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Patent 2857268 Summary

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(12) Patent: (11) CA 2857268
(54) English Title: RENEWABLE STREAM ENERGY USE
(54) French Title: UTILISATION DE L'ENERGIE RENOUVELABLE DES COURANTS
Status: Granted
Bibliographic Data
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):
  • E03B 3/28 (2006.01)
  • F01D 1/00 (2006.01)
  • F03B 13/00 (2006.01)
  • F03B 17/06 (2006.01)
  • F03D 1/04 (2006.01)
  • F03D 5/00 (2006.01)
  • F03G 7/00 (2006.01)
  • F15D 1/00 (2006.01)
(72) Inventors :
  • ABRAMOV, YURI (Israel)
(73) Owners :
  • SOLITON HOLDINGS CORPORATION, DELAWARE CORPORATION (United States of America)
(71) Applicants :
  • SOLITON HOLDINGS CORPORATION, DELAWARE CORPORATION (United States of America)
(74) Agent: NEXUS LAW GROUP LLP
(74) Associate agent:
(45) Issued: 2016-08-16
(86) PCT Filing Date: 2011-11-24
(87) Open to Public Inspection: 2012-06-14
Examination requested: 2014-05-28
Availability of licence: N/A
(25) Language of filing: English

Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT): Yes
(86) PCT Filing Number: PCT/IB2011/055292
(87) International Publication Number: WO2012/077009
(85) National Entry: 2014-05-28

(30) Application Priority Data:
Application No. Country/Territory Date
PCT/US2010/059786 United States of America 2010-12-10
13/298,678 United States of America 2011-11-17

Abstracts

English Abstract

The invention provides air wind and streaming water energy use. One application provides wind energy use for water harvesting from natural humid air. The method is based on changing thermodynamic state properties of ambient airborne wind passed through a convergent-divergent system. The device is a water condensation device exposed to humid wind, and having no moving components. The device comprises a cascade of sequentially arranged wind converging and wing-like components. Those components transform the wind into fast, cooled, out-flowing air portions. The inner static pressure and temperature decrease in the air portions. The decrease in static pressure and temperature triggers condensation of water-vapor into water-aerosols. Another application of the method provides an effective mechanism for harvesting electrical energy from naturally warm air using renewable wind energy, including the wind inertia, internal heat, and potential energy stored in the air mass in the Earth's gravitational field. The electrical energy harvesting mechanism is also applicable to use of natural renewable energy of streaming water.


French Abstract

La présente invention concerne l'utilisation de l'énergie éolienne et de l'écoulement de l'eau. Une application propose l'utilisation de l'énergie éolienne pour la récupération de l'eau dans l'air humide naturel. Le procédé repose sur le changement des propriétés d'état thermodynamique du vent en vol passé à travers un système convergent-divergent. Le dispositif est un dispositif de condensation d'eau exposé au vent humide et ne présentant pas de composants mobiles. Le dispositif comprend une cascade de composants similaires à des ailes et de convergence du vent disposés de manière séquentielle. Ces composants transforment le vent en parties d'air rapides, refroidies, s'écoulant vers l'extérieur. La pression statique et la température internes diminuent dans les parties d'air. La chute de la pression statique et de la température déclenche la condensation de la vapeur d'eau en aérosols d'eau. Une autre application du procédé propose un mécanisme efficace pour récupérer l'énergie électrique dans l'air naturellement chaud en utilisant l'énergie éolienne renouvelable, y compris l'inertie du vent, la chaleur interne et l'énergie potentielle stockée dans la masse d'air dans le champ gravitationnel de la terre. Le mécanisme de récupération d'énergie électrique est également applicable pour l'utilisation de l'énergie renouvelable naturelle de l'eau en écoulement.

Claims

Note: Claims are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.


19
Claim 1. A stream converging system for concentrating and
accelerating an oncoming flow, comprising wing-like elements
arranged around an axis in the oncoming flow direction at least
partly sequentially upstream to downstream; wherein:
each wing-like element has streamlined surfaces and an
asymmetrical wing-like cross-sectional shape when viewed at right
angles to the portion of oncoming wind, the cross-sectional
shape having a smoothly curved outer contour facing away from
the axis and a smoothly curved inner contour facing toward the
axis, the smoothly curved outer and inner contours being
joined by a rounded upstream end contour and a sharp
downstream end contour, the smoothly curved inner and outer
contours being shaped and oriented with respect to the oncoming
flow direction to cause an inwards redirection of the portion of
oncoming flow around the wing-like elements toward the axis due
to the Coanda effect, thereby contributing to the concentration and
acceleration of the oncoming flow around the axis; and
the stream converging system is arranged with the cascaded wing-
like elements being mutually positioned and oriented to form a
streamlined spaced apart arrangement of surfaces configured around
the axis leaving a clear path of free space along the axis
through the stream converging so as to attract and accelerate
additional outer flux flow portions, flowing around the stream
converging system from parts of the portion of oncoming flow
adjacent an upstream set of the cascaded wing-like elements and
outside the stream converging system to join with an inner flux,
flowing through the upstream set of the stream converging
system to form an accelerated resulting flux which progresses via
the clear path of free space along the axis through the stream
converging system, past the upstream set of the cascaded wing-like
elements in turn being configured to encounter a downstream set

