Wind Power Generator and Coupling
AssigneeEmpire Magnetics Inc.
InventorRichard HALSTEAD
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wind turbine rotary shaft is coupled to the rotary axis of a grid connected generator/alternator by magnetic means to feed power to the grid at all rotation speeds of the turbine shaft that exceed the generator speed when it acts as a motor power by the grid. The coupling is a generally circular first plate having a magnet array at the end of the generator shaft. The rotary axis of a turbine is likewise connected to a second generally circular plate. The second plate is electrically conductive, but not magnetic and is offset but adjacent to the first plate. When the turbine shaft is turning faster than the generator shaft more power is fed into the grid by the generator/alternator.
Claims25
1) A fluid flow power generation system comprising:
- a) a fluid driven rotary turbine blade assembly,
- b) a first rotary shaft having a rotary coupling to said rotary turbine blade assembly,
- c) a first conductive plate orthogonally coupled to said first rotary shaft,
- d) an electric dynamo machine (EDM) having a rotary axle, wherein the EDM is energized by an electric power grid to run at a constant rotary speed,
- e) at least one of a second plate coupled to rotate in the plane thereof to the rotary axle, the second plate having disposed parallel to the plane thereof an array of permanent magnets, each magnet in the array having the north and south poles thereof oriented toward opposing sides of the plate, wherein for each magnets in the array, the north and south poles are at the opposite axial orientation with respect to the immediately adjacent magnets in the array,
- f) wherein the first and second plates are disposed spaced apart but sufficiently proximal to each other such that the rotary speed of the first rotary shaft being excess of the constant rotary speed will cause the EDM to generate more power into the electric grid than is consumed by its rotation at the constantly rotary speed.
14) A fluid flow power generation system comprising:
- a) a fluid driven rotary turbine blade assembly,
- b) a first rotary shaft having a rotary coupling to said rotary turbine blade assembly,
- c) a first conductive cylinder co-axially coupled to said first rotary shaft,
- d) an electric dynamo machine (EDM) having a rotary axle, wherein the EDM is energized by an electric power grid to run at a constant rotary speed,
- e) at least one of a second cylinder coupled to rotate about the cylindrical axis thereof to said rotary axle, the second cylinder having disposed parallel to the surface thereof one or more ring-like arrays of permanent magnets, each magnet in the array having the north and south poles thereof oriented about the surface of the cylindrical, wherein for each magnets in the arrays the north and south poles are at the opposite radial orientation with respect to the immediately adjacent magnets in the array,
- f) wherein the first and second cylinders are disposed with surfaces spaced apart but with at least a portion of the surfaces adjacent to each other such that the rotary speed of the first rotary shaft being in excess of the constant rotary speed will cause the EDM to generate more power into the electric grid than is consumed by its rotation at the constantly rotary speed.
20) A method of electrical power generation, the method comprising:
- a) providing a fluid driven rotary turbine blade assembly having;
- i) a first rotary shaft having a rotary coupling to said rotary turbine blade assembly,
- ii) a first conductive rotating surface driven by the first rotary shaft;
- b) providing an electric dynamo machine (EDM) having a rotary axle and an external array of permanent magnets of alternating polarity disposed on a second rotating surface driven by the rotary axle,
- c) energizing the EDM from an electric power grid to run at a constant rotary speed,
- d) wherein the first rotary shaft and first rotary axle oriented in the same direction so that the first and second surfaces are disposed adjacent to each other such that when the fluid driven rotary turbines increase the rotary speed of the first rotary shaft in excess of the constant rotary speed then the EDM will generate more power into the electric grid than is consumed by its rotation at the constantly rotary speed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.