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US 2008/0289352 A1Published application
Machine for Producing Water form Wind Energy
OwnerMarc Hugues Parentinventor
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OwnerMarc Hugues Parentinventor
Estimating the term…
A wind machine for producing water by condensation, includes a wind rotor, an air-dehumidifying unit and at least one electric power generation unit, these being supported by a tower anchored in the ground, the dehumidifying unit including at least one refrigeration compressor, at least one condenser and at least one evaporator that are connected together by a refrigerant fluid circuit, incorporating a member for expanding the fluid, the machine furthermore including elements for recovering and storing condensed water vapour. The at least one electric power generation unit is mechanically coupled directly to the wind rotor via its rotation shaft. The wind machine includes a device for storing and recovering the electric power thus generated and a device for automatically controlling and regulating the dehumidifying unit.
1 Machine (1) for producing water by condensation, comprising a wind rotor (3), an air-dehumidifying unit (5) and at least one electric power generation means (5, 51) these being supported by a tower (4) anchored in the ground, said dehumidifying unit comprising at least one refrigeration compressor (7), at least one condenser (8), and at least one evaporator (9) that are connected together by a refrigerant fluid circuit, incorporating a means for expanding said fluid, said machine furthermore including means (12) for recovering and storing condensed water vapor and characterized in that the said electric power generation means (5, 51) is mechanically coupled directly to said wind rotor by its rotation shaft (3c) and in that it includes a device (13) for storing and recovering the electric power thus generated and the device for automatically controlling and regulating dehumidifying unit (6), the said electric power generation means and said storage device being connected together to said dehumidifying unit and to said device for controlling and regulating the latter, in order to allow it to operate continuously, independently of the wind energy available for driving said rotor.
Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the said electric power generation means comprise a generator (51), preferably an alternator or a generator.
Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the said electric power storage and recovery device (13) consists of at least one storage battery.
Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the said storage device consist of an electric supply system to which the said electric energy generation means and the said dehumidifying unit are connected.
Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the said electric power generation means and the said dehumidifying unit are installed in a nacelle (2) positioned at the upper end of said tower (4), said wind rotor (3) being joined to said nacelle by its rotation shaft (3c).
Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said dehumidifying unit (6) has means for controlling the condensation pressure of the refrigerant fluid circulating in said condenser.
Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said dehumidifying unit (6) has at least one ventilation means (11) placed preferably opposite said condenser (8) and adapted to draw air from the outside into the said unit through said evaporator (9) and discharge this after dehumidification on said condenser.
Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said means for recovery and storage of condensed water vapor consist of at least one manifold arranged under said evaporator and at least one tank (12) connected to said manifold.
Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a device for purifying (15) the water produced by said dehumidifying unit.
Machine according to claim 1, characteriaed in that it also includes a system for filtering the incoming air at the level of said evaporator.
Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes means for covering and/or closing said evaporator.
Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a speed increaser gearing system or a gearbox fitted between the wind rotor shaft and the electric energy production device.
Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes an auxiliary electric power supply supplementing the power produced by the electric power generation device when the wind power is low or insufficient to drive the wind rotor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.