Energy Conversion Device

• US 20170350254A1
• Filed: 05/01/2017
• Published: 12/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christopher J. Castro
• Original Assignee: Christopher J. Castro
• Inventors: Castro, Christopher J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,641,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/023 of the screw type
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/105 Bulb groups
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 17/061 with rotation axis substantially in flow direction
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 3/126 Rotors for essentially axial flow, e.g. for propeller turbines with adjustable blades F03B3/14
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/0625 of the whole rotor, i.e. form features of the rotor unit
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2210/16 Air or water being indistinctly used as working fluid, i.e. the machine can work equally with air or water without any modification
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/7068 equipped with permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2230/60 Assembly methods
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/221 with horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/30 Characteristics of rotor blades, i.e. of any element transforming dynamic fluid energy to or from rotational energy and being attached to a rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/292 tapered
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/71 curved
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/712 concave
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/42 Storage of energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/24 with magnets axially facing the armatures, e.g. hub-type cycle dynamos
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1838 Generators mounted in a nacelle or similar structure of a horizontal axis wind turbine
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/20 Hydro energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

An energy conversion device is disclosed. Some embodiments include a mounting system for mounting the device in a fluid, an axle fixed to the mounting system, a hollow shell that rotates about the axle having axial symmetry about a longitudinal axis. The hollow shell may be substantially rounded at the front, expanding to a maximum diameter less than half the distance from the front end to the back end, and tapering radially along the longitudinal axis to the back end. The energy device may further comprise a plurality of blades on the exterior of the hollow shell, each blade extending from the front end of the hollow shell to the back end, rising to a maximum height, and having concave and convex walls. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. An energy conversion device comprising:

a mounting system for mounting the device in a fluid;

an axle fixed to the mounting system;

a hollow shell having axial symmetry about a longitudinal axis and having an exterior, a front end, and a back end, the shell substantially rounded from the front end, expanding radially along the longitudinal axis up to a maximum diameter, and tapering radially along the longitudinal axis from the maximum diameter to the back end, the maximum diameter occurring at a longitudinal location less than half the distance from the front end to the back end; and

a plurality of blades on the exterior of the hollow shell;

each blade extending from the front end of the hollow shell to the back end of the hollow shell, spiraling longitudinally along the exterior of the hollow shell, and rising from the exterior of the hollow shell at the front end to a maximum height above the exterior of the hollow shell and lowering to the exterior of the hollow shell at the back end, each blade having a concave wall, the concave wall being concave with respect to the front end in the longitudinal direction and concave in the radially outward direction, and each blade having a convex wall, the convex wall being convex with respect to the front end in the longitudinal direction and convex in the radially outward direction;

wherein the hollow shell rotates about the axle.

2. The energy conversion device of claim 1 wherein the maximum height of the plurality of blades occurs at the same longitudinal location as the maximum diameter of the hollow shell.

3. The energy conversion device of claim 1 further comprising one or more bearing assemblies fixed to the hollow shell to allow the hollow shell to rotate about the axle.

4. The energy conversion device of claim 1 further comprising:

an interior space of the hollow shell; and

a generator housed in the interior space of the hollow shell.

5. The energy conversion device of claim 1 wherein the generator further comprises:

a rotor housed in the interior space of the hollow shell and fixed to the hollow shell; and

a stator housed in the interior space of the hollow shell and fixed to the axle.

6. The energy conversion device of claim 5 further comprising an energy storage device housed in the interior space of the hollow shell.

7. The energy conversion device of claim 6 wherein the energy storage device is a battery

8. The energy conversion device of claim 1 wherein the energy conversion device is a turbine.

9. The energy conversion device of claim 1 further comprising:

an interior space of the hollow shell; and

a motor housed in the interior space of the hollow shell, a first part of the motor fixed to the axle, and a second part of the motor fixed to the hollow shell.

10. An energy conversion device comprising:

a mounting system for mounting the device in a fluid;

an axle fixed to the mounting system;

a hollow shell having axial symmetry about a longitudinal axis and having an exterior, a front end, and a back end, the shell substantially rounded from the front end, expanding radially along the longitudinal axis up to a maximum diameter, and tapering radially along the longitudinal axis from the maximum diameter to the back end, the maximum diameter occurring at a longitudinal location less than half the distance from the front end to the back end; and

a plurality of blades on the exterior of the hollow shell;

each blade extending from the front end of the hollow shell to the back end of the hollow shell, spiraling longitudinally along the exterior of the hollow shell, and rising from the exterior of the hollow shell at the front end to a maximum height above the exterior of the hollow shell and lowering to the exterior of the hollow shell at the back end, each blade having a concave wall, the concave wall being concave with respect to the front end in the longitudinal direction and concave in the radially outward direction, and each blade having a convex wall, the convex wall being convex with respect to the front end in the longitudinal direction and convex in the radially outward direction;

an interior space of the hollow shell;

a rotor housed in the interior space of the hollow shell, the rotor fixed to the hollow shell; and

a stator housed in the interior space of the hollow shell, the stator fixed to the axle;

wherein the hollow shell rotates about the axle.

11. The energy conversion device of claim 10 comprising one or more bearing assemblies fixed to the hollow shell for allowing the hollow shell to rotate about the axle.

12. The energy conversion device of claim 10 wherein the energy conversion device is a turbo electric generator.

13. The energy conversion device of claim 10 wherein the energy conversion device is a propulsion system.

14. The energy conversion device of claim 10 further comprising an energy storage device housed in the interior space of the hollow shell.

15. The energy conversion device of claim 14 wherein the energy storage device is a battery.

16. A turbine comprising:

a mounting system for mounting the turbine in a fluid;

an axle fixed to the mounting system;

a hollow shell having axial symmetry about a longitudinal axis and having an exterior, a front end, and a back end, the shell substantially rounded from the front end, expanding radially along the longitudinal axis up to a maximum diameter, and tapering radially along the longitudinal axis from the maximum diameter to the back end, the maximum diameter occurring at a longitudinal location less than half the distance from the front end to the back end; and

a plurality of blades on the exterior of the hollow shell;

each blade extending from the front end of the hollow shell to the back end of the hollow shell, spiraling longitudinally along the exterior of the hollow shell, and rising from the exterior of the hollow shell at the front end to a maximum height above the exterior of the hollow shell and lowering to the exterior of the hollow shell at the back end, each blade having a concave wall, the concave wall being concave with respect to the front end in the longitudinal direction and concave in the radially outward direction, and each blade having a convex wall, the convex wall being convex with respect to the front end in the longitudinal direction and convex in the radially outward direction; and

one or more bearing assemblies fixed to the hollow shell for allowing the hollow shell to rotate about the axle.

17. The turbine of claim 16 wherein the maximum height of the plurality of blades occurs at the same longitudinal location as the maximum diameter of the hollow shell.

18. The turbine of claim 16 further comprising:

an interior space of the hollow shell; and

a generator housed in the interior space of the hollow shell.

19. The turbine of claim 18 wherein the generator further comprises:

a rotor housed in the interior space of the hollow sell and fixed to the hollow shell; and

a stator housed in the interior space of the hollow shell and fixed to the axle.

20. The turbine of claim 19 further comprising an energy storage device housed in the interior space of the hollow shell.