Aquatic wind power generation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12398692-B2
Application number	US-202418439868-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2024
Priority date	Apr 5, 2023
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

An aquatic wind power generation system includes: a hull that navigates on water; a power generation system that includes a kite connected to the hull via a tether, and repeats between a power generation mode, in which wind power is generated by an unwinding operation of the tether due to flight of the kite, and retraction mode, in which the tether is retracted by a winding operation of the tether; and a controller that performs control to direct a bow of the hull in a leeward direction in the retraction mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aquatic wind power generation system comprising:
a hull that navigates on water;
a power generation system that includes a kite connected to the hull via a tether, and alternates between
a power generation mode in which wind power is generated by an unwinding operation of the tether due to flight of the kite, and
a retraction mode in which the tether is retracted by a winding operation of the tether; and

a controller that performs control:
(a) during retraction mode: (i) to direct a bow of the hull in a leeward direction in the retraction mode so that a vector direction of tension of the kite matches an advancing direction of the hull when viewed from above the hull, and a sail angle of a sail, which is an angle of attack between the sail and a vector of a composite velocity of a wind velocity of a natural wind and an advancing velocity of the hull, to be 90°, and
(b) during power generation mode controls a direction of the bow so that a wind direction of natural wind and an advancing direction of the hull are orthogonal to each other when viewed from above the hull.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Fukagawa Tateru
• Masuki Hayato
• Kimura Kazutaka

Classifications

• B63H25/04 Primary

  automatic, e.g. reacting to compass · CPC title

• B63B2035/446

  for converting wind energy into electric energy · CPC title

• B63B35/44

  Floating buildings, stores, drilling platforms, or workshops, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices {(construction methods for floating offshore platforms B63B75/00)} · CPC title

• F03D13/256

  on a floating support, i.e. floating wind motors · CPC title

• F05B2240/9176

  Wing, kites or buoyant bodies with a turbine attached without flying pattern · CPC title