FLUID DRIVEN ELECTRIC POWER GENERATION SYSTEM

• US 20080238105A1
• Filed: 05/27/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MDL Enterprises LLC
• Original Assignee: MDL Enterprises LLC
• Inventors: Ortiz, Luis M., Wichers, Donald, Baca, Anthony Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,067,852 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 11/02 Casings spiral or volute casings F03B3/186
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/10 Submerged units incorporating electric generators or motors
• 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 13/20 Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 3/04 having stationary wind-guiding means, e.g. with shrouds or channels F03D9/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/00 Adaptations of wind motors for special use; Combinations of wind motors with apparatus driven thereby; Wind motors specially adapted for installation in particular locations hybrid wind-photovoltaic energy systems for the generation of electric power H02S10/12
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/32 on moving objects, e.g. vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/34 on stationary objects or on stationary man-made structures
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/12 Fluid guiding means, e.g. vanes
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/13 to collect or cause flow towards or away from turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/132 creating a vortex or tornado effect
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/941 which is a land vehicle
• 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 10/20 Hydro energy
• 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 10/74 : Wind turbines with rotation axis perpendicular to the wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/90 : Energy harvesting concepts as power supply for auxiliaries' energy consumption, e.g. photovoltaic sun-roof

Abstract

A tubular housing includes at least one fixed helical vane formed onto the inner surfaces of the tubular housing in a spiral and adapted to direct fluid into a spiraled flow and focus fluid onto a fan blade assembly associated with an alternator system and located within the tubular housing before a system exhaust. A generator cone can be mounted near the center and front of the fan blade assembly facing fluid passing through the tubular housing. As fluid passes over the generator cone it experiences compression between the generator cone and housing resulting in increased pressure and velocity of the fluid, thereby increasing rotational speed of the generator blades and generator as the compressed, spiraled fluid passes through the blades and exits the tubular housing. The system can be used for fixed or mobile applications in water, wind and manually induced air flow.

Claims

1. A fluid driven electrical power generating system, comprising:

a tubular housing having an inner surface, outer surface, a first end and a second end, the first end adapted to receive incoming fluid and directing it through the tubular housing, and the second end providing an exhaust for fluid to exit from the tubular housing;

an electrical alternator mounted within the tubular housing before the exhaust, the electrical alternator further including fan rotor assembling including fan blades adapted to rotate with the passage of fluid through the housing; and

at least one fixed helical vane formed on the inner surfaces of the tubular housing in a spiral and adapted to cause fluid flowing through the housing to become spiraled for optimum effect on the fan blades.

2. The fluid driven electrical power generating system of claim 1, further comprising a cowling located at the first end and adapted to capture fluid and direct it into a tubular housing, the at least one fixed helical vane further direct the captured fluid into a spiraled air flow and focus the fluid directly onto the fan blades located near an exhaust of the system causing the alternator to generate electrical energy.

3. The fluid driven electrical power generating system of claim 1, further comprising a cone mounted at a front surface of at least one of the alternator and fan facing air passing through the tubular housing, wherein as fluid passes over the cone it is compressed between the cone and housing resulting in increased pressure and velocity of the fluid, thereby increasing rotational speed of the fan blades and alternator as compressed air passes through the fan blades and exits the exhaust.

4. The fluid driven electrical power generating system of claim 1, further comprising a fin mounted to the outer surface of the housing near the second end of the housing, the fin adapted for orienting the first end of the housing and the cowling into oncoming fluid.

5. The fluid driven electrical power generating system of claim 1, further comprising a conical flange formed at the second end of the unit, said conical flange adapted to protect the fan blades and enables fluid to escape from the unit without interruption from fluid moving along the outer surface of the housing.

6. The fluid driven electrical power generating system of claim 4, further comprising a pole whereon the housing is rotatably mounted above ground.

7. The fluid driven electrical power generating system of claim 2, wherein the system can be integrated near the front of a moving vehicle to capture air with the cowling as the vehicle moves forward and enable air to pass through the housing and spin the fan blades thereby generating electrical power from air for a load in the moving vehicle.

8. The fluid driven electrical power generating system of claim 1, wherein said alternator further comprises a slotless winding portion, including windings encompassing a core comprising magnetic flux conducting material;

a fan rotor portion having a rim formed on the outer diameter of integrated fan blades, and a plurality of magnetic elements attached to the rim, wherein the rim comprises a magnetic flux conducting material and wherein the slotless winding portion is fixed to the tubular housing and the fan rotor portion is rotatably moveable relative to the slotless winding portion as a fluid passes through the tubular housing and said fan rotor.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said fluid driven electric power generation system is incorporated as part of a system to generate electrical power for a load in at least one of:

in the front of a mobile vehicle, at the front of a marine vessel, in a stream, in a river, under an ocean surface along a coastline, within a water distribution system, mounted above ground on a pole to capture wind, mounted on a building to capture wind.

10. The device of claim 2, wherein said fluid driven electric power generation system is incorporated as part of a system to generate electrical power for a load in at least one of:

in the front of a mobile vehicle, at the front of a marine vessel, in a stream, in a river, under an ocean surface along a coastline, mounted above ground on a pole to capture wind, mounted on a building to capture wind.

11. A fluid driven electrical power generating system, comprising:

a tubular housing having an inner surface, outer surface, a first end and a second end, the first end including a cowling adapted to capture fluid and directing it into the tubular housing, and the second end forming an exhaust for fluid to exit the tubular housing;

at least one fixed helical vane formed in a spiral on the inner surface of the tubular housing;

an alternator further comprising a slotless winding portion including windings encompassing a core comprising magnetic flux conducting material;

a fan rotor portion having a rim formed on the outer diameter of integrated fan blades, and a plurality of magnetic elements attached to the rim, wherein the rim comprises a magnetic flux conducting material and wherein the slotless winding portion is fixed to the tubular housing and the fan rotor portion is rotatably moveable relative to the slotless winding portion as a fluid passes through the tubular housing and said fan rotor; and

a generator cone mounted at a front surface of the fan rotor portion facing fluid as the fluid passes through the tubular housing;

wherein the cowling captures fluid and directs it into a tubular housing, the at least one fixed helical vane further directs the captured fluid into a spiraled air flow that passes over the generator cone and is compression between the generator cone and housing resulting in increased pressure and velocity of the spiraled fluid flow onto the fan rotor thereby increasing rotational speed of the fan blades as compressed fluid passes through the fan rotor and exits the tubular housing.

12. The fluid driven electrical power generating system of claim 11, further comprising:

a pole adapted to rotatably mount the tubular housing thereto; and

a fin mounted to the outer surface of the housing near the second end of the housing, the fin adapted for orienting the first end of the housing and the cowling into wind.

13. The fluid driven electrical power generating system of claim 11, wherein the system can be integrated near the front of a moving vehicle to capture air flow with the cowling as the vehicle moves forward and enable air to pass through the housing and helical vanes, between the generator cone and inner housing surface onto the fan blades thereby spinning the electrical generator and generating electrical power from air flow for use by a load in the moving vehicle.

14. The fluid driven electrical power generating system of claim 11, wherein said fluid driven electrical power generating system is incorporated to generate electrical power for a load in at least one of:

in the front of a mobile vehicle, at the front of a marine vessel, in a stream, in a river, under an ocean surface along a coastline, mounted above ground on a pole to capture wind, mounted on a building to capture wind.

15. An electric power output device, comprising:

a slotless winding portion, including windings encompassing a core comprising magnetic flux conducting material;

a fan rotor portion having a rim formed on the outer diameter of integrated fan blades, and a plurality of magnetic elements attached to the rim, wherein the rim comprises a magnetic flux conducting material and wherein the slotless winding portion is fixed to a tubular housing adapted to carry fluid there through and the fan rotor portion is rotatably moveable relative to the slotless winding portion as a fluid passes through the tubular housing and said fan rotor.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the core is at least one of:

low loss, laminated.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein the core comprises an eddy current reducing material.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the eddy current reducing material comprises a ferrous material.

19. The device of claim 15, wherein the plurality of magnetic elements include a plurality of permanent magnets.

20. The device of claim 15, wherein said device is incorporated to generate electrical power for a load in at least one of:

in the front of a mobile vehicle, at the front of a marine vessel, in a stream, in a river, under an ocean surface along a coastline, within a water distribution system, mounted above ground on a pole to capture wind, mounted on a building to capture wind.