Patent Publication Number: US-2018051676-A1

Title: Automatic and intelligent clutch-type wind turbine system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a wind turbine system, especially to an automatic and intelligent clutch-type wind turbine system in which electricity is generated no matter the wind conditions and the electricity generated is not wasted on braking. During the power generation process, the energy stored is converted into kinetic energy for assistance in generating electricity so that not only the power generation efficiency is improved, the total production cost is also reduced. 
     Description of Related Art 
     Generally, a conventional wind turbine generator generates power using wind force. Air on the earth is affected by heat from sun and earth rotation. Thus the rising and falling of hot air and cold air result in convection that creates wind. The wind force in nature is under influence of geographical environment, unstable and unable to control. 
     Refer to  FIG. 5 , a wind turbine generator  7  available now mainly includes a gearbox  71 , at least one blade  72  disposed on a front end of the gearbox  71 , a disc brake set  73  connected to a rear end of the gearbox  71 , a generator  74  connected to the disc brake set  73 , a battery  75  connected to the generator  74 , and a hydraulic pump  76  connected to the generator  74 . The hydraulic pump  76  controls actuation and braking of the disc brake set  73 . The generator  74  is activated by speed increasing of the gearbox  71  to generate electricity while the blade  72  is blown by the wind. The electricity generated is stored in the battery  75 . 
     Generally, the blade  72  of the wind turbine generator  7  is designed with an adjustable angle and certain surface area and the length thereof is ranging from 65 meters to 100 meters. Over 80% wind is passed through gaps among the three blades  72  and got lost when a strong wind is provided. On the other hand, the wind turbine generator  7  is unable to generate power when the wind power is not strong enough or the wind speed is quite low. The blade  72  of the wind turbine generator  7  starts rotating and driving the generator  74  to generator power when the cut-in wind speed reaches 3-4 meter/second. Thus the wind turbine generator  7  should be arranged at the area in which annual average wind speed is at least 4 meters/second and the area is considered as optimal place for wind development. The wind turbine generator  7  is stopped by braking and no more power is output to prevent overspeed damage to the wind turbine generator  7  when the wind speed is over 25 meters/second. 
     A brake is required for control of rotational speed of the main shaft and stabilization of the power generating process when the wind turbine generator  7  available now is in the strong wind. Thus a disc brake set  73  that takes a lot of electricity is disposed on the wind turbine generator  7  and the electricity generated by the generator  74  drives the hydraulic pump  76  for control of the disc brake set  73  to stop the wind turbine generator  7  and prevent burning of the generator  74  caused by overspeed. According to the statistics, 36-38% of the electricity generated by the wind turbine generator  7  is used for braking (slowing down). At the same time, the barking process also causes loss of the gearbox  71 . 
     Thus there is room for improvement and there is a need to provide a novel wind turbine system that solves the above problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an automatic and intelligent clutch-type wind turbine system in which electricity is generated no matter the wind conditions in surrounding area and the electricity generated is not consumed on braking. During the power generation process, the energy stored is converted into kinetic energy for assistance in generating electricity so that not only the power generation efficiency is increased, the total production cost is also reduced. 
     In order to achieve the above object, an automatic and intelligent clutch-type wind turbine system according to the present invention mainly includes a rotor-blade base, a split gearbox, a plurality of sets of disc generators, a plurality of synchronous clutches and a battery. 
     The rotor-blade base is disposed with a one-way fixed seat and a main shaft. The one-way fixed seat is used for fixing rotor blades and the main shaft is passed through a bearing. 
     The split gearbox consists of a gearbox and a turbine-driven set. The gearbox is connected to the main shaft of the rotor-blade base while the turbine-driven set is connected to a power shaft. The split gearbox is activated and the gearbox and the turbine-driven set are mechanically connected for driving the power shaft to rotate when the rotor blade of the rotor-blade base is driven by wind power in surrounding area. 
     The disc generator is connected to the power shaft of the split gearbox for being driven by the power shaft to rotate and generate electricity. 
