Wind-powered battery charging system

• US 5,680,032 A
• Filed: 12/19/1995
• Issued: 10/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Spinmotor Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Spinmotor Incorporated
• Inventors: Pena, Mario
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US08/574,521
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 320/5, 320/61, 320/62, 320/63, 322/2 R, 322/35, 290/55, 290/44, 290/1 R
• US Class Current: 290/52
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2016/006 wind power driven
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/105 the accumulator being a flywheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/30 using propulsion power stored mechanically, e.g. in fly-wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/006 Converting flow of air into electric energy, e.g. by using wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/12 storing kinetic energy, e.g. using flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/32 on moving objects, e.g. vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/941 which is a land vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/32 for charging batteries from a charging set comprising a non-electric prime mover rotating at constant speed
• 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 60/16 Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/90 Energy harvesting concepts as power supply for auxiliaries' energy consumption, e.g. photovoltaic sun-roof

Abstract

During forward motion of an electrically-powered vehicle, air is captured at the front of the vehicle and channeled to one or more turbines. The air from the turbines is discharged at low pressure regions on the sides and/or rear of the vehicle. The motive power of the air rotates the turbines, which are rotatably engaged with a generator to produce electrical energy that is used to recharge batteries that power the vehicle. The generator is rotatably engaged with a flywheel for storing mechanical energy while the vehicle is in forward motion. When the vehicle slows or stops, the flywheel releases its stored energy to the generators, thereby enabling the generator to continue recharging the batteries. The flywheel enables the generators to provide a more stable and continuous current flow for recharging the batteries.

Claims

1. An electrically-powered vehicle having a front, rear, opposing longitudinal sides, and a battery for storing and providing electrical energy, comprising:

(a) a duct assembly comprising;

(i) an air intake duct;

(ii) a turbine chamber having a turbine chamber inlet and exhaust outlet;

(iii) a discharge duct; and

(iv) a discharge outlet,

wherein the intake duct is connected to the turbine chamber inlet, the discharge duct is interposed between the turbine chamber exhaust outlet and the discharge outlet, and, the discharge duct has a larger cross sectional area than the turbine chamber exhaust outlet;

(b) a turbine placed in the turbine chamber, said turbine adapted to operate by the air passing through the duct when the vehicle is in motion; and

(c) a generator operatively engaged with the turbine, said generator providing electrical energy and charging the battery with the generated electrical energy when the turbine is in operation.

2. An electrically-powered vehicle having a front, rear, opposing longitudinal sides, and a battery for storing and providing electrical energy, comprising:

(a) a duct assembly comprising;

(I) an air intake duct having a forward opening;

(ii) a turbine chamber having a turbine chamber inlet and exhaust outlet;

(iii) a discharge duct; and

(iv) a discharge outlet,

wherein the intake duct is connected to the turbine chamber inlet, the discharge duct is interposed between the turbine chamber exhaust outlet and the discharge outlet, and, the discharge duct has a larger cross sectional area than the turbine chamber exhaust outlet;

(b) a turbine placed in the turbine chamber, said turbine adapted to operate with the air passing through the duct when the vehicle is in motion;

(c) a generator operatively engaged with the turbine, said generator providing electrical energy and charging the battery with the generated electrical energy when the turbine is in operation; and

(d) a flywheel operatively engaged with the generator for storing mechanical energy when the turbine is in operation.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further having a circuitry operatively connecting the generator to the battery for recharging the battery.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the turbine rotates in a horizontal plane.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the turbine is engaged with the generator by a gear arrangement.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the generator is engaged with the flywheel by a gear arrangement.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the flywheel is placed in an enclosure.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the enclosure is substantially sealed from the outside air.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the flywheel rotates in a horizontal plane.

10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the gear arrangement provides a gear ratio of at least ten between the turbine and the generator.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the gear arrangement provides a gear ratio of at least ten between the generator and the flywheel.

12. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a catastrophe-containment device for safely containing the flywheel.

13. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the discharge outlet is located in the rear of the vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the discharge outlet is adapted to discharge air on the opposing longitudinal sides of the vehicle.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the discharge duct is "Y" shaped with discharge outlets located on the opposing sides of the vehicle.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 further having an heating element for heating the air in the intake duct before it reaches the turbine.

17. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the forward opening has a substantially greater cross-section than the discharge outlet.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the forward opening has an adjustable flap for adjusting air flow into the duct when the vehicle is in motion.

19. A wind-powered battery charging system for an electrically-powered vehicle having a front, opposing longitudinal sides, a rear, and at least one battery for storing and providing electrical energy, the battery charging system comprising:

(a) a duct assembly, oriented generally longitudinally in the vehicle, comprising;

(I) an air intake duct having a funnel shaped air intake with a forward opening in the front of the vehicle;

(ii) a turbine chamber having a turbine chamber inlet and exhaust outlet;

(iii) a discharge duct; and

(iv) a discharge outlet,

wherein the intake duct is connected to the turbine chamber inlet, the discharge duct is interposed between the turbine chamber exhaust outlet and the discharge outlet, and, the discharge duct has a larger cross sectional area than the turbine chamber exhaust outlet;

(b) a turbine adapted to rotate about a vertical axis placed in the turbine chamber;

(c) a generator operatively engaged with the turbine, said generator providing electrical energy when the turbine is in operation;

(d) a flywheel operatively engaged with the generator for storing mechanical energy when excess energy is provided by the turbine to the generator and releasing energy when inadequate energy is provided by the turbine to the generator; and

(e) electrical circuitry operatively connecting the generator to the battery for recharging the battery.

20. The battery charging system of claim 19 wherein:

the turbine rotates about a turbine shaft having a turbine gear;

the generator is operatively mounted on a generator shaft;

the flywheel rotates about a flywheel shaft having a flywheel gear;

a first generator gear is mounted on the generator shaft and operatively engaged with the turbine gear; and

a second generator gear is mounted on the generator shaft and operatively engaged with the flywheel gear.

21. The battery charging system of claim 20, wherein the gear ratio between the turbine gear and the first generator gear is at least ten.

22. The battery charging system of claim 21, wherein the gear ratio between the second generator gear and the flywheel gear is at least ten.

23. The battery charging system of claim 19, further comprising a housing for the flywheel for sealing the flywheel, wherein the flywheel is contained in a reduced atmosphere.

24. The battery charging system of claim 19, wherein the air outlet is located in the rear of the vehicle.

25. The battery charging system of claim 19, wherein the air discharge duct is "Y" shaped with air outlets located on the opposing sides of the vehicle.

26. The battery charging system of claim 19, further comprising a heat transfer element for heating air passing through the turbines.

27. In an electrically-powered vehicle having a front, opposing longitudinal sides, a rear, and at least one battery for storing and providing electrical energy, a method for charging the battery, comprising:

(a) capturing air at the front of the vehicle as the vehicle moves in a forward direction;

(b) passing the captured air rearward through a duct in the vehicle to a turbine chamber;

(c) rotating a turbine in the turbine chamber having a turbine chamber exhaust outlet with the captured air;

(d) exhausting the captured air through an air discharge duct having a larger cross sectional area than the turbine chamber exhaust outlet to an air outlet;

(e) generating electricity in a generator operatively engaged with the turbine;

(f) recharging the battery with the electricity generated in the previous step;

(g) storing mechanical energy in a flywheel that is operatively engaged with the generator; and

(h) releasing stored energy in the flywheel to the generator for generating electricity.

28. A wind-powered battery charging system for an electrically-powered vehicle having a forward facing air intake duct, an air discharge duct, a turbine chamber having a turbine chamber exhaust outlet therebetween, the air discharge duct having a larger cross sectional area than the turbine chamber exhaust outlet, a generator operatively engaged with the turbine and means for the generator to recharge batteries that store energy and provide power to the vehicle, comprising:

(a) a flywheel rotatively engaged with the generator for receiving and storing mechanical energy from the generator and for releasing stored energy to the generator, wherein the gear ratio between the turbine and the generator is between one and fifty and the gear ratio between the generator and the flywheel is between one and fifty; and

(b) the air exhaust duct discharges air through an air outlet located in a region defined by the rear of the vehicle and a wave vortex that forms behind the vehicle when the vehicle moves forward, so that the air exhausts into a relatively low-pressure region.

29. The battery charging system of claim 28, further comprising a heating element in the air intake duct.

30. The battery charging system of claim 28, wherein the air discharge duct is "Y" shaped and discharges air on opposing sides of the vehicle so as to take advantage of a Bernoulli effect.