Electric power system

An electric power system has an air compressor unit with a reservoir tank, an air powered motor and an electric generator. The air compressor unit has an air compressor that provides compressed air to the reservoir tank. The air compressor is driven by an electric motor. The air powered motor is driven by compressed air from the reservoir tank. The air powered motor provides rotary power to an input shaft of the electric generator, wherein the generator produces electrical power. The system can be mounted onto a mobile platform for ease of transport. Also, storage batteries can be connected to the electric output of the generator. The output of the batteries can be connected to the electric motor of the air compressor unit.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to systems for producing electric power. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Electric power for residential and commercial use is typically produced by 
large generators in electric power plants. These generators are commonly 
driven by fossil fuel and nuclear energy sources. Fossil fuels include 
oil, natural gas and coal. Power plants utilizing these fossil fuels 
produce air pollution and greenhouse gases. Power plants utilizing nuclear 
fuels produce radioactive wastes. Storage of these wastes is highly 
controversial. Small portable electric generators are driven by internal 
combustion engines. These engines also produce air pollution due to the 
exhaust gases from the combustion. 
Because these energy sources produce air pollution and storage problems, it 
is desired to develop a system for eliminating or at least minimizing 
reliance on such energy sources. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system that 
produces electrical energy without producing air or environmental 
pollution.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
In FIG. 2, there is shown the system 11 of the present invention, in 
accordance with a preferred embodiment. The system 11 includes an air 
compressor unit 13, an air powered motor 15 and an electric generator 17. 
The air compressor unit 13 is a conventional, commercially available unit. 
The air compressor unit 13 has a storage or reservoir tank 19, an air 
compressor 21 and a drive motor 23. The air compressor 21 and the motor 23 
sit on top of the reservoir tank 19. The air compressor 21 is connected to 
the reservoir tank 19 by a conduit 25 so as to discharge compressed air 
into the tank. In the preferred embodiment, the air compressor has two 
stages and two cylinders. The air compressor 21 produces a discharge 
pressure of 0-300 psi, with a delivery of 18 cfm. The air compressor is 
powered by the electric motor 23, which is coupled to the air compressor 
by way of sheaves 27 and a belt 29. The electric motor 23 is powered by 
240 volts ac through power cord 61. 
The reservoir tank 19 has an outlet conduit 31 for conveying pressurized 
air to the air motor 15. The air motor 15 is a conventional, commercially 
available unit. When supplied with pressurized air, the air motor produces 
rotary power by way of rotating an output shaft 33. The output shaft 33 is 
fitted with a sheave 35 that receives a drive belt 37. In the preferred 
embodiment, the air motor 15 is a 4 horsepower motor and operates with an 
air pressure of about 110 psi. The air motor can operate at 1800 rpm. At 
this speed, the air motor produces about 10.5 foot-pounds of torque, which 
can operate a 16 kilowatt or larger generator. 
The drive belt 37 is received by a sheave 39 on an input shaft 41 of the 
electric generator 17. The generator 17 is a conventional, commercially 
available unit. In the preferred embodiment, the generator is a 16 
kilowatt ac synchronous generator, that produces 50 amps at 120 volts and 
240 volts at 60 Hz. The electrical output 43 of the generator 17 can be 
connected to a step-up transformer 45 if a higher voltage or amperage is 
required. 
All of the components can be mounted to a mobile platform such as a trailer 
47 (see FIG. 1). The trailer has a bottom wall 49 and side walls 51. The 
trailer has wheels 53 and a hitch 55 to permit towing of the trailer 
behind a vehicle 59 such as a pickup truck. The mobile platform can be 
made smaller and lighter than a trailer so as to permit a human to push 
the system from place to place. Alternatively, the system 11A can be 
mounted in the vehicle 59 itself. The system 11A can be used to provide 
electrical power to drive the electric motor 60 that propels the vehicle. 
The operation of the system 11 will now be described. The air compressor 
unit 13 is operated by connecting a power cord 61 of the electric motor 23 
to an electric wall outlet or some other suitable energy source. The air 
compressor 21 is then allowed to operate so as to fill the reservoir tank 
19 with air. Once the reservoir tank 19 has been filled with compressed 
air, the air compressor is unplugged from the wall outlet. The system 11 
can be moved on the trailer 47 to whatever location is desired, even if 
that location is remote from the electrical wall outlet. 
