STORAGE SYSTEM FOR STORING ENERGY USEFUL IN STARTING AND REGULATING ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

• US 20130076043A1
• Filed: 10/08/2010
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Acumener Investigacion Y Desarrollo, S.L.
• Original Assignee: Eisenmannag
• Inventors: Muoz Guijosa, Juan Manuel, Manso Garcia, Juan Jos, Muoz Sanz, Jos Luis, Casero Fernandez-Montes, Julan, Gonzalez Rico, Alfonso Mara
• Application Number:
  US13/500,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20130076043A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/1.E
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/00 Starting of engines by means of electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 5/02 of spring type
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 1/02 characterised by shape or material of spring, e.g. helical, spiral, coil
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/10 Structural association with clutches, brakes, gears, pulleys or mechanical starters
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/116 with gears
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1853 driven by intermittent forces

Abstract

A storage system for storing energy useful in starting and regulating electrical systems, that includes

a transmission system to transmit mechanical energy between an electric machine and an energy storage device having at least one coil spring arranged in a rotating shaft; and

a braking and holding element connected to the shaft to alternately block the spring or keep it in a released state, wherein the electric machine acts like a motor turning the rotating shaft in a first direction to tense the spring to store mechanical energy, and the rotation of the shaft in the opposite direction releases the mechanical energy stored in the spring and the transmission system turns the electric machine to operate the electric machine like an electric generator.

Claims

1. A storage system for storing energy useful in starting and regulating electrical systems, comprising

an energy storage device comprising at least one coil spring housed in a casing and arranged in a rotating shaft to store mechanical energy when the rotating shaft rotates in a first load direction tensing the coil spring, and to release mechanical energy stored in the coil spring when the rotating shaft rotates in a second direction, opposite the first direction, in which the coil spring is unloaded;

a loading device that delivers the mechanical energy generated by an electric motor to the energy storage device,

a stored energy unloading device that transmits energy stored in the energy storage device to a power generator; and

a controller connected to the loading device, to the stored energy unloading device and to the storage device, and to a control system;

an electric machine capable of acting like an electric motor and an electric power generator and is controlled by power electronics;

a braking and holding element connected to the rotating shaft and controlled by a locking control device to keep the coil spring alternately in a blocked situation in which the rotating shaft does not rotate or in a released situation in which the rotation of the rotating shaft in said first direction driven by the loading device tenses the coil spring to store mechanical energy, whereas the rotation of the rotating shaft in the second direction releases the mechanical energy stored in the coil spring;

wherein

the stored energy unloading device comprises a rotational movement transmission system, and a torque and speed variation system;

wherein

the transmission system is interconnected between said electric machine and the torque and speed variation system, and the torque and speed variation system is interconnected between the transmission system and the rotating shaft of the storage device; and

wherein

when supplied with electricity, the electric machine operates like an electric motor which tenses the coil spring, and when the coil spring releases mechanical energy, the electric machine operates like an electric generator;

whereby

the system absorbs or delivers energy by coupling to the electric machine which, controlled by means of the power electronics, converts the mechanical energy stored in the spring into electrical energy and vice versa to start electric motors or regulate electrical systems or networks.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the energy storage device comprises at least one set of coil springs connected to the rotating shaft.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the braking and holding element comprises a braking device arranged in the rotating shaft and controlled by a braking control device.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the braking device is a disc brake.

6. A system according to claim 4, wherein the braking device is an electromagnetic brake.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the energy storage device comprises a plurality of coil springs arranged in series in the rotating shaft.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the energy storage device comprises a plurality of coil springs arranged in series in the rotating shaft, and the rotating shaft is connected to at least one auxiliary rotating shaft in which a plurality of additional coil springs arranged in series is mounted.

9. A system according to claim 7, wherein the coil springs of the energy storage device are respectively arranged between two attachment elements arranged in the rotating shaft;

the attachment elements comprise a first end attachment element and a second end attachment element, and at least one intermediate attachment element susceptible to rotating about the rotating shaft;

one of the end attachment elements is integral with the rotating shaft and rotates with the rotating shaft, and the other one is stationary and does not rotate with the rotating shaft;

each coil spring is attached at one end to a central part of an attachment element and at the other end to a peripheral part of the adjacent attachment element.

10. A system according to claim 8, wherein

each coil spring is arranged between a front surface and a rear surface of respective adjacent attachment elements, and is peripherally surrounded by an annular body of an attachment element;

the annular body comprises an open side, a side closed by a wall and an annular inner surface together forming an inner cavity;

at least one of the end attachment elements and each intermediate attachment element respectively has a central cylindrical projection with a diameter less than the annular body and emerging from the front surface;

each cylindrical projection has an axial passage traversed by the rotating shaft;

the first end of each coil spring is fixed to the cylindrical projection of an attachment element and the second end of each coil spring is fixed in the annular body of the adjacent attachment element;

the attachment elements are immobilized with respect to one another;

wherein

the rotation of the rotating shaft in said first direction successively tenses the coil springs arranged between the attachment elements, and the rotation of the rotating shaft in said second direction successively releases the coil springs arranged between the attachment elements.

11. A system according to claim 9, wherein the stationary end attachment element comprises a disc-shaped body from the front surface of which said cylindrical projection emerges.

12. A system according to claim 8, wherein at least one coil spring comprises a first coil body and a second coil body arranged offset with respect to one another, each coil body being attached at one end to a first part of said central part of an attachment element and at the other end to a second part of said peripheral part of the adjacent attachment element, the respective coils of the coil bodies being arranged in an alternated and concentric manner.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein the offset of the coil bodies is between 180°

and 45°

.

3. A system according to claim, wherein the braking and holding element comprises a ratchet mechanism arranged in the rotating shaft.