Device and method for harvesting energy from flow-induced oscillations
First Claim
1. A device for generating electrical power from a flow, said device comprising:
- at least one elastic element for placing into the flow, said elastic element having one end fixed to a base and another free end is in a free motion caused by the flow;
at least one conductor, wherein said at least one conductor is attached to said at least one elastic element;
wherein the conductor comprises an active portion and a passive portion;
wherein the elastic element and at least some portion of the conductor are substantially perpendicular to the base;
and a magnetic field source configured to apply a magnetic field to said at least one conductor with the active portion at the free end being exposed to the magnetic field;
a direction of the magnetic field being substantially perpendicular to the active portion;
wherein said elastic element is configured to oscillate in response to said flow, causing displacements of the active portion in said magnetic field, the displacements being substantially perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field, said magnetic field inducing an electromotive force in the conductor.
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Abstract
A device and method utilizing a quasi-stationary oscillating process to generate electricity by using an interaction between a turbulent flow and an elastic oscillating structure comprising a conductor in the presence of a magnetic field, followed by rectification of thus generated electromotive force, and a combination of similar independent multiple oscillating structures into a connected grid. An arbitrary number of adjustable generating cells can be connected into a single circuit, either in-series or in-parallel, to increase an overall power output. The device operates under wide range of flow characteristics and can serve as a source of renewable power.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A device for generating electrical power from a flow, said device comprising:
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at least one elastic element for placing into the flow, said elastic element having one end fixed to a base and another free end is in a free motion caused by the flow; at least one conductor, wherein said at least one conductor is attached to said at least one elastic element;
wherein the conductor comprises an active portion and a passive portion;
wherein the elastic element and at least some portion of the conductor are substantially perpendicular to the base;and a magnetic field source configured to apply a magnetic field to said at least one conductor with the active portion at the free end being exposed to the magnetic field;
a direction of the magnetic field being substantially perpendicular to the active portion;
wherein said elastic element is configured to oscillate in response to said flow, causing displacements of the active portion in said magnetic field, the displacements being substantially perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field, said magnetic field inducing an electromotive force in the conductor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An electrical power generating system, said system comprising:
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at least two devices for generating electrical power from a flow, said devices being electrically connected, each device comprising; at least one vibrating assembly for placing into said flow, said vibrating assembly comprising at least one elastic element for placing into said flow, said elastic element having one end fixed to a base and another free end is in a free motion caused by the flow; at least one conductor, wherein said at least one conductor is attached to said at least one elastic element;
wherein the conductor comprises an active portion and a passive portion;
wherein the elastic element and at least some portion of the conductor are substantially perpendicular to the base;and a magnetic field source configured to apply a magnetic field to said at least one conductor with the active portion at the free end being exposed to the magnetic field;
a direction of the magnetic field being substantially perpendicular to the active portion;
wherein said elastic element is configured to oscillate in response to said flow, causing displacements of the active portion in said magnetic field, the displacements being substantially perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field, said magnetic field inducing an electromotive force in the conductor. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for generating electricity, the method comprising:
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placing into a flow an elastic element and a conductor, said elastic element having one end fixed to a base and another free end is in a free motion caused by the flow;
said conductor attached to said elastic element;
wherein the conductor comprises an active portion and a passive portion;
wherein the elastic element and at least some portion of the conductor are substantially perpendicular to the base; andapplying a magnetic field to the active portion, having a direction of the magnetic field being substantially perpendicular to the active portion; having the elastic element configured to oscillate in response to said flow, causing displacements of the active portion in the magnetic field, the displacements being substantially perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field, and inducing an electromotive force in the conductor using the magnetic field. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification