Integrated energy system

• US 4,118,637 A
• Filed: 09/30/1976
• Issued: 10/03/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: UNEP 3 Energy Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: UNEP 3 Energy Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Tackett, Louis Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Schaefer, Robert K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Redman, John W.
• Application Number:
  US05/728,064
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 290/1, 290/4, 290/44, 290/43, 290/54, 290/55, 60/398, 60/413, 60/415, 417/336, 417/382
• US Class Current: 290/55
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/22 Foundations specially adapted for wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/06 the wind motors having rotation axis substantially perpendicular to the air flow entering the rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/50 Maintenance or repair
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/70 Bearing or lubricating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/255 connected to electrical distribution networks; Arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/28 the apparatus being a pump or a compressor
• 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: F17D 1/04 for distribution of gas
• 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 10/74 Wind turbines with rotation axis perpendicular to the wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/16 Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 416/04 Fluid current motor and generator

Abstract

This invention is a multiple diverse energy source driven energy integration and multiple use-point system: which includes system air pressure compensated variable pressure and volume delivery of compressed air from multiple air compression stations which discharge and store compressed air into an included interconnecting collection storage and distribution conduit multiple module grid system; of largest needed and commercially available size pipe to keep the pressure drop to a minimum, and from which the compressed air is withdrawn at multiple points of need; when and as needed, through synchronized dual-precision-controls to turn, at optimum RPM speed regardless of varying work loads, air motor drives for operation of conventional electrical generating equipment with varying customer-use-demand output work loads. The conduit-pipe systems are arranged in interconnecting, but isolable, multiple module grids ranging in size from those needed, for example, for a small town or a large individual user of electricity to large metropolitan areas and which may ultimately be interconnected into a large regional, national, or continental system. Natural energy sources including wind, tide, wave, thermal and solar power, as well as conventional fuels, may be utilized to provide the energy required to drive compressors to supply the air into the system. An improved wind turbine is included for the recovery and use of wind-power for compressing air on a vast scale in multiple installations.

Claims

1. A system for collecting, storing and distributing energy comprising a transmission-storage pipe system including an interconnected network of large diameter high pressure conduit for storage and transmission of large volumes of compressed air throughout a predetermined wide geographical area, a plurality of energy collector-converters including air compressor means operatively connected to said pipe system and utilizing available energy to compress air and deliver the compressed air to said pipe system, said air compressor means including a plurality of separate compressor stages, pressure responsive control means operatively interconnecting said compressor stages for automatically delivering low, intermediate or high pressure air at inversely varying flow rates to the pipe system in response to the pressure in the system, at least one air-actuated generator station, conduit means operatively connecting said at least one generator station to said pipe system for withdrawing compressed air therefrom for operating said at least one generator station, said at least one generator station including air motor means operably connected to said conduit means and operated by the compressed connected to said conduit means and operated by the compressed air for driving an electric generator, and air pressure and air volume control means connected in said conduit means and operable simultaneously to control operations of said air motor means, said air pressure and air volume control means being capable of varying the work output of said air motor means in accordance with a demand signal to thereby accurately control the rate of rotation of said air motor means to drive an electric generator at its optimum speed.

2. The energy collecting, storing and distributing system as defined in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said plurality of energy collector-converters are non-polluting, natural energy collector-converters operable to collect and convert natural energy to rotational force for driving said ccompressor means.

3. The energy collecting, storing and distributing system as defined in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said plurality of energy collector-converters comprise a wind turbine including a plurality of generally vertically extending turbine blades mounted to rotate in a horizontal plane about a fixed vertical axis, said turbine blades being adapted to be driven by wind force.

4. The energy collecting, storing and distributing system as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said at least one generator stations comprise a plurality of air motors each operable to drive a separate electric generator at its optimum speed, and wherein said air pressure and air volume control means include means responsive to the demand for electrical energy for sequentially activating said plurality of air motors to drive an electric generator at its optimum speed to generate electricity in accordance with the demand therefor.

