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Patent

Osmosis energy storage & restoration system and indirect solar powerplant

22 Feb 2018-
TL;DR: In this paper, a pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) process is used to extract water from solutes and reuse the harvested energy as utilizable power output for a generator.
Abstract: Natural water evaporation is a buffered process with huge energy absorption from solar & its derivative wind energy. When large surface shallow pool filled with aqueous solution is exposed under sky, the most portion of natural energy will be spent for pulling water out of water molecules cluster, yet there is still some energy for splitting water from solutes, then the concentration increases, in turn, despite the main former energy is sacrificed, but the stronger solution can redeem most the latter energy during a process of Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO), via membranes separating solution & available water in situ, then the redeemed energy serves as utilizable power output, with the assistance of key units or components: the osmotic to hydraulic pressure transformer, the hydraulic oil current rectification fluidic circuit & a hydraulic motor. With minor adaptation, same mechanism can also be embodied as: mobile osmosis engine, osmosis vehicle battery, yard synergy-osmosis power system, Grid electricity and miscellaneous renewable energy to osmosis energy storage, even desert to oasis remediation with seawater intake solar-via-osmosis powerplant & parasitic freshwater factory.
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Patent
05 Feb 2021
TL;DR: In this paper, a digital variable hydraulic transformer is proposed to control the output pressure and the output oil flow of a force-application hydraulic cylinder with different pressure regulating ranges and precision, and integration and machining are easy.
Abstract: The invention discloses a digital variable hydraulic transformer. According to the digital variable hydraulic transformer, two rod cavities of a force application hydraulic cylinder are connected withan oil pump and an oil tank through rotary oil distribution valves respectively, the output end of a piston rod of the other rod cavity in the force application hydraulic cylinder is connected with apiston rod set, an oil discharging hydraulic cylinder is mainly composed of a plurality of hydraulic cylinders with different piston areas, piston rods in all the hydraulic cylinders are connected inparallel to form the piston rod set, two rod cavities of each hydraulic cylinder are connected to two ports of each two-position two-way electromagnetic valve respectively, the electric control end of each two-position two-way electromagnetic valve is connected to a digital controller, the two rod cavities of each hydraulic cylinder are connected into the oil tank through oil suction one-way valves correspondingly, and the two rod cavities of each hydraulic cylinder are connected to the output end through oil discharging one-way valves correspondingly to output pressure oil. According to thedigital variable hydraulic transformer, the structure is relatively simple, the output pressure and the output oil flow can be adjusted, different pressure regulating ranges and precision are designedaccording to different working conditions, and integration and machining are easy.
References
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Patent
14 Jan 2009
TL;DR: In this article, a check valve check valve turbine assembly with a flexible sail assembly attached to the vertical member is described, where the sail assembly has a frame with parallel horizontal and vertical airfoil members and a sub-frame connected to the horizontal and the vertical flaps.
Abstract: A check valve turbine assembly includes an assembly base, a vertical member rotatable relative to the base, and a sail assembly attached to the vertical member, wherein the sail assembly has a frame with parallel horizontal airfoil members and parallel vertical airfoil members, a sub frame connected to the horizontal and vertical airfoil members, and a plurality of flaps rotatably attached to the sub frame. In another aspect of the disclosure a turbine assembly includes an assembly base, a vertical member rotatable relative to the base, and at least one flexible sail assembly attached to the vertical member. In another aspect of the disclosure, a turbine system includes a a floating platform, a generator, a gearbox connected to the generator; and a check valve turbine assembly that drives the gearbox. Another aspect of the disclosure includes a check valve assembly with a longitudinal center section and a wing section.

47 citations

Patent
16 Sep 2009
TL;DR: In this paper, a vertical axis wind system for generation and distribution of electrical energy to a utility grid is provided, which includes a power pole electricity system supported by a plurality of ground-based upright support members.
Abstract: A vertical axis wind system for generation and distribution of electrical energy to a utility grid is provided. The system includes a power pole electricity system supported by a plurality of ground-based upright support members. The electricity system is electrically connected to the utility grid. The support members include at least one vertical rotor shaft portion. The rotor shaft portion has an outer surface and a vertical axis of rotation. A vertical axis wind turbine is rotatably attached to the rotor shaft portion so that the wind turbine rotates freely around the outer surface of the rotor shaft portion. A power takeoff is coupled to the wind turbine for driving a generator electrically connected to the utility grid when exposed to an atmospheric wind condition.

30 citations

Patent
21 Jul 2015
TL;DR: In this paper, a vertical axis wind turbine consisting of an arm, a housing coupled to the arm, and a generator inside the housing, is described, with a blade extending along the housing vertically.
Abstract: A device comprising a vertical axis wind turbine comprising an arm, a housing coupled to the arm, a generator housed within the housing, and a blade extending along the housing vertically.

21 citations

Patent
23 Mar 2009
TL;DR: In this article, a support for supporting a plurality of wind turbine generators on a pole may be raised or lowered to assist in driving the wind turbines, and a reverse feed switch may be used to transfer excess electrical power to the commercial grid when the primary load does not require it.
Abstract: A support for supporting a plurality of wind turbine generators on a pole may be raised or lowered. The support accommodates a solar voltaic array attached to the pole and allows the wind turbines to be raised and lowered past the attached solar voltaic array. Waste heat from the solar voltaic array is ducted to assist in driving the wind turbines. A cogeneration unit, including an engine-generator set, may be attached to the pole at the base and engine exhaust, heat exchanged to the air from the engine coolant, and convection-heated air from the engine-generator set may also be ducted to assist in driving the wind turbines. A reverse feed switch may be used to transfer excess electrical power to the commercial grid when the primary load does not require it. Loads may include a solar parking lot at night, a commercial building, or hospital.

20 citations

Patent
01 Jul 2015
TL;DR: In this article, a Vertical Axis Solar Turbine (VAST) is proposed for grid power application, which combines wind and solar energy creating a new system that will increase the efficiency of the power collection system and operate at a higher power density than conventional horizontal axis wind turbines.
Abstract: The first goal in this design is to combine Wind and Solar energy creating a new system that will increase the efficiency of the power collection system and which will therefore operate at a higher power density than conventional horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT). The second goal is to store the generated energy where it is generated efficiently. The design is designated as a Vertical Axis Solar Turbine (VAST) which maybe suitable for grid power application. The unique method of construction of the VAST would be more visually appealing to the communities that will use it. Further there would be less risk of killing flying animals and insects and the noise level would also be less as there are no spinning blades. The VAST encompasses prior work done in three different fields; wind power, solar PV and energy storage

10 citations