Gyroglider power-generation, control apparatus and method
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F03D-007/00
F03D-005/00
F03D-011/04
B64C-027/02
B64C-039/02
B64C-027/16
출원번호
US-0548842
(2014-11-20)
등록번호
US-9464624
(2016-10-11)
발명자
/ 주소
Calverley, Grant Howard
출원인 / 주소
Calverley, Grant Howard
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
2인용 특허 :
7
초록▼
A power generation apparatus and method comprises at least one gyroglider rotary wing flying at an altitude above the nap of the earth. A strong and flexible tether, connected to the gyroglider frame is pulled with a force generated by the rotary wing. The force is transmitted to a ground station th
A power generation apparatus and method comprises at least one gyroglider rotary wing flying at an altitude above the nap of the earth. A strong and flexible tether, connected to the gyroglider frame is pulled with a force generated by the rotary wing. The force is transmitted to a ground station that converts the comparatively linear motion of the tether being pulled upward with a lifting force. The linear motion is transferred to a rotary motion at the ground station to rotate an electrical generator. The tether is retrieved and re-coiled about a drum by controlling the gyroglider to fly down at a speed and lift force that permit recovery of the gyroglider at a substantially reduced amount of retrieval force compared to the lifting force during payout of the tether. Thus, the net difference in force results in a net gain of energy.
대표청구항▼
1. A method of power generation, said method comprising the steps of: providing at least one gyroglider comprising a rotor with a plurality of rotor blades rotatably secured to a frame, said rotor having a rotor pitch defined by a path of said rotor with respect to the incoming wind and a blade pitc
1. A method of power generation, said method comprising the steps of: providing at least one gyroglider comprising a rotor with a plurality of rotor blades rotatably secured to a frame, said rotor having a rotor pitch defined by a path of said rotor with respect to the incoming wind and a blade pitch defined respectively for each of said rotor blades by the angle of said blade with respect to the incoming wind;providing a tether wound on a capstan, said tether having a first end and a second end;positioning said first end of said tether proximate the earth and the second end extending aloft,securing said gyroglider on said tether at said second end thereof;connecting said capstan to a converter;measuring tension existing in or added to said tether;measuring the wind speed to which said gyroglider is exposed;receiving the measured tension and the measured wind speed for cyclically monitoring said tension in said tether to generate an output state of said tension;flying said gyroglider against said tension in said tether by: selectively controlling said rotor pitch if said output state indicates a value too low or too high with reference to a predetermined range;selectively controlling said blade pitch if said output state indicates a value too low or too high with reference to said predetermined range; andcontrolling said tension in said tether by cyclically reeling in said tether by operating said converter or paying out said tether by operating said converter in reverse, if said output state indicates a value way too low or way too high with reference to said predetermined range; andconverting rotational energy from said capstan to power. 2. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of securing said gyroglider on said tether includes spacing apart said gyroglider from the other said gyroglider in a series on said tether in the event there are more than one gyrogliders. 3. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of flying said gyroglider against said tension in said tether includes controlling said gyroglider by an autopilot. 4. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of flying said gyroglider against said tension in said tether includes controlling said gyroglider by an autopilot in response to a position thereof detected by a navigation system associated with said gyroglider without interference from said navigation system associated with other said gyroglider in the event there are more than one gyrogliders. 5. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of selectively controlling said rotor pitch is coupled to the step of selectively controlling said blade pitch. 6. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of selectively controlling said rotor pitch comprises the steps of: providing a mast co-linear with an axis of rotation of said rotor; andcontrolling a tilting angle of said mast with respect to said frame. 7. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of selectively controlling said rotor pitch comprises controlling both roll and pitch of said gyroglider. 8. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of selectively controlling said rotor pitch comprises controlling pitch of said gyroglider. 9. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of selectively controlling said blade pitch comprises passive controlling by biasing each blade to an upward position by providing biasing elements in the form of resilient elements for effecting pivoting of said blades towards the axis of rotation. 10. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of selectively controlling said blade pitch comprises countering the urging of a biasing element provided for each of said blades by the centrifugal force urging a leveling of said blades in response to an increase in the speed of rotation of said rotor about the axis of rotation. 11. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of selectively controlling said blade pitch comprises active controlling by biasing each blade to an upward position by providing biasing elements in the form of servo actuators for effecting pivoting of said blades towards the axis of rotation. 12. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of selectively controlling said blade pitch includes both active and passive control of said blade pitch. 13. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of controlling said tension in said tether includes reducing said tension by reducing said blade pitch and increasing said tension by increasing said blade pitch. 14. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of selectively controlling said blade pitch includes reducing and increasing, respectively said rotor pitch. 15. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: pre-rotating said rotor in the incoming wind by setting said blade pitch at a negative value; andtransferring momentum between the incoming wind and said blades, said rotor operating as at least one of a windmill and a wind turbine. 16. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, further comprising active controlling of said gyroglider by selectively pivoting said blades between a turbine position having a negative blade pitch and a gyroglider position having a positive blade pitch. 17. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: providing a gimbal secured to said rotor to support rotation of said rotor therearound; andpivoting said gimbal to pitch with respect to said frame. 18. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of selectively controlling said rotor pitch comprises providing a gimbal that pitches about a pivot with respect to said frame such that the ratio of lift to drag of said rotor is equal to the ratio of the length to the height of the offset of the center of rotation of said rotor imposed by the distance from the axis of rotation to said pivot, and the height of the center of rotation above said pivot, respectively. 19. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, further comprising reeling in said gyroglider, by said capstan, in response to a reduction in the speed of the incoming wind below a threshold value. 20. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, further comprising reeling in said gyroglider at a relative velocity selected to fly said gyroglider substantially to said capstan under a controlled flight. 21. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, further comprising flying said gyroglider substantially to said capstan in response to the speed of the incoming wind dropping beyond a threshold value required for at least one of a controlled flight and power generation. 22. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, further comprising managing said tension in said tether by said rotor responding thereto, said rotor blades moving to a position of decreased blade pitch in response to increase in said tension and an increase in blade pitch in response to a decrease in said tension. 23. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of selectively controlling said blade pitch comprises coupling said blade pitch to a coning angle of said blades in said rotor, said coning angle representing an angle between an axis of said blade and the axis of rotation of said rotor. 24. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of selectively controlling said blade pitch comprises coupling said blade pitch to a coning angle of said blades in said rotor, said coning angle representing an angle between an axis of said blade and the axis of rotation of said rotor; and effecting a change in said coning angle by changing the balance of forces acting on said blades between said tether and the incoming wind. 25. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: providing legs secured to said frame;locating a landing surface proximate said capstan, said landing surface defining a surface in space;extending said tether from said capstan through said surface in space;drawing said tether, by said capstan, through said surface in space;contacting said landing surface by at least one of said legs for landing said gyroglider on said landing surface; andpositioning said rotor to rotate in a plane parallel to said landing surface by tilting said frame, by at least one of said legs, in response to said contacting said landing surface. 26. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: positioning instrumentation on said frame; andmaintaining said gyroglider aloft at a substantially fixed altitude as a high-altitude tower. 27. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of selectively controlling said rotor pitch includes controlling said rotor pitch in response to increasing proximity of said rotor to the ground during landing. 28. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: providing a plurality of gyrogliders secured to said tether with a single capstan, all of said gyrogliders operably connected to deliver power;flying said plurality of gyrogliders aloft;flying said plurality of gyrogliders down to a landing surface;retrieving each of said gyrogliders of the plurality of gyrogliders individually and one at a time;removing each of said gyrogliders from said tether individually and one at a time;selectively removing each of said frames from the associated rotor;stacking said rotors in close proximity to each other separated by a padding for storage; andredeploying each of said plurality of gyrogliders with said frame and its associated rotor. 29. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: providing motive means selected from the group consisting of jets, propellers, and motors, said motive means being secured to said blades;detecting an emergency situation; andoperating said motive means to maintain a controlled flight of said gyroglider. 30. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, further comprising storing said tether comprising the steps of: providing a cylindrical tank having an open top surface and closed cylindrical wall having a diameter slightly larger than the natural coiling diameter of said tether;coating a layer on said cylindrical wall to reduce friction and heat buildup;providing a center pillar coaxial with said tank;defining a storage space between said tank and said pillar, said storage space being just adequate to lay down said tether in a predetermined orderly manner; andlowering said tether into a said storage space at a predetermined speed in an orderly manner using a roller, pulley and guide arrangement operating in a manner selected from the group consisting of movable assembly or fixed and spinning assembly. 31. The method of power generation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of flying said gyroglider against said tension in said tether further comprises: maintaining said rotor pitch to be constant;varying bank angle defined by the angle between said gyroglider's normal axis and the Earth's vertical plane containing said gyroglider's longitudinal axis;cross wind maneuvering of said gyroglider such that a cross range velocity is induced;inducing a relative wind on said rotor in excess of ambient wind; andshunting of said gyroglider.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (7)
Groen Henry J. (1813 Downing Ave. Salt Lake City UT 84108) Groen David L. (Twenty Benchmark Tooele UT 84074), Autogyro aircraft.
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