Tunable Fluid Flow Generator

• US 20130214532A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sean Nean Hsu
• Original Assignee: Sean Nean Hsu
• Inventors: Hsu, Sean Nean
• Granted Patent: US 9,410,527 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/43
• 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: F03D 5/06 the wind-engaging parts swinging to-and-fro and not rotating
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/00 Adaptations of wind motors for special use; Combinations of wind motors with apparatus driven thereby; Wind motors specially adapted for installation in particular locations hybrid wind-photovoltaic energy systems for the generation of electric power H02S10/12
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/08 recovering energy derived from swinging, rolling, pitching or like movements, e.g. from the vibrations of a machine
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/20 Hydro energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/70 Wind energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A tunable generator has a surface structure for contacting an exterior fluid flow relative to a base structure. The contacting surface structure also has an electrogenerative portion positioned relative to the contacting structure and the base structure. The electrogenerative portion is preferably a piezoelectric or electromagnetic structure, although other types of structures are known within the art. The contacting surface is mechanically coupled to portions of the base structure through one or more elastic elements. The various portions of the base structure can be positioned relative to other base structure portions to alter the elasticity of the system or the tensioning of the elastic elements. The field of flow exerts forces upon the contacting structure which causes movement in the contacting surface structure relative to the base structure through the electrogenerative portion.

Claims

1. A tunable fluid flow generator for generating energy from a surrounding medium comprising:

a frame having a surface adjacent to a surrounding medium comprising;

a plurality of frame portions;

a mechanical guide system joining said plurality of frame portions so that at least one of said frame portions is adjustable relative to a second one of said frame portions and relative to said surface of said frame; and

a control member coupled to said adjustable frame portion and capable of moving said adjustable frame portions relative to said second frame portion and relative to said exterior surface of said frame;

a contacting member connected to said frame at a first end of said contacting member, said contacting member comprising;

a first surface of said contacting member adjacent to said surrounding medium and a second surface of said contacting member that is not adjacent to said surrounding medium, wherein said contacting member is positioned relative to said frame to contact a flow of said surrounding medium along said surface of said frame with said first surface;

a plurality of elastic members, a first of said elastic members coupled to one of said adjustable frame portions and a second of said elastic members coupled to said second frame portion;

an electrogenerative portion mechanically coupled between said contacting member and said frame and capable of generating electricity from a movement of said contacting member relative to said frame; and

an electrical output line electrically coupled between said electrogenerative portion and an electrical load.

2. The fluid flow generator of claim 1 wherein

a. said electrogenerative portion includes at least one of the following:

a piezoelectric element, a magnetic element, and a magnetoresistive element;

b. said elastic members includes at least one of the following;

a spring, an elastic band, and a cantilever; and

c. said electrical load includes at least one of the following;

a battery, a capacitor, a supercapacitor, an ultracapacitor, an electric motor, and an electronic circuit.

3. The fluid flow generator of claim 1 wherein said control member further comprises:

a servo motor; and

a gear assembly mechanically coupled between said servo motor and said adjustable frame portion.

4. The fluid flow generator of claim 3 wherein said control member further comprises

an input signal line electrically coupled to a sensor;

and

a microcontroller circuit including a microcontroller for receiving an input signal on said input signal line and electrically coupled to output a controller output signal to said servo motor.

5. The fluid flow generator of claim 4 wherein said microcontroller circuit further comprises at least one of the following:

a stored lookup table executable by said microcontroller for matching said input signal to a predetermined value for said controller output signal;

an electrical circuit for converting said input signal into said controller output signal; and

a stored algorithm executable by said microcontroller for converting said input signal into said controller output signal.

6. The fluid flow controller of claim 4, wherein said control member further comprises:

a second microcontroller electrically coupled to both said input signal line and said microcontroller circuit, wherein said second microcontroller monitors said input signal line for a change in value of said input signal line above a minimum threshold and transmits to said microcontroller circuit an input signal that surpass said minimum threshold.