     The synchronous clutch is arranged between the two adjacent disc generators. During rotation of the synchronous clutch being driven by the power shaft that drives the disc generator to rotate, the synchronous clutch is activated to drive the next set of the disc generator to rotate for generating electricity when the wind force is large enough to make the rotating synchronous clutch reach the rated speed. 
     The battery is connected to each set of the disc generator so that power generated by the respect disc generator can be delivered to the battery for storage. 
     The main shaft of the rotor-blade base is passed through not only the bearing but also a disc brake that is used for braking the main shaft. 
     The power shaft of the split gearbox is connected to and fixed with a synchronous jackshaft of the disc generator. A generator housing is fit around the synchronous jackshaft and an in-housing bearing is arranged between the generator housing and the synchronous jackshaft. A permanent-magnet rotor is mounted in the generator housing and is connected to and fixed on the synchronous jackshaft. A plurality of permanent-magnetic elements is connected to and driven by the permanent-magnet rotor. A plurality of electromagnetic induction silicon steels corresponding to the permanent-magnetic elements and wound with electromagnetic induction coils respectively is mounted in the generator housing. 
     The synchronous clutch is disposed between the two adjacent disc generators. An elastic element is set between the power shaft of the split gearbox and the synchronous jackshaft of the disc generator. A bearing is disposed between one end of the elastic element and the synchronous jackshaft while the other end of the elastic element is leaning against a toothed set. A lift and lock plate is set corresponding to the toothed set and a weight support is arranged corresponding to the lift and lock plate while the weight support is disposed with a weight. A fit gear arranged correspondingly to the toothed set is fit and fixed on a tandem axis. The tandem axis is used to connect and drive the next set of the disc generator. 
     The power shaft of the split gearbox is passed through a main gear of a high-pressure storage and pump tank while the main gear is engaged with two main tooth plates. Each main tooth plate is connected to an eccentric rotary disc and used for driving the eccentric rotary disc to rotate. The eccentric rotary disc is closely leaning against a smooth running member and a support is pivotally connected to a middle part of the smooth running member while each of two sides of the smooth running member is pivotally connected to a valve rod. The valve rod is connected to a piston member and each piston member is arranged with an intake valve and an exhaust valve corresponding to each other. The intake valve is connected to an intake channel for introducing air outside while the exhaust valve is connected to a compression chamber. The compression chamber is connected to an energy storage tank by an air outlet and the energy storage tank is connected to the turbine-driven set of the split gearbox. The air introduced is compressed to be stored in the energy storage tank in the form of high pressure gas while the power shaft drives the main gear to rotate. When the wind power from the surrounding area is insufficient to activate the rotor blades, energy in the form of high-pressure gas stored in the energy storage tank is sent to the turbine-driven set for driving the turbine-driven set and further driving the power shaft to rotate and generate electricity. 
     The high-pressure storage and pump tank further includes a maintenance cover that is used for repair and maintenance of the high-pressure storage and pump tank. 
     The high-pressure storage and pump tank further includes a speed regulator that is used to adjust operation speed of the high-pressure storage and pump tank. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic drawing showing system structure of an embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is another schematic drawing showing system structure of an embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic drawing showing a high-pressure storage and pump tank of an embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic drawing showing a disc generator and a synchronous clutch of an embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing showing system structure of a prior art. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In order to learn technical content, purposes and functions of the present invention, please refer to the following embodiments, related figures and reference number. 
     Refer to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , an automatic and intelligent clutch-type wind turbine system according to the present invention mainly includes a rotor-blade base  1 , a split gearbox  2 , a high-pressure storage and pump tank  3 , a plurality of disc generators  4 , a plurality of synchronous clutches  5  and a battery  6 . 
     The rotor-blade base  1  is disposed with a one-way fixed seat  11  used for fixing at least one rotor blade  12 . Compared with the rotor blade available now, the present rotor blade  12  has a larger width and a smaller length. A main shaft  13  is connected to the rotor-blade base  1  and passed through a bearing  14  and a disc brake  15 . The disc brake  15  is operated automatically by a computer system or manually by users for braking the main shaft  13  under certain conditions (such as maintenance and repair, an unexpected emergency situation, etc.). 
