AIRBORNE STABILIZED WIND TURBINES SYSTEM

• US 20100117363A1
• Filed: 12/09/2009
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Moshe Meller
• Original Assignee: Moshe Meller
• Inventors: MELLER, MOSHE
• Granted Patent: US 7,821,149 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/52
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/20 Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 5/00 Other wind motors controlling thereof F03D7/00
• 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: F05B 2240/917 attached to cables
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/921 kept aloft due to aerodynamic effects
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/922 kept aloft due to buoyancy effects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/70 Wind 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 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin

Abstract

Airborne system for producing electricity from wind includes at least one shaft, one or more wind turbines rotatably mounted to each shaft, and generators that convert rotation of the turbine(s) into electricity. A lifting section is connected to the shaft(s) and generates a lifting force that causes the system to be airborne. A center of gravity of the system is lower than its center of lift. When the turbines are exposed to wind and rotate (at least one in one direction and another in an opposite direction), torques induced on the shaft(s) of the system balance each other and remaining deferential torque is balanced by returning torque that is generated by the angular deviation of the center of gravity from its lowest position. A magnitude of this returning torque increases as the angular deviation increases until the system reach angular stability. Electricity is generated and conducted for storage or usage.

Claims

1. An airborne system for producing electricity from wind energy, comprising:

at least one turbine section, each of the at least one turbine section comprising;

a shaft;

at least one turbine rotatably mounted to said shaft and arranged to rotate when exposed to a wind; and

at least one generator coupled to the at least one turbine and arrange to convert rotation of the at least one turbine into electricity;

a lifting section connected to part of the at least one turbine section for generating a lifting force to cause the at least one turbine section to be airborne at a desired altitude;

a tether;

an anchoring section connected by the tether to another part of the at least one turbine section to anchor the at least one turbine section to a base relative to the earth; and

a conductor that conducts electricity that is generated by the at least one generator to an energy usage or an energy storage system;

wherein the at least one turbine section is constructed such that the center of gravity of the at least one turbine section is approximately in the lowest possible position relative to a substantially straight line between the part of the at least one turbine section connected to the lifting section and the part of the at least one turbine section connected to the anchoring section, while the at least one turbine is at rest;

wherein the at least one turbine rotates when exposed to wind and causes rotational torque to be induced on the at least one turbine section, that causes an angular deviation of the center of gravity from its lowest possible position;

wherein the angular deviation of the center of gravity causes a returning torque that increases with an increase of the angular deviation;

wherein the returning torque acts on the at least one turbine section, causing the at least one turbine section to reach a stabilized angular position.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one turbine section comprises:

at least first and second turbines, the first turbine rotating in a first direction and the second turbine rotating in a second direction opposite to the first direction when exposed to the same wind,

wherein the first and second turbines rotating in opposite directions induce opposite rotational torques on the at least one turbine section;

wherein a differential torque from the opposite rotational torques of the first and second turbines is induced on the at least one turbine section, causing an angular deviation of the at least one turbine section from the rest angular position;

wherein the angular deviation causes a returning torque which increases with an increase of the angular deviation; and

wherein the returning torque balances the induced differential torque and causes the at least one turbine section to be angularly stable, while the generators of the system are rotating and generating electricity.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the lifting section comprises at least one sealed inflatable body that is filled with lighter than air gas.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the lighter than gas air is helium or hydrogen.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the tether is made from a composite material.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the lifting section comprises at least one aerodynamic kite that generates the lifting force that causes the system to be airborne at the desired altitude.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the lifting section comprises at least one inflatable body filled with lighter than air gas and at least one kite.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one turbine section comprises a plurality of turbine sections, further comprising a torque transfer mechanism arranged between each adjacent pair of turbine sections to connect the adjacent pair of turbine sections together in a serial manner to enable the turbine sections to harvest wind energy at different altitudes.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein each torque transfer mechanism comprises a member that offsets rotational axis of the shaft of the connected pair of turbine sections.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of turbine sections comprises first and second turbine sections, the at least one turbine in the first turbine section rotating in one direction and the at least one turbine in the second turbine section rotating in an opposite direction.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one turbine of the first turbine section is configured relative to the at least one turbine of the second turbine section such that a resultant torque arising from the torque induced on the shaft of the first turbine section and the torque induced on the shaft of the second turbine section are of substantially equal magnitude and opposite in direction.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first and second turbine sections each include only a single turbine.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one turbine section comprises a first turbine section and a second turbine section, further comprising a torque transfer mechanism that connects the first and second turbine sections together, the at least one turbine in the first turbine section rotating in one direction and the at least one turbine in the second turbine section rotating in an opposite direction, the at least one turbine of the first turbine section being configured relative to the at least one turbine of the second turbine section such that a resultant torque arising from the torque induced on the shaft of the first turbine section and the torque induced on the shaft of the second turbine section are of substantially equal magnitude and opposite in direction.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the torque transfer mechanism is configured to offset a rotational axis of the shaft of the first turbine section from a rotational axis of the shaft of the second turbine section.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the first and second turbine sections each include only a single turbine.