The invention provides a device for generating high pressure air. The device comprises a block having an external surface and an internal surface, said internal surface defining an internal cavity in said block. A rotor located inside said cavity is capable of rotating about under the influence of w
The invention provides a device for generating high pressure air. The device comprises a block having an external surface and an internal surface, said internal surface defining an internal cavity in said block. A rotor located inside said cavity is capable of rotating about under the influence of wind energy. The block is capable of moving relative to the rotor in a direction orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the rotor so as to vary the position of the rotor within the cavity. A plurality of vanes extend from the rotor, and are coupled to the rotor in such a manner that, in every position that the block is capable of adopting relative to the rotor, the rotor is capable of rotating within the cavity while maintaining a seal between each vane and the internal surface of the block. There is a gas inlet channel and a gas outlet channel on an opposite side of the block to the gas inlet channel. The device also comprises a position controller for causing the block to move relative to the rotor so as to vary the position of the rotor within the cavity.
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1. A device for generating high pressure air, said device comprising: a rotor capable of rotating about an axis of rotation under the influence of wind energy;a block having an external surface and an internal surface, said internal surface defining an internal cavity in said block, whereby the roto
1. A device for generating high pressure air, said device comprising: a rotor capable of rotating about an axis of rotation under the influence of wind energy;a block having an external surface and an internal surface, said internal surface defining an internal cavity in said block, whereby the rotor is located inside said cavity and is capable of rotating within the cavity, and said block being capable of moving relative to the rotor in a direction orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the rotor so as to vary the position of the rotor within the cavity;a plurality of vanes extending from said rotor, said vanes being coupled to the rotor in such a manner that, in every position that the block is capable of adopting relative to the rotor, the rotor is capable of rotating within the cavity while maintaining continuous contact between each vane and the internal surface of the block so as to maintain a seal between the internal surface and the vane;a gas inlet channel extending from the external surface of the block to the internal cavity so as to permit a gas to enter the cavity;a gas outlet channel on an opposite side of the block to the gas inlet channel, said gas outlet channel extending from the internal cavity to the external surface of the block so as to permit the gas to exit the cavity;a guide constraining the motion of the block to the direction orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the rotor; anda position controller for causing the block to move relative to the rotor so as to vary the position of the rotor within the cavity;wherein the block is coupled to the guide; andwherein the guide comprises a housing which has an outside surface and an inside surface, said inside surface defining a chamber inside which the block is located, wherein the shape of said chamber is such that the inside surface constrains the motion of the block to the direction orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the rotor, said housing having a housing inlet channel extending from the outside surface of the block to the chamber and a housing outlet channel on an opposite side of the housing to the housing inlet channel, said housing outlet channel extending from the chamber to the outside surface so that, in every position that the block is capable of adopting relative to the rotor, said housing inlet channel at least partially aligns with the gas inlet channel so as to permit a gas to enter the cavity and said housing outlet channel at least partially aligns with the gas outlet channel so as to permit the gas to exit the cavity;said device additionally comprising a dewatering device for dewatering the gas prior to said gas entering the cavity. 2. The device of claim 1 wherein both the cavity and the rotor are cylindrical and the axis of the cavity is parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor. 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the vanes are capable of at least partly retracting into the rotor. 4. The device of claim 1 wherein the vanes comprise a resilient material. 5. The device of claim 1 wherein the vanes are resiliently coupled to the rotor. 6. The device of claim 1 comprising a windmill wherein the rotor is coupled to the windmill so as to enable said rotor to rotate about the axis of rotation. 7. The device of claim 6 wherein the rotor is coupled to the windmill by means of a drive shaft which is coupled axially to the rotor. 8. The device of claim 1 wherein the position controller comprises a first position adjustor for moving the block so as to vary the position of the rotor within the cavity such that, when the pressure in the outlet channel is below a predetermined maximum, the distance between the axis of rotation of the rotor and the centre of the cavity increases with an increase in said pressure in the outlet channel. 