Vehicle power assist by brake, shock, solar, and wind energy recovery

• US 7,398,841 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2005
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jay Stephen Kaufman
• Original Assignee: Jay Stephen Kaufman
• Inventors: Kaufman, Jay Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Tyler; Cheryl
• Assistant Examiner(s): PETTITT, JOHN F
• Application Number:
  US11/124,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20050252696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 626/15, 62/532, 607/16, 606/26, 60/396, 180/2.2, 180/2.1, 180/302, 180/165
• US Class Current: 180/2.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 16/00 Arrangements in connection with power supply of propulsion units in vehicles from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind electric propulsion with power supply from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind B60L8/00; marine propulsion by wind motors driving water-engaging propulsive elements B63H13/00; wind motors specially adapted for installation on vehicles F03D9/32
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2016/003 solar power driven
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/10 directly from oscillating movements due to vehicle running motion, e.g. suspension movement resilient suspensions having dampers accumulating utilisable energy, e.g. compressing air, B60G13/14
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/12 by means of a chargeable fluidic accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/62 charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/90 using propulsion power supplied by specific means not covered by groups B60L50/10 - B60L50/50, e.g. by direct conversion of thermal nuclear energy into electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/006 Converting flow of air into electric energy, e.g. by using wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/06 Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/15 Pneumatic energy storages, e.g. pressure air tanks
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/007 the wind motor being combined with means for converting solar radiation into useful energy
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/17 storing energy in pressurised fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/28 the apparatus being a pump or a compressor
• 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: H02S 10/12 Hybrid wind-PV energy systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• 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

An energy conversion apparatus and method using recovered energy sources including motor vehicle kinetic energy (deceleration and shock) and wind resistance, supplemented by liquefied air transferred to the vehicle and by solar radiation thereto. The energy sources are combined, as available, to drive a compressor for supplying intake working fluid of a motor vehicle prime mover, wherein liquefied air provides pre-compression cooling of an atmospheric air portion of the working fluid. The liquefied air is made by recovered energy, stored and transferred between vehicles and between vehicles and stationary sites. In a hybrid version of the vehicle, exhaust heat from a combustion engine part of the prime mover increases working fluid temperature in a gas expander part, thereof; the engine and expander operating independently or together for improved vehicle propulsion efficiency.

Claims

1. A method for recovering, storing and transferring energy dissipated by a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

driving a wind energy recovery means by differential pressure between air impacting said vehicle and air in selected wake regions of said vehicle, and by air flow through said recovery means due to said differential pressure,

transferring liquefied air from a source external to said vehicle to a liquefied air storage means connected to said vehicle,

producing additional liquefied air by a liquefier means driven by said wind energy recovery means,

cooling atmospheric air drawn from around said vehicle with said liquefied air and said additional liquefied air in a heat exchange means connected to said vehicle, while producing vaporized liquefied air and cooled atmospheric air,

pressurizing said cooled atmospheric air by a cryogenic compression means driven by said wind energy recovery means to produce compressed atmospheric air, and

transferring any excess liquefied air from said vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the additional steps of:

pressurizing said vaporized liquefied air, and

mixing said vaporized liquefied air with said compressed atmospheric air to produce an intake working fluid for a prime mover.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the additional steps of,

diverting a portion of said compressed atmospheric air for providing a working fluid to a gas expander portion of a prime mover means, and

transferring exhaust heat from a combustion engine portion of said prime mover means to said working fluid of said gas expander portion of said prime mover means.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of producing additional liquefied air by a shock absorption energy recovery means.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said step of producing further liquefied air by shock absorption energy recovery means comprises the step of compressing atmospheric air with a shock compressor drive connected to a wheel-axle assembly of said vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of producing further liquefied air by said shock absorption energy recovery means further comprises the step of cooling said atmospheric air prior to said step of compressing step.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of producing further liquefied air by a deceleration energy recovery means.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said step of producing further liquefied air by said deceleration energy recovery means comprises the steps of generating electrical power from said deceleration energy drive, transmitting said power to an electric motor compressor, and compressing additional atmospheric air using said electric motor compressor.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of producing further liquefied air by a solar energy recovery means.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of producing further liquefied air by solar energy recovery means comprises the steps of generating electrical power from a photovoltaic panel, transmitting said power to an electric motor compressor, and compressing additional atmospheric air using said electric motor compressor.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of producing still further liquefied air by a deceleration energy recovery means.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of producing still further liquefied air by a shock absorption energy recovery means.

4. A working fluid air and heat sink fluid supply system for a prime mover of a motor vehicle comprising:

a wind energy recovery turbine driven by differential pressure between air impacting said vehicle and air in selected wake regions of said motor vehicle, and by air flow through said turbine due to said differential pressure,

a storage tank for containing liquefied air,

a pump for pressurizing said liquefied air,

an evaporator for transferring heat from additional atmospheric air drawn from around said vehicle while producing vaporized liquefied air,

a compressor driven by said turbine for compressing said additional atmospheric air from said evaporator to produce intake working fluid for a prime mover,

a liquefier for conversion of a suitably pure atmospheric air to additional liquefied air,

an expander valve for providing a diverted portion of said intake working fluid and,

a heating jacket for heating said diverted portion of said intake working fluid,

wherein said intake working fluid provides expansion energy, fuel oxidation and combustion cooling for said prime mover;

said diverted portion of said intake working fluid provides expansion energy for a portion of said prime mover; and

said liquefied air and said additional liquefied air provides cooling of said intake working fluid air as heat sink fluid of said prime mover.

14. The system of claim 4 further comprising mixing means for mixing liquefied air with an exhaust gas from said compressor.

15. The system of claim 4 further comprising a shock absorption energy recovery means for recovering shock energy from said motor vehicle and producing further liquefied air, wherein said shock absorption energy recovery means is in fluid communication with said storage tank.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said shock absorption energy recovery means comprises a shock compressor drive connected to a wheel-axle assembly of said motor vehicle.

17. The system of claim 4 further comprising a deceleration energy recovery means for recovering deceleration energy from said motor vehicle and producing further liquefied air, wherein said shock absorption energy recovery means is in fluid communication with said storage tank.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said deceleration energy recovery means comprises a deceleration energy drive adapted to transfer deceleration energy into electrical power, and an electric motor compressor in electrical communication with said deceleration energy drive and in fluid communication with said storage tank.

19. The system of claim 4 further comprising a solar energy recovery means for converting solar energy into electricity and producing further liquefied air.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said solar energy recovery means comprises a photovoltaic panel and an electric motor compressor in electrical communication with said deceleration energy drive and in fluid communication with said storage tank.