US 8,134,249 B2Granted

Wind system for converting energy through a vertical-axis turbine actuated by means of kites and process for producing electric energy through such system

OwnerMassimo Ippolito, Franco Taddeiinventors

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Abstract

A wind system for converting wind energy including at least one kite that can be driven from ground immersed in at least one wind current and a vertical-axis wind turbine placed at ground level. The wind turbine includes at least one arm connected through two ropes to the kite, the kite configured to be driven through the turbine to rotate the arm and convert wind energy into electric energy through at least one generator/motor system operating as a generator that co-operates with the turbine. The ropes are configured both to transmit mechanical energy from and to the kites, and to control the flight trajectory of the kites. A process produces electric energy through such a system.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A wind system for converting energy comprising:

at least one kite that can be driven from ground, disposed to be immersed in at least one wind current;
a vertical-axis wind turbine placed at ground level, the vertical-axis wind turbine including at least one arm connected through two ropes to the at least one kite, the at least one kite being configured to be driven through the vertical-axis wind turbine to rotate the at least one arm and perform conversion of wind energy into electric energy through at least one generator/motor system operating as a generator and cooperating with the vertical-axis wind turbine, the two ropes being configured both to transmit mechanical energy from and to the at least one kit and to control a flight trajectory of the at least one kite;
and
a smart control system configured to automatically control the at least one kite along the flight trajectory, the smart control system including a set of sensors placed on the at least one kite and a set of ground sensors,
wherein the at least one arm of the wind turbine is supported through at least one supporting system, the supporting system comprising tie-rods constrained at one end to the at least one arm of the wind turbine, and at another end to a single vertical structure placed at a center of the vertical-axis wind turbine and rotating with the at least one arm, and/or the supporting system comprising tie-rods placed in a rotation plane of the wind turbine constrained at one end to the at least one arm of the vertical-axis wind turbine, and at another end to a central rotary shaft of the vertical-axis wind turbine, and/or the supporting system further comprising at least one dampened trolley through which the at least one arm of the turbine is elastically rested onto the ground, and/or the supporting system comprising an elastic member coupled in parallel with at least one dampener, the at least one dampened trolley including at least one pair of wheels aligned with rotation axes passing through a rotation center of the vertical-axis wind turbine.

2 more elements

A wind system for converting energy comprising:

at least one kite that can be driven from ground, disposed to be immersed in at least one wind current;
a vertical-axis wind turbine placed at ground level, the vertical-axis wind turbine including at least one arm connected through two ropes to the at least one kite, the at least one kite being configured to be driven through the vertical-axis wind turbine to rotate the at least one arm and perform conversion of wind energy into electric energy through at least one generator/motor system operating as a generator and cooperating with the vertical-axis wind turbine, the two ropes being configured both to transmit mechanical energy from and to the at least one kit and to control a flight trajectory of the at least one kite;
and
a smart control system configured to automatically control the at least one kite along the flight trajectory, the smart control system including a set of sensors placed on the at least one kite and a set of ground sensors,
wherein the at least one arm of the vertical-axis wind turbine comprises at least one recovering device adapted to recover the at least one kite at rest, the at least one recovering device comprising at least one cylindrical pipe, the at least one cylindrical pipe comprising a rounded outlet edge, the at least one recovering device being inclined with respect to the arm.

2 more elements

A wind system for converting energy comprising:

at least one kite that can be driven from ground, disposed to be immersed in at least one wind current;
a vertical-axis wind turbine placed at ground level, the vertical-axis wind turbine including at least one arm connected through two ropes to the at least one kite, the at least one kite being configured to be driven through the vertical-axis wind turbine to rotate the at least one arm and perform conversion of wind energy into electric energy through at least one generator/motor system operating as a generator and cooperating with the vertical-axis wind turbine, the two ropes being configured both to transmit mechanical energy from and to the at least one kit and to control a flight trajectory of the at least one kite;
and
a smart control system configured to automatically control the at least one kite along the flight trajectory, the smart control system including a set of sensors placed on the at least one kite and a set of ground sensors,
wherein the at least one arm of the vertical-axis wind turbine comprises a potential gravitational energy accumulating system, the potential gravitational energy accumulating system comprising at least two gearing-down pulleys and at least one counterweight lifted from the ground and capable of vertically translating, the two ropes being wound around the at least two gearing-down pulleys, the at least one counterweight being lifted from the ground due to a tension of the two ropes, the at least two gearing-down pulleys being arranged respectively in a lower level and in an upper level, a gearing-down pulley in the upper level being constrained to the at least one arm of the vertical-axis wind turbine and a gearing-down pulley in the lower level being constrained to the at least one counterweight.

