Abstract:
A wind turbine apparatus for cooling of air having a wind turbine axially connected to a refrigeration compressor arranged to compress refrigerant, at least one tube for conducting compressed refrigerant centrifugally outwards, a construction for causing the compressed refrigerant to lose pressure so as to cool fades of the wind turbine, and a conduit for returning spent refrigerant centripetally to the compressor.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for cooling air.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a wind turbine apparatus for cooling of air characterised by comprising a wind turbine axially connected to a refrigeration compressor arranged to compress refrigerant, means for conducting compressed refrigerant centrifugally outwards, means for causing the compressed refrigerant to lose pressure so as to cool blades of the wind turbine, and means for returning spent refrigerant centripetally to the compressor.  
         [0003]     In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of condensing water from ambient air, which comprises driving, by means of ambient wind, a wind turbine apparatus in accordance with the present invention mounted in a duct by ambient wind so as to cause blades of the wind turbine to be cooled and to thereby cool ambient wind air passing through the duct and the wind turbine, and causing water vapour in the ambient wind air to condense to form liquid water, and collecting the liquid water.  
         [0004]     In accordance with a yet further aspect of the present invention there is provided a wind turbine having at least one blade mounted to a compressor housing mounted on a shaft for axial rotation relative to the shaft, and means for conducting compressed refrigerant outward centrifugally and means for returning the refrigerant centripetally through the or each blade with loss of pressure and change of phase from liquid to gas so as to cool the or each blade.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]     The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a schematic plan view of a wind turbine of the present invention showing a single turbine blade;  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a further schematic plan view similar to  FIG. 1  showing a plurality of turbine blades;  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is a schematic side elevation of a first embodiment of an apparatus to convey air in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  showing a second embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  is a side elevation of a third embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of a further embodiment of a wind turbine of the present invention as used in the third embodiment of apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 7  is a side elevation of a fourth embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 8  is a plan view of a yet further embodiment of a wind turbine of the present invention used in the fourth embodiment of apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 9  is a schematic side elevation of a compressor used in the air cooling apparatus of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 10  is a schematic side-elevation of a further embodiment of a compressor used in the air cooling apparatus of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIGS. 11   a, b, c  and  d  are various views of the compressor of  FIG. 10 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 12  is a schematic side elevation of a yet further embodiment of a compressor used in the air cooling apparatus of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 13  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  showing a fifth embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIGS. 14A, 14B  and  14 C show schematically a scroll refrigerant compressor useful in the present invention in various positions;  
         [0020]      FIG. 15A  is a plan view of an alternative form of scroll compressor useful in the present invention; and  
         [0021]      FIG. 15B  is a side view of the scroll compressor of  FIG. 15A . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]     In  FIG. 1  of the accompanying drawings, there is shown a wind turbine apparatus  10  comprising a central shaft  12  having a compressor  13  comprising a housing  14  mounted thereabout. The compressor housing  14  is arranged to rotate axially relative to the shaft  12 . Further, a plurality of turbine blades  16  (only one of which is shown) are mounted to the compressor housing  14 . As shown, a tube  18  extends outwardly from the housing  14  to a peripheral cooling coil  20 . A convoluted pipe  22  extends from the cooling coil  20  back to the housing  14 . There is a constriction  23  at a part in the pipe  22  adjacent the cooling coil  20 .  
         [0023]     In use, the turbine blade  16  is caused to rotate axially about the shaft  12  by the kinetic energy of ambient wind air. Rotation of the blade  16  causes rotation of the compressor housing  14  and refrigerant in the compressor housing  14  to be compressed so as to undergo a phase change from gas to liquid. The compressed liquid refrigerant flows outwardly driven by the compressor and assisted by centrifugal force along the tube  18  to the cooling coil  20  which acts as a manifold.  
         [0024]     As shown, the refrigerant has to travel almost in a complete circle to reach the pipe  22 . This enables the compressed refrigerant to be cooled during its residence in the cooling coil  20 .  
         [0025]     The refrigerant leaves the cooling coil  20  through the constriction  23  which leads into the pipe  22 . At this point the refrigerant undergoes a rapid loss of pressure and thus evaporates back to the gaseous phase and causes the blade  16  to be cooled. The spent refrigerant then passes centripetally back to the housing  14  on a low pressure line of the compressor  13 .  
         [0026]     The cooling of the blade  16  causes ambient wind air to be cooled which has useful effects as will be described.  
         [0027]     In  FIG. 2 , there is shown an apparatus  30  similar to that in  FIG. 1 . In  FIG. 2  there can be seen a plurality of turbine blades  16 , a plurality of tubes  18 , a cooling coil  20  and a plurality of pipes  22 . In this embodiment, the compressed refrigerant passes along the tubes  18  to the cooling coil  20 . From the cooling coil  20  the compressed refrigerant passes through a plurality of short tubes  28  to an inner manifold  26 . From the inner manifold  26  the compressed refrigerant passes through the constrictions  23  into the tubes  22  as described hereinabove. Thus the compressed refrigerant does not enter the tubes  22  directly and therefore is cooled by its residence in the cooling coil  20  and the tubes  28  and the inner manifold  26 .  
         [0028]     In  FIG. 3 , there is shown an apparatus  40  which comprises a wind turbine  10 . There is also shown a respective inner manifold  26  adjacent an outer end of each blade  16 . The compressed liquid refrigerant passes initially from the cooling coil  20  to each inner manifold  26  through short tubes  28 . The refrigerant then passes through constrictions  23  into the pipes  22  as described hereinabove.  
         [0029]     Further, there is shown in  FIG. 3 , a wind collecting duct  42  and an outlet condensation chamber  44 . The duct  42  includes an outer wide portion  46  and an inner relatively narrow portion  48 . The combination of the wide portion  46  and the narrow portion  48  increases air velocity in the duct  42 .  
         [0030]     Ambient wind air blowing in the direction of an arrow  50  flows through the wind turbine  10  so as to cause the latter to rotate such that the blades  16  are cooled. This causes the air temperature to fall below the condensation point or dew point and water vapour to condense from the ambient air to form liquid water. This is enhanced by the presence of baffles  52  which impede the flow of air and induce liquid water to collect thereon. The liquid water flows from the baffles  52  onto a sloping floor portion  54  from which the liquid water flows into a collection trough  56 . The cooled air from which water has been removed is exhausted through an upper outlet  58 . As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , the coil  20  is located externally of the duct  42  so that heat lost from the compressed refrigerant is dispersed into the ambient air rather than inside the duct  42 .  
         [0031]     In  FIG. 4 , there is shown an apparatus  60  similar to that in  FIG. 3 , except that an inlet  62  is lowermost and is provided with flaps  64 . In this case, the flaps  64  are only opened, as shown, on the windward side of the apparatus  60 . Wind air flows upwardly through the turbine  10  and then through a condensation chamber  66  to exhaust through a top vent  68 . Once again liquid water collects on baffles  52  and then flows along a sloping floor  54  to collect in a trough  56 .  
         [0032]     In  FIG. 5 , there is shown an apparatus  70  similar to that in  FIG. 4 , except that the exhaust vent  68  is provided with an additional wind turbine  72  to reduce pressure in the exhaust vent  68  and enhance removal of exhaust air. Power obtained from the wind turbine is available for any useful purpose.  
         [0033]     In  FIG. 6 , there is shown a wind turbine  10  having wind guides  62  with flaps  64  between adjacent pairs of wind guides  62 . The flaps  64  are arranged to be opened as shown by the wider oblong shape when the flaps face in the direction of the ambient wind.  
         [0034]     In  FIG. 7 , there is shown an alternative form of the apparatus of the present invention  
         [0035]     In this Figure there is shown an apparatus  80  having a funnel  82  at an intermediate level and a downwardly directed deviation device  84 . The device  84  is arranged to pivot about a substantially vertical axis so as to orientate itself, in use, into a position which is most effective in directing the ambient wind air through a wind turbine  10 . Cooled air can then enter a condensation chamber  86  below the wind turbine  10  and deposit moisture on baffles  88 . The deposited moisture can then flow into a collection trough  90 . The cooled air depleted of moisture can then pass upwardly to an upper vent  92 .  
         [0036]     In  FIG. 8 , there is shown a wind turbine  10  similar to that shown in  FIG. 7 . As shown, the device  84  faces the incoming ambient wind. The wind air is directed into the wind turbine  10 .  
         [0037]     In  FIG. 9 , there is shown a preferred form of compressor  90  of the present invention. The compressor  90  has a central rotating cylindrical hub or housing  92  on which is mounted the blades  16  and refrigerant carrying tubes of the wind turbine  10  as described herein. The compressor  90  includes compressor blades  94  mounted on a drive shaft  96 . The blades  94  are arranged to be driven at high speed by a gear train  98  fitted to an inner wall of the hub  92 . Used refrigerant returning centripetally to the compressor  90  as described above is recompressed and sent out centrifugally as described above.  
         [0038]     In  FIG. 10  there is shown an alternative form of compressor  100  mounted within a cylindrical hub or housing  102 . In this embodiment refrigerant is displaced by a roller  104  mounted eccentrically on a shaft  106  relative to a main shaft  108  of the compressor  100 .  
         [0039]     As shown in  FIGS. 11   a,    11   b,    11   c  and  11   d,  the compressor  100  operates as follows. The compressor  100  comprises a central shaft  101  having an eccentric  102  mounted thereon. A rotatable housing  103  is mounted about the eccentric  102 . A tube  104  leads away from the housing  103  and a pipe  105  leads into the housing  103 . A spring biased vane  106  extends through a wall of the housing  103  and contacts an outer surface of the eccentric  102 . Rotation of the housing  103  causes refrigerant contained therein to be compressed and exited through the tube  104 . Similarly, used refrigerant returns to the housing  103  through the pipe  105 . This is facilitated by the vane  106  which is spring biased into engagement with the outer surface of the eccentric  102 .  