7. The fluid flow generator of claim 3 wherein said sensor further comprises at least one of the following:

a speedometer;

an accelerometer;

a timer circuit;

a sensor for determining a gear setting;

a sensor for measuring rotational velocity;

a potentiometer;

a pressure gauge; and

a feedback signal from said output signal line.

8. The fluid flow generator of claim 3 wherein said control member further comprises a comparator circuit electrically coupled on an input of said comparator circuit to receive an output signal from said electrogenerative member and to provide a controller output signal to said servo motor.

9. The fluid flow generator of claim 1 wherein said mechanical guide system includes at least one of the following:

a guide rod and hole;

a guiding rail and slot;

a protrusion with a correspondingly shaped recess;

a male-female mechanical connection;

a hinge;

a ball-bearing assembly;

a ball-socket joint; and

a living joint.

10. The fluid flow generator of claim 1, wherein said second elastic member is connected to both said contacting member and said second frame portion

11. The fluid flow generator of claim 1 wherein said plurality of elastic members possess a plurality of elasticities.

12. A fluid flow generator for generating energy from a surrounding medium comprising:

a frame comprising;

a surface adjacent to said surrounding medium;

a first frame portion; and

an opening in said surface of said frame;

a fluid contacting member having a curvilinear surface shape positioned relative to said opening of said frame surface and rotationally coupled to said first frame portion frame to be capable of protruding into said surrounding medium through said opening;

a first elastic member connected to said first frame portion and said fluid contacting member; and

an electrogenerative member mechanically coupled between said contacting member and to said first frame portion and capable of generating electricity from a movement of said contacting member relative to said frame and said first frame portion; and

an electrical output line electrically coupled to said electrogenerative member and capable of being connected to an electrical load.

13. The fluid flow generator of claim 12, further comprising:

a. a second frame portion in said frame, mechanically coupled to said first frame portion and capable of moving relative to said first frame, wherein said first frame portion is fixed in a position relative to said frame;

b. a control unit comprising;

a servo motor, electrically coupled to a microcontroller and mounted on said first frame portion, wherein said servo motor is capable of moving said second frame portion relative to said first frame portion; and

c. a second elastic member connected to said second frame portion on a first end of said second elastic member, wherein a second end of said second elastic member is engaged with said contacting member when said second frame portion is moved into a first position by said control unit, and said second end is disengaged from said contacting member when said second frame portion is brought into a second position by said control unit.

14. A method of controlling an elastic member in a fluid flow generator having a plurality of frame portions comprising the steps of:

receiving an input signal indicating a characteristic of said fluid flow generator in a fluid flow of a surrounding medium on an input signal line electrically coupled to a controller circuitry;

converting said input signal into a controller output signal with said controller circuitry;

sending said controller output signal to an output signal line electrically coupled to a controller and

driving said controller to reposition an adjustable one of said frame portions which is coupled to said elastic member.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said input signal in the step of receiving said input signal further comprises:

an electrical signal from at least one of the following, which provides a quantification of said characteristic and is electrically coupled to said input signal line;

a speedometer;

an accelerometer;

a timer circuit;

a sensor determining a gear setting;

a sensor measuring rotational velocity;

a potentiometer;

a pressure gauge; and

a feedback signal from said output signal line.

16. The method of claim 14 including the steps of:

generating an interrupt for a microcontroller electrically coupled to said output signal line after receiving said input signal; and

initiating an interrupt service routine in said microcontroller for handling said input signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said interrupt is only generated if said received input signal represents a change in value above a minimum threshold.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said interrupt service routine further comprises the steps of:

comparing said input signal with one or more reference values in a lookup table, stored on a microcontroller and containing output values corresponding to each reference value in said lookup table;

identifying a reference value representative of said input signal; and

generating a controller output signal having the value from said lookup table corresponding to said identified reference value.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein converting said input signal further comprises the steps of:

receiving a second signal on a second input signal line; and

sending said first input signal and said second signal to a logic circuit having a plurality of inputs electrically coupled to said logic circuit and a single output electrically coupled to said output signal line.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein said receiving step further comprises periodically polling a current value of said input signal line at a sampling rate.