Method and apparatus for storing energy

• US 8,519,556 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2012
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chan, Alistair K., Fyke, Aaron, Gross, William, Hyde, Roderick A., Jung, Edward K. Y., Kare, Jordin T., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Deane, Geoffrey F
• Primary Examiner(s): TA, THO DAC
• Application Number:
  US13/663,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20130200632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 301 Days
• Field of Search: 290/1.R
• US Class Current: 290/1.R
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 1/00 Spring motors spring-driven toys A63H; springs in general F16F; precision time mechanisms, e.g. for clocks or watches, G04B
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 15/007 involving storage in the form of mechanical energy, e.g. fly-wheels
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/28 Arrangements for balancing of the load in a network by storage of energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/02 with armatures moved one way by energisation of a single coil system and returned by mechanical force, e.g. by springs
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/003 Couplings; Details of shafts means for mounting rotors on shafts H02K1/28
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1008 structurally associated with the machine rotor H02K7/1012 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/18 Structural association of electric generators with mechanical driving motors, e.g. with turbines
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1876 with reciprocating, linearly oscillating or vibrating parts
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1892 Generators with parts oscillating or vibrating about an axis
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/10 Control effected upon generator excitation circuit to reduce harmful effects of overloads or transients, e.g. sudden application of load, sudden removal of load, sudden change of load

Abstract

An energy storage apparatus for storing energy transmitted by a power transmission line includes an elastically deformable component and an actuator-generator. The actuator-generator is coupled to the elastically deformable component such that electrical actuation of the actuator-generator generates tension in the elastically deformable component. The actuator-generator is further coupled to the elastically deformable component such that mechanical actuation of the actuator-generator via a release of tension in the elastically deformable component causes a generation of electrical energy by the actuator-generator.

Claims

1. A method of storing energy transmitted by a power transmission line, the method comprising:

generating tension in an elastically deformable component via an electrically actuatable motor during a temporal period of electrical actuation of the motor via energy transmitted from the power transmission line; and

actuating an electrical generator coupled to the elastically deformable component via restoring force produced by the elastically deformable component during a release of at least a part of the tension induced in the elastically deformable component, whereby electrical energy is generated;

wherein the elastically deformable component is a cable.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting the electrical energy generated to the power transmission line.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electrically actuatable motor and the generator are coupled.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electrically actuatable motor includes a drive shaft coupled to the generator.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein tension is induced by applying a force to at least one end of the cable.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein tension is induced by applying a force at a point on the cable disposed between a first end and a second end of the cable.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein tension is induced by applying a transverse force to the cable.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cable is a non-rotating cable.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cable is a monolithic cable.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cable is a stranded cable.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cable is a straight stranded cable.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cable is a twisted stranded cable.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cable has a circular cross-section.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cable has a rectangular cross-section.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cable has a ribbon-like cross-section.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cable is pre-tensioned.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the induced tension is torsional.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the induced tension is linear.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the motor is a rotary motor.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the motor is a linear motor.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the motor is actuated via at least one of an electro-hydraulic component, an electromechanical component, an electromagnetic component, or an electro-fluidic component.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the motor is actuated via a piezoelectric component.

23. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electrically actuatable motor and the generator are connected to a power transmission line.

24. The method according to claim 1, further comprising regulating, via a controller, electrical energy consumption of the electrically actuatable motor and electrical energy generation of the generator.

25. The method according to claim 1, further comprising measuring, via a sensor coupled to at least one of the elastically deformable component or the actuator generator, the amount of tension applied to the elastically deformable component.

26. The method according to claim 1, further comprising measuring, via a strain gauge, strain in the elastically deformable component.

27. The method according to claim 1, wherein actuating an electrical generator coupled to the elastically deformable component via restoring force produced by the elastically deformable component during a release of at least a part of the tension induced in the elastically deformable component occurs after the generated tension has been maintained in the elastically deformable component over a period of time.

28. The method according to claim 1, further comprising measuring an energy efficiency.

29. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cable is a hanging cable.

30. The method according to claim 29, further comprising weights coupled to the hanging cable.

31. The method according to claim 1, further comprising measuring an energy storage quantity.

32. The method according to claim 1, further comprising charging an energy user based on the measured energy storage quantity.

33. A method of maintaining a power transmission line at a specified electrical frequency, the method comprising:

measuring an electrical frequency of the power transmission line;

adjusting the electrical frequency of the power transmission line such that the electrical frequency is substantially equal to the specified electrical frequency by at least one of removing electricity from the power transmission line or adding electricity to the power transmission line; and

removing electricity from the power transmission line and adding electricity to the power transmission line at rates greater than or equal to 1 Hz;

wherein removing electricity from the power transmission line comprises transmitting electricity from the power transmission line to an electrically actuatable motor and thereby actuating the motor to generate tension in an elastically deformable component and wherein adding electricity to the power transmission line comprises generating, with a generator coupled to the elastically deformable component, electricity via actuation of the generator by a restoring force produced by the elastically deformable component during a release of at least a part of the tension induced in the elastically deformable component.

34. The method of maintaining a power transmission line at a specified electrical frequency according to claim 33, further comprising removing electricity from the power transmission line and adding electricity to the power transmission line at rates greater than or equal to 10 Hz.

35. The method of maintaining an electrical output of a power transmission line at a specified electrical frequency according to claim 33, wherein the electrically actuatable motor and the generator are coupled to one another.

36. The method of maintaining a power transmission line at a specified electrical frequency according to claim 33, wherein the elastically deformable component is a cable.

37. The method of maintaining a power transmission line at a specified electrical frequency according to claim 33, further comprising removing, via a filter, electricity at a frequency distinct from the specified electrical frequency from the power transmission line and transmitting the electricity at a frequency distinct from the specified electrical frequency to the motor to apply tension to the elastically deformable component.

38. A method of storing energy transmitted by a power transmission line, the method comprising:

generating tension in an elastically deformable component via an electrically actuatable motor during a temporal period of electrical actuation of the motor via energy transmitted from the power transmission line; and

actuating an electrical generator coupled to the elastically deformable component via restoring force produced by the elastically deformable component during a release of at least a part of the tension induced in the elastically deformable component, whereby electrical energy is generated;

wherein the induced tension is linear.

39. The method according to claim 38, further comprising regulating, via a controller, electrical energy consumption of the electrically actuatable motor and electrical energy generation of the generator.

40. The method according to claim 38, further comprising measuring, via a sensor coupled to at least one of the elastically deformable component or the actuator generator, the amount of tension applied to the elastically deformable component.