Energy utilization circuit and method

• US 4,366,388 A
• Filed: 11/10/1980
• Issued: 12/28/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alan W. Wilkerson
• Original Assignee: Alan W. Wilkerson
• Inventors: Wilkerson, Alan W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Thomas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHREYER, STAFFORD
• Application Number:
  US06/205,768
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 307/45, 307/46, 307/44, 307/47, 307/48, 307/65, 307/66, 307/67, 307/68, 307/72, 307/73, 307/75, 307/76, 307/84, 307/82, 307/87, 307/150, 307/151, 307/22, 307/23, 307/26, 307/29, 307/64, 322/100, 322/32, 322/2 R, 363/98, 363/142, 363/174, 363/175, 363/136
• US Class Current: 307/46
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 using batteries with converting means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin

Abstract

An energy utilization circuit and method energizes a.c. loads with a.c. power of conventional voltage and frequency characteristics. A coverter responsive to an energy source, typically a wind or solar driven generator, converts the energy to d.c. electrical power. An inverter alters the d.c. power to a.c. power. An a.c. wave generator, such as an alternator, is connected to the output of the inverter. The alternator is operated to impress its voltage and frequency on the output of the inverter so as to lend conventional characteristics to this output. Excess power from the inverter maintains the operation of the alternator.

Claims

1. A utilization circuit for utilizing the energy present in contemporaneous geophysical conditions to energize an a.c. load with a.c. power having selected voltage and frequency characteristics, said load being connectable to output terminals of said utilization circuit, said circuit comprising:

conversion means responsive to the energy of the contemporaneous geophysical conditions for converting the energy to d.c. electrical power;

inverting means having an input connected to said conversion means for receiving said d.c. electrical power, said inverting means altering said d.c. power to a.c. power and providing same to an output thereof connected to the output terminals of said circuit;

electrical power storage means interposed at the input of said inverting means and operatively associated with said conversion means for storing power from said conversion means when said conversion means is in an excess power condition and for augmenting the power of said conversion means to the inverting means when said conversion means is in a power deficit condition;

a.c. wave generating means connected in the output of said inverting means and to said circuit output terminals, said a.c. wave generating means assuming an operative condition, responsive to energization by said inverting means, establishing a wave having the selected voltage and frequency characteristics and maintaining said characteristics when subjected to the output of said inverting means;

means for synchronizing the operation of said inverting means and a.c. wave generating means; and

a.c. wave generating means operative condition signal means connected to said generating means for providing a signal responsive to the operative condition of said generating means, said signal means being coupled to said inverting means for controlling the power output of said inverting means to maintain the operative condition of said generating means.

2. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein said inverting means has current regulating means for regulating the current and wherein said wave generating means operative condition signal means is connected to said current regulating means for regulating the current in accordance with the operative condition of said wave generating means.

3. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein said a.c. wave generating means comprises electro-dynamic a.c. apparatus.

4. The circuit according to claim 3 further characterized as including a means for accelerating said electro-dynamic a.c. apparatus to a desired operative condition.

5. The circuit according to claim 3 wherein said electro-dynamic apparatus comprises an alternator.

6. The circuit according to claim 5 further including means for accelerating said alternator to a desired operative condition.

7. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein said a.c. wave generating means comprises an inductive-capacitive tank circuit.

8. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein said inverting means comprises a self-commutated inverter.

9. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein said inverting means comprises a line commutated inverter.

10. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein said a.c. wave generating means operative condition signal means is responsive to the frequency of said wave generating means.

11. The circuit according to claim 3 wherein said a.c. wave generating means operative condition signal means is responsive to the speed of said electro-dynamic a.c. apparatus.

12. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein said a.c. wave generating means operative condition signal means is responsive to the voltage of said wave generating means.

13. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein said conversion means includes means driven by the wind for providing the d.c. electrical power.

14. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein said conversion means includes means responsive to solar radiation for providing the d.c. electrical power.

15. A method of utilizing the energy present in contemporaneous geophysical conditions to energize an a.c. load with a.c. power having selected voltage and frequency characteristics, said method comprising the steps of:

converting the energy of the contemporaneous geophysical conditions to d.c. electrical power;

inverting the d.c. power to a.c. power for supply to the a.c. load;

utilizing a portion of the a.c. power to establish an a.c. wave having the selected voltage and frequency characteristics;

impressing the a.c. wave on the inverted a.c. power so that the latter assumes the form of the former; and

maintaining the characteristics of said a.c. wave when subjected to said a.c. power.

16. The method according to claim 15 including the step of synchronizing the a.c. wave and the a.c. power.

17. The method according to claim 15 further including the step of sensing a characteristic of the a.c. wave and controlling the amount of power to maintain the characteristics of the a.c. wave.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the sensing step is further defined as sensing the frequency of the a.c. wave.

19. The method according to claim 17 wherein the a.c. wave is established by a rotating machine and wherein the sensing step is further defined as sensing the speed of the rotating machine.

20. The method according to claim 15 including the step of sensing the magnitude of the power supplying current and regulating the current in accordance therewith.

21. The method according to claim 15 including the step of storing the d.c. power during periods of excess energy and utilizing the stored power for inversion during periods of energy deficit.

22. The method according to claim 15 further defined as utilizing wind energy and wherein the conversion step is further defined as converting the energy of the wind into d.c. electrical power.

23. The method according to claim 15, further defined as utilizing solar energy and wherein the step of converting the energy is further defined as converting the solar energy to d.c. electrical power.

24. The method according to claim 17 wherein the sensing step is further defined as sensing the voltage of the a.c. wave.