Patent ID: 12221952

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG.1illustrates an embodiment of system700that includes a turbine or wind engine500, an integrated pneumatically-assisted hydraulic CVT503, and a generator505. The CVT503is positioned between the engine500and generator505. The CVT has shaft adapters101A and101E for connection to the engine500and generator505, respectively. A tachometer501may be added for pneumatic safety brake operation is so desired.

The CVT has a series of hydraulic valves216,217,226,227,236,237,246,247,256, and257. These valves provide selection of primary hydraulic chambers for speed control. Pneumatic control valves306,311,314, and319are also provided and these valves provide secondary assistance to speed control of the CVT503.

Hydraulic reservoir290is provided with valve291. The hydraulic reservoir290supplies hydraulic fluid for operation. Also included as part of the system are a plurality of pneumatic storage tanks, two provided as308and338, but additional storage tanks could be provided if a need exists for more storage. The pneumatic storage tanks308and338are provided for air operations using a multitude of separate control valves, two shown as329,339, for secondary assistance of the CVT503and pneumatic energy storage for continuous power generation.

Safety relief valves330and340are provided on each pneumatic storage tank308and338, respectively, for safety purposes.

A system controller502is provided and positioned after the converter/inverter508. The controller502monitors the output electrical characteristics of the power generation system700as compared to the load or electrical distribution grid510to constantly regulate the operations of the power generation system700.

FIG.2provides further details the integrated pneumatic-assisted hydraulic CVT503. The shaft adapter101A is attached to engine500and provides a drive shaft102through an upper pneumatic chamber350and an upper hydraulic chamber200.

A tapered gear301is provided above the pneumatic chamber350and is attached to the drive shaft102for selective operation of an integrated air compressor303provided in the pneumatic chamber350. The compressor303is operational when a mating tapered gear302that is connected to a shaft304and the tapered gear301are engaged by an air actuator321that is controlled by valve322. Pneumatic energy is delivered to storage tank308through control valve306and port307. This pneumatic energy can also be used to deactivate actuator321and disengage gears301and302. Intake and exhaust of air supply goes through port323in the pneumatic chamber.

The CVT503also includes hydraulic chambers200and201, with chamber200being a primary source for fluid delivery. A system of hydraulic lines204,205,214,215,224,225,234,235,244,245,254, and255run through the hydraulic chambers200and201, while external hydraulic lines206,207interconnect each of the lines through a series of control valves216,217,226,227,236,237,246,247,256, and257. A bleed valve260is provided on line207for bleeding purposes. A reservoir valve291is provided for line206and this valve offers the ability for hydraulic fluid bypass to disengage the engine500from the generator505hydraulically.

The hydraulic chamber200has a primary hydraulic paddle wheel202, which is located within an inner chamber203. The paddle wheel202propels hydraulic fluid at a rate based upon the rotational speed of the turbine to the selected secondary hydraulic drives212,222,232,242, or252, which are located in the secondary hydraulic chamber201. Hydraulic fluid is directed to one of more the secondary hydraulic drives based upon which pair of control valves216/217,226/227,236/237,246/247, or256/257are selected. The secondary hydraulic drives are also paddle wheels212,222,232,242, and252, the paddle wheels located within inner chambers213,223,233,243, and253, respectively. The paddle wheels212,22,232,242, and252are sized in proportion to the increase or decrease in turbine speed required for wide-ranging macro operations of the generator505.

A secondary pneumatic chamber351is provided and positioned between the generator and the secondary hydraulic chamber201. The secondary pneumatic chamber351provides the ability to optimize the generator505speed to minimize load or line510imbalances. Compressed air from storage tank308is supplied through port310for increasing generator505speeds, while port314is utilized to decrease generator505speeds. Control valves311,314, and319are provided and used to manage these micro operations of speed control. The secondary pneumatic chamber351includes paddle wheel317, which is located in a secondary chamber318of the secondary pneumatic chamber351. The paddle wheel317provide a means to adjust the generator505speed by small increments so that the regulation of the power provided to load/line510is nearly instantaneous. This allows for managing the consistency and quality of the power provided to the load/line510.

