rotation shaft, and generates electric power by the rotation of the rotor with the rotation of the rotation shaft.
Data Source
AI summary
A wind power generator comprises a first power generator including a rotor arranged so as to be coaxial with a rotation shaft and generates electric power by the rotation of the rotor, a flywheel which is coaxial with the rotation shaft and arranged through a one-way clutch so that when the rotation shaft increases its speed, the flywheel is in an integrally rotating state with the rotation shaft, and when the rotation shaft reduces its speed, the flywheel is separated from the rotation shaft to rotate inertially, a second power generator including a rotor arranged so as to be coaxial with the flywheel and rotate integrally with the flywheel generates the electric power by the rotation of the rotor with the rotation of the flywheel, and an output portion which externally outputs any one of the electric powers generated by the first and second power generators.