Pliant mechanisms for extracting power from moving fluid
First Claim
1. A power extraction apparatus for extracting power from a flowing fluid, comprising:
- a base member fixed relative to the flowing fluid;
a flexible article connected to the base member that is disposed in contact with the flowing fluid, having at least one contact surface permanently configured with a persistently maintained deformation projecting transverse to a longitudinal axis of the flexible article, the longitudinal axis being oriented substantially parallel to a primary flow direction of the flowing fluid, wherein the at least one persistently maintained deformation is maintained regardless of the flowing fluid and dynamically undulates in response to forces imposed by the flowing fluid; and
an undulating motion power extraction component coupled to undulations of the at least one persistent deformation to extract power therefrom.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Flexible and elastic mechanisms for extracting power from a moving fluid. Sheet-like material is deformed during fabrication through an applied force so as to create undulations in said material, whose stresses are maintained through restraining components, thereby maintaining the occurrence of said deformations in the material. When placed in moving fluid, the resulting pressure differentials cause the positions of the undulations within the material to travel along said material in the same direction as the moving fluid. Power is extracted in one of two principle ways. The first is via a mechanical coupling of the sheet-like material to a rotating mechanism, which turns an electro-magnetic dynamo or other output device. The second is via the utilization of a flexible material which exhibits an electrical response to mechanical strain, whereby the strains caused by the travel of undulations along the material create an electrical current which is extracted via two or more electrodes.
87 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A power extraction apparatus for extracting power from a flowing fluid, comprising:
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a base member fixed relative to the flowing fluid; a flexible article connected to the base member that is disposed in contact with the flowing fluid, having at least one contact surface permanently configured with a persistently maintained deformation projecting transverse to a longitudinal axis of the flexible article, the longitudinal axis being oriented substantially parallel to a primary flow direction of the flowing fluid, wherein the at least one persistently maintained deformation is maintained regardless of the flowing fluid and dynamically undulates in response to forces imposed by the flowing fluid; and an undulating motion power extraction component coupled to undulations of the at least one persistent deformation to extract power therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A system for extracting power from a flowing fluid, comprising:
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means for converting motion of the flowing fluid into undulations of at least one persistently maintained deformation of a contact surface of a flexible article disposed in contact with the flowing fluid, wherein the at least one persistently maintained deformation is maintained regardless of the flowing fluid; and means for extracting power from the undulations of the at least one persistent deformation.
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23. A method for extracting power from a flowing fluid, comprising:
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forming at least one persistently maintained deformation in a flexible article; coupling the at least one persistently maintained deformation to at least one undulating motion power extraction component; disposing the flexible article in a flowing fluid such that the at least persistently maintained deformation has a projection transverse to a primary flow direction of the flowing fluid; and
extracting power from undulations of the at least one persistent deformation caused by the flowing fluid using the at least one undulating motion power extraction component.
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24. A method of forming an apparatus for extracting power from a flowing fluid, comprising:
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forming a deformation in a flexible article, wherein the deformation is excitable by a flowing fluid in contact with the flexible article to undulate in response to forces imposed by the flowing fluid; securing the deformation with a first deformation retaining component to create a persistently maintained deformation ; and coupling an undulating motion power extraction component to the flexible article, wherein the undulating motion power extraction component is configured to extract power from dynamic undulations of the persistently maintained deformation.
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Specification