Inexpensive Hydrogen from Wind and Water Using Aerostats and Electrolysis

Abstract

A renewable wind energy system to produce inexpensive electrical power and hydrogen is disclosed. Aerostats, towers, wind energy capture and transmission to ground mounted generators produce electrical power a portion of which is used for electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen and oxygen. Oxygen is sold as a byproduct. The combined system produces inexpensive hydrogen competitive with fossil fuels.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: a high altitude wind system for generating electrical energy comprising: a lighter than air aerostat a wind power capture device a tether an electrical generator a hydrogen generation module powered at least partially by electrical energy generated by the high altitude wind system.

2. The aerostat of claim one is a kytoon designed to provide lift and is stable in changin wind conditions

3. The wind capture device of claim 1 is a looped belt with wind capture cells supported on the upper end by a rotating trapeze attached to said aerostat and around an electric generator shaft on the lower end

4. The wind capture device of claim 1 is a looped belt with wind capture cells supported on the upper end by a rotating trapeze attached to said aerostat and around a rotating trapeze bar with looped tethers extending to sheaves a rotating shaft with intergral horizontal to vertical shaft attached to an electrical generator.

5. The aerostat of claim 1 is a C kite shape inflated with lighter than air gas with means for orienting the body at a high angle of attack forcing the kite to travel downwind and unravel from the generator shaft causing it to spin and produce electrical power. Upon reaching a set distance the C Kite shaped aerostat is reoriented to a low angle of attack and retrieved by reversing the rotation of the generator. The net gain in energy is the difference between power mode and retrieval mode.

6. The tether of claim one is attached to the said C kite aerostat at the high end and around a generator shaft on the lower end

7. An apparatus comprising; a high tower with foundation and guy wires supporting a wind capture device with means to transmit energy through a looped tether attached to a generator shaft.

8. The wind capture device of claim 7 is a rotating looped belt with wind capture cells with means to transfer orient belt at high angle of attach to wind direction and transfer said energy through rotating gears and belts to generator causing it to spin and produce electricity.

9. A method for generating hydrogen, comprising the wind capture and electrical power generation described in claims 1 and 7 combined with devices to rectify power suitable for electrolytic conversion of water in hydrogen and oxygen.

10. The hydrogen from claim 9 is compressed by means of pressurizing feed water and auxiliary compressor units.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a module to produce medical grade breathing air oxygen as a byproduct.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a module to produce renewable hydrogen as an alternate to gasoline transportation fuel.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a module to produce renewable hydrogen as an alternate for diesel fuel.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a module to produce renewable hydrogen as an alternate for JP4 fuel for aircraft.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an energy storage device for storing excess energy.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising hydrogen the storage in salt domes.

17. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising high altitude wind energy production and storage in offshore barges.

18. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising transport of hydrogen and oxygen in barges to onshore storage and distribution.

19. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising transport of hydrogen and oxygen produced on offshore rigs outside territorial waters.

20. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising transport of hydrogen and oxygen by offshore pipelines.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] FIG. 1Process flow block diagram high altitude wind capture and conversion to electrical and mechanical power for direct use or a portion used for electrolytic conversion of water to hydrogen and oxygen.

[0033] FIG. 2Process schematic incorporating high altitude wind capture and electrolysis to produce fuel cell hydrogen and medical grade oxygen.

[0034] FIG. 3Various systems utilizing aerostat based wind capture with ground mounted generators alone or with modified or new replacement towers to access wind currents.

[0035] FIG. 4Revolving motion energy capture utilizing an elevated aerostat supporting a belt with wind capture cells (4a) or rotating blades (4b) attached to a ground mounted generator to produce electrical and mechanical energy.

[0036] FIG. 5Details for tower mounted single wind capture belt assembly mounted on rotating base with shaft drive the length of the tower to a horizontal, ground mounted generator (5a), similar to (5a) except single wind capture belt with dampener, shaft drive (5b), dual split wind capture belts mounted on structural tower (5c) connected to a shaft linked to a horizontal ground mounted generator.

