Windmill power apparatus and method
OwnerJohn L. Earleinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Air compressed by a windmill-driven compressor is stored as liquid in an underground cryogenic insulated tank. Pressurized air released from the tank is vaporized by a refrigerant circuit, heated, and used to operate an air motor which drives an electrical generator. Heat of compression extracted by compressor coolant heats vaporized air entering the motor and heats water stored in a ground-level tank located directly above the cryogenic tank. Solar and fossil fuel heating circuits further heat vaporized air entering the motor. Motor exhaust is used as a coolant in refrigeration circuits. The inlet and outlet conduits to the cryogenic tank are arranged to effect heat exchange. The windmill has a vertical axis rotor with curved blades mounted in a vaned housing.
Claims32
Windmill power apparatus comprising
- windmill means for converting wind into compressor-operating energy,
- compressor means operatively driven by the windmill means for compressing a gaseous fluid to a relatively high pressure,
- storage means for accumulating compressed fluid in a liquid state, said storage means having outlet means for releasing accumulated fluid under pressure, and
- fluid motor means for receiving fluid released by the outlet means and being operatively driven thereby,
- heat extracting means connected to the compressor means for retracting heat of compression generated in compressing the gaseous fluid, wherein the heat extracting means comprises cooling circuit means for circulating coolant through the compressor means, fluid circuit means for circulating heat storage fluid and heat exchange means for communicating heat from the coolant to the heat storage fluid, and further comprising second heat exchange means for communicating heat from the heat storage fluid to the fluid released from the outlet means before said released fluid enters the fluid motor means.
Windmill power apparatus comprising
- windmill means for converting wind into compressor-operating energy,
- compressor means operatively driven by the windmill means for compressing a gaseous fluid to a relatively high pressure,
- storage means for accumulating compressed fluid in a liquid state, said storage means having outlet means for releasing accumulated fluid under pressure, and
- fluid motor means for receiving fluid released by the outlet means and being operatively driven thereby,
- heat extracting means connected to the compressor means for extracting heat of compression generated in compressing the gaseous fluid, wherein the heat extracting means comprises cooling circuit means for circulating coolant through the compressor means, fluid circuit means for circulating heat storage fluid and heat exchange means for communicating heat from the coolant to the heat storage fluid, and further comprising heat exchange means for communicating said heat of compression to the fluid released from the outlet means before said released fluid enters the fluid motor means.
Windmill power apparatus comprising
- windmill means for converting wind to compressor-operating energy,
- compressor means operatively driven by the windmill means for compressing a gaseous fluid,
- storage means for accumulating compressed fluid, said storage means having outlet means for releasing accumulated fluid under pressure,
- heat extracting means for extracting the heat of compression generated in compressing the gaseous fluid,
- heat exchange means for communicating said heat of compression to the fluid released from the outlet means, and
- fluid motor means for receiving heated fluid from the heat exchange means and being operatively driven thereby.
Windmill power method comprising
- converting wind into compressor-operating energy,
- driving a compressor by the energy,
- compressing gaseous fluid to a relatively high pressure,
- accumulating compressed fluid in a liquid state,
- releasing accumulated fluid under pressure,
- driving a fluid motor by said released fluid,
- extracting the heat of compression generated in compressing the gaseous fluid, and
- communicating said heat of compression to the released fluid before said released fluid enter the fluid motor.
Windmill power method comprising
- converting wind into compressor-operating energy,
- driving a compressor by the energy,
- compressing a gaseous fluid,
- accumulating compressed fluid,
- releasing accumulated fluid under pressure,
- extracting heat of compression generated in compressing gaseous fluid,
- communicating said heat of compression to the released fluid, and
- driving a fluid motor by the heated fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.