     The split gearbox  2  consists of a gearbox  21 , a turbine-driven set  22  and a power shaft  23 . The gearbox  21  is connected to the main shaft  13  of the rotor-blade base  1  while the turbine-driven set  22  is connected to the power shaft  23 . The split gearbox  2  can be operated manually by the user or automatically by a computer system. The split gearbox  2  is activated and a mechanical connection is formed between the gearbox  21  and the turbine-driven set  22  for driving the power shaft  23  to rotate when the rotor blade  12  of the rotor-blade base  1  is triggered by wind power in the surrounding area. Once there is no sufficient wind energy from the surrounding area and the rotor blade  12  is unable to be activated, the gearbox  21  and the turbine-driven set  22  are mechanically separated from each other. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the high-pressure storage and pump tank  3  is composed of a main gear  31 , two main tooth plates  32 , two smooth running members  33 , four intake valves  34 , four exhaust valves  35 , two compression chambers  36 , an energy storage tank  37 , a maintenance cover  38  and a speed regulator  39 . The power shaft  23  of the split gearbox  2  is passed through the main gear  31  while the main gear  31  is engaged with the main tooth plates  32 . Each main tooth plate  32  is connected to an eccentric rotary disc  321  and used for driving the eccentric rotary disc  321  to rotate. The eccentric rotary disc  321  is closely leaning against the smooth running member  33  and a support  331  is pivotally connected to a middle part of the smooth running member  33  while each of two sides of the smooth running member  33  is pivotally connected to a valve rod  332 . 
     The valve rod  332  is connected to a piston member  333  and each piston member  333  is arranged with the intake valve  34  and the exhaust valve  35  corresponding to each other. The intake valve  34  is connected to an intake channel  341  for introducing air outside while the exhaust valve  35  is connected to the compression chamber  36 . The compression chamber  36  is connected to the energy storage tank  37  by an air outlet  361  and the energy storage tank  37  is connected to the turbine-driven set  22  of the split gearbox  2 . By manual operation or automatic operation of the computer system, the energy storage tank  37  delivers the high-pressure gas stored therein into the turbine-driven set  22  of the split gearbox  2 . Thus the main tooth plate  32  also drives the eccentric rotary disc  321  to rotate while the power shaft  23  drives the main gear  31  to rotate. The eccentric rotary disc  321  pushes the smooth running member  33  to swing for pushing/pulling the piston members  333  to work by the valve rods  332 . The intake valve  34  is opened and the exhaust valve  35  is closed when the piston member  333  is pulled by the valve rod  332  to move outward. Thus air outside is introduced through the intake channel  341  and the intake valve  34 . The intake valve  34  is closed and the exhaust valve  35  is opened when the piston member  333  is pushed by the valve rod  332  to move inward. Thus the air introduced is passed through the exhaust valve  35  to be compressed into the compression chamber  36 . When the pressure reaches the maximum value of the compression chamber  36 , the compressed air is delivered into the energy storage tank  37  through the air outlet  361 . The maintenance cover  38  is for convenient maintenance and repair operation and the speed regulator  39  is used to adjust operation speed of the high-pressure storage and pump tank  3 . 
     Refer to  FIG. 4 , the disc generator  4  and the synchronous clutch  5  are revealed. As shown in  FIG. 1 , there is a plurality of sets of the disc generator  4  included in the present system. The disc generator  4  includes a synchronous jackshaft  41 , a generator housing  42 , a permanent-magnet rotor  43  and a plurality of electromagnetic induction silicon steels  44 . The synchronous jackshaft  41  is connected to and fixed on the power shaft  23  of the split gearbox  2 . The generator housing  42  is fit around the synchronous jackshaft  41  and an in-housing bearing  421  is arranged between the generator housing  42  and the synchronous jackshaft  41 . The permanent-magnet rotor  43  is mounted in the generator housing  42  and is connected to and fixed on the synchronous jackshaft  41 . A plurality of permanent-magnetic elements  431  is connected to and driven by the permanent-magnet rotor  43 . A plurality of electromagnetic induction silicon steels  44  corresponding to the permanent-magnetic elements  431  and wound with electromagnetic induction coils  441  respectively is mounted in the generator housing  42 . An electric current is induced in the electromagnetic induction coils  441  of the electromagnetic induction silicon steel  44  by the permanent-magnetic elements  431  when the permanent-magnet rotor  43  drives the permanent-magnetic elements  431  to rotate. 