[0037] FIG. 6 details are similar to FIG. 5 except utilizing a variety of wind capture belts configurations and external belt along the length of the support structure in lieu of a shaft to a ground mounted generator. In addition FIG. 6a Single Wind Capture Belt with Structural Support Mounted to Column with Rotating Base, FIGS. 6b, and 6c, with single and dual wind capture belts, and FIG. 6d Continuous Wind Belt to Horizontal Generator on Rotating Base

[0038] FIG. 7 Linear wind capture system comprising a C-Kite inflated aerostat, orientation controls, and tether to ground mounted generator whereby the aerostat is aligned at a high angle of attack to maximize energy generation during power mode and low angle of attack during retrieval mode to minimize the energy required to return the kite to its starting point.

[0039] FIG. 8 Controlled flight path of C-Kite and parachute shaped aerostats between two towers with tethers to ground mounted switchable generator/motor reversible drives to generate energy as described in FIG. 7 above and kite/balloon (kytoon) aerostat (ref. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kytoon) supporting a C-Kite aerostat capture device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which are shown exemplary but non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those having skill in the art to practice the invention, and it is understood that other embodiments may be used, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the invention is defined only by the appended claims.

[0041] FIG. 1 is block diagram that describes the collection of high altitude wind using an aerostat 100 to support a wind capture device 104 or aerostat with integral wind capture 102 connected to a ground level generator 106 to produce electricity and mechanical energy 114. Mechanical energy is an alternate for electricity for compression of hydrogen and oxygen. Electrical power is routed to high voltage rectifier 108 and then to power grid 110. The remaining power is routed to low voltage rectifier 112 prior to forwarding to an electrolytic cell 118 wherein purified water 116 is compressed and converted to high pressure hydrogen (ref.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_splitting#cite_note-4.sup.).) and oxygen 120 and stored and distributed 124 for sale in fuel cells and chemicals production. Likewise, oxygen from electrolytic cell 118 is stored and distributed 126 for medical quality breathing air and other uses.

[0042] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram depicting capture of high altitude wind energy (HAWE) using a high altitude wind system (HAWS) to produce electricity, hydrogen and oxygen. Water from storage tank 200 is purified using reverse osmosis (RO) followed by de-ionized (DI) resin polishing columns to produce ultra low conductivity water that is preheated and pressurized in solar heat exchanger 204 prior to conversion to hydrogen and oxygen in electrolysis unit 209 utilizing electricity generated from high altitude wind energy generator 206. The hydrogen and oxygen may be further pressurized using compressors 210, cooled using heat exchangers 212, stored in tanks 214 prior to distribution 216 for sale.

[0043] FIG. 3 Various Configurations to Access Greater Heights Compared to Typical HAWT provides comparisons of HAWT 302 with generator 300 relocated to ground 306 and rotor blades, nacelle, replaced with 304 wind belt with various configurations AWEC1-AWEC5 reaching heights to 5,000 feet (Note Current FAA restrictions restrict tethered aerostats to 500 feet and 2,000 feet in urban and rural areas (ref. https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2012-title14-vol2/pdf/CFR-2012-title14-vol2-part101.pdf). Offshore,

[0044] FIG. 4 Revolving Motion High Altitude Wind Power Capture Systems Using Tethered Aerostat to Support Wind Capture Device is a schematic relating to FIG. 3, AWEC5 above. A spherical aerostat 432 with attached struts 430 supporting a spool 434 looped wind capture belt is connected to a ground mounted generator 408 through a combination of looped tethers 420, sheaves 422, shafts 416 spool 423, bearings 414, horizontal to vertical gearbox and speed control, coupling 412. The generator is supported by structural members 410 anchored 404 to a foundation 406. Two cell configurations are illustrated. The first 404 is an open flap with side restraints and the second is a closed half cone 402. In both configurations the cells open upwind and close downwind to generate a net energy increase that causes the belt 428, connected rotating elements and ultimately generator to spin and produce electricity.

[0045] FIG. 5 Details Additions and Modifications Conversion of HAWE to Wind Belt System Utilizing Shaft is a schematic of three configurations utilizing a tower in the form of a column or structural elements to which an aerostat supports a wind capture device as illustrated in FIG. 3 above for tower configurations AWEC1-AWEC3 and conveys wind energy to a horizontal ground mounted generator utilizing a shaftdown the interior length of the tower.

