Patent ID: 6107692
Filing Date: 2000-08-22
Classification: F02B

Abstract:
A system for generating electrical power comprising:an external pneumatic fluid supply source;a pneumatic fluid accumulator connected to said external pneumatic fluid supply source for accumulating and storing said fluid;a generator, having a pneumatic drive element, connected to said pneumatic fluid accumulator, for generating electrical power upon receipt of the fluid from said pneumatic fluid accumulator by said pneumatic drive element;control means;a fill valve interposed between said external pneumatic fluid supply source and said pneumatic fluid accumulator for regulating the flow of said fluid to said pneumatic fluid accumulator in response to a first signal from said control means;a pressure sensor connected to said pneumatic fluid accumulator for outputting information indicating the accumulator fluid pressure in said pneumatic fluid accumulator to said control means; anda control valve interposed between said accumulator and said generator for controlling said fluid flow to said generator in response to a second signal from said control means,wherein said control means perform at least the following:controlling the collected amount of said fluid within said pneumatic fluid accumulator by said first signal to said fill valve,determining the amount of said fluid in said pneumatic fluid accumulator from the information output from said pressure sensor,controlling the amount of said fluid discharged to said pneumatic drive element of said pneumatic fluid generator by said second signal, andcontrolling the output of the electrical power from said generator to a load.