JPH04237877A - Wind power generating set using lifting body - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To dispense with the transmission of generated electric power up to the ground surface by means of a cable or the like by taking out a reciprocating motion being produced in a connecting cable means and generating the electric power in the vicinity of a cable guide means by each of alternate up- and-down motions of each set of plural lifting bodies. CONSTITUTION:Two sets of lifting bodies 1a, 1b are floated high in the air, and each length of cables 9, 10, 11a, 11b is controlled by a signal out of a transmitter 7, thus their lift is regulated. In brief, the lifting body 1a lowers its altitude, and the lifting body 1b shifts so as to increase the altitude. In consequence, each connecting cable 2 moves in the arrow direction and a driving sheave 4 rotates in the arrow direction. A generating set 5 takes out this reciprocating motion of the connecting cable 2, thereby generating electric power.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wind power generation device. In particular, the present invention relates to a wind power generation device that can generate power using wind power at a high altitude of 3000 m to 10000 m, although it is not limited thereto.

0002

[Prior art] A power generation device that uses natural energy is
Although various types of devices have been proposed in the past, most of these conventional devices utilize wind power near the ground surface. However, this method of using surface wind power has a problem in that the power generation capacity is inferior due to the weak wind power, and only small-scale power generation can be performed. Furthermore, since the direction of the wind is not stable on the ground, it is necessary to develop a means to deal with changes in wind direction. For example, at altitudes between 3,000m and 10,000m, there is a westerly wind called a jet stream, so if it were possible to generate electricity from this westerly wind,
This means that the energy of wind with a stable direction at high wind speeds can be utilized.

[0003] Conventionally, several types of power generation devices have been proposed that utilize high-altitude wind power. One of these is a type in which a floating body with fixed wings is moored to the ground, and this floating body is equipped with a wind turbine. Another type is an airship moored to the ground and equipped with a windmill. Due to the nature of floating bodies, these types of power generation devices have the problem of being blown away and losing altitude in strong winds, and when using gas such as helium to maintain altitude, a large amount of gas is required. Since levitation gas is required, its supply and cost are issues. Still another type of device is a device in which a wind turbine is suspended from a lifting body called a paraglider, which is inflated by ram air and takes on an airfoil shape, and this lifting body is moored to the ground. Since this paraglider-type lifting body can control the lift force, it is possible to maintain altitude by appropriately controlling the lift force according to wind conditions.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Conventional devices intended to utilize high-altitude wind power all generate electricity by converting wind power into rotary power at high altitude, and the resulting power is transferred to cables. It will be necessary to send it to the ground through the Therefore, the cable needs to be insulated, and the weight of the cable itself increases, making it practically difficult to float at high altitude. Power transmission losses also occur.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the present invention uses a plurality of sets of lifting bodies whose lifting force can be controlled. These plural sets of lifting bodies are respectively connected to both ends of a connecting cable means, and the intermediate portion of the connecting cable means is guided by a cable guiding means near the ground surface. Furthermore, these multiple sets of lifting bodies are
The lift is controlled by the control means so that it moves up and down alternately. Further, a power generating means is provided which extracts the reciprocating motion generated in the connecting cable means in the vicinity of the cable guide means by the alternating up and down movement of the plurality of sets of lifting bodies to generate power.

[0006] In one aspect of the invention, the connecting cable means described above serve to moor the lifting body to the earth's surface. In another aspect of the invention, mooring cable means are provided separate from the connecting cable means.

[0007]

[Operation] According to the above-described configuration of the present invention, the control means appropriately controls the lifting force of each set of lifting bodies. Therefore, it is possible to levitate the lifting body at high altitude. Furthermore, this lifting force is controlled such that each set of lifting bodies moves up and down alternately. The connecting cable means connecting each set of lifting bodies therefore reciprocates at the cable guiding means. The power generation means generates power by converting the reciprocating motion of the connecting cable means into rotational power or the like.

