Patent ID: 7750491
Filing Date: 2010-07-06
Classification: E02B,F03B,F03D,F05B,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A fluid-dynamic renewable energy harvesting system, comprising: plural fluid-foil means for contacting proximate flow fields of a fluid current when said fluid current exists and carries fluid current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy; an effective axis of rotation around which each of said fluid-foil means can effectively rotate in orientation to some extent, said axis of rotation being disposed within 60 degrees of vertical during normal operation of said fluid-dynamic energy harvesting system; control system means including actuator means, for controlling time-variable orientations of said fluid-foil means relative to said proximate flow fields of said fluid current when said fluid current exists and carries fluid current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy; buoyant support means for utilizing a buoyancy force from fluid displacement to at least partially contribute to supporting said fluid-foil means above a ground surface; connecting means for connecting said plural fluid-foil means in a sequential arrangement, including connecting members that connect adjacently-located fluid-foil means in said sequential arrangement; and energy harvesting means including said control system means, for converting a portion of said fluid-dynamic kinetic energy into net work on said fluid-foil means over the course of a cycle of substantially periodic motion of said fluid-foil means, by utilizing time-variable fluid-dynamic pressure distributions and resulting forces acting on said fluid-foil means at said time-variable orientations to contribute to driving said substantially periodic motion when said fluid current exists and carries fluid current energy in the form of fluid-dynamic kinetic energy; said energy harvesting means further including energy conversion means for converting at least some of said net work into energy in a desired form for at least one of transmission, storage, processing and use.