9. The device of claim 8 whereby the first position adjustor urges the block in a first direction such that the distance between the axis of rotation of the rotor and the centre of the cavity increases and the position controller comprises a second position adjustor which urges the block in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, such that the first and second position adjustors operate in opposition to one another such that, when the pressure in the outlet is below a predetermined maximum, the distance between the axis of rotation of the rotor and the centre of the cavity increases with an increase in said pressure in the outlet; said second position adjustor being a spring or a compressible gas piston. 10. The device of claim 8 wherein the position controller comprises a tube which couples the outlet channel to the first position adjustor for providing a gas pressure to the first position adjustor so as to control said first position adjustor. 11. The device of claim 1 wherein the outlet channel comprises a pressure regulator for setting a maximum outlet gas pressure from the device. 12. The device of claim 1 wherein the guide is in a fixed position relative to the axis of rotation of the rotor. 13. The device of claim 1 comprising an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, said inlet pipe being in gas communication with the gas inlet channel and said outlet pipe being in gas communication with the gas outlet channel. 14. A pressurised fluid source comprising a device according to claim 1 and a pressure vessel, whereby the gas outlet channel of said device is coupled to an internal space of said pressure vessel so as to permit pressurised gas from the device to enter the internal space. 15. The pressurised fluid source of claim 14 wherein the pressure vessel comprises a liquid inlet for supplying a liquid to an internal space of the pressure vessel, a liquid outlet for allowing the liquid to exit the pressure vessel and at least one valve for controlling the exit of fluid from the pressure vessel, so that the pressurised fluid source is a source of the liquid under pressure. 16. The pressurised fluid source of claim 14 comprising a first and a second pressure vessel, whereby the gas outlet channel of said device is coupled via a valve to an internal space of each of said pressure vessels so as to permit pressurised gas from the device to enter the internal space of either the first or the second pressure vessel according to a setting of the valve. 17. The pressurised fluid source of claim 16 wherein each pressure vessel comprises a liquid inlet for supplying a liquid to an internal space of said pressure vessel, a liquid outlet for allowing the liquid to exit the pressure vessel and at least one valve for controlling the exit of fluid from the pressure vessel, so that the pressurised fluid source is a source of the liquid under pressure. 18. The pressurised fluid source according to claim 14 additionally comprising a heater for heating the internal space of said pressure vessel, or at least one of the internal spaces of said pressure vessels. 19. The pressurised fluid source according to claim 14 additionally comprising a heater for heating a liquid or gas after said liquid or gas has exited the pressure vessel(s). 20. A motor comprising: a) an engine capable of being run by means of a pressurised fluid andb) a pressurised fluid source according to claim 14, said engine being coupled to the pressurised fluid source so as to provide pressurised fluid to the engine. 21. A water supply system comprising a pressurised fluid source according to claim 15 and a pressure driven water purification device, wherein the liquid outlet(s) is (are) coupled to the pressure driven water purification device, said pressure driven water purification device being selected from the group consisting of reverse osmosis, activated carbon adsorption, filtration, microfiltration, ultrafiltration and combinations of any two or more of these. 22. The water supply system of claim 21 wherein the water purification system comprises an activated carbon filter, an activated silica filter, a reverse osmosis device, an ultrafiltration device, a microfiltration device or a combination of any two or more of these. 23. A method for operating a device according to claim 1, said method comprising allowing wind energy to cause the rotor to rotate, thereby causing the vanes to propel a gas from the gas inlet channel to the gas outlet channel and thereby compress said gas. 24. The method of claim 23 wherein said device comprises a windmill and wherein the rotor of the device is coupled to said windmill so as to enable said rotor to rotate about the axis of rotation, wherein the step of allowing wind energy to cause the rotor to rotate comprises exposing said windmill to wind, thereby causing the rotor to rotate about the axis of rotation. 25. A method of operating a pressurised fluid source according to claim 14 comprising: allowing wind energy to cause the rotor to rotate, thereby causing the vanes to propel a gas from the gas inlet channel to the gas outlet channel and thereby compress said gas; andpassing the compressed gas to the internal space of the pressure vessel. 