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Title:
PIEZOELECTRIC ENHANCED WINDMILL
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2015/139130
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A wind turbine has blades each having a substantially planar surface rotatable about a hub, the blades comprising a layer of piezoelectric material connected to electrodes for producing electric current due to vibration action on the blades due to aerodynamic forces.

Inventors:
MANCONI JOHN WILLIAM (CA)
MIAO HONG YAN (CA)
Application Number:
PCT/CA2015/050198
Publication Date:
September 24, 2015
Filing Date:
March 17, 2015
Export Citation:
Click for automatic bibliography generation   Help
Assignee:
MANCONI JOHN WILLIAM (CA)
International Classes:
F03D11/00; F03G7/08; H01L31/0445; H02N2/18; H02S10/12
Foreign References:
US7922450B22011-04-12
CN201326516Y2009-10-14
US20130009519A12013-01-10
US20110133683A12011-06-09
CA2740103A12011-11-12
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
ANGLEHART ET AL. et al. (Montreal, Québec H3H 1K3, CA)
Download PDF:
Claims:
What is claimed is:

1. A wind turbine comprising a plurality of blades each having a substantially planar surface rotatable about a hub, the blades comprising a layer of piezoelectric material connected to electrodes for producing electric current due to vibration action on the blades due to aerodynamic forces.

2. The wind turbine as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a Ti-doped Zr02 ceramic layer next to the piezoelectric material layer on said blades.

3. The wind turbine as defined in claim 2, further comprising a thin-film photovoltaic laminate on a surface of said blades, said photovoltaic laminate converting light energy produced by said ceramic layer into electricity.

4. The wind turbine as defined in claim 2 or 3, further comprising a piezoelectric actuator at said hub for imparting additional torque in response to electrical current from said ceramic layer.

5. The wind turbine as defined in claim 3 or 4, wherein the photovoltaic laminate is arranged to collect sunlight.

6. The wind turbine as defined in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the turbine is configured to rotate at a speed at or lower than 60 rpm.

7. The wind turbine as defined in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the turbine comprises four said blades.

8. The wind turbine as defined in any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a circular track assembly supporting said hub, and a transmission connecting said hub to a fixed generator having a drive shaft at a center of said circular track.

Description:
PIEZOELECTRIC ENHANCED WINDMILL

Technical Field

[001 ] This invention relates generally to piezoelectric and photoelectric devices, and in particular to a classical windmill structure integrating such devices.

[002] Background

[003] The "Piezoelectric Effect" was discovered by Jacques and Pierre Curie in Paris in 1880. The Curies discovered that certain crystals, such as quartz, La Rochelle salt, and certain ceramics emit electric current when subjected to external forces, e.g. pressure, radiation, etc. They also discovered that the reverse also occurred and that certain crystals when subjected to an electric current deform and subsequently release a form of kinetic energy from their crystal lattices, which is now referred to as 'activation energy'.

[004] As described by the Inventor in the Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol 50, 3957-3961 , 1969, the thermo-luminescence of Zr0 2 (zirconia) samples, both pure and doped with titanium, irradiated with low doses of X-rays, was studied over a period of one year. In a report that was subsequently published, and referred to above, the inventor reported that titanium ions act as thermoluminescent (luminogen) centers in these synthetic piezoelectric crystals and that when subjected to external pressure or increase of temperature, energy of various wavelengths is released.

[005] As described by the inventor in the "American Mineralogist", Volume 55, March-April 1970, the activation energy of quartz crystals under stress was measured. It was discovered that as more and more pressure is exerted on quartz, more and more activation energy will be released. Activation energy created in this way can be converted into torque in a windmill even at low rotational speeds. [006] The practical applications of classical windmills is well known and documented. For thousands of years windmills have been used to pump water from the ground, grind grains into flower, to saw lumber, etc. The majority of these windmills used blades made from cotton, silk or other similar materials. The blades were then fastened to a wooden lattice framework . Wind force collected by the blades forced the blades or sails to rotate. Gears inside the windmill conveyed power from the rotary motion of the sails to a mechanical device which included a driveshaft which was connected to a grinding stone or a pump which in turn would either ground grains into flour or pump water for irrigation.

[007] Summary

[008] It has been discovered that electrical energy can be gained from incorporating piezoelectric materials in a wind turbine blade.

[009] In some embodiments, there is provided a wind turbine comprising a plurality of blades each having a substantially planar surface rotatable about a hub, the blades comprising a layer of piezoelectric material connected to electrodes for producing electric current due to vibration action on the blades due to aerodynamic forces. Preferably, the turbine further comprises a Ti-doped Zr02 ceramic layer next to the piezoelectric material layer on the blades. Also preferably, the turbine further comprises a thin-film photovoltaic laminate on a surface of the blades, the photovoltaic laminate converting light energy produced by the ceramic layer into electricity. The wind turbine may further comprise a piezoelectric actuator at the hub for imparting additional torque in response to electrical current from the ceramic layer. A photovoltaic laminate may be arranged on the blades to collect sunlight. The turbine may be configured to rotate at a speed at or lower than 60 rpm, and it may be provided with four blades, thus resembling a traditional windmill style turbine. It can thus further comprise a circular track assembly supporting the hub, and a transmission connecting the hub to a fixed generator having a drive shaft at a center of the circular track. [0010] In other embodiments, there is provided a piezoelectric enhanced windmill for converting wind force into electrical energy comprising a building to house the component parts, a blade assembly consisting of: a) a central wooden hub and a wooden lattice to which 4 superimposed piezoelectric and pseudo-piezoelectric ceramic blades and their frame are fixed; b) a hub ; and c) a fantail, a circular track assembly which enables the windmill blades assembly to rotate in a horizontal plane around the roof of the building, a roof assembly which includes a coupling device which conveys the rotational energy of the axis of the blade assembly to a shaft connected to an electric generator, a magneto-hydro- dynamic driver system connected to the blades to reduce friction between the blades and the wind and thus improve the efficiency of the transfer of wind energy into electric energy, a wooden lattice that holds the four blades in place and sets the blades at an angle of 45 degrees to the wind direction, wherein the fantail is fixed at right angles to the plane of the blades. Preferably, the windmill building comprises attachment members for converting wind energy into electric energy. The blade assemblies preferably comprise an array of piezoelectric actuators, sensors and magneto-hydro-dynamic driver system. The attachment members preferably rotate around a central hub. The device preferably further comprises a connection element wherein the blades are connected to an outer frame or lattice and are securely affixed to the connection element. The connection element is preferably ball shaped and directly connected to the mechanical devices inside the building. The connection devices may or may not be directly connected to piezoelectric sensors and actuators. The blades are preferably comprised of quartz piezoelectric and titanium-doped zirconia ceramic panels. The front panel preferably consists of a piezoelectric element comprising quartz and copper. The back panel preferably consists of titanium-doped zirconia. One or more of the panels may be ceramic. The outer frame fixing the front and back panels may comprises a non-metallic, nylon conducting thermoplastic. The panels may be paddle shaped.

[001 1 ] In other embodiments, there is provided an enhanced piezoelectric windmill for converting wind power into electricity comprising four blade pairs, each pair containing one quartz and one titanium-doped zirconia ceramic panel, a system of piezoelectric sensors and actuators to control the emission of electric current and activation energy from the respective piezoelectric ceramic panels, and a circular track that enables the entire blade assembly to rotate in a horizontal plane to keep the direction of the wind at 90 degrees to the blades, a system enabling conversion of the wind power or force into energy in the form of a movement of electrons and an activation energy in an intermediate element comprising piezoelectric and pseudo-piezoelectric material, the intermediate element being directly connected to mechanical devices and generators, a system generating electricity from a wind-capturing array of blades that captures the energy from the intermediate element. Preferably, the wind power conversion elements comprise quartz and titanium-doped zirconia.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012] The invention will be better understood by way of the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0028] Figure 1 shows the front view of the entire windmill assembly.

[0029] Figure 2 shows the side view of the entire windmill assembly showing the angle of the blades, the position of the fantail, the axis from the rotor hub to the roof assembly and the shaft that delivers rotational and mechanical energy to the electric generator inside the windmill building.

[0030] Figure 3 shows the top view of the windmill assembly showing the circular track that guides the blade assembly and the thickness of the ceramic panels.

[0031 ] Figure 4 shows the detail of one blade assembly containing the frame and the 2 superimposed quartz and zirconia ceramic panels viewed from the top (top right), the side (top middle and bottom), and side elevation views.

[0032] Figure 5A shows a front view of a wiring diagram of the four blade windmill and Figure 5B shows a side view. Detailed Description

[0033] As shown in Figure 1 , a windmill may consist of 5 basic parts: 1 ) a structure, preferably a building, that preferably houses all the component parts of the windmill including the mechanical shafts, gearing and electricity generator; 2) a blade assembly that consists, preferably, of central wooden hub (with an empty hole in the middle for the shaft) to which are fitted, preferably, 2 or 4 separate pairs of ceramic blades, each pair consisting, preferably, of 2 superimposed ceramic layers held in place by a, preferably, thermoplastic frame fixed onto a, preferably, larch-wood lattice to which is also, preferably, connected a fantail for detecting wind direction; preferably, 3) a roof assembly which transfers rotational and mechanical energy from the rotor axis to a shaft in the building and then directly to an electric generator; preferably, 4) a circular track assembly located on the roof of the building which permits rotation of the blade assembly in a horizontal plane as wind direction changes; and preferably, 5) a magnetic-hydro- dynamic driver system (MDS) which increases the efficiency of the transfer of wind energy into mechanical and electrical energy and reduces the loss of energy in the blades due to friction with the wind.

[0034] In this present application each blade consists, preferably, of 2 superimposed piezoelectric and non-piezoelectric ceramic panels. The front panel that faces the wind is, preferably, made of pure quartz crystals and copper powder. The back panel, superimposed behind the front panel, and held in place by a thin thermoplastic frame, is, preferably, made of titanium doped zirconia (Zr0 2 .Ti). Each of the, preferably, two or four ceramic blade pairs is, preferably, 4 meters in length, preferably, one meter in width on average and, preferably, one inch in thickness. The blades are set at, preferably, 90 degrees to each other in the vertical plane. The front blade on the windward side is, preferably, made from 99.5% pure quartz (S1O 2 ) embedded with pure copper powder. The blade on the backside is, preferably, made of pure zirconia (Zr0 2 ) doped with titanium (Ti). The blades are, preferably, placed one on top of the other and are fixed in place by a thermoplastic frame as shown in Figure 2. [0035] In this present application, the front blade acts as an actuator, converting wind force into electric current. The back blade acts as a piezoelectric sensor, converting current and activation energy from the front blade into mechanical energy or torque via a directional force along the blade axis. Torque created by the back blade ultimately drives a generator located inside the windmill which in turn creates electric power in the range of 70 KW or more.

[0036] Applicant has discovered that if four piezoelectric and non-piezoelectric ceramic blade pairs each 4 metres long are used on a windmill, normal wind force can be converted into electrical energy in a five step approach resulting in output powers up to 70 KW and more. The applicant also discovered in various wind tests that a magnetic-hydro-dynamic driver system connected to the sails or blades of a windmill will greatly improve the efficiency of the transfer of wind energy from the wind into electrical energy.

[0037] Using four superimposed piezoelectric and non-piezoelectric ceramic blades instead of blades that are usually made from cotton, silk, plastics or similar materials. More specifically, this invention relates to blades made from piezoelectric and non-piezoelectric ceramics that are capable of a) absorbing wind force and converting the force into electric current (the "direct piezoelectric effect"), b) using the electric current to deform quartz crystals in the front ceramic panel releasing activation energy in the process (reverse piezoelectric effect) and c) and transferring this activation energy from the front blade to the back blade to create additional torque in the rotor. The front and back blades are coated with a thin-film photovoltaic laminate which creates additional electric energy to run electronic equipment, lightings etc in the windmill itself.

[0038] The rotor's role is to transfer its mechanical and rotational energy (torque) to the shaft which then delivers the energy to a generator of electricity at the final end. This 3-step process results in a substantial increase in the electrical output of the windmill generator enabling the windmill to reach output powers the range of 70 KW or up to ten times the normal energy output of a classical windmill of the same size and with the same number of blades. [0039] The invention also includes the use of a plug-in "Magnetohydrodynamic DriverSystem - MDS" to improve the capture of wind energy in the blades and the subsequent transfer of this energy more efficiently to the rotor via the blade assembly hub.

[0040] In Step 1 , the front blades of the windmill capture force from the wind and convert this force into an electric current (the "direct piezoelectric effect"). In Step 2, this electric current is directed into the quartz crystals using copper powders as conductors. This current deforms the quartz crystal lattice (the "reverse piezoelectric effect") releasing activation energy in the process. In Step 3, activation energy from Step 2 enters the second non-piezoelectric ceramic back layer (located behind the front blade) and creates additional torque on the blades. In Step 4, the additional torque created in the back blades by the activation energy released in step 2 is conveyed to a generator inside the windmill via a shaft located in the blade assembly. In Step 5 the generator converts this additional torque in electric power. All five of the above steps take advantage of the friction reducing effect that the magneto-hydro-dynamic driver system has on the blades themselves.

[0041 ] As a result of these 5 steps described above, the output power of the windmill can be increased by a factor of up to 10 depending on the quality of the quartz, the quantity of titanium doping in the zirconia crystals and the pureness of the zirconia and copper powders.

[0042] It is therefore an object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide a enhanced piezoelectric windmill for converting wind force into a highly efficiency high-power classical windmill for villages, clusters of residential homes, small offices and hospitals. The windmill is made of four pairs of blades, each 4 metres in length and where each blade is composed of two superimposed ceramic crystal panels that are attached to a 8m x 8m wooden lattice made from larch-wood poles and where the output power of the 4 ceramic blade pairs is transferred directly via a driveshaft into a generator whose role is to convert the rotational energy of the driveshaft into electrical energy. [0043] In some embodiments, the device further comprises a building or similar structure made of wood, stone and/or synthetic plastics to house the 3 components of the windmill as described above as well provide shelter for the mechanical driveshaft and gearing that is required to convey the torque generated by the rotating blades to the generator inside the housing.

[0044] In some embodiments, the cross may have only three blades where each blade may be longer or shorter the 4 meters.

[0045] In other embodiments, the windmill housing may be round, square, hexagonal, or some other shape.

[0046] In some embodiments, the pure copper content in the quartz ceramic blades may vary from 1 % to 10% by weight of the quartz crystal content.

[0047] In some embodiments, the mesh size of the quartz and copper powders used to make the ceramics may vary from 50 to 150 mesh but in any case the mesh size of both quartz and copper powders in the ceramic are preferably always the same.

[0048] In some embodiments the doping percentage of titanium ions in the zirconia ceramic blades may vary from 0.01 % to 1 % mol by volume. The actual content shall depend on the quality of the zirconia powder and the torque required.

[0049] In still other embodiments, the wooden lattice may comprise resinous or hard plastic substances instead of larch wood.

[0050] In still other embodiments the front quartz ceramic panel may be coated with a photovoltaic film to generate additional energy from sunlight.

[0051 ] In still other embodiments the angle between the blades and the wind is fixed at 45 degrees.

[0052] It still other embodiments, the rotational speed of the blades is fixed at 10 RPM. [0053] In still other embodiments a magnetic-hydro-dynamic driver system may be connected to the blades or sails to improve the efficiency of transfer of energy from the sails or blades to the rotor and from there to the electrical generator.

[0054] In all embodiments the front ceramic panel must be made of pure quartz and copper powders and the back ceramic panel must be made of titanium- doped zirconia. The panels must be placed one on top of the other, fixed tightly in place and attached to the wooden lattice in such a way the front panel facing the wind is always the quartz panel.

[0055] A piezoelectric enhanced windmill is a highly efficient device for converting wind energy into electrical energy. The advantage of using quartz and zirconia panels is that they can generate up to 10 times more energy from the wind than classical windmills.

[0056] It is an object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide a method for supplying hill-top cellular tower sires, remote villages, hospitals, schools and offices with sufficient electric power when energy from the grid is not readily available or too expensive.

[0057] Figure 4 shows details of the blade assembly. As wind energy comes into contact with the front blades, the latter will convert this energy into electric current. The electric current will deform the piezoelectric (quartz) crystals in the front panel and release activation energy. The latter energy is then transferred into the back panel composed of titanium doped zirconia which acts as a transducer, converting the Zr0 2 .Ti activation energy into torque. The concentration of titanium ions in the zirconia crystal mix is critical to this transformation. Too many free titanium ions (Ti +4 ) will saturate the crystals causing the transfer of energy to be less efficient. Concentrations of 0.1 % mol by volume of Zr0 2 (zirconia) crystals is ideal. The creation of torque occurs when "ionized" titanium ions (Ti +5 ), created after absorption of activation energy, causes Ti +5 to return to its more stable state Ti +4 releasing energy in the process. This energy is what creates additional torque in the hub and therefore in the axis. The MDS system connected to the four blades minimizes the loss of energy due to friction between the wind and the surface of the blades.

[0058] Additional torque is transferred from the hub to the axis, as shown in Figure 2, and from the axis to the shaft that carried both rotational and mechanical energy to the electric generator. With standard blades made of cloth and without the piezoelectric ceramic blades a typical windmill assemble would generate approximately 2-3 KW of electric energy. With piezoelectric and titanium-doped zirconia blades this assembly could reach output energy levels around 70 KW and more, not because of rotational energy (which remains fixed at low RPM) but because of the additional torque created naturally by the combination of the quartz piezoelectric and titanium doped zirconia back-to-back ceramic blades.

[0059] Although the present application teaches embodiments for the conversion of wind energy into torque it will be appreciated that many other applications, based on the same principle, are possible. For example, the device of the present invention can be used to convert wind energy into all kinds of energy for outdoor use such as heating, security systems and backup for communications systems, etc...

[0060] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the superimposed piezoelectric and zirconia ceramic blades of the present invention is any element that is able to capture wind energy and convert it into other useful forms of energy, be they renewable or other.

[0061 ] A windmill according to the embodiments of Figures 1 to 5 produces up to 10 times more power than a classical windmill of the same height and size by converting four naturally occurring energy sources into locally available electrical energy. These natural sources are:

1. Kinetic energy from the incoming wind force;

2. Rotational kinetic energy created by the speed of the wind, the length of the blades and the area swept by the windmill blades; 3. Piezoelectric energy released by the piezoelectric materials inside the 'front' quartz ceramic panel in each of the four, 4-metre ceramic blades;

4. Mechanical energy or torque created by the activation energy released inside the 'back' titanium doped zirconia in each of the four, 4-metre ceramic blades.

[0062] As a result, such a windmill can produce up to 10 times more energy that a classical windmill of the same blade size and up to 20 times more energy than a modern wind turbine of the same height and having the same cost.

[0063] As described above, back-to-back super-imposed ceramic panels are used as blades. The front panel facing the wind is made from pure 99.5% meteoritic quartz and 99.5% pure copper powder. The back panel is made from 99.5% pure titanium-doped zirconia. Ultra-thin photovoltaic silicon laminates are super-imposed onto the top of the both front and back panels to a) convert sunlight into electrical energy and b) to convert light generated in the back panel by the de-ionization process of titanium Ti+5 ions into Ti+4 ions. This de- ionization process releases large amounts of UVA, UVB and UVC light (see JWM article published in the Journal of Chemical Physics) that are subsequently converted into electrical energy by the ultra-thin film silicon laminates superimposed on top of the back panel.

[0064] In a first step involving the windmill, pressure from the wind generates the immediate release of natural piezoelectric current from the quartz powders in front panel in a process known as the "direct piezoelectric effect". The front panel, in this way, acts as a piezoelectric sensor by converting wind pressure into electrical current. Miniature piezoelectric sensors are connected to the wiring around the front panel as shown in Figure 5B.

[0065] In a second step, this current subsequently 'deforms' the individual quartz crystal lattices in the quartz molecules inside the front ceramic panel in a process called the "converse piezoelectric effect". When a free electron is captured in a 'hole' of the deformed crystal lattice, the lattice returns to its original state, releasing in the process a new kind of energy called "activation energy". This activation energy is transferred automatically to the back panel by virtue of the fact that the front and back panels are super-imposed and hermetically sealed. In this way the back panel acts as a piezoelectric actuator, converting electrical energy into mechanical energy or torque. Miniature piezoelectric actuators are connected to the wiring around the back panels as shown in Figure 5B.

[0066] In a third step, the "activation energy" released by the front panel penetrates the back ceramic panel, composed of titanium-doped zirconia powder. This penetration immediately excites the titanium ions inside the ceramic. The excitation and subsequent de-excitation of titanium ions releases large amounts of UV energy that is subsequently converted into electrical current via the thin- film photovoltaic silicon laminates attached to the back titanium-doped zirconia panels. This current is then transferred directly to the electric generator via the wiring shown in Figure 5B.

[0067] While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modifications and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosures as come within known or customary practice within the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features herein before set forth, and as follows in the scope of the appended claims.