To generate electricity to drive a load 63, the air motor 15 is started by 
opening a valve 32 in the air line 31 to allow compressed air to flow from 
the tank 19 to the air motor 15. The compressed air from the reservoir 
tank 19 causes the air motor 15 to rotate, thereby rotating the drive belt 
37. Thus, the air motor rotates the input shaft 41 on the electric 
generator 17 in order to produce electricity. The electrical outputs 43 of 
the generator provide the electricity for the load 63. 
By utilizing compressed air to operate the system, no air pollution is 
created during the operation of the system at the location of operation. 
Thus, the system is useful in areas or circumstances where air pollution 
is undesirable or unacceptable. Some uses include residential, commercial 
and scientific uses. Furthermore, by charging the tank of air with power 
from the wall output, which is typically provided by a utility company, 
sources of distributed air pollution are reduced. Conventional small 
portable generators utilize an internal combustion engine to permit the 
rotary power that is required to drive the generator. These internal 
combustion engines produce air pollution and are not subject to air 
pollution controls. Utilities are subject to air pollution controls and 
provide scrubbers and the like to clean flue gasses to reduce air 
pollution. Because the air pollution is produced at a point source, namely 
a utility generating plant, the task of cleaning the air is simpler and 
more cost effective. This is not the case with conventional electric 
generators driven by conventional internal combustion engines. The system 
of the present invention prevents this distributed air pollution which is 
caused by internal combustion engines. 
The system 11 of FIG. 2 has a relatively short operating time, limited by 
the size of the reservoir tank. In FIG. 3, there is shown a modification 
of this system that extends the operating time. In the system of FIG. 3, 
the electrical outputs 43 of the generator 17 are connected to a battery 
charger 64. The battery charger 64 converts the ac output of the generator 
17 to dc to allow charging of the batteries. The output of the battery 
charger 64 is connected to plural storage batteries 65. In the preferred 
embodiment, the storage batteries 65 are lead-acid batteries of the type 
used in automobiles. There are four 12 volt, 650 amp batteries connected 
in parallel to each other. The electrical output 66 of the batteries is 
connected to the input of an inverter 67. The inverter 67 converts dc to 
ac. The output of the inverter 67 is connected to the transformer, which 
steps up the voltage to drive a load 63 and the air compressor motor 23. 
Alternatively, the load 63 can be connected directly to the output 43 of 
the generator 17. 
The electrical output 66 of the batteries can also be tapped to drive an 
electrical load 63. A step-up transformer 45 can be used. Alternatively, 
electrical power from the battery can be tapped from the output of the 
converter 69 if the load requires ac power. 
The system of FIG. 3 operates as follows. The air compressor unit 13 is 
operated by the charged batteries 65 to fill the reservoir tank 19. Once 
the reservoir tank has been filled, the air compressor unit can be 
stopped. Alternatively, the system can be started by plugging the air 
compressor unit 13 into an electrical wall output by its power cord 61 for 
a sufficient period of time to fill the reservoir tank with compressed 
air. Once the reservoir tank has been filled, the air compressor 13 is 
unplugged from the wall outlet. The system can then be moved to the 
desired location by the trailer 47. When the need arises to drive a load 
63 with electricity, compressed air is allowed to flow through the conduit 
by opening the valve 32 to the air motor 13, causing the air motor to 
rotate. The air motor 15 rotates the generator 17 to produce electricity. 
The generator 17 charges the storage batteries 65 via the charger 64. 
Electrical power is tapped from the storage batteries 65 to drive a load. 
The system can operate a dc load 71 (by tapping off of the batteries) or 
an ac load 63 (by tapping off of the generator or the inverter). A portion 
of the electrical power of the batteries 65 is used to operate the air 
compressor motor 23 to maintain compressed air inside of the reservoir 
tank 19. Use of the system of FIG. 3 allows the provision of electrical 
power for an extended period of time. Alternatively, the generator 17 of 
FIG. 3 can directly drive the motor 23 of the air compressor unit 13 
through wires 43. Thus, the generator 17 drives the motor 23 and any other 
load 63 such as another electric motor. The load motor 63 could, for 
example, be used to power a vehicle such as an electric car. 
The foregoing disclosure and the showing made in the drawings are merely 
illustrative of the principles of this invention and are not to be 
interpreted in a limiting sense.