26. The method of claim 25 additionally comprising heating the compressed gas. 27. A method of operating a motor according to claim 20, said method comprising: allowing wind energy to cause the rotor to rotate, thereby causing the vanes to propel a gas from the gas inlet channel to the gas outlet channel and thereby compress said gas;passing the compressed gas to the internal space of the pressure vessel; andpassing the compressed gas from the pressure vessel to the engine so as to operate the motor. 28. A method for providing water, said method comprising: providing a water supply system according to claim 21;admitting water to the pressure vessel of said system;allowing wind energy to cause the rotor to rotate, thereby causing the vanes to propel a gas from the gas inlet channel to the gas outlet channel and thereby compress said gas;passing the compressed gas to the internal space of the pressure vessel so as to pressurise the water in said pressure vessel; andallowing the pressurised water to pass out of the pressure vessel and through the pressure driven water purification device. 29. A windmill for collecting wind energy comprising: a rotatable shaft;a first vane assembly disposed circumferentially around said shaft and coupled to said shaft such that rotation of the first vane assembly causes rotation of the shaft, wherein the first vane assembly comprises: at least one vane, the or each vane having an axis which extends outwardly from the shaft; anda rotation mechanism such that when a vane of the first vane assembly rotates through a first position said vane rotates about its axis so that the vane is in a substantially vertical plane and when said vane rotates through a second position it rotates about its axis by about 90°, wherein the first and second positions are located approximately 180° apart around the shaft; anda second vane assembly coupled to the first vane assembly, said second vane assembly comprising at least one second assembly vane having an axis which extends outwardly from an axis of rotation of said second vane assembly, and a rotation mechanism such that when a vane of the second vane assembly rotates through a third position said vane rotates about its axis so that the vane is in a substantially vertical plane and when said vane rotates through a fourth position it rotates about its axis by about 90°, wherein the third and fourth positions are located approximately 180° apart around the shaft,wherein the coupling of the second vane assembly to the first vane assembly is such that rotation of the second vane assembly transfers energy to the shaft, andwherein the vane(s) of the first vane assembly have a cross-section in the shape of an aerofoil and/or the vane(s) of the second vane assembly have a cross-section in the shape of an inverted aerofoil so that rotation of the first vane assembly directs air upwards towards the second vane assembly and/or rotation of the second vane assembly directs air downwards towards the first vane assembly. 30. The windmill of claim 29 wherein the axis of the or each vane is substantially orthogonal to the shaft. 31. The windmill of claim 29 wherein the rotation mechanism is coupled to a region of each vane at or near a proximal end of said vane. 32. The windmill of claim 29 wherein the rotation mechanism comprises a cam. 33. The windmill of claim 29 wherein, in use, the vane assembly rotates in a plane substantially parallel to the wind direction. 34. The windmill of claim 33 wherein the plane of rotation of the vane assembly is substantially horizontal. 35. The windmill of claim 29 additionally comprising a direction unit capable of detecting the wind direction and of rotating at least a portion of the windmill so that each vane when travelling in a leeward direction is located in a substantially vertical plane and when travelling in a windward direction lies in a plane substantially orthogonal to said substantially vertical plane. 36. The windmill of claim 35 wherein the direction unit comprises a wind vane. 37. The windmill of claim 29 wherein the second vane assembly is located substantially parallel to and coaxially with the first vane assembly. 38. The windmill of claim 37 wherein the planes of rotation of the first and second vane assemblies are substantially parallel. 39. The windmill of claim 29 wherein the second vane assembly is coupled to the first vane assembly by means of a coupling for transferring rotational energy from the second vane assembly to the first vane assembly and is capable of rotating in an opposite direction to the first vane assembly. 40. The windmill of claim 39 wherein the coupling comprises one or more rollers and/or one or more cogwheels. 41. The windmill of claim 29 wherein the rotation mechanism of the second vane assembly comprises a cam. 42. The windmill of claim 29 wherein the first vane assembly has at least two vanes, said at least two vanes being distributed symmetrically around the shaft. 43. The windmill of claim 29 wherein the second vane assembly has at least two vanes, said at least two vanes being distributed symmetrically around its axis of rotation. 44. The windmill of claim 29 wherein the shaft is coupled to a generator for generating electricity. 