ENERGY CONVERTERS UTILIZING FLUID-INDUCED OSCILLATIONS

• US 20090295163A1
• Filed: 09/04/2007
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Humdinger Wind Energy LLC
• Original Assignee: Humdinger Wind Energy LLC
• Inventors: FRAYNE, Shawn Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,986,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/54
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 17/06 using liquid flow with predominantly kinetic energy conversion, e.g. of swinging-flap type , "run-of-river", "ultra-low head" F03B13/264 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 5/00 Other wind motors controlling thereof F03D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/02 with moving magnets and stationary coil systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1892 Generators with parts oscillating or vibrating about an axis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/20 Hydro energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/70 Wind energy

Abstract

An energy converter for inducing membrane vibrations when subject to a fluid flow and converting the kinetic energy embedded in the fluid flow into another form of energy, such as electricity. The energy converter includes a supporting structure and multiple generator units. Each generator unit includes at least one flexible membrane, and at least one electrical conductor and at least one magnetic field generator configured to apply a magnetic field to the at least one electrical conductor, wherein one of the electrical conductor and the magnetic field generator is attached to the membrane and configured to move with the membrane. Each membrane vibrates when subject to the fluid flow and has at least two ends supported by the supporting structure. The vibration of each membrane creates a relative movement between the conductor and a magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator, which induces a current. A power conditioning circuit is provided to condition the current.

Claims

1. An electrical generator comprising:

a supporting structure;

a flexible membrane having at least two ends supported by the supporting structure, wherein the membrane vibrates when subject to a fluid flow;

at least one electrical conductor and at least one magnetic field generator configured to apply a magnetic field to the at least one electrical conductor, wherein the at least one magnetic field generator is attached to the membrane and configured to move with the membrane;

wherein the vibration of the membrane caused by the fluid flow creates a relative movement between the at least one conductor and the magnetic field generated by the at least one magnetic field generator; and

whereby the relative movement creates a change in the strength of the magnetic field applied to the at least one electrical conductor; and

the change in the strength of the magnetic field induces a current.

2. The generator of claim 1, wherein the membrane is supported by the supporting structure via a hinge.

3. The generator of claim 1 further comprising a tensioning device configured to provide a tension force to the membrane.

4. The generator of claim 3, wherein the tensioning device provides a constant tensing force to the membrane.

5. The generator of claim 3, wherein:

the membrane has a substantially elongated shape between the two ends, and includes two main surfaces on opposite sides of the membrane and a first edge and a second edge; and

the tensioning device is configured to provide different tension forces to the first edge and the second edge.

6. The generator of claim 1, wherein:

the supporting structure includes two substantially parallel supporting units; and

the membrane includes a membrane loop suspended between the two supporting units.

7. An electrical generator comprising:

supporting means;

means for vibrating when subject to a fluid flow, wherein the vibrating means has at least two ends supported by the supporting means;

electrical conducting means;

means for generating a magnetic field applied to the electrical conducting means, wherein the magnetic field generating means is attached to the vibrating means and configured to move with the vibrating means;

wherein the vibration of the vibrating means caused by the fluid flow creates a relative movement between the electrical conducting means and the magnetic field; and

whereby the relative movement creates a change in the strength of the magnetic field applied to the electrical conducting means; and

the change in the strength of the magnetic field induces a current.

8. The generator of claim 7 further comprising means for providing a tension force to the vibrating means.

9. The generator of claim 8, wherein the tensing force is a constant force.

10. The generator of claim 7, wherein:

the supporting means includes two substantially parallel supporting units; and

the membrane includes a membrane loop suspended between the two supporting units.

