ADAPTATION OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION NODE FOR GUIDED SURFACE WAVE RECEPTION

• US 20170070060A1
• Filed: 09/09/2015
• Published: 03/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quantum Wave LLC (Mad Energy)
• Original Assignee: Cpg Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Corum, James F., Corum, Kenneth L., Lilly, James D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,205,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/00 Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier

Abstract

Disclosed, in one example, is an energy consumption node. The node includes a guided surface wave receive structure configured to obtain electrical energy from a guided surface wave traveling along a terrestrial medium. The node also includes a distribution system coupled to the guided surface wave receive structure and configured to distribute the obtained electrical energy to an electrical load coupleable to the distribution system.

Claims

1. An energy consumption node, comprising:

a guided surface wave receive structure configured to obtain electrical energy from a guided surface wave traveling along a terrestrial medium;

a distribution system coupled to an output of the guided surface wave receive structure and configured to distribute the obtained electrical energy to an electrical load coupleable to the distribution system, the electrical load being experienced as a load at an excitation source coupled to a guided surface waveguide probe generating the guided surface wave.

2. The node of claim 1, wherein the distribution system comprises:

an impedance matching network coupled between an output of the guided surface wave receive structure and an input of the electrical load to maximize power transfer from the guided surface wave receive structure to the electrical load.

3. The node of claim 1, wherein the electrical energy obtained by the guided surface wave comprises alternating current (AC) at an operating frequency, and wherein the distribution system comprises:

an AC-to-DC converter coupled between the guided surface wave receive structure and the electrical load to convert the AC into direct current (DC); and

a DC voltage regulator coupled to an output of the AC-to-DC converter to maintain, within a particular voltage range, a voltage level of a DC power bus coupleable to an output of the DC voltage regulator.

4. The node of claim 3, wherein the distribution system comprises:

a DC load center coupled to the DC power bus; and

al least one DC power outlet coupled to the DC load center, the power outlet configured to receive a power connection of the electrical load to provide DC power to the electrical load.

5. The node of claim 4, wherein the distribution system comprises:

a DC-to-DC converter coupled between the DC power bus and an input of the DC load center to provide, at the DC load center, DC power at a different voltage level from the voltage level of the DC power bus.

6. The node of claim 3, wherein the distribution system comprises:

a DC-to-AC power inverter arrangement coupled to the DC power bus to convert the DC into AC of at least one predetermined voltage and a frequency;

an AC load center coupled to an output of the DC-to-AC power inverter arrangement; and

al least one AC power outlet coupled to the AC load center, the power outlet configured to receive a power connection of the electrical load to provide AC power to the electrical load.

7. The node of claim 3, wherein the DC-to-AC power inverter arrangement comprises:

at least two DC-to-AC power inverters interconnected so as to provide a plurality of the predetermined voltages.

8. The node of claim 1, wherein the electrical energy obtained by the guided surface wave comprises alternating current (AC) at an operating frequency and nominal voltage, and wherein the distribution system comprises:

an AC voltage converter coupled between the guided surface wave receive structure and the electrical load to convert the nominal voltage to a different voltage compatible with the electrical load and to maintain the different voltage within a particular voltage range at the operating frequency.

9. The node of claim 1, comprising:

a transient protection circuit coupled across the outputs of the guided surface wave receive structure.

10. The node of claim 3, comprising:

a backup DC power source coupleable to the DC power bus; and

a power changeover circuit to sense interruption of the obtained electrical energy from the guided surface wave receive structure, and in response to an interruption to disconnect the DC power regulator from the DC power bus and connect the DC backup power source to the DC power bus until electrical energy reception from the guided surface wave receive structure is restored.

11. The node of claim 1, wherein the node comprises a building, and wherein the guided surface wave receive structure is a tuned resonator comprising:

a ground current-excited coil disposed at an upper portion of the building;

a charge terminal above the building electrically coupled to an upper terminal of the coil via a vertical feed line conductor; and

a ground stake in the terrestrial medium and electrically coupled to a lower terminal of the coil.

12. The node of claim 1, wherein the guided surface wave receive structure is a linear probe.

13. The node of claim 1, wherein the node comprises a building, and wherein the guided surface wave receive structure is a magnetic coil disposed in the building.

14. The node of claim 1, wherein the node comprises a building, and wherein the guided surface wave receive structure is a magnetic coil formed using at least some structural elements of the building as a bobbin for the magnetic coil.

15. An energy consumption node, comprising:

a guided surface wave receive structure to obtain electrical energy from a guided surface wave traveling along a lossy conducting medium, the receive structure having

a charge terminal elevated over the lossy conducting medium, and

a receiver network, coupled between the charge terminal and the lossy conducting medium, having a phase delay (Φ

) that matches a wave tilt angle (Ψ

) associated with the guided surface wave, the wave tilt angle (Ψ

) based at least in part upon characteristics of the lossy conducting medium in a vicinity of the receiving structure; and

a distribution system coupled to the guided surface wave receive structure to distribute received electrical energy to an electrical load coupleable to the distribution system.

16. The node of claim 15, wherein the node comprises a building, and wherein the distribution system is in the building.

17. The node of claim 15, wherein the node comprises a building, and wherein at least a portion of the distribution system is in a different building.

18. The node of claim 16, wherein the node comprises a building, and wherein the guided surface wave receive structure is disposed adjacent the building.

19. The node of claim 16, wherein the node comprises a building, and wherein at least a portion of the guided surface wave receive structure is disposed within the building.

20. A method for adapting an energy consumption node for guided surface wave reception, comprising:

installing at the node a guided surface wave receive structure to receive electrical energy in the form of a guided surface wave traveling along a terrestrial medium; and

supplying the electrical energy received at the guided surface wave receive structure to an electrical load coupled to the guided surface wave receive structure.

21. The method of claim 20, comprising:

disconnecting a preexisting source of electrical energy from the energy consumption node before the supplying.

22. The method of claim 20, comprising:

protecting at least a portion of the installed guided surface wave receive structure from proximity with external conductive or capacitive bodies.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the installing comprises:

enclosing at least a portion of the installed guided surface wave receive structure in a non-conductive housing.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the node comprises a building, and wherein the installing further comprises:

installing the guided surface waveguide receive structure outside the building; and

enclosing at least a portion of the installed guided surface wave receive structure within a non-conductive housing.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the non-conductive housing has a form which is compatible with local aesthetic standards.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the node comprises a building, and wherein the installing further comprises:

installing the guided surface waveguide receive structure at the building; and

disposing a coil of the guided surface wave receive structure in an upper portion of the building.

27. The method of claim 26, comprising:

positioning the coil within the building in an orientation, relative to the guided surface wave, that maximizes the received electrical energy.