         [0040]     In  FIG. 12  there is shown a further alternative form of compressor  120  mounted within a cylindrical hub  122 . In this embodiment refrigerant is contained in an elastic chamber  124 . The chamber  124  is alternately contracted and expanded. This is done by eccentric discs  126  fixedly mounted on a central shaft  128 . Each disc  126  has a circular channel  130  formed on an inner side thereof A slidable bearing  132  is mounted in each channel  130 . A respective rod  134  extends from each bearing  132  to a respective end plate  136  of the chamber  124 . Each rod  134  is constrained by a circular guide member  138 .  
         [0041]     In use, a hub  122  rotates axially about the shaft  128  and the chamber  124  rotates with the hub  122 . This movement causes the bearings  132  to slide in the channels  130  and the rods  134  to reciprocate correspondingly in the guide member  138 . In this way the chamber  124  is expanded and retracted so alternately compressing and driving out compressed refrigerant through a one way valve  140  and allowing ingress of used refrigerant through a one way valve  142 .  
         [0042]     In  FIG. 13 , there is shown a wind turbine apparatus  130  which is similar to that shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . In this embodiment, wind funnels  132  are arranged to direct ambient wind air over a water surface  134 . The water may be brackish or fresh water. The wind air then passes upwardly through an upright tube  136  (or a sloping duct on a hillside) to pass through a wind turbine  10  and thence a condensation chamber  138  having baffles  52  and a sloping floor  54  from which water flows into a collection trough  56 . Exhaust air is vented through an outlet  58 . Absolute humidity of air entering the apparatus  130  increases and the density of the air is therefore lowered. Thus, flow of air due to the wind is augmented by convection as the wet air rises to the wind turbine  10 .  
         [0043]     It is also envisaged that the refrigeration compressor used in the apparatus of the present inventions could be in the form of a scroll compressor.  
         [0044]     This embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 14A, 14B  and  14 C of the accompanying drawings.  
         [0045]     In  FIG. 14  there is shown a scroll compressor  150  having a housing  151  having mounted therein a circular plate  152 . Further, an internal ring gear  154  mounted on a wind turbine axial shaft (not shown) extends around the internal periphery of the housing  151 . Turbine blades  16  are mounted to the housing  151  and cause wind to effect axial rotation of the housing  151  on a fixed shaft (not shown).  
         [0046]     The housing  151  is rotated, in use, by rotation of blades of a wind turbine as described hereinabove.  
         [0047]     As indicated above, the scroll compressor  150  is mounted on a bearing on the fixed axial shaft (not shown). One scroll  156  is attached to the housing  151  whilst another  158  is driven by three planetary gears  160  mounted on the housing  151  disposed at the apex of an equilateral triangle. The gears  160  are driven by the ring gear  154 . The scroll  158  maybe described as a wobbling scroll.  
         [0048]     The gears  160  are asymmetrically connected to the plate  152  by means of respective pivotal connections  162 . In use the housing  151  is axially rotated by the wind turbine. This causes the planetary gears to be turned by engagement with the fixed ring gear  154 . This causes the ring gear  154  to rotate and thereby cause rotation of the planetary gears  160 . Rotation of the planetary gears  160  causes the plate  152  to move in a wobbling motion which causes the scroll  158  to move correspondingly.  
         [0049]     As shown in  FIGS. 14A  to  14 C this causes gaps between the two scrolls  156  and  158  to be alternately opened up and closed in a progressive manner. This action leads to compression of refrigerant vapour contained between the scrolls such that the vapour is subjected to increased pressure and is converted-to liquid form.  
         [0050]     As described hereinabove, the compressed liquid refrigerant is thus urged outwardly of the compressor housing  151  through a tube (not shown) by centrifugal-force. Further, as described hereinabove, the spent refrigerant returns through pipes (not shown) to the interior of housing  151  where it enters the gap between the scrolls  156  and  158 .  
         [0051]     In  FIGS. 15A and 15B  there is shown an alternative arrangement of scroll compressor  180  useful in the present invention compared to the scroll compressor of  FIG. 14 . Like reference numerals denote like parts. It should be noted in  FIG. 15A  that only the scroll  158  is shown.  
         [0052]     In this embodiment there is a central shaft  182  having mounted thereon a housing  184 . The housing is mounted on a bearing on the shaft  182 . The shaft  182  may or may not be continuous. A central gear wheel  186  is fixedly mounted about the shaft  182 . The gear wheel  186  is connected to three planetary gears  188 .  
         [0053]     Further, as can be seen in  FIG. 15B  one scroll  156  is fixed to the housing  184  by any suitable means such as an end plate (not shown). The other scroll  158  is mounted on an end plate  190  and is connected to the planetary gears  188  through eccentric pins  192 .  
         [0054]     The shaft  182  and the gear wheel  186  are fixed in position. The housing  184  is arranged to rotate about the shaft  182  as described hereinabove. The planetary gears  188  engage with the gear wheel  186  and are thereby caused to rotate as the housing  184  rotates. This rotation of the planetary gears  188  causes the scroll  158  to move on the plates  190  by means of the pins  192  such that the scroll  158  undergoes a wobbly motion as described hereinabove.  
         [0055]     Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.