11. An electrical generator comprising:

a supporting structure;

multiple generator units, each generator unit includes;

at least one flexible membrane, wherein each membrane vibrates when subject to a fluid flow and has at least two ends supported by the supporting structure;

at least one electrical conductor and at least one magnetic field generator configured to apply a magnetic field to the at least one electrical conductor, wherein one of the at least one electrical conductor and the at least one magnetic field generator is attached to the membrane and configured to move with the membrane;

wherein;

the vibration of each membrane caused by the fluid flow creates a relative movement between the at least one conductor and the magnetic field generated by the at least one magnetic field generator;

the relative movement creates a change in the strength of the magnetic field applied to the at least one electrical conductor; and

the change in the strength of the magnetic field applied to the at least one electrical conductor induces a current;

and

a power conditioning circuit, coupled to each generator unit, configured to condition the current generated by each generator unit.

12. The generator of claim 11, wherein at least one of the membranes has a surface plane that is not parallel to a surface plane of another membrane.

13. The generator of claim 11, wherein:

the supporting structure includes two substantially parallel supporting units; and

each membrane has a first end supported by one of the supporting units, and a second end supported by the other supporting unit.

14. The generator of claim 11, wherein:

the supporting structure includes a substantially arch-shaped supporting unit disposed on a supporting base; and

each membrane has a first end supported by the substantially arch-shaped supporting unit, and a second end supported by the supporting base.

15. The generator of claim 11, wherein:

the supporting structure includes a vertical supporting unit disposed on a supporting base; and

each membrane has a first end supported by the vertical supporting unit, and a second end supported by the supporting base.

16. The generator of claim 11, wherein:

the supporting structure includes a vertical supporting unit disposed on a supporting base; and

each membrane has both a first and second end supported by the vertical supporting unit.

17. The generator of claim 11, wherein:

the supporting structure includes multiple frames disposed on different planes; and

each frame supports at least one membrane.

18. The generator of claim 11, wherein:

the supporting structure includes two substantially parallel supporting units; and

at least one of the membrane units includes a membrane loop suspended between the two supporting units.

19. An electrical generator comprising:

supporting means;

multiple generator units, each generator unit includes;

means for vibrating when subject to a fluid flow, wherein the vibrating means includes at least two ends supported by the supporting means;

electrical conducting means; and

magnetic field generating means for applying a magnetic field to the electrical conducting means, wherein one of the electrical conducting means and the magnetic field generating means is supported by the vibrating means and configured to move with the vibrating means;

wherein;

the vibration of the vibrating means caused by the fluid flow creates a relative movement between the electrical conducting means and the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating means;

the relative movement creates a change in the strength of the magnetic field applied to the electrical conducting means; and

the change in the strength of the magnetic field applied to the electrical conducting means induces a current;

and

power conditioning means for conditioning the current generated by each generator unit.

20. The generator of claim 19, wherein:

the supporting means includes two substantially parallel supporting units; and

each vibrating means has a first end supported by one of the supporting units, and a second end supported by the other of the supporting units.

21. The generator of claim 19, wherein:

the supporting means includes a substantially arch-shaped supporting unit disposed on a supporting base; and

each vibrating means has a first end supported by the substantially arch-shaped supporting unit, and a second end supported by the supporting base.

22. The generator of claim 19, wherein:

the supporting means includes a vertical supporting unit disposed on a supporting base; and

each membrane has a first end supported by the vertical supporting unit, and a second end supported by the supporting base.

23. The generator of claim 19, wherein:

the supporting means includes multiple frames disposed on different planes; and

each frame has at least one membrane attached thereto.

24. The generator of claim 19, wherein:

the supporting structure includes two substantially parallel supporting units; and

at least one of the membrane units includes a membrane loop suspended between the supporting units.

25. A process for producing a flexible membrane for use in a generator that converts vibrations of the membrane caused by a fluid flow into electricity, the process comprising the steps of:

providing a continuous belt of membrane material;

applying tensioning devices to the continuous belt of membrane material in a manner that two tensioning devices separated by a predetermined distance are applied to each membrane, wherein the tensioning devices are configured to provide a tensioning force to the membrane when the membrane is attached to the generator;

attaching magnets to the belt of membrane material; and

separating the continuous belt of membrane material into multiple membranes, wherein each membrane includes two tensioning devices and at least one magnet.