[0046] FIG. 5a Single Wind Capture Belt with Rotating Base depicts a continuous wind capture belt 538 supported by an aerostat mounted on a column connected to a ground mounted generator 514 through a combination of a spool 536, belt tether 534, horizontal to vertical gear box 532, support 530, rotating base 528, column 520, support bearing 524, vertical column shaft 522, horizontal to vertical gear speed control 518, foot bearing 515 connected to generator 514 through horizontal shaft 517, and coupling 516. The tower, generator and assembled components are supported by a foundation 506 and anchors 510.

[0047] FIG. 5b Single Wind Capture Belt Belt depicts an assembly similar to 5a above except the rotating base 528 and supports 530 are eliminated and base bearing 506 and dampen, tension control 504

[0048] FIG. 5c Dual Split Wind Capture Belts depicts an assembly with two wind capture belts suspended from an aerostat by several spools on a structural member tower 502 with optional guy wires 500 that extend to anchors in the ground.

[0049] FIG. 6 Details Miscellaneous Additions and Modifications Utilizing Belts, Wind Capture Blades depicts details utilizing belts in place of shafts, continuous wind belt from support aerostat to ground mounted generator on rotating base, and aerostat with integral or support of wind capture blades tethered to ground mounted generator.

[0050] FIG. 6a Single Wind Capture Belt Exterior to Column depicts substituting a belt 600 for a shaft 522 in FIG. 5a above.

[0051] FIG. 6b substitutes a belt 602 for a shaft 540 depicted in detail 5b.

[0052] FIG. 6c substitutes a belt 604 for a shaft 542 depicted in detail 5c.

[0053] FIG. 6e substitutes an aerostat with integral wind capture blades 608 forwind capture belt 606 and support aerostat shown in FIG. 6d.

[0054] FIG. 6f substitutes a rotating wind blade 610 supported by an aerostat in place of the wind belt 606 shown in FIG. 6d.

[0055] FIG. 7 Linear Motion HAWE Capture System Using Inflated Single C-Kite Aerostat depicts a wind capture system comprising a wind capture aerostat C-Kite 718, control lines 720, orientation instrumentation 716, ground mounted generator assembly 700 with component and attached parts support 712, bearing 711, tether 710 windlass 708, coupling 706 reversible motor generator 704, supported by foundation 702. When the Aerostat is at a high angle of attack wind force pushes the aerostat downwind a set distance before stopping and reorienting to a low angle of attack. Electricity is then supplied to generator and the shaft rotation is reversed and the attached windless reels-in the tether onto the windless shaft and the process is repeated. The net electricity generated is the difference between the power and retrieval modes.

[0056] FIG. 8 Linear Motion HAWE Capture Systems depicts methods for controlled aerostat flight path between two towers and use of a kytoon (kite-balloon) shaped aerostat to support a C-Kite-shaped wind capture aerostat. FIG. 8a depicts a C-kite aerostat 824 between two towers 814 with guides 816 connected by tethers 830 to two ground mounted generators 820 with sequencing controller 808. The generator rotation is cycled clockwise and counterclockwise so as to limit the distance the aerostats travel and to orient the C-Kite at a high and low angle of attack as described in FIG. 7 above to generate a net gain in electricity.

[0057] FIG. 8b is similar to FIG. 8a except a parachute shaped aerostat shown in FIG. 8c opens upwind and closes downwind using mechanical stops 802 to generate electricity equal to the net difference of power versus retrieval mode. The generator rotation is cycled clockwise and counterclockwise so as to limit the distance the aerostats travel and to orient the C-Kite at a high and low angle of attack as described in FIG. 8a above to generate a net gain in electricity except the tether is extended between towers at ground level completing a loop with the above ground tethers and aerostat.

[0058] FIG. 8c depicts a kytoon (kite-balloon) shaped aerostat 804 supporting as C-Kite shaped aerostat 800 with orientation controller 810 in power and retrieval modes connected to a ground mounted motor/generator as described in FIG. 7 above.

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