ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATOR AND AN ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION METHOD

• US 20170284365A1
• Filed: 10/02/2015
• Published: 10/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vortex Bladeless, S.L.
• Original Assignee: Vortex Bladeless, S.L.
• Inventors: YAEZ VILLARREAL, David Jess
• Granted Patent: US 10,641,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 5/06 the wind-engaging parts swinging to-and-fro and not rotating
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0236 Magnetic suspension or levitation for vehicles B60L13/04; magnetic bearings F16C39/063
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/02 with moving magnets and stationary coil systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/09 with magnetic bearings
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 15/00 Holding or levitation devices using magnetic attraction or repulsion, not otherwise provided for electric or magnetic devices for holding work on machine tools B23Q3/15 ; monorail vehicle propulsion or suspension B60L13/00; sliding or levitation devices for railway systems B61B13/08; material handling devices associated with conveyors incorporating devices with electrostatic or magnetic grippers B65G47/92; separating thin or filamentary articles from piles using magnetic force B65H3/16; delivering thin or filamentary articles from magnetic holders by air blast or suction B65H29/24; bearings using magnetic or electric supporting means F16C32/04; relieving bearing loads using magnetic means F16C39/06; magnets H01F7/00; dynamo-electric clutches or brakes H02K49/00 ; electric furnaces with simultaneous levitation and heating H05B6/32
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/181 Circuits; Control arrangements or methods
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/185 using fluid streams
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/70 Wind energy

Abstract

An electrical power generator includes a first part configured to be located in a fluid such that, when the fluid moves, it generates vortices in the fluid so that a lift force is generated on the first part, which produces an oscillating movement of the first part, which has an amplitude. The natural oscillation frequency of the first part may be adjusted to wind speed by way of magnets, which repel each other. Magnets may also be used to generate electrical currents in coils. The first part can have a diameter that increases with distance above the base of the generator.

Claims

1. An electrical power generator, comprising:

a first part configured to be anchored in an anchoring point such that the first part can perform a swaying motion relative to the anchoring point, the first part being configured to be located in a fluid and configured such that, when said fluid moves, it generates vortices in the fluid, so that a lift force is generated on the first part, which produces an oscillating and swaying movement of the first part relative to the anchoring point, said oscillating movement having an amplitude; and

a second part that surrounds, at least partially, said first part;

the generator comprising a system for generating a magnetic field which produces a magnetic repulsion force between the first part and the second part, which varies with the oscillating movement of the first part and which has a maximum value that increases when the amplitude of the oscillating movement of the first part increases.

2. The generator of claim 1, wherein the system for generating a magnetic field comprises at least one first magnet associated to the first part and at least one second magnet associated to the second part,

said at least one first magnet and said at least one second magnet being arranged in such a way that they repel each other and in such a way that when the oscillating movement of the first part is produced, the distance between said at least one first magnet and said at least one second magnet varies according to said oscillating movement.

3. The generator according to claim 2, wherein said at least one first magnet comprises at least two diametrically opposed parts, and wherein said at least one second magnet comprises at least two diametrically opposed parts facing said at least two diametrically opposed parts of said at least one first magnet.

4. The generator according to claim 3, wherein said at least one first magnet is configured as at least one ring.

5. The generator according to claim 3, wherein said at least one second magnet is configured as at least one ring.

6. The generator according to claim 2, wherein said at least one first magnet comprises a plurality of magnets arranged at different heights above a base of the generator and wherein said at least one second magnet comprises a plurality of magnets arranged at different heights above the base of the generator.

7. The generator according to claim 2,

wherein said at least one first magnet comprises a first plurality of magnets arranged substantially adjacent to each other and with polarities arranged so that the magnetic field produced by said first plurality of magnets is stronger on a side of said magnets facing said at least one second magnet than on an opposite side,

or

wherein said at least one second magnet comprises a second plurality of magnets arranged substantially adjacent to each other and with polarities arranged so that the magnetic field produced by said second plurality of magnets is stronger on a side facing said at least one first magnet than on an opposite side.

8. The generator according to claim 2, wherein the at least one first magnet and the at least one second magnet are arranged in an inclined manner in relation to a longitudinal axis of the first part.

9. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the first part is arranged so that the amplitude of the oscillating movement increases with the velocity of the fluid, at least within a certain range of velocities.

10. The generator according to claim 2, wherein the repulsion force between the at least one first magnet and the at least one second magnet is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the first magnet and the second magnet, and wherein, when the speed of the fluid increases, the amplitude of the oscillating movement tends to increase, whereby the magnets tend to get closer during a part of maximum approach of each oscillation cycle, whereby the maximum repulsion force produced between the at least one first magnet and the at least one second magnet in each oscillation cycle increases accordingly, whereby the increase of the repulsion force increases the resonance frequency of the first part, whereby the structure of the generator contributes to an automatic increase in the resonance frequency of the first part when the speed of the fluid increases, and vice-versa.

11. The generator according to claim 2, comprising a subsystem of magnets and at least one coil, the generator being configured such that the oscillatory movement of the first part produces a relative displacement between the subsystem of magnets and the at least one coil, such that an electromotive force is generated in said at least one coil.

12. The generator according to claim 11, the subsystem of magnets comprising a plurality of magnets, arranged such that when the first part moves during the oscillatory movement from a neutral position to an extreme tilted position, said at least one coil is subjected to at least one change of direction of magnetic field.

14. The generator according to claim 11, the coils being arranged on the second part and the subsystem of magnets being arranged on the first part.

15. The generator according to claim 11, comprising a generator subsystem comprising a first generator module and a second generator module moveable in relation to said first generator module in parallel with a longitudinal axis of the first part, to produce the relative displacement between the subsystem of magnets and the at least one coil.

29. The generator according to claim 15, arranged so that as a result of the oscillating movement of the first part, an oscillating movement of the second generator module is produced, the oscillating movement of the second generator module being in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of the first part and having a frequency higher than the frequency of the oscillating movement of the first part.

31. The generator according to claim 11, wherein the second part comprises a first generator module and a second generator module moveable in relation to the first generator module to produce the relative displacement between the subsystem of magnets and the at least one coil, wherein the second generator module is suspended so that it can oscillate in relation to the first generator module, at a frequency different from the frequency of the oscillating movement of the first part.

38. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the first part comprises an oscillating pole and wherein the second part comprises a static structure located in correspondence with the base of the pole.

42. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the first part comprises a substantially rigid part and another substantially flexible and elastic part to be anchored in the anchoring point, such that, given the flexibility and elasticity of the substantially flexible and elastic part, the first part can perform a swaying motion relative to the anchoring point.

43. The generator according to claim 12, wherein the subsystem of magnets includes the at least one first magnet.

13. (canceled)

16-28. -28. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

32-37. -37. (canceled)

39. A method for making an electrical power generator tune with wind speed, the electrical power generator comprising:

a first part anchored to an anchoring point and configured to be located in a fluid and configured such that when said fluid moves, it generates vortices in said fluid, so that a lift force is generated on the first part, which produces an oscillating and swaying movement of the first part relative to the anchoring point,

and a second part which surrounds, at least partially, said first part;

the method comprising the step of arranging at least one first magnet on the first part and at least one second magnet on the second part, such that said at least one first magnet and said at least one second magnet repel each other.

40-41. -41. (canceled)