     Still refer to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 , the synchronous clutch  5  is disposed between the two adjacent disc generators  4 . The synchronous clutch  5  consists of an elastic element  51 , a bearing  52 , a toothed set  53 , a lift and lock plate  54 , a weight support  55 , a fit gear  56 , and a tandem axis  57 . The elastic element  51  is fit between the synchronous jackshaft  41  of the disc generator  4  and the power shaft  23  of the split gearbox  2 . The bearing  52  is disposed between one end of the elastic element  51  and the synchronous jackshaft  41  while the other end of the elastic element  51  is leaning against the toothed set  53 . The lift and lock plate  54  is disposed corresponding to the toothed set  53  and the weight support  55  is arranged corresponding to the lift and lock plate  54  while the weight support  55  is disposed with a weight  551 . The fit gear  56  arranged correspondingly to the toothed set  53  is fit and fixed on the tandem axis  57 . The tandem axis  57  is used to connect and drive the next set of the disc generator  4 . The weight support  55  makes the weight  551  to lift and expand outward when the rotating synchronous clutch  5  reaches the preset rated speed. Thus the lift and lock plate  54  is moved inward and the toothed set  53  is pushed by the elastic element  51  to be connected to the fit gear  56 . Therefore the tandem axis  57  fit with the fit gear  56  is driven to rotate and the next set of the disc generator  4  is further driven to rotate and generate power. 
     Refer to  FIG. 2 , the battery  6  is connected to each set of the disc generator  4  so that power generated by the respect disc generator  4  can be delivered to the battery  6  for storage. 
     When the rotor blade  12  of the rotor-blade base  1  is triggered by wind power from the surrounding area, the main shaft  13  of the rotor-blade base  1  is activated and a mechanical connection is formed between the gearbox  21  and the turbine-driven set  22 . Thus the power shaft  23  is driven to rotate by the turbine-driven set  22 . The gearbox  21  and the turbine-driven set  22  are mechanically separated from each other when the wind power from the surrounding area is insufficient to activate the rotor blade  12 . At the moment, energy in the form of high-pressure gas stored in the energy storage tank  37  of the high-pressure storage and pump tank  3  is delivered to the turbine-driven set  22  by the computer system or manual operation for driving the turbine-driven set  22  and further driving the power shaft  23  to rotate. The power shaft  23  further drives the first set of the disc generator  4  to rotate and generate electricity. During rotation of the synchronous clutch  5  being driven by the power shaft  23  that drives the disc generator  4  to rotate, the first synchronous clutch  5  is activated to drive the second set of the disc generator  4  and the second synchronous clutch  5  to rotate for generating electricity and to rotate respectively when the wind power is large enough to make the rotating synchronous clutch  5  reach the preset rated speed. The second synchronous clutch  5  is also activated to drive the third set of the disc generator  4  and the third synchronous clutch  5  to rotate for generating electricity and to rotate respectively when the wind power is getting larger and the second synchronous clutch  5  is reaching the preset rated speed. Each of the synchronous clutches  5  is used to drive the next set of the disc generator  4  for rotating and generating electricity in turn according to the magnitude of the wind force. The electricity generated is sent to the battery  6  for storage. 
     In summary, the present invention generates electricity no matter the wind force is high or low and the electricity is not wasted on braking. During the electricity generation process, the energy stored is converted into kinetic energy for assistance in generating electricity. Thus not only the power generation efficiency is improved, the total production cost is also reduced. 
     Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, and representative devices shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalent.