Patent Publication Number: US-2023151791-A1

Title: Renewable energy generation system and control method therefor

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0159659, filed Nov. 18, 2021, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE 
     Field of the Present Disclosure 
     The present disclosure relates to a renewable energy generator and a control method therefor. 
     Description of Related art 
     The statements in the present section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and do not necessarily form related art. 
     To produce electricity, various methods exist and are widely used, including thermal power generation using chemical energy of fossil fuels, hydroelectric power generation using the potential energy of water by forming dams, and nuclear power generation using nuclear fission of uranium. 
     However, in recent years, resource depletion, safety issues, and eco-friendly values are increasingly propelling renewable energy productions in proportion over the three major power generation sources. Renewable energy includes power generation using infinite energy sources such as solar power, solar heat, tidal power, wave power, wind power, and geothermal heat. 
     More than 70% of the earth&#39;s surface is the sea that borders different countries with large bodies of water making them good environmental candidates to take advantage of the infinite energy of the waters, which garners increasing interest in wave power generation. Wave power generation refers to the production of electrical energy by use of the periodic vertical motion of the water surface caused by waves. 
     Large-scale wave power generation has spatial limitations to onshore installation. Also, installing a wave power generation device in distant seas and coastal and offshore waters faces difficulties in energy transfer and requires installing costly subsea cables, incurring considerable expenses. 
     Built-in, stationary wave power generation devices have difficulty producing stable electric power because of their irregular horizontal and vertical movements caused by irregular motions of waves. That is, it is hard to generate stable electric power by coping with sea surface changes, making it impossible to efficiently produce electric power. 
     The information included in this Background of the present disclosure section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the present disclosure and may not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed to providing a renewable energy generation method including: a first production process in which electric power is produced by converting wave energy into electrical energy using a plurality of power generators having the shape of a roly-poly-like capsule that floats in a sea; a storage process in which the electrical energy produced in the first production process is stored in a first hub connected to the power generators; and a transportation process in which the electrical energy stored in the first hub is transported to a predetermined place by use of transportation. 
     According to at least an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the present disclosure provides a renewable energy generation system including: a plurality of power generators that float in a sea and produce electric power by converting wave energy into electrical energy; a first hub aligned to be connected to the power generators to store the electrical energy; a plurality of cables connecting the power generators and the first hub; a plurality of batteries configured to be coupled to or separated from the first hub and to store the electrical energy; and a plurality of transportations configured to be coupled to or separated from the first hub and to store the batteries therein. 
     The methods and apparatuses of the present disclosure have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a block diagram of a renewable energy generation system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a flowchart of a renewable energy generation method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a view showing connections among power generators of a renewable energy generation system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a cross-sectional view of the inside of a power generator of a renewable energy generation system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  5    is a view showing connections among power generators and a first hub of a renewable energy generation system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  6    is a view showing connections among power generators and a first hub of a renewable energy generation system according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  7    is a view showing relationships among first, second, and third hubs of a renewable energy generation system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure 
         FIG.  8    is a view showing in detail a first hub of a renewable energy generation system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  9    is a view showing a cross-section of a first hub of a renewable energy generation system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     It may be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the present disclosure. The specific design features of the present disclosure as included herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particularly intended application and use environment. 
     In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present disclosure throughout the several figures of the drawing. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present disclosure(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the present disclosure(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, it will be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the present disclosure(s) to those exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. On the other hand, the present disclosure(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims. 
     A renewable energy generation system according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may produce electric power in coastal and offshore waters and distant seas by converting wave energy into electrical energy, and transport the electrical energy to land using transportation. 
     A renewable energy generation system according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may produce electric power effectively by controlling a plurality of power generators and motors by considering the intensity, speed, and cycle of waves. 
     The aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to the foregoing, and other aspects not mentioned herein will be able to be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. 
     Hereinafter, various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, like reference numerals preferably designate like elements, although the elements are shown in different drawings. Furthermore, in the following description of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, a detailed description of related known components and functions when considered to obscure the subject of the present disclosure will be omitted for clarity and for brevity. 
     Additionally, alphanumeric codes such as first, second, i), ii), (a), (b), etc., in numbering components are used solely for differentiating one component from the other but not to imply or suggest the substances, the order, or sequence of the components. Throughout the present specification, when parts “include” or “comprise” a component, they are meant to further include other components, not excluding thereof unless there is a particular description contrary thereto. 
       FIG.  1    is a block diagram of a renewable energy generation system using a renewable energy generator  110  according to at least an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , the renewable energy generation system  100  may include the renewable energy generator  110 , a first hub  120 , second hubs  130 , third hubs  140 , transportation  150 , and a battery  160  in whole or in part. 