20
of the cascaded wing-like elements, the downstream set of the
cascaded wing-like elements in turn being configured to attract and
accelerate further additional outer flux flow portions which in turn
join with the resulting flux to form a further accelerated resulting
reinforced flux which progresses via the clear path of free
space along the axis, the additional and further additional outer
flux flow portions being attracted from outside the stream
converging system and incorporated into the accelerated resulting
flux and the further accelerated resulting reinforced flux at least
in part by a cascaded operation of the inwards redirection toward
the axis of the oncoming flow streaming around the wing-like
elements due to the Coanda effect reinforced repeatedly.
Claim 2. An electrical generator adapted to partially transform
both kinetic energy and the internal heat energy of an oncoming flow
into electrical energy; the electrical generator comprising a stream
converging system as claimed in claim 1 and a turbine generator
arranged downstream behind the stream converging system;
wherein the turbine generator comprises blades subjected to
rotation by the oncoming flow and is adapted to harvest the
electrical energy from the kinetic energy of the oncoming flow; and
wherein an outlet of the stream converging system is arranged
to direct the further accelerated resulting reinforced flux onto
blades of said turbine generator.
Claim 3. The electrical generator of claim 2;
wherein the oncoming flow is horizontal and the cascaded wing-like
elements are in the form of asymmetrical cascaded horn tubes
configured so that the inwards redirection of the oncoming flow due
to the Coanda effect originates from an oncoming flow portion which
is higher than the outlet of the stream converging apparatus to
thereby produce both a horizontal convergence and a downwards
redirection of the oncoming flow.
Claim 4. The electrical generator of claim 2, wherein the oncoming

21
flow is natural renewable air wind flowing through and around the
stream converging system, and wherein the turbine generator is a
wind turbine.
Claim 5. The electrical generator of claim 2, wherein the oncoming
flow Is natural renewable streaming water flowing through and around
the stream converging system, and wherein the turbine generator is a
hydro turbine.
Claim 6. The electrical generator of claim 2, wherein the cascaded
wing-like elements are arranged to form a set of sequentially
cascaded horn-tubes.
Claim 7. The electrical generator of claim 2, wherein the structure
appearing as cascaded wing-like elements is provided at least in
part by a wing coiled up in a helix in alignment with an outer
contour of an Archimedes screw.
Claim 8. The electrical generator of claim 2, further comprising a
propeller powered by at least one of burned fuel and electricity,
and wherein said oncoming flow is provided at least in part by the
propeller.
Claim 9. The stream converging system of claim 1, wherein the
structure appearing as cascaded wing-like elements is provided at
least in part by sequentially cascaded horn tubes.
Claim 10. The stream converging system of claim 1, wherein the
structure appearing as cascaded wing-like elements is provided at
least in part by a wing coiled up in a helix in alignment with an
outer contour of an Archimedes screw.
Claim 11. The stream converging system of claim 10, wherein the
coiled-up wing is adapted to be subjected to forced rotation around
an axis of the helix, powered by at least one of burned fuel and
electricity, so as to provide a propeller.

22
Claim 12. A passive catcher of water-aerosols from a stream of
humid air, wherein the oncoming flow is natural wind bringing
saturated water-vapor, the passive catcher comprising the stream
converging system of claim 1,
whereby temperature decrease accompanying the flow acceleration
triggers off condensation of the saturated water-vapor into water-
aerosols and drops of dew which collect upon surfaces of the wing-
like elements.
Claim 13. A blower-cooler comprising a stream converging system as
claimed in claim 1 adapted for cooling objects placed in an
accelerated and cooled output air stream of the stream converging
system.

Description

Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.


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1
Title: RENEWABLE STREAM ENERGY USE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to ecologically clean
technology, and, more particularly, to extraction of distilled
water from humid air and electricity harvesting by turbine
generators.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In most geographic areas prior art water sources and
electrical energy producing stations are placed far from the
actual utilization point. In such cases, the ability to
extract water and produce electricity from air offers a
substantial advantage, because there is no need to transport
the water and electricity from a distant source to a local
storage facility. Moreover, if water and electricity is
continuously harvested, local water and electrical energy
reserve requirements are greatly reduced. Using a wind
turbine to product electricity and an electrical cooler to
produce water condensation on cooled surfaces are known in the
art. Such a technique would be practical, if the electricity
harvesting were extremely cheap. Today wind power is widely
used for the electricity generation; however, relatively
bulky wind turbines are

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applied to satisfy the requirements in electrical power. In fact, the use of
the
bulky wind turbines to convert the kinetic power of natural air wind inertia
into
electrical power does not provide a cheap enough service.
Another reason for water-from-air extraction occurs in those regions of the
world where potable water sources are scarce or absent.
Given the ubiquitous nature of water in the vapor phase, it is possible to
establish a sustainable water supply at virtually any location having air
being
refreshed, if one can develop a technology that efficiently harvests water
from
air. Possession of such technology will provide a clear logistical advantage
to
supply agriculture, industry and townspeople with water and to control
ecological conditions.
The water condensation process is an exothermal process. I.e., when
water is transformed from vapors to aerosols and/or dew, so-called latent-heat
is released, thereby heating the aerosols and/or dew drops themselves, as
well as the surroundings. The pre-heated aerosols and/or dew drops
subsequently evaporate back to gaseous form, thereby slowing down the
desired condensation process.
Prior Art Fig. 1 is a schematic drawing of a classical profile of an
airplane wing 10. It is well-known that there is a lift-effect of the airplane
wing
10, which is a result of the non-symmetrical profile of wing 10. An oncoming
air stream 12 flows around the non-symmetrical profile of wing 10, drawing
forward the adjacent air due to air viscosity, according to the so-called
Coanda-effect. The axis 11 of wing 10 is defined as separating the upper and
lower fluxes. Axis 11 of wing 10 and the horizontal direction of the oncoming
air flux 12 constitute a so-called "attack angle" 13. Firstly, a lifting-force
is
defined by attack angle 13, which redirects the flowing wind. Secondly, when
attack angle 13 is equal to zero, wing 10, having an ideally streamlined
contour, provides that the upper air flux 14 and the lower air flux 15 meet
behind wing 10.
Both upper air flux 14 and lower air flux 15, flowing around wing 10, are
redirected in alignment with wing 10's profile according to the Coanda-effect,

