US 6,254,034 B1Granted

Tethered aircraft system for gathering energy from wind

OwnerHoward G. Carpenterinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

The tethered aircraft of the system is blown by wind to travel downwind at a controlled rate for maximal mechanical energy gathering from wind whose velocity fluxuates and gusts. A cycle of travel is completed when the aircraft is travelled upwind to the site of the beginning of downwind travel where downwind travel is recommenced. The downwind travelling aircraft pullingly unwinds its tether from an anchored windlass drum to spin the rotor of an interconnected electrical machine to convert the mechanical energy to electricity.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A tethered aircraft system for gathering energy from wind comprising:

(a) electrical machine means for converting rotational mechanical energy to electrical energy, and
(b) windlass drum means rotatively connected to the rotor of said machine means for having the tether of a tethered aircraft means wound on said drum means, and
(c) said tethered aircraft means blown by wind to travel downwind for gathering mechanical energy from wind by said tethered aircraft means pullingly unwinding said tether from said drum means to rotate said drum means and to rotate said rotor against the restraining torque of said machine means so as to convert said rotational mechanical energy to said electrical energy available at the terminals of said machine means, and
(d) a cycle for generation of electricity that is completed when said aircraft means is travelled upwind to the site of the beginning of said downwind travel where said cycle for generation of electricity is recommenced, and
(e) remotely-controlled angle-of-attack means for controlling said aircraft means to fly in stall in force equilibrium in winds whose velocity fluxuates and gusts, and
(f) during said downwind travel of said aircraft means said aircraft means is controlled by the action of said remotely-controlled angle-of-attack means to fly in stall in force equilibrium at particular angles-of-attack that exceed the stalling angle, and
(g) upwind-travel-mode-control means for controlling the amount of energy consumed during upwind travel of said aircraft means to said site of said beginning of said downwind travel to amount to less energy than the amount of energy that is gathered by said aircraft means during said downwind travel, and
(i) field current control means for controlling said restraining torque of said machine means and consequently for controlling the downwind-travel-rate of said tethered aircraft means for generation of electricity, and
whereby the net amount of electricity obtained from said cycle is the difference between said mechanical unwinding energy from the wind that is converted to electricity and the minimal motive energy consumed in return-travelling said aircraft to said site of said beginning of said downwind travel, the net electrical energy is furnished to storage and to power users.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

patentgrep

Loading patent…

Abstract

A tethered aircraft system for gathering energy from wind comprising:

(a) electrical machine means for converting rotational mechanical energy to electrical energy, and
(b) windlass drum means rotatively connected to the rotor of said machine means for having the tether of a tethered aircraft means wound on said drum means, and
(c) said tethered aircraft means blown by wind to travel downwind for gathering mechanical energy from wind by said tethered aircraft means pullingly unwinding said tether from said drum means to rotate said drum means and to rotate said rotor against the restraining torque of said machine means so as to convert said rotational mechanical energy to said electrical energy available at the terminals of said machine means, and
(d) a cycle for generation of electricity that is completed when said aircraft means is travelled upwind to the site of the beginning of said downwind travel where said cycle for generation of electricity is recommenced, and
(e) remotely-controlled angle-of-attack means for controlling said aircraft means to fly in stall in force equilibrium in winds whose velocity fluxuates and gusts, and
(f) during said downwind travel of said aircraft means said aircraft means is controlled by the action of said remotely-controlled angle-of-attack means to fly in stall in force equilibrium at particular angles-of-attack that exceed the stalling angle, and
(g) upwind-travel-mode-control means for controlling the amount of energy consumed during upwind travel of said aircraft means to said site of said beginning of said downwind travel to amount to less energy than the amount of energy that is gathered by said aircraft means during said downwind travel, and
(i) field current control means for controlling said restraining torque of said machine means and consequently for controlling the downwind-travel-rate of said tethered aircraft means for generation of electricity, and
whereby the net amount of electricity obtained from said cycle is the difference between said mechanical unwinding energy from the wind that is converted to electricity and the minimal motive energy consumed in return-travelling said aircraft to said site of said beginning of said downwind travel, the net electrical energy is furnished to storage and to power users.

6 more elements