     Multiples of the renewable energy generator  110  may be interconnected by use of a cable, and they may float in the coastal waters and distant seas. The plurality of renewable energy generators  110  may each be shaped as a roly-poly toy or capsule. The plurality of renewable energy generators  110  may each convert wave energy into electrical energy to produce electric power. 
     The first hub  120  may be positioned to be surrounded by a plurality of renewable energy generators  110 . The first hub  120  may be cabled to the plurality of renewable energy generators  110  and may receive electrical energy therefrom. The first hub  120  may receive and store electrical energy from the renewable energy generators  110 . The electrical energy transferred to the first hub  120  may charge a battery  160  and transportation  150  coupled to the first hub  120 . In the instant case, the transportation may be an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), an unmanned ship, a drone, or the like. 
     The second hubs  130  may each be positioned to be surrounded by a plurality of first clusters  710  including the first hub  120 . The third hubs  140  may each be positioned to be surrounded by a plurality of second clusters  720  including the second hub  130 . The relationship among the first, second, and third hubs  120  to  140  and the first and second clusters  710  and  720  will be described below in more detail. 
     The transportation  150  may deliver battery  160  and electrical energy between the first hub  120 , the second hubs  130 , and the third hubs  140  to each other. Additionally, the transportation may deliver the battery and electrical energy to the first hub  2 , the second hubs  3 , the third hubs  4 , and a separate place located on the ground. Here, the separate place may be present and future mobility means such as an electric vehicle (EV), purpose-built vehicle (PBV), urban air mobility (UAM), robot, their electric charging stations, households, industrial facilities, etc. For example, with Vehicle To Grid (V 2 G) technology, a rechargeable eco-friendly vehicle may be linked to a power grid to use surplus power as provided by the present disclosure. The eco-friendly vehicle may work as a moving energy storage system (ESS) by use of the power grid to first charge the vehicle and feed the remaining electricity back to the power grid after the vehicle operation. 
     The renewable energy generation system  100  can convert electrical energy into hydrogen energy and transfer the converted hydrogen energy. When energy is stored in the first hub  120  to the third hubs  130  for a long time, a large amount of energy ( 1  TWh or more) may be stored. For large-capacity energy storage, hydrogen energy is a more suitable form of energy than electrical energy. Additionally, because hydrogen energy loses less than electrical energy during long-distance transport, hydrogen energy is particularly suitable for international transport of energy. 
       FIG.  2    is a flowchart of a renewable energy generation method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIG.  2   , in the renewable energy generation method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, electrical energy is produced using a plurality of power generators  110  (S 210 ). The plurality of power generators  110  each produce electric power by converting wave energy into electrical energy. 
     The electrical energy produced by the power generators  110  is transferred to the first hub  120  (S 220 ). The plurality of power generators  110  and the first hub  120  are interconnected by cables, and the electrical energy may be transferred from the power generators  110  to the first hub  120  by use of the cables. The batteries  160  coupled to the first hub  120  may be charged with the electrical energy transferred to the first hub  120  (S 230 ). 
     The transportation  150  may be coupled to the first hub  120  and transport the charged batteries  160  to the second hub  130  and the third hub  140  (S 240 ). The transportation  150  are able to transfer the batteries  160  and the electrical energy among the first hub  120 , the second hub  130 , and the third hub  140 . 
     The renewable energy generation system  100  determines whether it is necessary to convert the electrical energy into hydrogen energy (S 250 ), and if necessary, converts the electrical energy into hydrogen energy (S 270 ). When storing energy for a long period or transporting energy over a long distance, as in energy transportation between countries, conversion may be needed. Once the electrical energy is converted into hydrogen energy, the hydrogen energy may be transported using the transportation  150  (S 280 ). 
     If it is not necessary to convert the electrical energy into hydrogen energy, the batteries  160  and the electrical energy may be transported using the transportation  150  (S 260 ). The transportation  150  may transfer the batteries  160  and the electrical energy to the first hub  120 , the second hub  130 , and the third hub  140 , and a place on the ground. 
       FIG.  3    is a view showing connections among power generators of a renewable energy generation system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIG.  3   , a plurality of power generators  110  of the renewable energy generation system  100  may be interconnected using cables. The cables may include a float type cable  310  and a flexible power cable  320 . One end portion of the flexible power cable  320  may be connected to both end portions of the float type cable  310 . The other end portion of the flexible power cable  320  may be connected to the power generators  110 . 
     The float type cable  310  may float on the surface of a sea, and prevent collision between the plurality of power generators  110 . Also, the float type cable  310  may include a stopper on either end, to alleviate impact on the power generators  110  and the float type cable  310  when colliding with the power generators  110 . 
