Fluid energy conversion system

• US 4,441,872 A
• Filed: 04/29/1981
• Issued: 04/10/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph B. Seale
• Original Assignee: Joseph B. Seale
• Inventors: Seale, Joseph B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US06/258,751
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 62/133, 62/230, 62/228 C, 62/228 D, 62/323.4, 62/236, 122/26, 290/44, 418/282, 418/293, 418/307, 418/440
• US Class Current: 417/282
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/043 characterised by the type of control logic
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/22 the apparatus producing heat
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A fluid-driven pump directly converts fluid kinetic energy into displacement of a second fluid against a pressure differential. In one form of the invention, a wind turbine is coupled via a rotary shaft crank to a reciprocating piston in a large-displacement, double-acting compressor cylinder. In a preferred mode, a refrigerant gas is compressed to accomplish heat pumping and refrigeration. Timed compression-relief valving controls the time that the wind turbine is coupled to the fluid load to maintain maximum power transfer within useful operating limits of source and load. An electronic control circuit senses selected parameters to compute the desired duty cycle and provide an energizing signal to a pair of solenoid relief valves such that the optimum duty cycle is selected for maximum power transfer.

Claims

1. A fluid energy conversion system, comprising:

(A) variable fluid energy source means;

(B) variable load means;

(C) transformer means responsive to said energy source and load means, including means for determining the relative energies associated with said load and source means for controlling the period during which said load and source means are coupled together, substantially continuously to match the impedances of said source and load means, such that substantially maximum energy transfer takes place substantially continuously,

said transformer means including fluid relief means for controlling said period and electronic control means,

said electronic control means having, means for sensing a selected parameter of said system, means responsive to said sensed parameter for actuating said fluid relief means, and computer means responsive to said sensed parameter for computing said period during which said source and load means are coupled for transferring power from said source to said load means,

said computer means including

means for computing the amount of energy that can be transferred during the remainder of a transformer cycle;

means for predicting a desired level of energy available from said source means; and

means for initiating said period only if said energy level available from said source means exceeds said amount.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said transformer means includes piston-actuated compressor means.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said transformer means include electrically actuated relief valve means.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said fluid relief means include electrically actuated valve means for enabling energy transfer to said load means, and transfer valve means responsive to said enabling valve means for transferring energy from said source to said load means.

5. A fluid energy conversion system, comprising:

(A) variable fluid energy source means;

(B) variable load means;

(C) transformer means responsive to said energy source and load means, including means for determining the relative energies associated with said load and source means for controlling the period during which said load and source means are coupled together, substantially continuously to match the impedances of said source and load means, such that substantially maximum energy transfer takes place substantially continuously,

said transformer means including fluid relief means for controlling said period and electronic control means,

said electronic control means having, means for sensing a selected parameter of said system, means responsive to said sensed parameter for actuating said fluid relief means, and computer means responsive to said sensed parameter for computing said period during which said source and load means are coupled for transferring power from said source to said load means,

said computer means including

means for computing the amount of energy transferred from said source to said load means;

means for predicting a desired level of energy transfer; and

means for terminating said period only if said energy transferred exceeds said level.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein:

said transformer means include piston-actuated compressor means.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein:

said transformer means include electrically actuated relief valve means.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein:

said fluid relief means include

electrically actuated valve means for enabling energy transfer to said load means, and

transfer valve means responsive to said enabling valve means for transferring energy from said source to said load means.

9. A fluid energy conversion system, comprising:

(A) rotating energy source means driven by variable fluid motion;

(B) variable fluid load means;

(C) variable energy transformer means coupled between said source and load means;

(D) as a part of said transformer means, compressor means for conversion of rotational energy of said source means into fluid energy of said load means, where said conversion of energy takes place during repetitive energy transfer cycles, which may overlap in time, and where the repetition frequency of said transfer cycles is in fixed proportion to the rotation speed of said source means;

(E) as a part of said compressor means, variable fluid relief means that can reduce the time duration of said transfer cycles, such that the amount of energy transferred from said source means in one of said transfer cycles can be reduced, such that the rotation speed of said source means is allowed to be higher than it would be in the absence of fluid relief;

(F) as a part of said transformer means, control means that regulate said relief means to achieve a desired range of rotation speeds in said source means, such that said source means can efficiently absorb and transfer the energy of said fluid motion;

(G) as a part of said control means, sensor means responsive to one or more selected parameters of the operation of said system, such that the response of said sensor means can potentially be used to compute approximately a specified ratio of the square of the rotation speed of said source means to a specified average energy transfer from said source means per transfer cycle; and

(H) as a part of said control means, computer means that use the response of said sensor means, and that direct the regulation of said relief means, to affect said time duration, thereby to affect said amount of energy transferred and said range of rotation speeds in said source means in such a way that said specified ratio of squared rotation speed to average energy transfer per cycle is caused to be corrected toward a desired value, said desired value being determined as a value that causes substantially maximum average power transfer from said source means to said load means to take place for a range of conditions of said fluid motion and said load means.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said specified average energy transfer is an average over one or more of said transfer cycles in the past.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said specified average energy transfer represents the energy transferred during the present, uncompleted transfer cycle.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein said specified average energy transfer represents a predicted average over one or more of said transfer cycles in the future.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said specified average energy transfer represents a specified combination

of an average over one or more of said transfer cycles in the past,

of the energy transferred during the present uncompleted transfer cycle, and

of a predicted average over one or more of said transfer cycles in the future.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein:

(A) said rotating energy source means is a water turbine;

(B) said fluid motion driving said source is water flowing through an adjustable gate;

(C) said desired value of said specified ratio is fixed for any given gate setting but is different for different gate settings; and

(D) said control means include means for adjusting the operation of said control means such that said desired value, toward which said specified ratio is caused to be corrected, can effectively be altered when said gate is adjusted, such that substantially maximum average power transfer can take place for any given gate setting over a range of gate settings and for said range of conditions of said fluid motion and said load means, but where said range of conditions may differ for different gate settings.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein:

(A) said rotating energy source means is a wind turbine;

(B) said desired value of said specified ratio is fixed for any given air density but is different for different values of air density; and

(C) said control means include means for adjusting the operation of said control means such that said desired value, toward which said specified ratio is caused to be corrected, can effectively be altered to fit different air density conditions, such that substantially maximum average power transfer can take place for any given air density condition over a range of said air density conditions and for said range of conditions of said fluid motion and said load means, but where said range of conditions may differ for different air density conditions.