2 more elements

A wind system for converting energy comprising:

at least one kite that can be driven from ground, disposed to be immersed in at least one wind current;
a vertical-axis wind turbine placed at ground level, the vertical-axis wind turbine including at least one arm connected through two ropes to the at least one kite, the at least one kite being configured to be driven through the vertical-axis wind turbine to rotate the at least one arm and perform conversion of wind energy into electric energy through at least one generator/motor system operating as a generator and cooperating with the vertical-axis wind turbine, the two ropes being configured both to transmit mechanical energy from and to the at least one kit and to control a flight trajectory of the at least one kite;
and
a smart control system configured to automatically control the at least one kite along the flight trajectory, the smart control system including a set of sensors placed on the at least one kite and a set of ground sensors,
wherein the at least one arm of the vertical-axis wind turbine comprises at least one storing system of the two ropes, the storing system of the two ropes comprising at least two winches on each one of which a respective one of the two ropes is wound or unwound, each of the two winches being connected to an electric motor controlled by the smart control system, the at least two winches being connected to the electric motor by interposing at least one epicycloidal reducer, each of the at least two winches comprising a guiding module configured to compel the two ropes to be orderly wound on the at least two winches, respectively, the at least two winches being assembled on a trolley sliding along a rail in parallel with a rotation axis of the at least two winches, a sliding of the trolley along the rail being controlled by a sliding mechanism together with a rotation of the at least two winches, the sliding mechanism being actuated by another electric motor controlled by the smart control system, the sliding mechanism being connected to the another electric motor by interposing at least one epicycloidal reducer.

2 more elements

A process for producing electric energy through a wind system of at least one kite that can be driven from ground, disposed to be immersed in at least one wind current, a vertical-axis wind turbine placed at ground level, the vertical-axis wind turbine including at least one arm connected through two ropes to the at least one kite, the at least one kite being configured to be driven through the vertical-axis wind turbine to rotate the at least one arm and perform conversion of wind energy into electric energy through at least one generator/motor system operating as a generator and cooperating with the vertical-axis wind turbine, the two ropes being configured both to transmit mechanical energy from and to the at least one kit and to control a flight trajectory of the at least one kite, and a smart control system configured to automatically control the at least one kite along the flight trajectory, the smart control system including a set of sensors placed on the at least one kite and a set of ground sensors, the method comprising:

a) controlling the flight trajectory of the at least one kite so that the at least one kite proceeds transversally with respect to a direction of the at least one wind current, the at least one kite tensioning the two ropes connected to the at least one arm of the vertical-axis wind turbine, rotating the at least one arm due to a dragging effect and going away from the at least one arm of the vertical-axis wind turbine making a counterweight of an energy accumulating system;
b) controlling the flight trajectory of the at least one kite so that the at least one kite proceeds along a same direction of the at least one wind current, the at least one kite tensioning the two ropes connected to the at least one arm of the wind turbine by rotating the at least one arm due to a dragging effect and approaching the at least one kite to the at least one arm of the vertical-axis wind turbine by rewinding the two ropes through winches by electric motors without lowering the counterweight of the energy accumulating system;
c) controlling the flight trajectory of the at least one kite so that the at least one kite proceeds transversally with respect to the direction of the at least one wind current, the at least one kite tensioning the two ropes connected to the at least one arm of the vertical-axis wind turbine by rotating the at least one arm due to a dragging effect, and moving away the at least one kite from the at least one arm of the vertical-axis wind turbine by unwinding the two ropes through the winches by the electric motors without lowering the counterweight of the energy accumulating system;
d) controlling the flight trajectory of the at least one kite so that the at least one kite proceeds in an opposite direction with respect to the at least one wind current without generating any braking effect for rotation of the at least one arm of the vertical-axis wind turbine, and approaching the at least one kite to the at least one arm of the vertical-axis wind turbine by lowering the counterweight of the energy accumulating system to take the at least one kite in a position starting from which it transversally proceeds with respect to the direction of the at least one wind current;
and
e) repeating the controlling steps a) to d).

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.