MAGNUS FORCE FLUID FLOW ENERGY HARVESTER
First Claim
1. An energy harvester, comprising:
- a fluid flow path defined by an inflow fluid channel, an outflow fluid channel, and a chamber disposed between said inflow fluid channel and said outflow channel;
a Magnus rotor transversely mounted in said chamber and being movable in said fluid flow path between a first position and a second position, said Magnus rotor being rotationally driven by a motor;
at least one counter balancing system cooperatively associated with said Magnus rotor;
a means for producing an electrical current from a movement of said Magnus rotor in said fluid flow path;
a battery for charging by said electrical current produced from said means for producing said electrical current; and
means for connecting said battery to an electrical grid.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An energy harvester capable of providing motion from fluid flow includes a Magnus rotor defined by a cylinder driven by a motor causing the cylinder to rotate so that lift is created by the fluid flowing past the cylinder. A channel or system may be provided to direct the fluid flow to the cylinder. The rotating cylinder configuration is integrated into a mechanical device which is designed to transfer the lift into a mechanical motion to drive a generator. The mechanical motion due to the created lift is reversed by using a stalling mechanism and counter balanced mechanism. This creates a bidirectional motion which can be captured and used to drive a generator. The device can be utilized in either air or hydraulic environments. A modification of the energy harvester can be configured to utilize the electricity generate to produce hydrogen for use in fuel cells or for combustion.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. An energy harvester, comprising:
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a fluid flow path defined by an inflow fluid channel, an outflow fluid channel, and a chamber disposed between said inflow fluid channel and said outflow channel; a Magnus rotor transversely mounted in said chamber and being movable in said fluid flow path between a first position and a second position, said Magnus rotor being rotationally driven by a motor; at least one counter balancing system cooperatively associated with said Magnus rotor; a means for producing an electrical current from a movement of said Magnus rotor in said fluid flow path; a battery for charging by said electrical current produced from said means for producing said electrical current; and means for connecting said battery to an electrical grid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 37, 38)
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12. An energy harvesting system for use in an effluent system, said energy harvesting system comprising:
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a source of fluid; an outflow line extending from said source of fluid; a fluid flow path in said outflow line and defined by an inflow fluid channel, an outflow fluid channel, and an energy harvester chamber disposed between said inflow fluid channel and said outflow fluid channel; a Magnus rotor transversely mounted in said energy harvester chamber and movable between a first position and a second position; at least one counter balancing system cooperatively associated with said Magnus rotor; means for producing an electrical current from a movement of said Magnus rotor in said fluid flow path; a battery operably connected to said means for producing said electrical current, said battery being for charging by the electrical current; and means for connecting said battery to an electrical power grid. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 39, 40)
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18. A energy harvester, comprising:
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a fluid flow path defined by an inflow fluid channel, an outflow fluid channel, and an energy harvester chamber disposed between said inflow fluid channel and said outflow fluid channel; a Magnus rotor transversely mounted in said energy harvester chamber so as to receive fluid flow in said fluid flow path; at least one counter balancing system cooperatively connected to said Magnus rotor; means for producing an electrical current from movement of said Magnus rotor in said fluid flow path; a reaction chamber for separating water into oxygen and hydrogen using said electrical current; an outflow means for the oxygen; and an outflow means for the hydrogen.
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19. A energy harvester for harnessing wave action in a body of liquid, comprising:
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a fluid flow path defined by an inflow fluid channel, an outflow fluid channel, and an energy harvester chamber disposed between said inflow fluid channel and said outflow fluid channel; a Magnus rotor transversely mounted in said energy harvester chamber so that said Magnus rotor floats on a surface of a fluid level said body of liquid and is movable with changes in said fluid level from a first position to a second position; at least one counter balancing system capable of returning said Magnus rotor from said second position to said first postion; means for generating an electrical current based on movement of said Magnus rotor between said first position and said second position; a battery for charging by the electrical current from said means for generating said electrical current; and means for discharging said battery to an electrical grid.
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20. A rotary energy harvester, comprising:
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a central axis for being positioned vertically transverse to a direction of fluid flow; a plurality of frames extending radially from said central axis and being evenly spaced apart from each other; and a Magnus rotor operably located on each of said frames; wherein subjecting said rotary energy harvester to said direction of fluid flow produces movement of each of said Magnus rotors thereby causing said plurality of frames to rotate about said central axis. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A floating energy harvester assembly, comprising:
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a catamaran for floating on a surface of a flowing liquid; and an energy harvester attached to said catamaran, said energy harvester being oriented perpendicularly to a current of said flowing liquid and located below a surface of said flowing liquid; wherein said energy harvester generates power from said current of said flowing liquid. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for harnessing the energy of a reversible current flow of a water body, said system comprising:
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an energy harvester disposed at a surface of the water body, said energy harvester being capable of rotation under reversible fluid flow and comprising, a rotatable shaft extending below said surface of the water body and perpendicularly to a direction of current flow, a plurality of support members fixedly mounted to said rotatable shaft and extending substantially perpendicular to said rotatable shaft for rotation therewith in a plane perpendicular to said rotatable shaft, and a plurality of cylindrically-shaped Magnus rotors, each being operably mounted to a corresponding support member so as to be parallel to and radially spaced from said rotatable shaft, each Magnus rotor having a drive mechanism associated therewith for rotation in a plane parallel to said direction of current flow, and a generator operably connected to said rotatable shaft of said energy harvester; wherein said flow of said water body past said rotatable shaft of said energy harvester delimits an upstream portion of flow and a downstream portion of flow; and wherein upon rotation of said Magnus rotors through said upstream portion of flow said Magnus rotors rotate in a first direction. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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31. A system for harnessing energy of current flow and wave action of a water body, said system comprising:
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a support located at a surface of said water body; an energy harvester capable of operation under reversible fluid flow and wave motion, said energy harvester being variably positionable relative to a said surface of said water body, said energy harvester comprising; a Magnus rotor and reciprocating mechanism mounted so as to extend perpendicularly to a direction of said current flow, said Magnus rotor being movable by at least one of said reversible fluid flow and said wave action between a first position and a second position, said Magnus rotor being rotationally driven by a motor; at least one counter balancing system cooperatively associated with said Magnus rotor; and a generator in communication with said energy harvester. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification