MECHANICAL ELECTRICITY REGULATION APPARATUS

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to the generation and regulation of electrical power, and in particular, to the generation of a supply of electricity with greater efficiency and cost effectiveness.

Background and Prior Art

Electrical power transmission is the bulk delivery of electrical power to consumers. Electricity distribution is the delivery from individual substations to the consumers. Most consumers of electricity in modern times, whether residential or commercial users, draw their supply of electricity from electrical power grids or electrical power transmissions set up by large utilities companies. Electric power transmission allows distant energy sources (such as hydroelectric power plants) to be connected to consumers in population centers, and may allow exploitation of low-grade fuel resources that would otherwise be too costly to transport to generating facilities. Electric power is typically transmitted in the form of alternating current.

With the increase in the price of fuel, utility bills are on an upward trend. At the consumer level, there is thus a desire to improve the efficiency of power generation in order to lower electricity consumption. There is also an increasing awareness and concern about "green" issues, one of the aims which is to advocate the reduction in the consumption of fossil fuels, control the discharge of atmospheric pollutants such as carbon dioxide and other so-called greenhouse gas and to generally improve the conditions and sustainability of the living environment for the human race.

For individual consumers of electricity, the power levels of electricity received from power grids may not be always consistent. This could be a concern for more demanding users who need electrical power supplies that are consistent and uninterruptible. There is therefore a need to regulate the power supply that is received and usable, so as to achieve a constant level of power transmission. It would also be beneficial to be able to increase and improve the electrical power output as compared to the electrical power input that is received from external sources.

Summary of the Invention

It is thus an object of the invention to seek to provide an apparatus for improving the quality of power generation and consequently increasing an electrical output power as compared to an electrical power source or input, and to regulate the generation of electrical power to maintain a constant power supply.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an electricity regulation apparatus for receiving an electrical input and generating a regulated electrical output, which comprises an A. C. motor electrically connected to the electrical input produced from an external power source, a flywheel operatively coupled to the A.C. motor which is drivable by the A.C. motor to rotate, and an alternator operatively coupled to the flywheel which is configured to convert mechanical energy received from the flywheel into electrical energy. A mechanical charger is electrically connected to the alternator to receive electrical energy produced from the alternator, and the mechanical charger is further operatively connected to the flywheel to provide mechanical energy to the flywheel. Using the aforesaid set-up, the regulated electrical output is obtained from the electrical energy generated by the alternator.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for receiving an electrical input and generating a regulated electrical output. A

flywheel is rotated and the rotational speed of the flywheel is maintained by driving it with an A.C. motor which is electrically connected to the electrical input from an external power source. Mechanical energy generated from the flywheel is provided to an alternator, which converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. The alternator is electrically connected to a mechanical charger to provide electrical energy to the mechanical charger and the mechanical charger is used to convert electrical energy to mechanical energy. Such mechanical energy from the mechanical charger is provided to the flywheel to maintain its rotational speed, and the regulated electrical output is obtained from the electrical energy generated by the alternator.

Brief Description of the Drawings

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an electricity regulation apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the electricity regulation apparatus as shown in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded view of the electricity regulation apparatus; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic overview of one embodiment of a mechanical charger that may be incorporated into the electricity regulation apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

Before any independent features and at least one embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its

application to the details of the construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practised or of being carried out in various ways.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an electricity regulation apparatus 10 according to the preferred embodiment of the invention. It comprises generally of a starter motor 12, an alternating current ("A.C.") motor 14 operable to produce primary energy, an alternator 16 to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy, a mechanical charger 18 and a flywheel 20.

The starter motor 12, A.C. motor 14, alternator 16 and mechanical charger 18 are all directly or indirectly operatively coupled to the flywheel 20 by way of a power transmission sub-assembly, such as a belt-and-pulley system comprising one or more of: pulleys 22 which are linked by belts 24, sprockets that are linked by chains, and gear transmission mechanisms. The belt-and-pulley system is assembled with respect to a cylindrical central shaft 28 which is centrally coupled to a central rotational axis of the flywheel 20. The shaft 28 rigidly couples the flywheel 20 to the pulleys associated with the rest of the components of the electricity regulation apparatus 10 so that the pulleys are rotatable simultaneously.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the electricity regulation apparatus 10 as shown in FIG. 1 illustrating the relative positions of the various components.

The starter motor 12 is operatively coupled to the flywheel 20 and is used particularly for initiating primary mechanical energy for driving the electricity regulation apparatus 10. It may be powered by a direct current ("D.C.") motor which is used for generating an initial rotary force to drive the flywheel 20 to start rotating. It may also be powered by first and second D.C. motors which have different gearing ratios, one to initiate movement of the flywheel 20 and the other

to rotate the flywheel 20 at a relatively higher speed. ^' A starter motor pulley system 13, 13', 13" connects the flywheel 20 to the starter motor 12. A control panel (not shown) comprising stamped steel or molded plastic is preferred for operating the starter motor 12.

Once the flywheel 20 achieves a sufficient rotational speed after a predetermined amount of time for which the starter motor 12 is activated, the A.C. motor 14 which is operatively coupled to the flywheel 20 may then be activated to drive the flywheel 20 to even higher rotational speeds to generate a constant rotational momentum for maintaining the operation of the electricity regulation apparatus 10. The A.C. motor 14 is electrically connected to an electrical input produced from an external power source (IN), such as a power grid or electrical power transmission system (not shown).

Rotation of the flywheel 20 drives the alternator 16 which is operatively coupled to the flywheel 20. The alternator 16 converts mechanical energy received by it into electrical energy. This generates an electrical output of the electrical power regulation apparatus 10. An alternator pulley system 17, 17' is connected to the alternator 16 and operatively connects it to the flywheel 20. An A.C. motor pulley system 15 is operatively connected to the A.C. motor 14 as well as the alternator pulley system 17', so that the mechanical output of the A.C. motor 14 not only powers the rotation of the flywheel 20 but also directly provides mechanical energy to the alternator 16.

At the same time, rotation of the flywheel 20 is sustained by the mechanical charger 18, which is electrically connected to the alternator 16 and also receives the electrical output of the alternator 16 to power a driver, such as a fluid pump therein. The mechanical charger 18 is structurally and mechanically incorporated into the apparatus 10. The alternator 16 is electrically coupled to the mechanical charger 18 with an electrical cable 21 to provide electrical power to the driver thereof. A mechanical charger pulley system 19, 19' is connected to the

mechanical charger 18 and operatively connects the mechanical charger 18 to both the flywheel 20 and the alternator pulley system 17, 17'. The central portions of the starter motor pulley system 13, alternator pulley system 17, mechanical charger pulley system 19 and flywheel 20 are all rigidly connected to the shaft 28 so as to be rotatable together.

Consequently, since the mechanical charger 18 is operatively connected to the flywheel 20, the mechanical energy created in the mechanical charger 18 aids the rotation of the flywheel 20 and helps to maintain the rotational momentum of the flywheel 20 despite any frictional or heat energy losses which lead to losses in the turning effort of the flywheel 20. With the mechanical charger 18 sustaining the rotational speed of the flywheel 20, less power needs to be drawn from the A.C. motor 14.

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded view of the electricity regulation apparatus 10. The functioning of the apparatus 10 will now be explained with reference to the various components illustrated therein. The apparatus 10 is started by activating the starter motor 12. The starter motor 12 turns the starter motor pulley system 13, 13', 13" which actuates rotation of the flywheel 20 via the shaft 28. After activating the starter motor 12 for arpredetermined period of time to achieve a desired rotational speed of the flyvφeel 20, the A.C. motor 14 powered by the electrical input from the external power source (IN) such as a power grid turns the A.C. motor pulley system 15. The turning of the A.C. motor pulley system 15 turns the alternator pulley system 17, 17' which is linked to the flywheel 20, and helps to increase and maintain the rotational speed of the alternator pulley system 17' connected to the alternator 16. At that point, the starter motor 12 can be deactivated.

Correspondingly, rotation of the flywheel 20 also turns the alternator pulley system 17, 17', which mechanical action powers the alternator 16. The alternator

16 may further be powered by the A.C. motor 14 which is connected to the

altemator 16 via the A.C. motor pulley system 15 and the alternator pulley system 17'. The alternator 16 converts mechanical energy received from the alternator pulley system 17, 17' into electrical energy, the electrical energy being channeled via an electrical cable 21 to the mechanical charger 18. The mechanical charger 18 turns the mechanical charger pulley system 19, 19' that is connected to the shaft 28 in order to aid in maintaining the rotational momentum of the flywheel 20. The rotation of the flywheel 20 in turn provides mechanical energy to the alternator 16 for subsequent conversion into electrical energy. Finally, electrical energy is output from the alternator 16 as the regulated electrical output (OUT) of the alternator 16.

FIG. 4 is a schematic overview of one embodiment of a mechanical charger 18 that may be incorporated into the electricity regulation apparatus 10 according to the preferred embodiment of the invention. The mechanical charger generally comprises a driver in the form a fluid pump 30, a nozzle 32 connected to the fluid pump 30 and a fluid wheel 34 having deflection fins 36 along its outer circumference to impart rotational energy to the fluid wheel 34 upon receiving fluid ejected from the nozzle 32. The fluid pump 30 is powered by electricity received from the alternator 16 via the electrical cable 21 , and draws fluid contained at a base of the mechanical charger 18 towards the nozzle 32. The fluid may be water.

The nozzle 32 expels the fluid onto the fluid wheel 34, which imparts a pushing force to the deflection fins and drives the fluid wheel 34 to rotate before the fluid falls back to the base of the mechanical charger 18. In this way, the fluid wheel 34 will be automatically driven to rotate whenever the alternator 16, which is powered by the A.C. motor 14 and flywheel 20, is operational. The fluid wheel 34 is connected to the mechanical charger pulley system 19, 19' such that the rotation of the fluid wheel 34 generates corresponding rotation of the mechanical charger pulley system 19'. As discussed above, the turning of the mechanical charger pulley system 19, 19' aids in the rotation of the flywheel 20 to increase

the electrical power output of the electricity regulation apparatus 10. However, it should be appreciated that the above is only one possible configuration of the mechanical charger 18 and other configurations and sub-assemblies may also be used for the same function of sustaining the rotational momentum of the flywheel 20.

It should be appreciated that the invention provides an electricity regulation apparatus 10 for receiving an electrical power input (IN) and generating a regulated electrical power output (OUT). An advantage of the electricity regulation apparatus 10 according to the preferred embodiment of the invention is that the regulated electrical power output (OUT) of the apparatus 10 can be increased as compared to the electrical power input (IN) at source. Furthermore, due to the self-sustaining and consistent speed of rotation of the flywheel 20, the electrical output of the apparatus 10 is highly regulated, which is useful for demanding users who require a stable power supply output.