45. The device of claim 1 comprising a windmill, wherein the rotor is coupled to said windmill, said windmill comprising: a rotatable shaft;a first vane assembly disposed circumferentially around said shaft and coupled to said shaft such that rotation of the first vane assembly causes rotation of the shaft, wherein the first vane assembly comprises: at least one vane, the or each vane having an axis which extends outwardly from the shaft; anda rotation mechanism such that when a vane of the first vane assembly rotates through a first position said vane rotates about its axis so that the vane is in a substantially vertical plane and when said vane rotates through a second position it rotates about its axis by about 90°, wherein the first and second positions are located approximately 180° apart around the shaft; anda second vane assembly coupled to the first vane assembly, said second vane assembly comprising at least one second assembly vane having an axis which extends outwardly from an axis of rotation of said second vane assembly, and a rotation mechanism such that when a vane of the second vane assembly rotates through a third position said vane rotates about its axis so that the vane is in a substantially vertical plane and when said vane rotates through a fourth position it rotates about its axis by about 90°, wherein the third and fourth positions are located approximately 180° apart around the shaft,wherein the coupling of the second vane assembly to the first vane assembly is such that rotation of the second vane assembly transfers energy to the shaft, andwherein the vane(s) of the first vane assembly have a cross-section in the shape of an aerofoil and/or the vane(s) of the second vane assembly have a cross-section in the shape of an inverted aerofoil so that rotation of the first vane assembly directs air upwards towards the second vane assembly and/or rotation of the second vane assembly directs air downwards towards the first vane assembly;such that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the rotor. 46. A pressurised fluid source comprising a device according to claim 45 and a pressure vessel, whereby the gas outlet channel of said device is coupled to an internal space of said pressure vessel so as to permit pressurised gas from the device to enter the internal space. 47. A motor comprising: a) an engine capable of being run by means of a pressurised fluid andb) a pressurised fluid source according to claim 46, said engine being coupled to the pressurised fluid source so as to provide pressurised fluid to the engine. 48. A water supply system comprising a pressurised fluid source according to claim 46 and a pressure driven water purification device, wherein the liquid outlet(s) is (are) coupled to the pressure driven water purification device. 49. A cooling device comprising a pressurised fluid source according to claim 46 and a heat removal device for removing heat from compressed gas in the pressure vessel(s), and also comprising one or more gas outlets for allowing cooled compressed gas to exit the pressure vessel(s) and expand. 50. A method for operating a device according to claim 45, said method comprising exposing the vane assembly of the windmill of said device to wind so as to cause said vane assembly to rotate about the shaft, thereby causing the rotor to rotate and causing the vanes to propel a gas from the gas inlet channel to the gas outlet channel and thereby compress said gas. 51. A method of operating a pressurised fluid source according to claim 46 comprising: exposing the vane assembly of the windmill of said pressurised fluid source to wind so as to cause said vane assembly to rotate about the shaft, thereby causing the rotor to rotate and causing the vanes to propel a gas from the gas inlet channel to the gas outlet channel and thereby compress said gas; andpassing the compressed gas to the internal space of the pressure vessel. 52. A method of operating a motor according to claim 47, said method comprising: exposing the vane assembly of the windmill of said motor to wind so as to cause said vane assembly to rotate about the shaft, thereby causing the rotor to rotate and causing the vanes to propel a gas from the gas inlet channel to the gas outlet channel and thereby compress said gas;passing the compressed gas to the internal space of the pressure vessel; andpassing the compressed gas from the pressure vessel to the engine so as to operate the motor. 53. A method for providing water, said method comprising: providing a water supply system according to claim 48;admitting water to the pressure vessel of said system;exposing the vane assembly of the windmill of said water supply system to wind so as to cause said vane assembly to rotate about the shaft, thereby causing the rotor to rotate and the vanes to propel a gas from the gas inlet channel to the gas outlet channel and thereby compress said gas;passing the compressed gas to the internal space of the pressure vessel so as to pressurise the water in said pressure vessel; andallowing the pressurised water to pass out of the pressure vessel and through the pressure driven water purification device. 54. A method for providing cool air comprising: providing a cooling device according to claim 49;exposing the vane assembly of the windmill of said device to wind so as to cause said vane assembly to rotate about the shaft and causing the rotor to rotate and the vanes to propel a gas from the gas inlet channel to the gas outlet channel and thereby compress said gas;passing the compressed gas to the internal space of the pressure vessel;removing heat from said compressed gas using the heat removal device;opening at least one of the one or more gas outlets so as to allow the cooled compressed gas to exit the pressure vessel through said opened outlet(s), thereby allowing the gas to expand and cool.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (14)
Arnold Dieter (Dsseldorf DEX), Adjustable volume vane-type pump.
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