[0008]

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, referring to FIG. 1, the wind power generator shown in this figure has two sets of paraglider-type lifting bodies 1a and 1b, each set having two pieces. Lifting body 1 of each set
a, 1b are respectively connected to each end of a connecting cable 2, and these lifting bodies 1a, 1b are connected to each other via the connecting cable 2. The middle part of the connecting cable 2 is
It is guided in a substantially horizontal direction on the ground surface by a guide pulley 3. A power generation device 5 is arranged on the ground surface. This power generation device 5 includes a drive pulley 4 attached to the tip of a shaft 4a, this drive pulley 4 is located between two guide pulleys 3, and a cable 2 is wound around the drive pulley 4.

FIG. 2 shows details of the lifting body 1. The lifting body 1 has a configuration in which a large number of elongated small chambers 8 are laterally arranged and connected. This lifting body 1 is made of a flexible material such as a soft plastic sheet, and the front edge of each small chamber 8 has a
As shown in FIG. 3, an air intake port 8a is formed. Therefore, when receiving wind in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3, each chamber 8 is inflated by the action of the ram air. As shown in FIG. 3, each chamber 8 forms an airfoil when inflated. Therefore, the lifting body 1 generates lift by the air flow flowing around the airfoil formed by each chamber 8.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the front edge of the lifting body 1 is connected by a front suspension cable 9 to a control box 12 containing a control device. An intermediate portion of the lifting body 1 in the longitudinal direction is connected to a control box 12 by a rear suspension cable 10. The left and right ends of the trailing edge of the lifting body 1 are connected to the left and right control cables 1.
It is connected to the control box 12 by 1a and 11b. In this embodiment, the front suspension cable 9 and the rear suspension cable 10 are each wound around a control reel 13, and when the control reel 13 rotates to the left in FIG. The length of the rear suspension cable 10 increases. When the control reel 13 rotates in the opposite direction, the length of the front suspension cable 9 increases and the length of the rear suspension cable 10 decreases. By operating this control reel 13, the angle of attack of the lifting body 1 can be controlled. Although not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the control cables 11a and 11b are wrapped inside the control box 12.
A take-up reel connected to 1a and 11b is provided,
By individually controlling the take-up reels, the lengths of the control cables 11a and 11b can be adjusted. By simultaneously changing the lengths of the control cables 11a and 11b, the angle of attack of the lifting body 1 can be changed, and by changing them individually, it is possible to control the roll and direction.

Although not shown in the figure, the control reel 13 and the take-up reel are combined with a motor for driving these reels, and these motors are remotely controlled. The control box 12 is provided with an antenna 14 for receiving control signals for this remote control. In this embodiment, power for driving the motor is supplied via the connecting cable 2. For this purpose, a power supply device 6 is provided on the ground surface. Further, in order to send control signals to the control box 12, a transmitter 7 is provided as a ground station.

This embodiment is intended to levitate the lifting body 1 at a high altitude of 3000 m to 10000 m to extract the energy of the westerly wind. However, when the wind speed at the ground surface is low, the weight of the cable causes the lifting body to
There is a risk that it will not be possible to levitate to high altitudes. Therefore, in order to ensure that the lifting body 1 can float at a high altitude, a helium air bladder 15 is provided in the air chamber 8 of the lifting body 1, as shown in FIG.

Referring again to FIG. 1, two sets of lifting bodies 1a
, 1b are levitated at high altitude, and the lengths of the cables 9, 10, 11a, 11b are controlled by signals from the transmitter 7 to adjust the lifting force. In the state of FIG. 3, the lifting body 1a is floating at a high altitude, for example 7000 m, and the lifting body 1b is floating at a low altitude, for example 5000 m. From this state, by adjusting the cable length so that the lifting force of the lifting body 1a decreases and adjusting the cable length so that the lifting force of the lifting body 1b increases, the lifting body 1a lowers its altitude and increases the lifting force. The body 1b moves to increase the altitude. As a result, the connecting cable 2 moves in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG.
The drive pulley 4 rotates in the direction of the arrow. Lifting bodies 1a, 1b
As a result of the movement of
00 m and when the lifting body 1b reaches a high limit altitude, the cable length is adjusted in the opposite direction to increase the lifting force of the lifting body 1a and decrease the lifting force of the lifting body 1b. As a result, the lifting body 1a moves to increase its altitude and the lifting body 1b moves to decrease its altitude, the connecting cable 2 moves in the direction opposite to the arrow in FIG. 1, and the driving pulley 4 moves in the direction opposite to the arrow. Rotate in the direction. In this way, the connecting cable 2 is connected to the guide pulley 3.
A periodic reciprocating motion is performed between the two.