The integrated pneumatic overdrive hydraulic CVT503can also be used for operation of the generator505operation when no or minimal engine/turbine500rotation occurs. With the series of storage tanks338, etc. interfaced with the primary storage tank308, the control valves311,314,319,320, and329, which provide compressed air to the paddle wheel317, and control valves260and291, which can cutoff the hydraulic supply to the hydraulic chambers200and201, are controlled to rotate internal shaft103, which in-turn rotates a shaft of the generator505through the interface coupling1018to produce electricity at the managed power matching the load/line510.

FIG.3provides more detail about a paddle wheel for use in the CVT503. As described above, chamber200has paddle wheel202and chamber201has paddle wheels212,222,232,242, and252, with each paddle wheel positioned in its respective inner chambers203,213,223,233,243, and253. For example, paddle wheel202includes a series of paddles209, which are located at X degrees in the axial rotation around the wheel203. Seals210are located around the inner chamber203at Y degrees in axial rotation creating four sealed areas during the rotation of the paddle wheel202. One sealed area is shown as “A”, where the two paddles209′ and209″meet with seals210′ and210.″ Periods between wipes allows for self-lubrication of paddle wheel202.

Intake tube204allows hydraulic fluid to enter the chamber as necessary, based upon the discharge of fluid from the paddle wheel202through tube205as shaft102rotates. The fluid from tube205enters tube206and flows through the selected control valve217,227,237,247, or257to the appropriate paddle wheel212,222,232,242, and252with the discharge of the fluid from the inner chamber213,223,233,243, and253being released through discharges ports214,224,234,244, and254to tube207via selected partner control valve216,226,236,246, and256. Tube207returns fluid to the primary feed204of the paddle wheel chamber203and paddle wheel202to complete the hydraulic cycle for macro speed control within the CVT503. Typically, ratios of 2 and 3 times for increase and decrease of speeds compared to the turbine speeds are designed for this macro level.

The pneumatic aspect of the CVT503allows for micro level speeds between the macro speeds ratio. More particularly, when the taper gear301, attached to drive shaft102is engaged to tapered gear302by means of plunger304, a scroll or screw type air compressor303is activated when wind speeds are available. This allows atmospheric air to enter the intake tube323, be compressed, and exit through control valve306to the storage tank308via port307. Compressed air can then be supplied from storage tank308through ports310and311. Control valves311and314are rapidly activated to either reduce or surge the speed of the shaft103by means of the paddle wheel317. In order for the hydraulic system to allow for these micro adjustments, bleed valve260and reservoir valve291are momentarily opened to permit pressure compensations. Air pressure is relieved through exhaust valve319when increasing generator505shaft speed. Decreasing speed of shaft103is generated when control valve314is activated and exhaust valve319is closed with pulse cycles so that compressed air in line315is directed back to the paddle wheel317. The timing of these pulse cycles for micro speed control is generated by controller502to match the AC electrical waveform of the load/grid510to ensure power factors are maximized.

The two pneumatic chambers350and351allow for braking generator to full stop by fully opening control valve/bleed valve260and reservoir valve291, while closing all of the hydraulic control valves216,217,226,227,236,237,246,247,256, and257. The fluid then simple cycles from paddle wheel202through reservoir290, while the pneumatic control valve314is opened and319is closed creating a back pressure to stop shaft103from rotating.

The plurality of pneumatic storage tanks308,338, . . . can also provide the stored pneumatic energy to rotate shaft103and drive the generator505when there is no wind to drive turbine500. In this mode, control valve/bleed valve260and reservoir valve291are fully opened and all of the hydraulic control valves216,217,226,227,236,237,246,247,256, and257are closed. With this state of operation, the hydraulic system is in neutral. Then the control valve311and319can be opened and this allows the pneumatic energy to operate paddle wheel317, which results in turning the shaft103at appropriate speed to operator generator505to match the AC electrical waveform of the load/grid510.

The system and method of the invention provides a much improved way to take the rotation of the shaft of the engine, e.g., a wind turbine, and transmit that rotation to a generator in both a macro speed and micro speed controlled manner. The invention also provides the ability to either disconnect the engine from the generator or run the generator when the engine is not rotating or rotating at an insignificant level.

As such, an invention has been disclosed in terms of preferred embodiments thereof which fulfills each and every one of the objects of the present invention as set forth above and provides a new and improved system to generate power using an engine, CVT, and generator and a method of use.

Of course, various changes, modifications and alterations from the teachings of the present invention may be contemplated by those skilled in the art without departing from the intended spirit and scope thereof. It is intended that the present invention only be limited by the terms of the appended claims.