ATMOSPHERIC RESOURCES EXPLORER
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention herein described consists of a system destined to harness wind resources, transferring wind power to the ground station group on the surface, the process being performed through the tensioning and unwinding of the cable group connecting the airborne group to a reeler in the said ground station group. Through the control group the resultant force vector of the aerodynamic forces tensioning the cable can be significantly altered. This change in aerodynamic forces can be done in order to create two different phases which define the cyclic movement performed by the system: a work phase, where the resultant force vector is of greater magnitude and tensions the cable, unwinding it at the ground station group and thus producing power; and a recovery phase (which requires power from the system) when the cable is rewound in order to bring the airborne group back to its original position. Because the work produced in the work phase is of greater magnitude than the work required during the recovery phase, the system generates positive net power, which can then be introduced in the electrical grid, or stored as any other form of energy such as chemical or mechanical.
68 Citations
26 Claims
-
1-14. -14. (canceled)
-
15. Atmospheric Resources Explorer, characterized by an airborne group that for using wind power and momentum to maintain a controlled self-sustained flight and cable stress, comprises at least the following:
-
a) An airborne group including buoyancy components inflated with lighter-than-air gas and an aerodynamic system made of a combination of the following; i) airfoils (5) with the leading edge facing the incoming wind; ii) rotating bodies (5) making use of the Magnus effect to create lift force and increased drag; b) A control group (2) that comprises actuators that change; i) the pith angle of the airborne group, by moving the position of the bridle point (2); ii) the angular velocity of the rotating bodies; c) A ground station group (13) comprising at least one winch (7) to unwind and rewind the cable (3), a motor and/or an electric generator (12) connected to the shaft of the winch, equipment for power supply and/or production (10), as well as ballast or an anchorage structure (9); d) A cable group (3) which comprises one anchorage cable (3), that connects the said airborne group to the ground station group (13), as well as an assembly of cables used by the control group (2) to actuate upon the airborne group. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
Specification