Electrical power generator harnessing a swaying movement of a pole and including a system for generating a magnetic repulsion force

• US 10,641,243 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2015
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vortex Bladeless, S.L.
• Original Assignee: Vortex Bladeless, S.L.
• Inventors: Yanez Villarreal, David Jesus
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tulsidas C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mikailoff, S.
• Application Number:
  US15/506,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20170284365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,677 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 5/06 the wind-engaging parts swinging to-and-fro and not rotating
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0236 Magnetic suspension or levitation for vehicles B60L13/04; magnetic bearings F16C39/063
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/02 with moving magnets and stationary coil systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/09 with magnetic bearings
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 15/00 Holding or levitation devices using magnetic attraction or repulsion, not otherwise provided for electric or magnetic devices for holding work on machine tools B23Q3/15 ; monorail vehicle propulsion or suspension B60L13/00; sliding or levitation devices for railway systems B61B13/08; material handling devices associated with conveyors incorporating devices with electrostatic or magnetic grippers B65G47/92; separating thin or filamentary articles from piles using magnetic force B65H3/16; delivering thin or filamentary articles from magnetic holders by air blast or suction B65H29/24; bearings using magnetic or electric supporting means F16C32/04; relieving bearing loads using magnetic means F16C39/06; magnets H01F7/00; dynamo-electric clutches or brakes H02K49/00 ; electric furnaces with simultaneous levitation and heating H05B6/32
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/181 Circuits; Control arrangements or methods
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/185 using fluid streams
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/70 Wind energy

Abstract

An electrical power generator includes a first part configured to be located in a fluid such that, when the fluid moves, it generates vortices in the fluid so that a lift force is generated on the first part, which produces an oscillating movement of the first part, which has an amplitude. The natural oscillation frequency of the first part may be adjusted to wind speed by way of magnets, which repel each other. Magnets may also be used to generate electrical currents in coils. The first part can have a diameter that increases with distance above the base of the generator.

Claims

1. An electrical power generator, comprising:

a first part having a first terminal end and a second terminal end, the first terminal end being configured to be anchored in an anchoring point, the second end being free such that the first part can perform an oscillating movement, the oscillating movement being a swaying movement of the first part relative to the anchoring point, the first part being configured to be located in a fluid and configured such that, when said fluid moves, vortices in the fluid are generated such that a lift force is generated on the first part, producing the oscillating movement of the first part relative to the anchoring point, wherein said oscillating movement has an amplitude that varies according to a velocity of said fluid;

a second part that surrounds, at least partially, said first part;

a system having at least one first magnet attached to the first part and at least one second magnet attached to the second part, the system configured to generate a magnetic field between the at least one first magnet and the at least one second magnet that produces a magnetic repulsion force between the first part and the second part, wherein the at least one first magnet is arranged at a distance from said at least one second magnet such that the distance varies with the oscillating movement, wherein the magnetic repulsion force generated by the at least one first magnet and the at least one second magnet, varies with the oscillating movement of the first part due to variation of the distance between the at least one first magnet and the at least one second magnet, such that an amplitude of the magnetic repulsion force increases when the amplitude of the oscillating movement of the first part increases; and

a subsystem of magnets configured to induce electrical current in at least one coil, the generator being configured such that the oscillating movement of the first part produces a relative displacement between the subsystem of magnets and the at least one coil, such that an electromotive force is generated in said at least one coil.

2. The generator according to claim 1, wherein said at least one first magnet comprises at least two diametrically opposed parts, and wherein said at least one second magnet comprises at least two diametrically opposed parts facing said at least two diametrically opposed parts of said at least one first magnet, wherein said at least one first magnet is configured as at least one ring.

3. The generator according to claim 2, wherein said at least one second magnet is configured as at least one ring.

4. The generator according to claim 1, wherein said at least one first magnet comprises a plurality of magnets arranged at different heights above a base of the generator and wherein said at least one second magnet comprises a plurality of magnets arranged at different heights above the base of the generator.

5. The generator according to claim 1,

wherein said at least one first magnet comprises a first plurality of magnets arranged substantially adjacent to each other and with polarities arranged so that the magnetic field produced by said first plurality of magnets is stronger on a first side of said first plurality of magnets facing said at least one second magnet than on a second side, or

wherein said at least one second magnet comprises a second plurality of magnets arranged substantially adjacent to each other and with polarities arranged so that the magnetic field produced by said second plurality of magnets is stronger on a first side of said second plurality of magnets facing said at least one first magnet than on a second side.

6. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first magnet and the at least one second magnet are arranged in an inclined manner in relation to a longitudinal axis of the first part.

7. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the first part is configured such that the amplitude of the oscillating movement increases when the velocity of the fluid increases, at least within a certain range of velocities.

8. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the subsystem of magnets comprises the at least one first magnet.

9. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the subsystem of magnets comprises a plurality of magnets arranged such that when the first part moves during the oscillating movement of the first part from a neutral position to an extreme tilted position, said at least one coil is subjected to at least one change of direction of the magnetic field.

10. The generator according to claim 1, the at least one coil being arranged on the second part and the subsystem of magnets being arranged on the first part.

11. The generator according to claim 1, further comprising a generator subsystem comprising a first generator module and a second generator module, wherein said second generator module moves in relation to said first generator module and in parallel with a longitudinal axis of the first part, such that the movement produces the relative displacement between the subsystem of magnets and the at least one coil.

12. The generator according to claim 11, wherein the generator is configured such that as a result of the oscillating movement of the first part, an oscillating movement of the second generator module is produced, the oscillating movement of the second generator module being in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of the first part and having a frequency higher than a frequency of the oscillating movement of the first part.

13. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the second part comprises a first generator module and a second generator module, wherein the second generator module moves in relation to the first generator module such that the movement produces the relative displacement between the subsystem of magnets and the at least one coil, wherein the second generator module is suspended to oscillate in relation to the first generator module, at a frequency different from a frequency of the oscillating movement of the first part.

14. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the first part comprises an oscillating pole and wherein the second part comprises a static structure located in correspondence with a base of the oscillating pole.

15. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the first part comprises a substantially rigid part at the second terminal end and a substantially flexible part at the first terminal end, such that, given the flexibility of the substantially flexible part, the first part can perform the oscillating movement relative to the anchoring point.

16. A method for making an electrical power generator, the generator comprising:

a first part having a first terminal end and a second terminal end, the first terminal end being anchored to an anchoring point and the second terminal end being free, the first part being configured to be located in a fluid and configured such that when said fluid moves, vortices in said fluid are generated such that a lift force is generated on the first part, producing an oscillating movement of the first part relative to the anchoring point,

a second part that surrounds, at least partially, said first part; and

a subsystem of magnets configured to induce electrical current in at least one coil, the generator being configured such that the oscillating movement of the first part produces a relative displacement between the subsystem of magnets and the at least one coil, such that an electromotive force is generated in said at least one coil,

the method comprising the step of arranging at least one first magnet on the first part and at least one second magnet on the second part, such that said at least one first magnet and said at least one second magnet repel each other with a magnetic repulsion force, wherein the at least one first magnet is arranged at a distance from said at least one second magnet such that the distance varies with the oscillating movement, wherein the magnetic repulsion force generated by the at least one first magnet and the at least one second magnet, varies with the oscillating movement of the first part due to variation of the distance between the at least one first magnet and the at least one second magnet, such that an amplitude of the magnetic repulsion force increases when the amplitude of the oscillating movement of the first part increases.