Fluid-induced energy converter with curved parts

• US 7,772,712 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2007
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Humdinger Wind Energy LLC
• Original Assignee: Humdinger Wind Energy LLC
• Inventors: Frayne, Shawn Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ponomarenko; Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US11/849,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20080297119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 290/43, 290/54, 290/1.R, 290/1.A
• US Class Current: 290/1.00R
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 5/00 Machines or engines characterised by non-bladed rotors, e.g. serrated, using friction
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/02 with moving magnets and stationary coil systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1876 with reciprocating, linearly oscillating or vibrating parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/20 Hydro energy

Abstract

An energy converter for inducing membrane vibrations of a membrane when subject to a fluid flow, and converting the vibrations into another form of energy, such as electricity. The energy converter includes at least one flexible membrane, at least one electrical conductor and at least one magnetic field generator configured to apply a magnetic field to the at least one electrical conductor. One of the electrical conductor and the magnetic field generator is attached to the membrane and configured to move with the membrane. The other one of the electrical conductor and the magnetic field generator has a curved surface bending towards the membrane. When subject to a fluid flow, the membrane vibrates and creates a relative movement between the conductor and the magnetic field, which induces a current.

Claims

1. An electrical generator comprising:

a flexible membrane having at least two fixed ends, wherein the membrane vibrates when subject to a fluid flow;

at least one electrical conductor and at least one magnetic field generator configured to apply a magnetic field to the at least one electrical conductor, wherein one of the at least one electrical conductor and the at least one magnetic field generator is attached to the membrane and configured to move with the membrane, and the other one of the at least one electrical conductor and the at least one magnetic field generator has a surface bending toward the membrane;

wherein the vibration of the membrane caused by the fluid flow creates a relative movement between the at least one conductor and the magnetic field generated by the at least one magnetic field generator; and

whereby the relative movement creates a change in the strength of the magnetic field applied to the at least one electrical conductor; and

the change in the strength of the magnetic field induces a current.

2. The generator of claim 1, wherein the at least one magnetic filed generator is attached to the membrane.

3. The generator of claim 2, wherein:

the at least one electrical conductor includes two sets of electrical conductor; and

each set of the electrical conductor is disposed over a respective surface plane of the membrane, and has a surface bending toward the membrane.

4. The generator of claim 2, wherein:

the at least one electrical conductor includes two sets of electrical conductor; and

each set of the electrical conductor is disposed substantially lateral to a respective edge of the membrane, and has a surface bending toward the membrane.

5. The generator of claim 2, wherein:

the at least one electrical conductor includes four sets of electrical conductor;

two sets of the electrical conductor disposed over the surface planes of the membrane; and

the other two sets of the electrical conductor are disposed over the edge of the membrane.

6. The generator of claim 5, wherein:

each of the two sets of electrical conductor disposed over the surface planes of the membrane has a surface bending toward the membrane; and

each of the two sets of electrical conductor disposed over the edges of the membrane has a surface bending towards the membrane.

7. The generator of claim 5, wherein set of the electrical conductor has a toroid structure.

8. The generator of claim 2, wherein the at least one electrical conductor surrounds or substantially surrounds the membrane.

9. The generator of claim 8, wherein the at least one electrical conductor includes multiple layers, each layer includes at least one electrical conductor.

10. The generator of claim 9, wherein each layer of the at least one electrical conductor includes multiple coil sets, and each coil set includes a surface bending toward the membrane.

11. The generator of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical conductor is attached to the membrane.

12. The generator of claim 11, wherein:

the at least one magnetic field generator includes two magnetic field generators; and

each of the magnetic field generators is disposed over a respective surface plane of the membrane, and has a surface bending toward the membrane.

13. The generator of claim 11, wherein:

the at least one magnetic field generator includes two magnetic field generators; and

each of the magnetic field generators is disposed substantially lateral to a respective edge of the membrane, and has a surface bending toward the membrane.

14. The generator of claim 11, wherein:

the at least one the magnetic field generator includes four magnetic field generators;

two of the magnetic field generators disposed over the surface planes of the membrane; and

the other two of the magnetic field generators are disposed over the edge of the membrane.

15. The generator of claim 14, wherein:

each of the two magnetic field generators disposed over the surface planes of the membrane has a surface bending towards the membrane; and

each of the two magnetic field generators disposed over the edges of the membrane has a surface bending towards the membrane.

16. The generator of claim 2, wherein the at least one magnetic field generator surrounds or substantially surrounds the membrane.

17. The generator of claim 16, wherein the magnetic field generator includes multiple layers, each layer includes at least one magnetic field generators.

18. The generator of claim 17, wherein each layer includes multiple magnetic field generators, and each magnetic field generator includes a surface bending toward the membrane.

19. An electrical generator comprising:

flexible vibrating means for vibrating when subject to a fluid flow, wherein the vibrating means has at least two fixed ends;

electrical conducting means for conducting electricity;

means for generating a magnetic field applied to the electrical conducting means;

wherein;

one of the electrical conducting means and the magnetic field generating means is attached to the vibrating means and configured to move with the vibrating means, the other one of electrical conducting means and the magnetic field generating means has a surface bending toward the membrane; and

the other one of the electrical conducting means and the magnetic field generating means has a surface bending toward the membrane; and

the vibration of the vibrating means caused by the fluid flow creates a relative movement between the electrical conducting means and the magnetic field; and

whereby the relative movement creates a change in the strength of the magnetic field applied to the electrical conducting means; and

the change in the strength of the magnetic field induces a current.

20. The generator of claim 19, wherein the at least one electrical conducting means is attached to the vibrating means.

21. The generator of claim 20, wherein the electrical conducting means surrounds or substantially surrounds the vibrating means.

22. The generator of claim 21 wherein:

the electrical conducting means includes multiple layers,

each layer of the electrical conducting means includes multiple coil sets, and

each coil set includes a surface bending toward the membrane.

23. An electrical generator comprising:

a flexible membrane having at least two fixed ends, wherein the membrane vibrates when subject to a fluid flow;

at least one electrical conductor and at least one magnetic field generator configured to apply a magnetic field to the at least one electrical conductor;

wherein;

one of the at least one electrical conductor and the at least one magnetic field generator is disposed on a surface plane of the membrane and configured to move with the membrane, and the other one of the at least one electrical conductor and the at least one magnetic field generator has a first surface facing the surface plane of the membrane and a second surface an edge of the membrane; and

the vibration of the membrane caused by the fluid flow creates a relative movement between the at least one conductor and the magnetic field generated by the at least one magnetic field generator;

whereby the relative movement creates a change in the strength of the magnetic field applied to the at least one electrical conductor; and

the change in the strength of the magnetic field induces a current.