     The flexible power cable  320  may transfer the electrical energy produced by one of the plurality of power generators  110  to the first hub  120  and another power generator  110 . The flexible power cable  320  may be a wire type so as not to interfere with the movement of the power generators  110 . 
     A solar panel  111  may be provided on a surface of the power generators  110 . The solar panel  111  may be provided at an upper portion of the surface of the power generators  110 , that is, a portion which is not submerged by the sea. The power generators  110  may convert solar energy into electrical energy by use of the solar panel  111 , as well as converting wave energy into electrical energy. 
       FIG.  4    is a cross-sectional view of the inside of a power generator of a renewable energy generation system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIG.  4   , the power generator  110  of the renewable energy generation system may include all or part of a pendulum  113 , a gear unit  115 , a generation motor  117 , an internal battery  119 , and a controller. 
     The power generator  110  of the renewable energy generation system may produce electric power by converting wave energy into electrical energy using the motion of the pendulum  113 . The pendulum  113  inside the power generator  110  may move with the motion of waves, and the pendulum&#39;s kinetic energy may produce electrical energy. The motion of the pendulum  113  may be transferred to the generation motor  117  through the gear unit  115 . The generation motor  117  may produce electrical energy and store it in the internal battery  119 . 
     The controller of the renewable energy generator  110  according to at least an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may take into account parameters such as the intensity, speed, and frequency of the waves to control the renewable energy generator  110 . For example, the controller may increase the electricity generation efficiency of the renewable energy generator  110  by rotating the same by taking into account the intensity, speed, and frequency of the waves. The controller may be configured to control the renewable energy generator  110  to use various forms of wave energy such as rolling, pitching, yawing, potential energy, and vertical and horizontal kinetic energy. 
       FIG.  5    is a view showing connections among power generators and a first hub of a renewable energy generation system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       FIG.  6    is a view showing connections among power generators and a first hub of a renewable energy generation system according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIG.  5    and  FIG.  6   , the first hub  120  of the renewable energy generation system  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may be positioned in such a way as to be surrounded by the plurality of power generators  100 . The first hub  120  may be connected to the plurality of power generators  100  by cables and receive electrical energy from the plurality of power generators  100 . The first hub  120  may store the electrical energy received from the plurality of power generators  100 . 
       FIG.  5    is a view showing the plurality of power generators  100  being connected in series.  FIG.  6    is a view showing the plurality of power generators  100  being connected in parallel. The structure of the renewable energy generation system  100  of the present disclosure is not limited to this, and the plurality of power generators  110  may be interconnected according to various embodiments. The renewable energy generation system  100  may be scaled down or up by connecting the plurality of power generators  110  based on its power generation capacity. 
       FIG.  7    is a view showing relationships among first, second, and third hubs of a renewable energy generation system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIG.  7   , the renewable energy generation system  100  may include all or part of the first cluster  710 , the second cluster  720 , and the third cluster  730 . 
     The first cluster  710  may include a first hub  120  and a plurality of power generators  100 . The first hub  120  and the plurality of power generators  110  surrounding the first hub  120  may form the first cluster  710 . The renewable energy generation system  100  according to the present disclosure may include a plurality of first clusters  710 . 
     The second cluster  720  may include a second hub  130  and a plurality of first clusters  710 . The first hub  120  may be positioned in such a way as to be surrounded by the plurality of first clusters  710 . The second hub  130  and the plurality of first clusters  710  surrounding the second hub  130  may form the second cluster  720 . The renewable energy generation system  100  according to the present disclosure may include a plurality of second clusters  720 . 
     The third cluster  730  may include a third hub  140  and a plurality of second clusters  720 . The third hub  140  may be positioned in such a way as to be surrounded by the plurality of second clusters  720 . The third hub  140  and the plurality of second clusters  720  surrounding the third hub  140  may form the third cluster  730 . The renewable energy generation system  100  according to the present disclosure may include a plurality of third clusters  730 . The structure of the renewable energy generation system  100  is not limited to this, and may be scaled down or up by building up a plurality of clusters. 
       FIG.  8    is a view showing in detail a first hub of a renewable energy generation system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       FIG.  9    is a view showing a cross-section of a first hub of a renewable energy generation system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIG.  8   , the first hub  120  of the renewable energy generation system  100  may include a plurality of first cabins  121 , a plurality of second cabins  123 , and a storage place  125 . 
     The plurality of first cabins  121  may be formed in the first hub  120  so that batteries  160  are coupled to or separated from them. The first cabins  121  may charge the batteries  160  by receiving electrical energy from a plurality of electric power reducing devices  110 . 