5. The energy collecting, storing and distributing system as defined in claim 4 further comprising air flow meter means connected in said conduit means for measuring the quantity of compressed air utilized by each said generator station.

6. The energy collecting, storing and distributing system as defined in claim 1 wherein said transmission-storage pipe system comprises a system of large diameter high pressure widely spaced pipe disposed in a generally rectangular grid covering said predetermined wide geographic area, and a plurality of area modules located within said wide geographic area, conduit means connecting each said module to said grid, said modules each comprising a plurality of said collector-converters and at least one said generator station, whereby compressed air may flow into said modules from said grid and out of said modules into said grid.

7. The energy collecting, storing and distributing system as defined in claim 6 further comprising an integrating meter assembly connecting each said module with said grid, said integrated meter assembly being operable to measure the net flow of air between the grid and the respective associated modules.

8. The energy collecting, storing and distributing system as defined in claim 7 wherein said means connecting each said module to said grid further comprises valve means preventing air flow from said modules into said grid until a predetermined minimum pressure differential is established therebetween.

9. The energy collecting, storing and distributing system as defined in claim 8 wherein said valve means includes a spring loaded one-way check valve operable to prevent compressed air from flowing from said modules when the pressure therein is below a predetermined minimum to thereby assure a minimum reserve of compressed air in each said module.

10. The energy collecting, storing and distributing system as defined in claim 6 further comprising at least one isolating valve located in each pipe section of said grid which bounds each generally rectangular section encompassed by said grid, and means responsive to the rate of flow of air through the respective pipe sections of said grid for closing said isolating valves therein to thereby isolate predetermined sections of said grid.

12. The energy collecting, storing and distributing system as defined in claim 1 wherein said air compressor means comprises respective first, second and third stages, an ambient pressure suction source, a first stage discharge line, a second stage discharge line, a third stage discharge line, a discharge sink connected with said pipe system, first suction selector means for connecting the inlet of said second stage with one of said ambient pressure suction source and said first discharge line;

said first suction selector including pressure responsive means for automatically changing the suction of said second stage from said ambient pressure suction source to said first stage discharge line upon the occurrence of a first predetermined pressure in said discharge sink, second suction selector means for connecting the inlet of said third stage with one of said ambient pressure suction source and said second stage discharge line;

said second suction selector means being operable to automatically effect change of the inlet of said third stage from said ambient pressure suction source to said second stage discharge line upon the occurrence of a second predetermined pressure higher than said first predetermined pressure in said discharge sink, and first and second stage check valves disposed respectively in said first and second stage discharge lines for preventing air flow from said discharge sink back into said first and second stages when said first and second stage discharge lines are connected respectively with the suctions of said second and third stages.

11. The energy collecting, storing and distributing system as defined in claim 11 further comprising two-way metering means located in the pipe of said grid at the boundries of predetermined sections thereof, said two-way metering means being operable to measure the net air flow into or out of the respective sections of said grid.

13. A system for collecting, storing and distributing energy comprising a transmission-storage pipe system including an interconnected network of large diameter high pressure conduit for storage and transmission of large volumes of compressed air throughout a predetermined wide geographical area, said system comprising a floating storage means including a plurality of loops of high pressure pipe rigidly joined together in a plurality of superimposed layers and interconnected to form an auxiliary compressed air storage source, said floating storage means including means for anchoring to the bottom of a body of water in which it is floating, and flexible connection means for connecting said floating storage means with high pressure pipe on shore, said flexible connection means being weighted heavily enough to overcome byoyancy and lie along said bottom between said floating storage means and said high pressure pipe on shore, said floating storage means containing at least one said energy collector-converter supported thereon, a plurality of energy collector-converters including air compressor means operatively connected to said pipe system and utilizing available energy to compress air and deliver the compressed air to said pipe system, said air compressor means including a plurality of separate compressor stages, pressure responsive control means operatively interconnecting said compressor stages for automatically delivering low, intermediate or high pressure air at inversely varying flow rates to the pipe system in response to the pressure in the system, at least one air-actuated generator station, conduit means operatively connecting said at least one generator station to said pipe system for withdrawing compressed air therefrom for operating said at least one generator station, said at least one generator station including air motor means operably connected to said conduit means and operated by the compressed air for driving an electric generator, and air pressure and air volume control means connected in said conduit means and operable simultaneously to control operations of said air motor means, said air pressure and air volume control means being capable of varying the work output of said air motor means in accordance with a demand signal to thereby accurately control the rate of rotation of said air motor means to drive an electric generator at its optimum speed.

14. The energy collecting, storing and distributing system of claim 13 wherein said floating storage means is a shallow water type installation and said anchoring means comprises multiple pilings having vertically disposed, slidable sleeves on each said pile, said sleeves being connected with said floating storage means so as to allow said storage means to rise and fall with changes in level of said water.

15. A method for collecting, storing and distributing energy throughout a wide geographical area, said method comprising the steps of constructing a transmission-storage pipe system including an interconnected network of large diameter high pressure conduit for storage and transmission of large volumes of compressed air throughout said wide geographical area, providing a plurality of energy collector-converters each including air compressor means operatively connected to the pipe system and utilizing available energy to compress air and deliver the compressed air to the pipe system, said air compressor means including a plurality of separate compressor stages, regulating the operation of said compressor means by providing pressure responsive controls operatively interconnecting the compressor stages for automatically delivering low, intermediate or high pressure air at inversely varying flow rates to the pipe system in response to the pressure in the system, providing at least one air-actuated generator station operatively connected to the pipe system through conduit means permitting the withdrawal of compressed air therefrom for operating said at least one generator station, said at least one generator station including air motor means operably connected to the conduit means for operation by the compressed air and driving an electric generator to convert the energy in said compressed air to electrical energy, and providing air pressure and air volume controls connected in the conduit means and operable simultaneously to control the operation of the air motor means, said air pressure and air volume control means being capable of varying the work output of the air motor means in accordance with a demand signal to thereby accurately control the rate of rotation of the air motor means to drive the electric generator at its optimum speed regardless of the load on the generator.

16. The method defined in claim 15 wherein at least a portion of said plurality of energy collector-converters are non-polluting, natural energy collector-converters operable to collect and convert natural energy to rotational force for driving the compressor means for compressing air.

17. The method defined in claim 15 wherein at least a portion of said plurality of energy collector-converters are wind turbines each including a plurality of generally vertically extending turbine blades mounted to rotate in a horizontal plane about a fixed vertical axis, said turbine blades being adapted to be driven by wind force.

18. The method defined in claim 15 wherein each of the generator stations comprise a plurality of air motors each connected with and operable to drive a separate electric generator at its optimum speed, and wherein the air pressure and air volume control means include means responsive to the demand for electrical energy for sequentially activating said plurality of air motors to drive an electric generator at its optimum speed to generate electricity in accordance with the demand therefor.

19. The method defined in claim 15 wherein transmission-storage pipe system is constructed to include a system of large diameter high pressure widely spaced pipe disposed in a generally rectangular grid covering the predetermined wide geographic area and a plurality of area modules located within the wide geographic area, and conduit means are provided to connect each module to the grid, and wherein each of the modules each include a plurality of collector-converters and at least on said generator station, whereby compressed air may flow into the modules from the grid and out of said modules into the grid.

20. The method defined in claim 19 further comprising the steps of connecting an integrating meter assembly in the conduit between each module and the grid, and measuring the net flow of air between the grid and the respective associated modules by use of said integrating metering assembly.

21. The method defined in claim 20 further comprising the steps of monitering the pressure in each module and in the pipe grid, and controlling the flow of compressed air therebetween to prevent air flow to the respective modules into the grid until a predetermined minimum pressure differential is established therebetween.