Wind propulsion power system

• US 8,434,574 B1
• Filed: 04/09/2010
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: York Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: York Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: York, Spencer Jay, York, Edward Julius, York, Edward James
• Primary Examiner(s): Ebner, Katy M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frick, Emma K
• Application Number:
  US12/757,766
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 180/2.1, 180/2.2, 180/65.1, 180/65.31, 180/165, 290/55
• US Class Current: 180/2.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/32 Waterborne vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/006 Converting flow of air into electric energy, e.g. by using wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/04 having stationary wind-guiding means, e.g. with shrouds or channels F03D9/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/10 Assembly of wind motors; Arrangements for erecting wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/32 on moving objects, e.g. vehicles
• 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 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]

Abstract

A supplemental wind propulsion power system for a vehicle having at least one battery. The system includes an air intake duct disposed on the vehicle for intercepting turbulent airflow created by the forward motion of the vehicle, an air conduit, an air turbine disposed at the outlet of the air conduit and a generator for supplying electricity to the batteries. The system further includes an air filtration system, an air heating system and grid output terminal to provide a port for supplying supplemental electricity to the electrical grid.

Claims

1. A supplemental wind propulsion power system for a vehicle having at least one battery, the system comprising:

an air intake duct disposed on the vehicle for intercepting turbulent airflow created by the forward motion of the vehicle, wherein the air intake duct has an adjustable opening including louvered slats, wherein the louvered slats are adjustably operable between an open position and a closed position, wherein a change of degree of the louvered slats allows for fluctuations in the volume of air entering the air intake duct, and wherein the louvered slats are in a closed position when the at least one battery is fully charged;

an air conduit connected to the air intake duct at one end of the air conduit for receiving airflow from the air intake duct and having an outlet at an end opposite the air intake duct;

an air turbine disposed at the outlet of the air conduit, wherein the air turbine comprises;

a rotatable turbine shaft, and

turbine propellers mounted on the turbine shaft for rotation therewith and which are turned by the airflow from the narrowed air conduit;

a generator, wherein the generator comprises;

a stator having at least one conductor, and

a rotor attached to the turbine shaft for rotation therewith, wherein the rotor has at least one field pole such that rotation of the turbine shaft causes the field poles to move past the conductors to produce electricity;

generator output terminals for receiving electricity produced by the generator;

at least one battery power line connected to the generator output terminals for transporting the electricity produced by the generator to the at least one battery of the vehicle;

an air filtration system disposed at the entrance of the air intake duct for intercepting airborne debris and preventing the debris from entering the air intake duct and reaching the turbine;

an air heating system disposed in at least one of the air intake duct and the air conduit for heating cold air before entering the turbine, wherein the air heating system comprises a thermostatically controlled manifold heater, thermostatically controlled heat coils, and at least one of manually operable battery electrodes and manually operable glow plugs;

an exit port disposed in the air conduit for allowing water to escape before contacting the turbine; and

at least one grid output terminal electronically connected to the generator to provide a port for supplying supplemental electricity to an external electrical grid for a building.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the air intake duct is located behind a radiator grill of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one grid output terminal includes a sine wave power inverter to convert direct current power from the wind propulsion power system to alternating current for use in the electrical grid.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an automobile.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a drone aircraft.

6. A supplemental wind propulsion power system for retrofitting a vehicle having at least one battery, the system comprising:

an air intake duct for intercepting turbulent airflow created by the forward motion of the vehicle, wherein the air intake duct has an adjustable opening including louvered slats, wherein the louvered slats are adjustably operable between an open position and a closed position, wherein a change of degree of the louvered slats allows for fluctuations in the volume of air entering the air intake duct, and wherein the louvered slats are in a closed position when the at least one battery is fully charged;

an air conduit connected to the air intake duct at one end of the air conduit for receiving airflow from the air intake duct and having an outlet at an end opposite the air intake duct;

an air turbine disposed at the outlet of the air conduit, wherein the air turbine comprises;

a rotatable turbine shaft, and

turbine propellers mounted on the turbine shaft for rotation therewith and which are turned by the airflow from the narrowed air conduit;

a generator, wherein the generator comprises;

a stator having at least one conductor, and

a rotor attached to the turbine shaft for rotation therewith, wherein the rotor has at least one field pole such that rotation of the turbine shaft causes the field poles to move past the conductors to produce electricity;

generator output terminals for receiving electricity produced by the generator;

at least one battery power line connected to the generator output terminals for transporting the electricity produced by the generator to the at least one battery of the vehicle;

an air filtration system disposed at the entrance of the air intake duct for intercepting airborne debris and preventing the debris from entering the air intake duct and reaching the turbine;

an air heating system disposed in at least one of the air intake duct and the air conduit for heating cold air before entering the turbine, wherein the air heating system comprises a thermostatically controlled manifold heater, thermostatically controlled heat coils, and at least one of manually operable battery electrodes and manually operable glow plugs;

an exit port disposed in the air conduit for allowing water to escape before contacting the turbine; and

at least one grid output terminal electronically connected to the generator to provide a port for supplying supplemental electricity to an external electrical grid for a building.