PROCESS FOR HARVESTING, STORING, AND USING RENEWABLE ENERGY TO PROPEL AND POWER BOATS AND SHIPS, AND MAXIMIZE THEIR AVERAGE SPEED

• US 20150027125A1
• Filed: 07/24/2014
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Anil Raj
• Original Assignee: Anil Raj
• Inventors: RAJ, ANIL
• Application Number:
  US14/339,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20150027125A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/720
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2003/382 adapted for housing energy accumulators, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2035/007 autonomously operating
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/004 autonomously operating
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 19/02 by using energy derived from movement of ambient water, e.g. from rolling or pitching of vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2021/003 the power plant using fuel cells for energy supply or accumulation, e.g. for buffering photovoltaic energy
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/17 by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/21 Control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 9/02 using Magnus effect
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/0601 using the Magnus effect
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/007 the wind motor being combined with means for converting solar radiation into useful energy
• 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: F03D 9/32 on moving objects, e.g. vehicles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 70/50 Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to the propulsion system
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 70/5236 Renewable or hybrid-electric solutions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A boat or ship (marine vessel) can be powered and propelled by using wind or solar energy. This propulsion results in the forward movement and six degrees of motion (roll, heave, pitch, yaw, surge, and sway) of the marine vessel. These motions have kinetic energy. This invention capitalizes on the fact that the solar wind and wave energy are cyclical by nature. The present invention enables the vessel to store energy harvested from these energy sources during periods when levels of energy is available from wind, solar, or the motion of the vessel in waves. This invention makes this stored energy available for use during periods when the external natural sources of energy (wind, wave, or solar) are not available in adequate quantities to maintain a reasonable speed of advance for the marine vessel. The harvesting of the energy during high energy cycles, storing it and using it when needed in this invention allows a marine vessel to get maximum speed of advance over a course. In this invention the marine vessel can maintain faster average speed without reliance on any fossil or chemical fuel and by only using renewable energy sources. In this invention the vessel is normally driven by wind channeling methods like canvas or foil sails or Flettner rotors. In addition to this, the vessel can be propelled by propulsion thrusters such as propellers, rim driven thrusters, azimuthing drives, water jets or other means of thrusting and propelling the vessel. These propulsion devices are driven by regenerative electric motors using stored electric energy in batteries on the vessel. The energy stored in the battery bank is used to provide supplemental or primary propulsion during cyclical periods when natural sources of wind, wave or solar energy are low. These same thrusters and their electric motors work in reverse to generate and harvest energy when wind levels are high and as the marine vessel is moving forward at higher speeds while being propelled by wind energy. In this invention the batteries, which are dense and heavy, to store this energy, are secured in the bottom of the marine vessel also serve as ballast to keep the vessel upright. This serves to lower the marine vessel'"'"'s center of gravity to get the maximum hull stability for safety. This also helps the vessel channel maximum available wind energy to propel the vessel and harvest energy whenever stronger winds permit.

Claims

1. A system comprising of many technologies and processes integrated into a single process to create a zero emission, zero fossil or chemical fueled marine vessel which has a long range and increased speed over the range.

2. A system which uses the marine vessel'"'"'s propulsion system to harvest wind energy through the water by forward motion of the vessel, store it and use it to increase average vessel speed when winds are not as favorable.

3. A system which uses the marine vessel'"'"'s six degrees of freedom motion in the water (pitch, roll, yaw, heave, surge and sway) to harvest energy.

4. A marine system which stores the harvested energy and uses this stored energy during periods when winds are light to increase the speed of the marine vessel over a range.

5. A system which uses propulsion system driven by electric motors in regenerative mode to harvest and collect the energy.

6. A system which uses Rim Driven Thrusters or propellers to harvest energy as well as propel the marine vessel.

7. A system which uses the storage batteries or fuel cells as ballast low in the hull to increase the vertical stability of the marine vessel, and maximize the vessel'"'"'s ability to exploit wind energy for propulsion and harvesting.

8. A system which uses energy storage batteries mounted in a rack storage system, wherein the racks have integral conductors to connect multiple batteries, and batteries can be changed out by sliding them in and out of the rack.

9. A system which combines a low resistance hull form like a fine mono hull, Catamaran, Tri-maran, super slender, or planning hull form with a wind energy harvesting, storage and regenerative propulsion system to create a higher speed, long range marine vessel which can make faster speeds without the use of fossil or chemical fuels.

10. A system which combines harvested wind and solar energy for storage on board a marine vessel for re-use when wind and sun cycles have low energy yield.

11. An energy management and control system which optimizes the energy harvesting process on a marine vessel.

12. A management and control system which optimizes the Flettner rotor rotational speed on a marine vessel to exploit maximum wind energy usage and harvesting. by changing the rotor speed automatically to optimize wind usage

13. A management and control system which can use multiple Flettner rotors to change the direction of a marine vessel, by rotating different rotors at different rotational speeds and in different directions.

14. A method of applying energy harvested by autonomous naval surface or underwater vehicles to extend its autonomy using the principles in this invention.

15. A system which uses magnetic levitation of Flettner rotors in such a system to reduce friction and increase efficiency.