and incur changes in their cross-section areas and so are accelerated

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convectively according to the continuity principle: pSv = Const , where p is
the
density of flux; v is the flux velocity, and S is the flux cross-section area.
As a
result, upper air flux 14, subjected to stronger convergence, runs faster,
than
lower flux 15. According to the Energy Conservation Law written in form of
Bernoulli's principle, this results in less so-called static pressure on wing
10
from upper flux 14 than the static pressure from the lower flux 15. If upper
flux
14 and lower flux 15 flow around wing 10 laminary, the difference of the
static
2
V
pressures is defined as AP=Cp¨, where AP is the static pressure
2
difference defining the lifting force when attack angle 13 is equal to zero, C
is
the coefficient, depending on wing 10's non-symmetrical profile, p is the
density of the air; and v is the velocity of the air flux relatively to wing
10. In
practice, there are also turbulences and vortices of the fluxes, which are not

shown here. The general flows, turbulences and vortices result in an air
static
pressure distribution, particularly, in local static pressure reduction and
local
extensions of the flowing air. Consider an air portion flowing around wing 10,
referring to the Klapeiron-Mendeleev law concerning a so-called hypothetic
ideal gas state: ¨PV=nR, where n is the molar quantity of the considered
portion of the gas, P is the gas static pressure, V is the volume of the gas
portion, T is the absolute temperature of the gas, and R is the gas constant.
There are at least two reasons for changes in the gas state parameters of the
air portion flowing around wing 10. First, for relatively slow wind, when the
flowing air can be considered as incompressible gas, Gay-Lussac's law for
isochoric process bonds the static pressure P with absolute temperature T by
AP A T
the equation ¨ = ¨ , i.e. decrease of static pressure is accompanied with
P T
proportional absolute temperature decreasing AT. Second, for wind at higher
speeds, running on a non-zero attack angle 13, when the air becomes
compressible-extendable, the wind flowing around wing 10 performs work W
for the air portion volume extension, wherein the volume extension process is
substantially adiabatic.

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The adiabatic extension results in a change of the portion of gas internal
heat energy, accompanied by static pressure reduction and temperature
decrease. The work W performed by the wind flowing around wing 10 for the
adiabatic process is defined as: W = nC,61õ, where C. is the heat capacity
for an isochoric process, and AT, is the adiabatic temperature decrease of the
considered air portion. The value of the adiabatic temperature decrease
AT, =T2¨T1 is bonded with static pressure reduction by the relation:
T2 1 Ti = (P2 I Pi)(7-1" , where P, and P2 are static pressures of the
considered
air portion before and after the considered adiabatic process correspondingly,
and y is an adiabatic parameter, which depends on molecular structure of
gas, and the value r=7A. is a good approximation for nature air. In the final
analysis, the air portion of the wind flowing around wing 10 is subjected to
convective reduction in its cross-section area that results in acceleration of
the
air portion according to the equation of continuity wherein, considering
substantially horizontal motion of gas, the air potion kinetic energy increase
occurs at the expense of the internal heat energy, according to the Energy
Conservation Law. Thus, local cooling by both mentioned processes: isochoric
and adiabatic pressure reduction, acts in particular, as a water condensation
trigger, while the increased kinetic power can be used correspondently for
increased electrical power harvesting.
Considering nature tornados, a phenomenon is observed that quickly
circulating air triggers condensation of vapor molecules into water-aerosols.
There is therefore a need in the art for a system to provide an effective and
ecologically clean mechanism for controlled water harvesting from air.
Wind energy has historically been used directly to propel sailing ships or
conversion into mechanical energy for pumping water or grinding grain. The
principal application of wind power today is the generation of electricity.
There
is therefore a need in the art for a system to provide an effective mechanism
for water harvesting from air utilizing nature wind power.
On the other hand, the above-mentioned use of wind power for producing
electricity is based on methods for converting the energy of the wind inertia

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into electricity and ignores methods for substantial conversion of the
internal
heat energy of naturally warm air wind into electricity. For example, a
technique to utilize a long vertical converging tube for air wind portions
acceleration for increasing the efficiency of the electricity harvesting from
air
5 wind, is
suggested in US Patent 7,811,048 "Turbine-intake tower for wind
energy conversion systems" by Daryoush Allaei. The described method
assumes a utilization of a hollow tall tower, for example, higher than 100 or
200 feet, to make a downward air stream, which further blows to a wind
turbine placed near the ground. However, it is problematic to accelerate an
air
flow substantially for at least the two following reasons. First, the long
streaming path causes essential skin-friction resistance. And second,
undesired drag is expected because the stream is subjected to re-direction
several times.
There is therefore a further need in the art for a system to provide an
effective mechanism for harvesting electrical energy from air using renewable
wind energy, including the wind inertia, internal heat, and potential energy
stored in the air mass in the Earth's gravitational field.
Furthermore, nowadays use of streaming water power for producing
electricity is based on methods for converting the energy of the falling water
gravitationally accelerated inertia into electricity and ignores methods for
substantial conversion of the internal heat energy of naturally warm water
into
electricity, and so, in particular, it is problematical to produce sufficient
amount
of electrical power from relatively slow streaming off-shore sea-water waves.
There is therefore a further need in the art for a system to provide an
effective
mechanism for harvesting electrical energy from water using renewable water
stream energy, including the water stream inertia, internal heat, and
potential
energy stored in the air mass in the Earth's gravitational field.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to overcome
the limitations of existing methods and apparatuses for extracting water from
air, and to provide improved methods and apparatus for extracting water from
air and for harvesting electrical energy from streaming flow.

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It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods and
apparatus for more reliable water harvesting.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide methods and
apparatus for ecologically clean harvesting of water, where the forced water
condensation from humid air is accomplished by an engine powered by natural
wind.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide methods and
apparatus for a more robust constructive solution without moving parts, where
the incoming wind is the only moving component of an engine.
It is one further object of the present invention to provide methods and
apparatus powered by natural wind for blowing around and cooling objects.
It is one more object of the present invention to provide methods and
apparatus for improvement of flying properties of an aircraft.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide methods and
apparatus powered by naturally warm wind for harvesting electrical energy
from both the mechanic and the internal heat energy of natural air wind.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide methods and
apparatus powered by natural wind for harvesting electrical energy from the
potential energy stored in the air portion in the Earth's gravitational field.
It is one more object of the present invention to provide methods and
apparatus powered by streaming water for harvesting electrical energy from
both the mechanic and the internal heat energy of the streaming water.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide methods and
apparatus supplied by a conventional propeller consuming electrical power for
making streaming either air or water flow for harvesting electrical energy
from
both the mechanic and the internal heat energy of the streaming flow and in
the final analysis providing positive net-efficiency of the electrical power
harvesting.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide methods and
apparatus, playing role of a converging propeller powered by either burned
fuel or electricity for effective trapping either gas or liquid from
surroundings
wherein the trapping efficiency is achieved at the expense of both the
consumed energy and the internal heat energy of the entrapped matter.

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There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows
hereinafter may be better understood. Additional details and advantages of
the invention will be set forth in the detailed description, and in part will
be
appreciated from the description, or may be learned by practice of the
invention.
All the above and other characteristics and advantages of the invention
will be further understood through the following illustrative and non-
limitative
description of preferred embodiments thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out
in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of a non-
limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in the
drawings:
Fig. 1 is a schematic drawing of a classic prior art profile of an airplane
wing;
Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of an ecologically clean passive
catcher of water aerosols;
Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of an ecologically clean water
condensation engine, having a set of wing-like components, constructed
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of a horn-tube [converging nozzle]
and a water condensation engine, constructed according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 5 is a schematic representation of a construction comprising
cascaded horn-tubes as a water condensation device, constructed according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 6a is a schematic illustration of an aggregation of air wind portion
converging system and a wind turbine, constructed according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention;

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Fig. 6b is a schematic illustration of an aggregation of air wind portion
converging and down-redirecting system and a wind turbine, constructed
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 6c is a schematic illustration of an aggregation of a propeller, air
flow converging system, and a wind turbine, constructed according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 7a is schematic illustration of a side view, cut off, and isometric
view of wing, coiled-up in alignment with outer contour of the Archimedes
screw, constructed according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 7b is schematic illustration of an in-line aggregation of two wings,
coiled-up in alignment with outer contour of the Archimedes screw; wherein
the first coiled-up wing is subjected to forced rotation around the
longitudinal
carrier axis at the expense of electrical power consumption, constructed
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The principles and operation of a method and an apparatus according to
the present invention may be better understood with reference to the drawings
and the accompanying description, it being understood that these drawings
are given for illustrative purposes only and are not meant to be limiting.
Fig. 2 is a top view schematic drawing of an ecologically clean passive
catcher 20 of water aerosols. Catcher 20 has a set of wing-like streamlined
blades 21 and mirror-reversed wing-like blades 22 for accumulation of
naturally condensed dew. When catcher 20 is placed in an open space, humid
windy air 23 flows around wing-like blades 21 and 22, wherein air portions
acceleration and cooling occur as described hereinabove referring to Fig. 1.
Each of wing-like blades 21 and 22 redirects portions of oncoming airflow 23
according to the Coanda-effect, and the shown arrangement of opposite
mirror-reversed wing-like blades 21 and 22 results in convergence of air
stream 23. Therefore, the resulting air outflow 29 is convectively accelerated

according to the equation of continuity. The airflow speed increase is

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accompanied by the static pressure decrease according to Bernoulli's
principle; and the static pressure decrease is bonded with the temperature
decrease according to gas state laws. The effects of air portions acceleration

and cooling are stronger, if the oncoming wind speed is higher. If weather
conditions are such that the temperature of humid windy air 23 is close to so-
called "dew-point" temperature, drops of dew arise on the surfaces of blades
21 and 22, which are cooled by the flowing air. Catcher 20, however, is not
constructed to provide sufficiently effective trapping of condensed water-
aerosols. The partially dried air flux 29, leaving ecologically clean catcher
20,
takes away water aerosols, which are not caught, and water-vapor, which
remains in a gaseous state. The described condensation triggering is
relatively
weak, because the natural breeze velocity is relatively slow.
In view of the description referring to Fig. 2, it will be evident to a person

skilled in the art, that passive catcher 20 can be supplied by a wind
accelerator
either converging nozzle and/or propeller to increase productivity of the
condensed water-aerosols trapping.
Fig. 3 is a top view schematic drawing of a water condensation device
30 exposed to incoming humid wind 33, constructed according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Water condensation engine
comprises stationary profiled curved wing-like blades 31, which act on the
incoming air stream, resulting in eddying and the creation of high spin
vortices
32. In addition, fresh portions of humid wind 33 make new portions of the
circulating vortex in the same space. Assuming that input humid wind 33 is
25 laminar, such a positive feedback loop re-enforces eddies resulting in
said
creation of high spin vortices 32. Vortices 32 have inherent pressure
distribution, wherein inner pressure is lower and outer pressure is higher. An

air portion, which is entrapped by one of the high spin vortices 32, is
accelerated and decompressed by the vortex. Adiabatically reduced pressure
30 of the air portion is accompanied by decreased air portion temperature
according to gas laws. The air cooling stimulates the desired condensation of
the water-vapors into water-aerosols.

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Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of a horn-tube converging nozzle 400.
Horn-tube converging nozzle 400 is positioned along the incoming wind 44 on
its way to a water condensation device 300, constructed according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Water condensation engine
5 300 is not detailed here. In particular, it may be similar to above-
described
either water condensation device 20 of Fig. 2 or water condensation device 30
of Fig. 3.
Horn-tube 400 preferably has a wing-like streamlined profile of walls 48
and substantially different diameters 401 and 402 of open butt-ends: inlet 410
10 and outlet 420. Use of converging walls having a wing-like varied
thickness
profile 48 prevents arising of the unwanted turbulences. A flux of humid wind
44 enters horn-tube nozzle 400 at inlet 410 having bigger diameter 401 and
comes out through narrow throat outlet 420 having a smaller diameter 402.
Wing-like streamlined profile 48 and sufficient length 49 between but-ends 410
and 420 provide the conditions for laminar flow of the flux.
Smaller diameter 402 is large enough to prevent substantial brake of
oncoming stream 44. According to the continuity equation, the point 45 of the
flux crossing throat outlet 420 of smaller diameter 402 experiences higher
velocity than the velocity at the flux point 46 near inlet 410 having bigger
diameter 401. Thus, assuming incompressible gas, the flux velocity is
inversely-proportional to the cross-section area. For example, if inlet 410
diameter 401 is 3 times bigger than throat outlet 420 diameter 402, the
velocity of output flux at point 45 is 32 =9 times higher than the velocity of
the
incoming air flux at the point 46. Thus, horn-tube nozzle 400 provides the
high
speed output air stream 47 desired for input into water condensation device
300.
Horn-tube converging nozzle 400 itself may play the role of a water
condenser. According to Bernoulli's principle, static pressure P of a
convectively accelerated portion of air is reduced. According to the Klapeiron-

Mendeleev law concerning a hypothetical ideal gas state, and particularly for
the case of slow-flowing wind approximated as an incompressible gas, i.e. for
P
an isochoric process, according to Gay-Lussac's law, ¨ = Const, where P is
T
the static pressure and T is the absolute temperature of the gas portion. This

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means that in an approximation of ideal gas laws, reduced static pressure P
is accompanied by a proportional decrease of the associated air portion's
absolute temperature T. The decreased temperature T may trigger the
desired water condensation. The exothermal water condensation is a non-
equilibrium process, and the condensed water and surroundings are warmed.
So while the considered air portion remains humid, the temperature of the
convectively accelerated air portion is to be not lower than the dew-point
temperature, wherein the dew-point temperature itself becomes lower as the
air humidity is reduced.
In general, to describe the phenomena of ambient wind portion
acceleration in a substantially adiabatic process, rather than the
hypothetical
ideal, considering a real gas, wherein the real gas also causes negative
effects of drag and viscous friction, logic based on the Energy Conservation
Law is applicable. Accordingly, the original inertia of the ambient wind
portion
is used for the wind convergence and convective acceleration. Assume that
the gas portion, which is subjected to the convergence, propagates
substantially horizontally, i.e. with no change of the gas portion potential
energy in the Earth's gravitational field. Then the air portion convective
acceleration results in partial transformation of the internal heat energy
into
kinetic energy of the air portion. Assuming compensated turbulences, the
drag-force, in particular, is proportional to the cross-section area of the
wind
redirecting components, and the viscous skin-friction resistance force, in
particular, is proportional to the area of all the blown surfaces; and the
positive
effect of convective acceleration, defined by original inertia of the
considered
air wind portion, in particular, is proportional to the converged air portion
volume. The above-described cross-section and surfaces areas grow
proportionally to the square of the increase of the converging system's linear

size, and the above-described volume grows proportionally to cube of the
increase in the linear size of the converging system. This means that for
sufficiently large device dimensions, particularly, outlet 420 size, the above-

described positive effect becomes substantially stronger than the negative
effects. When the above-mentioned negative effects, resulting in slowing of
the considered portion of air wind, are weaker than the effect of the
convective
acceleration, then the outflow turns out to be accelerated and cooled.

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12
In view of the description referring to Fig. 4, it will be evident to a person

skilled in the art, that horn-tube nozzle 400 configuration can be considered
as
a wing-like blade coiled-up around a horizontal axis 100.
In view of the description referring to Fig. 4, it will be evident to a person
skilled in the art, that cooled output air stream 47 may be utilized for
blowing
around and cooling other objects that are located outside of the profiled horn-

tube nozzle 400.
However, it is not always practical to apply horn-tube nozzle 400, having a
large area inlet 410, for incoming wind convective acceleration. It is neither
easy nor economical to build a wide horn-tube nozzle 400, for example, having
inlet 410 diameter 401 of 30 m and throat outlet 420 diameter 402 of 1 m, that

would be sufficiently durable for the case of a strong gust of wind.
Fig. 5 is a schematic illustration of a set 500 of in-line cascaded horn-
tubes: 510, 520, and 530. Each of horn-tubes 510, 520, and 530 has open
butt-ends: inlet, respectively, 511, 521, 531 and throat outlet, respectively,

512, 522, 532. Diameter 501 of inlets 511, 521, 531 substantially differs from

diameter 502 of throat outlets 512, 522, 532. This cascade, exposed to
oncoming humid wind 54, operates as a wind concentration and water
condensation engine, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention. A flux of humid wind 54 enters profiled horn-tube 510 from inlet
511,
having bigger diameter 501, and comes out through throat outlet 512, having
smaller diameter 502.
Moreover, part of humid wind flux 54 flows around profiled horn-tube 510
forming an outer flowing stream 517.
Furthermore, both fluxes: inner flux 516 exiting from narrow throat outlet
512 and outer flux 517 enter cascaded profiled horn-tube 520. Horn-tube 520
transforms both inner flux 516 and outer flux 517 into the resulting flux 526,

exiting the narrow throat outlet 522 of profiled horn-tube 520. The velocity
of
resulting flux 526 is almost double the velocity of flux 516. Next cascaded
horn-tube 530 provides yet added fresh outside portions 527 of wind 54 to the
resulting re-enforced flux 536, having a cross-section area equal to the area
of

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13
the narrow throat outlet 532 of horn-tube 530, and having a velocity that is
almost triple that of the velocity of flux 516.
It is found that, in order to converge a huge portion of air wind, it is
preferable to use a set of sequentially cascaded relatively small horn-tubes
instead of a single big horn-tube. This provides at least the following
advantages. First, nozzles of not-practical large dimensions are not needed
and a construction remains reasonably feasible; and secondly, the negative
effects of the drag-force and the viscous skin-friction resistance are found
to
be substantially reduced.
Thus, by means of such a cascading of many horn-tubes, it is possible to
concentrate a huge front of naturally warm and humid wind into a narrow
resulting flux of extra-high velocity. The extra-high velocity of the
resulting flux
provides extra-cooling further defining high-productive harvesting of
condensed water.
In view of the foregoing description referring to Fig. 5, it will be evident
to a
person skilled in the art that the aforementioned water condensation device
300 can be arranged behind set 500 of in-line cascaded horn-tubes, according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
In view of the foregoing description referring to Fig. 5, it will be evident
to a
person skilled in the art that various modifications of horn-tubes may be
cascaded to implement a converging system. As well, a set 500 of in-line
cascaded horn-tubes can be modified into an unbroken blade, coiled-up
around horizontal axis 100 helically in alignment with an outer contour of a
screw of Archimedes, that is described herein-below referring to Fig. 7a.
In view of the foregoing description referring to Fig. 5, it will be evident
to a
person skilled in the art that extra-high kinetic power of the resulting flux
is
capable to use for high-productive electrical power harvesting by a wind
turbine, wherein in the final analysis, the wind turbine partially transforms
both
the origin mechanic energy and the internal heat energy of the yet to be
converged oncoming flow portion into electrical energy harvested by the wind
turbine.
Fig. 6a is a schematic illustration of aggregation 601 of an air wind
converging system 661 comprising set of sequentially arranged horn-tubes,

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14
and wind turbine 811 capable to transform a portion of kinetic energy of a
blowing air stream 668 into electrical energy, constructed according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Wind turbine 811 comprises
wing-like blades 812 attached to blade-grip 813. In this case, wing-like
blades
812 are subjected to rotation by converged wind portion 668, streaming
through the narrowed cross-section. Optionally one can encapsulate wind
turbine 811 into a cylindrical-like shell 814, thereby preventing the cross-
section of air stream 668 from increasing and thereby from slowing, while the
inertia of fast air wind stream 668 forces the rotation of wing-like blades
812.
It is preferable, that wing-like blades 812 have big area planes oriented
almost in alignment with fast blowing stream 668, in order to provide
relatively
slow but powerful rotation of blade-grip 813. Such an aggregation of wind
converging system 601 and wind turbine 811 has principal advantages.
Namely, from the point of view of Energy Conservation Law, the increased
kinetic energy is harvested at the expense of the internal heat energy of the
converged wind portion. This means that wind turbine 811 is powered not only
by the kinetic power of the original inertia of the ambient yet to be
converged
wind portion, but also by the additional harvested kinetic power. Hence, the
expected productivity of the wind turbine 811, which is rotated by fast stream
668, can be increased substantially in comparison with productivity of a wide-
front wind turbine, which is blown by the same but not converged portion of
natural wind.
Fig. 6b is a schematic illustration of an aggregation of air wind converging
system 602 comprising set of sequentially arranged horn-tubes 663, which
have asymmetrical configurations, and wind turbine 811 capable to transform
a part of kinetic energy of blowing air stream 669 into electrical energy,
constructed according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
A principal feature of converging system 663 is that the front of converged
air
wind portion 64 effectively is higher above the ground than resulting
outflowing
air stream 669 blowing turbine 811 blades 812. So, both phenomena occur:
horizontal convergence and vertical redirection of the air portion 64
subjected
to the convergence. According to Bernoulli's principle, the convective
acceleration is accompanied by both a decrease in static pressure and a

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decrease of potential energy stored in the considered air portion mass in the
Earth's gravitational field. Therefore, from the point of view of the Energy
Conservation Law, air wind portion 64's kinetic energy increase is at the
expense of both the internal heat energy and the potential gravitational
energy
5 of air wind potion 64. So it is expected, that wind turbine 811 can
produce
electricity of substantially higher power than a wide-front wind turbine,
which is
blown by the same but not converged portion 64 of natural wind. Thereby,
application of such in-line cascaded asymmetrical horn-tubes provides yet
another advantage by avoiding of impractical tall column installation for air
10 portions downward streaming in order to use the air portions potential
gravitational energy.
In view of the foregoing description referring to Figs. 6a and 6b, it will be
evident to a person skilled in the art that the described method for the
internal
heat energy and the potential gravitational energy conversion into the
15 additional kinetic energy is applicable to any gas or liquid having
original
inertia. For example, this method can be applied for water stream converging
to power a hydro (water) turbine destined for electricity generation.
Fig. 6c is a schematic illustration of aggregation 603 comprising a
converging system 661 and wind turbine 811, similar to aggregation 601
described referring to Fig. 6a, but now supplied by a conventional propeller
665 arranged on the converging system inlet, constructed according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Conventional propeller 665
makes air stream at the expense of power consumption. In particular, the
consumed power can be electrical power, or power harvested from burned fuel
and measured in the electrical power equivalent. Air stream 616 made by
conventional propeller 665 and convectively accelerated results in the stream
616 sucking air portions 617 from the outer surrounding according to the
Coanda-effect. Further, air portions 617 also are subjected to convergence
and convective acceleration. Considering sufficiently strong conventional
propeller 665 and rather enlarged converging system 661, and taking into the
account that power associated with air stream is proportional to cube of the
air
stream speed, it becomes reachable a situation, when the consumed power
becomes substantially lower than the power harvested by wind turbine 811

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16
from the renewable internal heat power of air. This further allows powering
the
conventional propeller 665 by a part of the harvested power; hence, the net-
efficiency of the ecologically clean electricity producing by aggregation 603
becomes positive.
In view of the foregoing description referring to Fig. 6c, it will be evident
to
a person skilled in the art that the described method for converting internal
heat energy into additional kinetic energy and further into electrical energy
is
applicable to systems in which the original stream of either gas or liquid is
made using a conventionally powered propeller. As well, in view of the
foregoing description referring to Fig. 6c, it will be evident to a person
skilled
in the art that the described method for converting internal heat energy into
additional kinetic energy in order to trigger water-vapors condensation into
water-aerosols and water-drops of dew is applicable to systems in which the
original stream of humid air wind is made using a conventionally powered
propeller.
Fig. 7a comprises schematic illustrations of a side view, cut off, and
isometric view of wing 71, coiled-up in alignment with outer contour of the
Archimedes screw, constructed according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention. When a classical screw of Archimedes (not shown here) is
rotating around its longitudinal axis, it is trapping viscous either gas or
liquid
from surrounding; and vice versa, when such a screw, which can be rotated
freely, is exposed to streaming either gas or liquid, the screw becomes
subjected to rotation. Shown coiled-up wing 71, on the one hand, has the
mentioned properties of the Archimedes screw, and, on the other hand, has
properties of a horn tube to converge oncoming air stream, described
hereinbefore referring to Fig. 5. Coiled-up wing 71 overall configuration has
an
asymmetry around its longitudinal axis that results in the desired rotation of
the
converged oncoming air stream. Principal advantages are provided, if coiled-
up wing 71 is implemented in the following exemplary applications.
First, coiled-up wing 71 can play role of stationary in-line cascaded horn-
tubes exposed to humid wind, implemented for water harvesting from air, as
described hereinabove referring to Fig. 5.

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17
Second, coiled-up wing 71 can be used as a stationary converging system
to accelerate natural air wind or water stream in order to increase efficiency
of
a turbine generator, as it is described hereinabove referring to Fig. 6a.
Third, if coiled-up wing 71 is capable to be rotated freely around its
longitudinal carrier axis 75, then it can be used as a turbine generator
destined
for electricity generation. In comparison with the above-mentioned aggregation

601 (Fig. 6a) that preferably should be longer in the direction of wind
propagation, the electricity generation system implementation in the form of
coiled-up wing 71 is more compact because coiled-up wing 71 plays both
roles: of a converging system and of blades subjected to rotation.
Fourth, coiled-up wing 71 can be subjected to forced rotation around its
longitudinal carrier axis 75, and thereby can be used as either gas or liquid
entrapping engine. In contrast to the classical Archimedes screw, rotating
coiled-up wing 71 also converges and accelerates the entrapped stream,
resulting in that the accelerated stream correspondently sucking the gas or
liquid from the outer surrounding according to the Coanda-effect, thereby,
increasing substantially the productivity of the engine at the expense of the
internal heat energy of the converged gas or liquid correspondently. Such an
engine can play role of an effective entrapping propeller and be adapted to a
vehicle: either car, or ship, or submarine, or airplane, saving fuel
substantially.
Fifth, coiled-up wing 71 can play role of a stationary wing-like component
attached to a vehicle either airplane or helicopter to improve flying
properties
of the vehicle.
Sixth, coiled-up wing 71, being subjected to forced rotation around
longitudinal carrier axis 75, can be oriented vertically (not shown here) such
that to entrap upper air and accelerate the air stream in the downward
direction, and thereby can be used as a lifting engine. In contrast to
Leonardo
da Vinci's helicopter lifting engine having a classical air trapping screw of
Archimedes, the suggested lifting engine has vertically oriented coiled-up
wing
71 simultaneously providing both the air trapping and the air stream
converging phenomena. The air stream converging allows to convert the
internal heat energy of the warm air of surrounding and potential energy
stored
in air mass in the Earth's gravitational field into the kinetic energy of
downward
air stream.

CA 02857268 2016-04-29
18
Seventh, refer now to Fig. 7b comprising two coiled-up wings 71 and 72,
which can be aggregated into an in-line arrangement 70. Wherein coiled-up
wing 71 is subjected to forced rotation around longitudinal carrier axis 75 at

the expense of electrical power consumption, i.e. coiled-up wing 71 plays the
role of a trapping-and-converging propeller 77; while coiled-up wing 72, being
5
capable to be rotated freely around its longitudinal carrier axis 76, is used
as a
wind turbine destined for electrical power producing, i.e. coiled-up wing 72
plays the role of a wind turbine 78 with converging blades 79. In this case,
wind turbine 78 having converging blades 79 is blown by air stream, which is
accelerated, on the one hand, at the expense of electrical power consumption
10
by trapping-and-converging propeller 77, and on the other hand, due to
convergence, i.e. at the expense of the gas stream internal heat power
converting.
In view of the foregoing description referring to Figs 7a and 7b, it will be
evident to a person skilled in the art that the described coiled-up wing can
be 15
applicable to many systems using mechanic and internal heat energy of either
gas or liquid.
DRAWINGS
It should be understood that the hereinafter sketched exemplary 20
embodiments are merely for purposes of illustrating the teachings of the
present invention and should in no way be used to unnecessarily narrow the
interpretation of or be construed as being exclusively definitive of the scope
of
the claims which follow. It is anticipated that one of skill in the art will
make
many alterations, re-combinations and modifications to the embodiments 25
taught herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims.

Representative Drawing
A single figure which represents the drawing illustrating the invention.
Administrative Status

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Administrative Status

Title Date
Forecasted Issue Date 2016-08-16
(86) PCT Filing Date 2011-11-24
(87) PCT Publication Date 2012-06-14
(85) National Entry 2014-05-28
Examination Requested 2014-05-28
(45) Issued 2016-08-16

Abandonment History

There is no abandonment history.

Maintenance Fee

Last Payment of $125.00 was received on 2023-11-14


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Next Payment if standard fee 2024-11-25 $347.00
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Payment History

Fee Type Anniversary Year Due Date Amount Paid Paid Date
Request for Examination $400.00 2014-05-28
Registration of a document - section 124 $100.00 2014-05-28
Reinstatement of rights $200.00 2014-05-28
Application Fee $200.00 2014-05-28
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 2 2013-11-25 $50.00 2014-05-28
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 3 2014-11-24 $50.00 2014-05-28
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 4 2015-11-24 $50.00 2015-11-16
Final Fee $150.00 2016-06-27
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 5 2016-11-24 $100.00 2016-11-10
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 6 2017-11-24 $100.00 2017-11-24
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 7 2018-11-26 $100.00 2018-11-06
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 8 2019-11-25 $100.00 2019-11-18
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 9 2020-11-24 $100.00 2020-11-16
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 10 2021-11-24 $125.00 2021-11-15
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 11 2022-11-24 $125.00 2022-11-14
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 12 2023-11-24 $125.00 2023-11-14
Owners on Record

Note: Records showing the ownership history in alphabetical order.

Current Owners on Record
SOLITON HOLDINGS CORPORATION, DELAWARE CORPORATION
Past Owners on Record
None
Past Owners that do not appear in the "Owners on Record" listing will appear in other documentation within the application.
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Document
Description 
Date
(yyyy-mm-dd) 
Number of pages   Size of Image (KB) 
Claims 2014-05-29 6 265
Abstract 2014-05-28 2 113
Claims 2014-05-28 6 244
Drawings 2014-05-28 4 199
Description 2014-05-28 18 836
Representative Drawing 2014-07-24 1 45
Cover Page 2014-08-21 1 79
Claims 2015-11-02 3 110
Description 2015-02-17 18 826
Claims 2015-02-17 3 105
Claims 2015-07-30 4 181
Claims 2016-03-01 4 135
Description 2016-04-29 18 818
Representative Drawing 2016-07-11 1 36
Cover Page 2016-07-11 2 84
Maintenance Fee Payment 2017-11-24 1 33
Examiner Requisition 2015-09-08 3 248
PCT 2014-05-28 14 602
Assignment 2014-05-28 11 332
Prosecution-Amendment 2014-07-24 1 4
Prosecution-Amendment 2014-11-21 4 277
Amendment 2015-11-02 27 1,223
Office Letter 2015-11-03 1 23
Office Letter 2015-11-03 1 26
Prosecution-Amendment 2015-02-18 1 31
Prosecution-Amendment 2015-02-17 9 276
Prosecution-Amendment 2015-04-30 6 401
Amendment 2015-07-30 13 625
Correspondence 2015-10-30 2 90
Fees 2015-11-16 1 33
Examiner Requisition 2015-12-09 4 297
Amendment 2016-03-01 15 589
Examiner Requisition 2016-03-11 3 221
Amendment 2016-04-29 4 148
Final Fee 2016-06-27 1 33