Power system for a building structure

• US 20080188174A1
• Filed: 02/01/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Innovation and Design Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Innovation and Design Incorporated
• Inventors: Aminpour, Rouzbeh, Gaddis, Marc
• Application Number:
  US11/701,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20080188174A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 454/309
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/04 having stationary wind-guiding means, e.g. with shrouds or channels F03D9/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/11 storing electrical energy
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/34 on stationary objects or on stationary man-made structures
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/7068 equipped with permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/13 to collect or cause flow towards or away from turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/131 by means of vertical structures, i.e. chimneys
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/08 Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates F24F7/013, F24F13/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/30 Wind power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 Onshore wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin

Abstract

An electrical generation system is adapted for use with an HVAC system to adjust the louvers of a shutter disposed to control a flow of air into the room of a house. The generation system includes a wind generator disposed in a duct of the HVAC system and having properties for generating electricity. This electricity is collected for use in powering a motor to adjust the louvers of the shutter. The wind generator includes a turbine which powers a generator to produce the electricity. Ultimately the electricity can be controlled to adjust the louvers of the shutter from a remote location.

Claims

1. An electrical generation system adapted for use with a building structure having at least one room, the generation system comprising:

an HVAC unit disposed in proximity to the building structure for generating a flow of HVAC air;

a duct providing communication between the HVAC unit and the building structure, the duct terminating in the room of the building structure and having properties for directing at least a portion of the HVAC air into the room; and

a wind generator disposed in the flow of the HVAC air and having properties responsive to the flow of HVAC air to generate electricity for use with the building structure.

2. The electrical generation system of claim 1 wherein the wind generator is disposed in the duct.

3. The wind generation system of claim 2 wherein the wind generator is disposed in proximity to the room.

4. The wind generation system recited in claim 3, further comprising:

a shutter disposed in proximity to the wind generator and being moveable between a first position wherein the shutter is closed to block the flow of the HVAC air into the room, and a second position wherein the shutter is open to facilitate a flow of the HVAC air into the room.

5. The electrical generation system recited in claim 4 wherein the shutter is disposed downstream of the wind generator in proximity to the wind generator.

6. The electrical generation system recited in claim 5 wherein the shutter forms a register disposed to terminate the duct in the room.

7. The electrical generation system recited in claim 5 wherein the shutter is disposed generally perpendicular to the flow of HVAC air in the duct.

8. The electrical generation system recited in claim 4, further comprising:

a plurality of louvers included in the shutter; and

a motor responsive to the electricity generated by the wind generator for moving the louvers of the shutter between the first position and the second position.

9. The electrical generation system recited in claim 7 wherein the shutter is disposed to receive the entire flow of HVAC air in the duct.

10. An electrical generation system adapted for use with a building structure having at least one room, the generation system comprising:

an HVAC unit disposed in proximity to the building structure for generating a flow of HVAC air;

a duct providing communication between the HVAC unit and the building structure, the duct terminating in the room of the building structure and having properties for directing at least a portion of the HVAC air into the room;

a wind turbine responsive to the flow of HVAC air to produce rotary power;

a generator responsive to the rotary power of the turbine to generate electricity; and

a shutter responsive to the electricity generated by the generator for controlling the flow of the HVAC air into the room.

11. The electrical generation system recited in claim 10, wherein:

the turbine includes a first shaft having a first axis of rotation; and

the generator includes a second shaft having a second axis of rotation.

12. The electrical generation system recited in claim 11 wherein the first axis of the first shaft is coincident with the second axis of the second shaft.

13. The electrical generation system recited in claim 12 wherein the first shaft is common with the second shaft.

14. The electrical generation system recited in claim 10 wherein the duct has a generally cylindrical wall, and the system further comprises:

a housing forming a conduit having a generally cylindrical walls disposed in proximity to the wall of the duct so that substantially all of the HVAC air flowing in the duct passes through the conduit; and

means for mounting the turbine and the generator inside of the conduit.

15. The electrical generation system recited in claim 10, wherein the generator further comprises:

at least one coil having a stationary relationship with the conduit and being disposed generally in a first plane;

a plurality of magnetic disks having a rotary relationship with the conduit and having properties for producing a rotating flux field oriented in a second plane generally perpendicular to the first plane to produce electrical energy in the coil.

16. The electrical generation system recited in claim 15, further comprising:

a collector coupled to the coil of the generator for storing the electrical energy received from the coil.

17. The electrical generation system recited in claim 16 wherein the collector comprises a battery.

18. The electrical generation system recited in claim 16 wherein the collector comprises a capacitor.

19. An electrical generation system adapted for use with a building structure, comprising:

an energy collector disposed in the building structure for collecting energy in the vicinity of the building structure;

a converter for converting the energy of the collector into electrical energy; and

means for using the electrical energy converted by the converter for purposes associated with the building structure.

20. The electrical generation system recited in claim 19 wherein the energy collected in the house is light energy.

21. The electrical generation system recited in claim 19 further comprising a sensor disposed in the building structure for collecting the light energy in the building structure and for converting the light energy in the building structure into the electrical energy.

22. The electrical generation system recited in claim 19 wherein the energy collected in the house is pneumatic energy.

23. The electrical generation system recited in claim 22, further comprising a wind generator responsive to the moving air in the HVAC duct in the building structure to convert the energy of the moving air into electrical energy.

24. The electrical generation system recited in claim 19 further comprising:

means for storing the electrical energy converted by the converter.

25. The electrical generation system recited in claim 24 wherein the storage means comprises at least one of a capacitor and a battery.

26. The electrical generation system recited in claim 19 wherein the using means comprises a motor adapted to control a flow of the energy in the building structure.