Floating airborne wind energy system with submersible platform
OwnerRob Creighton, Andrew Stoughinventors
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Abstract
The exemplary embodiments herein provide an airborne power generation assembly comprising an airborne power generation unit, a submersible platform, an electrified tether winch attached to the submersible platform, an electrified tether connecting between the electrified tether winch and the airborne power generation unit, and a power output exiting from the submersible platform. Embodiments include an underwater docking station with a docking station tether connecting the submersible platform to the underwater docking station. The submersible platform or the underwater docking station may be anchored to the sea bed. Other embodiments include winches for the sea bed anchor tethers and docking station tether.
Claims17
An airborne power generation assembly comprising:
- an airborne power generation unit;
- a submersible platform comprising:
- a submersible platform winch;
- an electrified tether winch;
- a ballast pump adapted for pumping water into and out of the submersible platform;
- and
- a first electronic controller in electronic communication with the submersible platform winch and the ballast pump;
- a sea bed tether adapted at a first end for attachment to the sea bed and adapted at a second end for attachment to the submersible platform winch;
- and
- an electrified tether connecting between the electrified tether winch and the airborne power generation unit,
- wherein the first electronic controller is configured to actuate at least one of the submersible platform winch and the ballast pump to fully submerge the submersible platform while the airborne power generation unit is airborne.
An airborne power generation assembly comprising:
- an airborne power generation unit;
- a submersible platform;
- a ballast pump positioned to draw water into the submersible platform;
- an electrified tether winch attached to the submersible platform;
- an electrified tether connecting between the electrified tether winch and the airborne power generation unit;
- at least one sea bed tether connecting the submersible platform to the sea bed;
- a landing perch extending above the submersible platform;
- and
- a sea bed tether winch positioned on the submersible platform and connected to each sea bed tether,
- wherein the ballast pump and sea bed tether winch are used simultaneously in combination to raise and lower the submersible platform.
An airborne power generation assembly comprising:
- an airborne power generation unit;
- a submersible platform capable of holding water so that the submersible platform can sink beneath an upper surface of a body of water;
- an electrified tether winch attached to the submersible platform;
- an electrified tether connecting between the electrified tether winch and the airborne power generation unit;
- an underwater docking station positioned beneath the submersible platform;
- at least one sea bed tether connecting the underwater docking station to the sea bed;
- and
- a docking station tether connecting the floating platform to the underwater docking station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.