     The batteries  160  of the present disclosure may come in two types according to size: long distance and short distance. The first cabins  121  may include first cabins  121   b  for long distances to or from which long-distance batteries  160   b  are coupled and separated, and first cabins  121   a  for short distances to or from which short-distance batteries  160   a  are coupled and separated. The transportation  150  may select the long-distance batteries  160   b  and the short-distance batteries  160   a  by considering weather conditions, transportation distance, etc and transport the batteries  160 . The transportation  150  may access the first cabins  121  to mount or collect the batteries  160 . 
     The plurality of second cabins  123  may be formed so that the transportation  150  are coupled to or separated from them. The second cabins  123  may charge the transportation  150  by receiving electrical energy from the plurality of power generators  110 . 
     The storage place  125  may be positioned at the center of the first hub  120 . The transportation  150 , such as UAM and UAV, for transporting the batteries  160  may be charged and stored in the storage place  125 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  9   , the first cabins  121  and the second cabins  123  may include receiving portions that are recessed in the first hub  120 . The receiving portions of the first cabins  121  may be formed so that the batteries  160  are coupled to or separated from them. The receiving portions of the first cabins  121  may have a shape corresponding to the batteries  160  so that the batteries  160  are coupled to or separated from them. For example, the receiving portions of the first cabins  121   a  for long distances to or from which the long-distance batteries  160  are coupled or separated, and the receiving portions of the first cabins  121   a  for short distances to or from which short-distance batteries  160   a  are coupled and separated may have a size corresponding the batteries  160 . 
     The receiving portions of the second cabins  123  may be formed so that the transportation  150  are coupled to or separated from them. The receiving portions of the second cabins  123  may have a shape corresponding to the transportation  150  so that the transportation  150  is coupled to or separated from them. The receiving portions of the second cabins  123  may have both a circular or expandable concept in which a propeller or arm may fit. For example, the receiving portions of the second cabins  123  may include a space in which wings or the like of the transportation  150  are contained. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a renewable energy generation system according to an exemplary embodiment has the effects of producing electric power in coastal and offshore waters and distant seas by converting wave energy into electrical energy without limiting conditions for installation and increasing economic efficiency using transportation without installing costly subsea cables. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a renewable energy generation system according to an exemplary embodiment has an effect of increasing the efficiency of the renewable energy generation system by controlling a plurality of power generators and motors by considering the intensity, speed, and cycle of waves. 
     Furthermore, the term related to a control device such as “controller”, “control apparatus”, “control unit”, “control device”, “control module”, or “server”, etc refers to a hardware device including a memory and a processor configured to execute one or more steps interpreted as an algorithm structure. The memory stores algorithm steps, and the processor executes the algorithm steps to perform one or more processes of a method in accordance with various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The control device according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented through a nonvolatile memory configured to store algorithms for controlling operation of various components of a vehicle or data about software commands for executing the algorithms, and a processor configured to perform operation to be described above using the data stored in the memory. The memory and the processor may be individual chips. Alternatively, the memory and the processor may be integrated in a single chip. The processor may be implemented as one or more processors. The processor may include various logic circuits and operation circuits, may process data according to a program provided from the memory, and may generate a control signal according to the processing result. 
     The control device may be at least one microprocessor operated by a predetermined program which may include a series of commands for carrying out the method included in the aforementioned various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     The aforementioned invention can also be embodied as computer readable codes on a computer readable recording medium. The computer readable recording medium is any data storage device that can store data which may be thereafter read by a computer system and store and execute program instructions which may be thereafter read by a computer system. Examples of the computer readable recording medium include Hard Disk Drive (HDD), solid state disk (SSD), silicon disk drive (SDD), read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy discs, optical data storage devices, etc and implementation as carrier waves (e.g., transmission over the Internet). Examples of the program instruction include machine language code such as those generated by a compiler, as well as high-level language code which may be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like. 
     In various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, each operation described above may be performed by a control device, and the control device may be configured by multiple control devices, or an integrated single control device. 
     In various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the control device may be implemented in a form of hardware or software, or may be implemented in a combination of hardware and software. 
     Furthermore, the terms such as “unit”, “module”, etc. Included in the specification mean units for processing at least one function or operation, which may be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination thereof. 
     For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “inner”, “outer”, “up”, “down”, “upwards”, “downwards”, “front”, “rear”, “back”, “inside”, “outside”, “inwardly”, “outwardly”, “interior”, “exterior”, “internal”, “external”, “forwards”, and “backwards” are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures. It will be further understood that the term “connect” or its derivatives refer both to direct and indirect connection. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described to explain certain principles of the present disclosure and their practical application, to enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the present disclosure be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.