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AssigneeGeophysical Engineering Company
InventorsGad Assaf, Lucien Bronicki
Estimating the term…
Electricity is generated in an arid environment using an open duct such as a canyon that is closed at one end and open at the other by erecting an air dam at the open end of the canyon and locating an air turbogenerator in the base of the dam. The air in the canyon is cooled by spraying water into the air as it enters the canyon, the cooled air flowing downwardly toward the base of the dam and through the turbogenerator. Preferably, the air dam is a flexible curtain, covering the outlet of the canyon, and suspension means are provided for suspending the flexible curtain at its top. The suspension means include supports built into the canyon above the top of the curtain, the support preferably being a suspension cable suspended between towers on opposite sides of the canyon such that the top of the flexible curtain is supported by support cables carried by the suspension cable.
A method for generating electricity in an arid environment using an open duct such as a canyon that is closed at one end and open at the other, said method comprising:
A system for generating electricity in an arid environment using an open duct such as a canyon that is closed at one end and open at the other comprising:
A system for generating electricity in an arid environment using a generally vertical tower with an opening at the top for warm air to enter, spray means for spraying water into the tower to cool the air by evaporation of the sprayed water for causing the air in the tower to flow downwardly through an air turbine in the tower, and wherein the tower is suspended from its top.
A system for generating electricity in an arid environment using an enclosed duct such as a generally vertical tower of length L and a hydraulic diameter D with an opening at the top for warm air to enter the tower, spray means for spraying water into the upper portion of the tower to cool the air by evaporation of the sprayed water for causing the air in the tower to flow downwardly through an opening in the bottom of the tower, and air turbine means associated with the tower responsive to the air that flows downwardly through the tower, the improvement including means at the top of the tower for increasing the time during which the water spray remains in contact with the air.
A tower for generating electricity in an arid environment comprising:
In an open cycle heat engine that utilizes an elongated generally vertically disposed conduit wherein a heat induced positive buoyancy flux is created (e.g., by heating the air in the conduit near the bottom or cooling the air in the conduit near the top), the improvement comprising supporting the conduit by suspending the same from the top thereof.
A system for generating electricity in an arid environment comprising:
A system for generating electricity in an arid environment using an enclosed duct such as a generally vertical tower with an opening at the top for warm air to enter, spray means for spraying water into the upper portion of the tower to cool the air by evaporation of the sprayed water for causing the air in the tower to flow downwardly through an air turbine located in the tower, and wherein the duct is formed of a central rigid core having flexible walls, and having means for suspending vertically retractable flexible walls from the top of the tower.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.