The power generating device 5 extracts this reciprocating motion of the connecting cable 2 and generates power. FIG. 4 shows an example of the structure of this power generation device 5. An input gear 5a is provided at the end of the shaft 4a, and a gear 5c provided at one end of the intermediate shaft 5b meshes with the input gear 5a. A one-way clutch 5d is provided on the intermediate shaft 5b, and an intermediate drive gear 5e is provided on the other end. This intermediate drive gear 5e meshes with the drive gear g of the generator 5f. Moreover, the input gear 5a is
It meshes with a gear 5j provided at one end of the second intermediate shaft 5i via an intermediate gear 5h. The intermediate shaft 5i has a one-way clutch 5k and a drive gear 5 of a generator 5f at the other end.
It is equipped with a 5m gear that meshes with g. When the shaft 4f rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 4, the intermediate shaft 5b is driven, and the rotation is transmitted to the generator 5f via the gears 5e and 5g, thereby driving the generator 5f. At this time, the second intermediate shaft 5
The one-way clutch 5k of i idles. When the shaft 5a rotates in the opposite direction, power is transmitted to the generator 5f via the second intermediate shaft 5i. At this time, the first intermediate shaft 5b
The one-way clutch 5d idles. In this way, the reciprocating movement of the connecting cable 2 drives the generator 5f.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the two sets of lifting bodies 1a, 1b are connected by a connecting cable 2 as in the previous embodiment. The connecting cable 2 is stabilized in a substantially horizontal direction by a pair of guide pulleys 3 provided on the ground surface, and a power generating device 5 that generates power by extracting the reciprocating motion of the connecting cable 2 between the guide pulleys 3 is similar to the one in the previous embodiment. Similarly provided. In this embodiment, in addition to the connecting cable 2, a mooring cable 16 is provided for each set of lifting bodies 1a and 1b. One end of the mooring cable 16 is attached to each pair of lifting bodies 1a, 1b, and the other end is moored to the ground. In this embodiment, each mooring cable 16 is moored to the ground via a take-up reel 17. Therefore, when the levitation height of the lifting body is to be significantly changed, the take-up reel 17 may be driven to take up or unwind the mooring cable 16.

Although the configuration of this embodiment is less adaptable to changes in wind direction than the previous embodiment, it has the advantage that the power generation efficiency is doubled compared to the previous embodiment when the direction of the wind is stable. Equipped with In addition, in the previous example,
Electric power for driving the reel for controlling the lifting body was supplied via the connecting cable 2, but it goes without saying that a similar supply method can be used in this embodiment as well.
Power may be supplied via 6. Furthermore, in any of the embodiments, the lifting body 1 may be equipped with a small wind turbine generator for generating power for control.

[0017]

[Effect] In the present invention, a plurality of sets of lifting bodies whose lifting force can be controlled are connected by a connecting cable means, and the lifting force of the lifting bodies is controlled by a control means so that each set of lifting bodies moves up and down alternately. This makes it possible to use high-altitude wind power to generate electricity on the ground. Further, by providing a mooring cable means in addition to the connecting cable means, the efficiency of power generation can be increased.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wind power generator showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a lifting body used in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the lifting body shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing an example of the internal structure of the power generation device.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a wind power generator showing another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Lifting body 2 Connecting cable 3 Guide pulley 4 Driving pulley 5　Power generation equipment 12 Control box

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of sets of lifting bodies whose lifting force can be controlled, a connecting cable means having both ends connected to the plurality of sets of lifting bodies, and an intermediate portion of the connecting cable means near the ground surface. a cable guiding means for guiding; a control means for controlling the lifting force of the lifting bodies so that the plurality of sets of lifting bodies alternately move up and down; and a cable guiding means that causes the plurality of sets of lifting bodies to alternately move up and down. 1. A wind power generation device using a lifting body, characterized in that the wind power generation device comprises a power generation means that generates power by extracting the reciprocating motion generated in the connection cable means in the vicinity of the connecting cable means. 2. The wind power generator according to claim 1, wherein a mooring cable means for mooring each of the plurality of sets of lifting bodies to the ground is provided separately from the connecting cable means. Power generator.