Energy conversion from fluid flow

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9841000-B2
Application number	US-201113885843-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2011
Priority date	Nov 16, 2010
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

A device for use in extracting energy from an incoming fluid flow is presented. The device comprises: an oscillator assembly mounted on a base, the oscillator assembly comprising: a main body for exposing to an incoming fluid flow; and a joining element attached to the main body and configured for anchoring the main body to the base and enabling oscillation of the main body with respect to the base; an operative flow affecting unit comprising at least one flow interacting element located in at least one location respectively on a surface of the main body, the operative flow affecting unit being configured and controllably operable for affecting a separation of streams of the fluid flowing over the surface of the main body; a control unit in communication with the operative flow affecting unit, the control unit being configured and operable for activating and deactivating of each of the at least one flow interacting element of the operative flow affecting unit according to a certain time pattern, the time pattern being selected such that interaction between the flow interacting element and fluid streams creates vortices in the fluid streams at a selected vortex formation frequency causing an increase in oscillation of the main body, thereby enabling conversion of motion from the oscillation into useful energy.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for use in extracting energy from an incoming fluid flow, the device comprising:
an oscillator assembly mounted on a base, the oscillator assembly comprising: a main body for exposing to an incoming fluid flow; and a joining element attached to the main body and configured for anchoring the main body to the base and enabling oscillation of the main body with respect to the base;
an operative flow affecting unit comprising at least two slots arranged over opposite sides of the main body with respect to the direction of the incoming fluid flow, the operative flow affecting unit being configured and controllably operable for affecting a separation of streams of the fluid flowing over the surface of the main body and at least one pump assembly operatively associated with the at least two slots such that suction and/or blowing are performed in a periodic fashion at a certain activation frequency; wherein said pump assembly is configured for alternately pumping fluid into or out the at least two slots; and
a control unit in communication with the operative flow affecting unit, the control unit being configured and operable for activating and deactivating each of the at least two slots of the operative flow affecting unit according to the certain activation frequency, the activation frequency being selected such that interaction between each slot and the fluid streams creates vortices in the fluid streams at a selected vortex formation frequency causing an increase in oscillation of the main body, wherein said selected vortex formation frequency is obtained by controlling said certain activation frequency thereby enabling conversion of motion from the oscillation into useful energy.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the operative flow affecting unit is configured such that the at least two slots are operable for increasing separation between the main body's surface and the streams of fluid flowing over the main body's surface.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the operative flow affecting unit is configured such that the at least two slots are operable for increasing attachment between the main body's surface and the streams of fluid flowing over the main body's surface.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the joining element is a spring.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the joining element is a stalk joined to a pivot in the base, the stalk being rotatable at least in one plane with respect to the base, such that the oscillator assembly is a pendulum capable of oscillating about said pivot.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured and operable to provide the vortex formation frequency approaching a natural frequency of the oscillator.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the certain activation frequency according to which each slot of the operative flow affecting unit is activated and deactivated is predetermined.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the certain activation frequency according to which each slot of the operative flow affecting unit is activated and deactivated is determined during the device operation.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit comprises: at least one sensor for sensing one or more parameters and generating measured data indicative thereof, the one or more parameters comprising at least one of the following: at least one parameter relating to said motion of the main body, at least one parameter relating to the fluid flow, at least one property of the fluid; and a processing utility configured and operable for receiving and processing the measured data from the at least one sensor and determining the activation frequency according to which the at least two slots of the operative flow affecting unit is activated and deactivated.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the parameter relating to said motion includes at least one of an acceleration and a velocity of said main body.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the parameter relating to the fluid flow includes at least a fluid flow velocity.

12. The device of claim 9 , wherein the fluid property parameter includes at least one of fluid density and temperature.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the oscillator assembly comprises at least one of the following: a spring-based oscillator, a pendulum, an inverted pendulum.

14. A system for extracting energy for a fluid flow, comprising:
at least one oscillating device configured as the device of claim 1 ;
at least one compressor, each compressor being powered by the oscillating device and being configured for compressing a working fluid;
an accumulation pipe for receiving the compressed working fluid from the at least one compressor and leading the compressed working fluid to a predetermined location, thereby enabling direct use or storage of the compressed working fluid for further use.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a motor configured for drawing the compressed working fluid located in said predetermined location and using the compressed working fluid to generate useful energy, and venting the working fluid after use.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the working fluid is air, and the compressor comprises an air intake for drawing the air.

17. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a hydraulic return pipe for returning the used working fluid to the at least one compressor.

18. The device of claim 1 , wherein said control unit is operative to control said operative flow affecting unit to simultaneously produce suction from one of said slots and blowing out of the other one of said slots.

19. The device of claim 18 , wherein said at least one pump assembly comprises one of a piston, a bellows, and a diaphragm.

20. A method for use in extracting energy from an incoming fluid flow, the method comprising:
providing an oscillator assembly mounted on a base, the oscillator assembly comprising: a main body for exposing to an incoming fluid flow; and a joining element attached to the main body and configured for anchoring the main body to the base and enabling oscillation of the main body with respect to said base;
subjecting the oscillator to a fluid flow;
controlling a separation of the fluid flowing along a surface of the main body by activating and deactivating at least two flow interactive elements located on the surface of the main body according to a certain activation frequency, wherein said controlling comprises pumping said fluid flowing along a surface of the main body alternately into or out of said at least two flow interactive elements, such that suction and/or blowing are performed in a periodic fashion at said certain activation frequency being selected such that interaction between each flow interactive element and fluid streams creates vortices in the fluid streams at a selected vortex formation frequency causing an increase in oscillation of the main body, wherein said selected vortex formation frequency is obtained by controlling said certain activation frequency thereby enabling conversion of motion from the oscillation into useful energy.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising converting the motion of the oscillation into useful energy.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein controlling a separation of the fluid flowing along a surface of the main body comprises at least one of the following: (i) increasing the separation between the main body's surface and the streams of fluid flowing over the main body's surface; (ii) increasing attachment betwe

Assignees

• Greenblatt David
• Technion Res & Development Found Ltd

Inventors

• Greenblatt David

Classifications

• Y02E10/70

  Wind energy · CPC title

• F05B2250/41

  with one degree of freedom · CPC title

• F03B17/06 Primary

  using liquid flow {with predominantly kinetic energy conversion}, e.g. of swinging-flap type {, "run-of-river", "ultra-low head" (F03B13/264 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F03B5/00 Primary

  Machines or engines characterised by non-bladed rotors, e.g. serrated, using friction · CPC title

• Y02E10/20

  Hydro energy · CPC title