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Energy harvesting from flow-induced vibrations

  • US 8,604,634 B2
  • Filed: 06/05/2009
  • Issued: 12/10/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for converting kinetic energy to electrical energy comprising:

  • a housing with at least two openings through which fluid is permitted to traverse;

    a vibrating sleeve operatively connected on the outside of the housing;

    the vibrating sleeve comprising at least two sleeve openings configured to align with the at least two openings;

    the vibrating sleeve characterized by mechanical properties that permit the vibrating sleeve to oscillate, the oscillations of the vibrating sleeve simultaneously opening one of the at least two openings and closing one of the at least two openings, resulting in a nearly constant fluid flow into the housing;

    a device that converts sleeve oscillations to electrical energy; and

    wherein at rest about 50% of the at least two openings are blocked by the at least two sleeve openings.

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