Fluid power generation system having a generator with an electrical-charge-producing material

• US 8,525,390 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2010
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sheer Wind, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sheer Wind, Inc.
• Inventors: Allaei, Daryoush
• Primary Examiner(s): DOUGHERTY, THOMAS M
• Application Number:
  US12/902,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20120086310A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 310317-319, 310/339
• US Class Current: 310/339
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/185 using fluid streams
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/304 Beam type
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/20 Hydro energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Abstract

An embodiment of a fluid power generation system has a generator comprising an electrical-charge-producing material and a pair of end boundary constraints. One of the end boundary constraints of the pair of end boundary constraints is physically coupled to the electrical-charge-producing material adjacent to an end of the electrical-charge-producing material and the other one of the pair of end boundary constraints is physically coupled to the electrical charge-producing material adjacent to an opposite end of the electrical-charge-producing material. For some embodiments, the end boundary constraints may be active or passive. For other embodiments, at least one of the end boundary constraints may be electrically coupled to a controller for adjusting vibration characteristics of the generator.

Claims

1. A fluid power generation system, comprising:

a generator comprising an electrical-charge-producing material;

a pair of end boundary constraints; and

a side boundary constraint physically coupled to each of opposing sides of the generator;

wherein one of the end boundary constraints of the pair of end boundary constraints is physically coupled to the electrical-charge-producing material adjacent to an end of the electrical-charge-producing material and the other one of the pair of end boundary constraints is physically coupled to the electrical charge-producing material adjacent to an opposite end of the electrical-charge-producing material.

2. The fluid power generation system of claim 1, wherein generator is configured to vibrate in response to a fluid flowing thereover and the electrical-charge-producing material is configured to produce an alternating electrical charge in response to the generator vibrating.

3. The fluid power generation system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the pair of end boundary constraints is an active boundary constraint.

4. The fluid power generation system of claim 1, wherein charge-producing material is a piezoelectric material.

5. The fluid power generation system of claim 1, wherein each of the pair of end boundary constraints is a passive boundary constraint.

6. The fluid power generation system of claim 1, wherein each of the pair of end boundary constraints comprises a translational stiffness element and/or a torsional stiffness element.

7. The fluid power generation system of claim 6, wherein the translational stiffness element and/or the torsional stiffness element comprise piezoelectric material or shape memory material.

8. The fluid power generation system of claim 1, further comprising a tension adjuster physically coupled to one of the ends of the charge-producing material.

9. The fluid power generation system of claim 8, wherein the tension adjuster is an active tension adjuster.

10. The fluid power generation system of claim 9, wherein the active tension adjuster comprises piezoelectric material or shape memory material.

11. The fluid power generation system of claim 1, further comprising one or more masses located on the generator.

12. The fluid power generation system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more masses is an active mass.

13. The fluid power generation system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the side boundary constraints is an active side boundary constraint.

14. The fluid power generation system of claim 13, wherein the at least one of the side boundary constraints that is an active side boundary constraint comprises piezoelectric material or shape memory material.

15. The fluid power generation system of claim 1, further comprising a converter electrically coupled to the generator and configured to convert AC voltage received from the generator to DC voltage.

16. The fluid power generation system of claim 1, wherein the generator is on a substrate.

17. The fluid power generation system of claim 16, wherein the generator is a first generator, and further comprising a second generator, wherein the first and second generators are on opposing surfaces of the substrate.

18. The fluid power generation system of claim 1, wherein the generator is a first generator, wherein the pair of end boundary constraints is a pair of first end boundary constraints, and further comprising:

a second generator located above the first generator, the second generator comprising an electrical-charge-producing material; and

a pair of second end boundary constraints;

wherein one of the second end boundary constraints of the pair of second end boundary constraints is physically coupled to the electrical-charge-producing material of the second generator adjacent to an end of the electrical-charge-producing material of the second generator and the other one of the pair of second end boundary constraints is physically coupled the electrical-charge-producing material of the second generator adjacent to an opposite end of the electrical-charge-producing material of the second generator.

19. The fluid power generation system of claim 1, wherein the generator further comprises:

a plurality of individual, separated electrodes electrically coupled to a surface of the electrical-charge-producing material; and

a single electrode electrically coupled to an opposing surface of the electrical-charge-producing material.

20. The fluid power generation system of claim 1, wherein the generator further comprises notches formed in the sides thereof.

21. The fluid power generation system of claim 1, further comprising a controller electrically coupled to at least one of the end boundary constraints.

22. The fluid power generation system of claim 21, wherein the controller is electrically coupled to the generator for receiving an AC signal generated by the electrical-charge-producing material when the generator vibrates.

23. The fluid power generation system of claim 21, wherein the controller is further electrically coupled to at least one of at least one of the side boundary constraints, at least one mass located on the generator, and a tension adjuster physically coupled to one of the ends of the charge-producing material.

24. The fluid power generation system of claim 21, wherein the controller is further electrically coupled to a flow sensor for receiving electrical signals from the flow sensor indicative of a flow rate of a fluid in which generator is located.

31. The fluid power generation system of claim 18, wherein the side boundary constraint is a first side boundary constraint physically coupled to each of opposing sides of the first generator, and further comprising a second side boundary constraint physically coupled to each of opposing sides of the second generator.

25. A fluid power generation system, comprising:

a generator comprising an electrical-charge-producing material that can produce an electrical charge when the generator vibrates in response to a fluid flowing over the generator;

at least one of a boundary constraint physically coupled to the generator, a mass located on the generator, and a tension adjuster physically coupled to an end of the generator; and

a controller electrically coupled to the generator and to at least one of the at least one of the boundary constraint physically coupled to the generator, the mass located on the generator, and the tension adjuster physically coupled to the end of the generator.

26. The power generation system of claim 25, wherein the controller is configured to cause at least one of a stiffness of the boundary constraint, a distribution of the mass, and a tension exerted by the tension adjuster on the generator to be adjusted based on a flow rate of the flowing fluid and/or a power generated by the generator.

27. A method of operating a fluid power generation system, comprising:

vibrating a generator of the fluid power generation system in response to a fluid flowing over the generator so that a charge-producing material of the generator, vibrating with the generator, produces a power output, wherein a boundary constraint is physically coupled to the generator, a mass is located on the generator, and/or a tension adjuster is physically coupled to the generator;

receiving an electrical signal at a controller of the fluid power generation system; and

adjusting the power output generated by the charge-producing material in response to the electrical signal having a particular value by sending electrical signals from the controller to respective ones of the boundary constraint, mass, and/or tension adjuster for adjusting a stiffness of the boundary constraint, a distribution of the mass, and/or tension exerted by the tension adjuster on the generator.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the particular value of the electrical signal is indicative of a particular flow rate of the fluid flowing over the generator.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the particular value of the electrical signal is indicative of the power output produced by the charge-producing material.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

comparing the particular value to a value indicative of a desired power output for the charge-producing material; and

wherein adjusting the power output generated by the charge-producing material in response to the electrical signal having a particular value occurs when the particular value differs from the value indicative of the desired power output for the charge-producing material by at least a certain amount.